Employers responding to the 2005 MBA Benchmark Survey estimated that they would hire 24.9 percent more new M.B.A. graduates in 2004-05 than they did in the 2003-04 academic year.

Manufacturers project the biggest increase in MBA hiring, with plans to hire nearly 29 percent more new MBAs this year. By region, MBA hiring is expected to increase most sharply in the Midwest (up 35.9 percent), but all regions report positive hiring projections.

How do employers plan to find these graduates?

"Our results show that employee referrals, on-campus recruiting, and internship programs are the most widely used methods," said NACE Executive Director Marilyn Mackes. "Employers also say these are the most effective means for attracting and hiring MBA candidates."

On average, responding employers expect to offer a base salary of approximately $72,930. When benefits and perks are added, the overall compensation package for an M.B.A. hire averages $93,770.

"What’s important to keep in mind is that these are averages," said Mackes. "There are lots of variables that affect compensation. In fact, in terms of salaries, employers reported starting salaries that ranged from a low of $34,000 to a high of $103,000."

Still, more than half plan to pay their new MBAs more than $75,000 a year. And if that isn’t enough, more than half of the respondents (58.3 percent) expect to "sweeten the pot" with a signing bonus.

"Ironically, that’s an indication of how much ground MBAs lost in recent years," said Mackes. "In a similar survey we conducted in 2001, more than 80 percent of employers said they were offering signing bonuses."

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