Fearless prediction: The Stanford Class of 2017 is going to be probing the Southwest more deeply. Who wouldn’t, after the previous class saw pay jump from $131,250 to $169,000? They’re not alone. 24 members of Darden’s graduating class grossed $137,174, up $12,500 over 2015. Chances are, they’ll be fending off Cornell Johnson’s best, whose base pay climbed even more ($118,273 to $137,000). MBAs should brace themselves, however. The pay is more steady than striking. Most schools reported high pay fluctuating from $120,000-$140,000, though graduates of Cornell, Harvard, and Chicago Booth managed to score paydays north of $200,000.