Courtesy of Carmen P; Tyler Le/BI

As told to

2026-05-11T09:07:01.256Z

Carmen P is a 29-year-old living in New York City. Business Insider has verified her income and employment history with documentation. The following as-told-to essay has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm a VP of product strategy and development at a multi-national bank and make $155,000 a year.

Before getting my MBA, I worked in market research, but it felt like my earning potential was capped. The real money-makers were the account executives who made commissions, but I wasn't really comfortable with the dynamic of sales roles.

I think of my student loans from my MBA as my subscription to life. I wouldn't be able to have the opportunities that I have — now and in the future — if it weren't for this $700 payment every month. It's not a small sum of money, but it's not overbearing.

An MBA isn't a magical ticket , though.…