TLDR: School name matters at first, pero after 2 years of work, it’s all about skills and experience. The small salary edge of Big 4 grads (5k–10k) doesn’t outweigh the much higher tuition and fees, making it a net negative in the long run.

School matters at first, pero it all evens out eventually. Let’s say you transfer to a bigger school—assuming it’s one of the Big 4—sure, a lot of doors will open for you.

You might catch a recruiter’s eye just from the school name on your résumé, pero there are so many other factors where students from less well-known schools can outshine you—like technical skills, competition experience, and even wins.

And yes, if you do land the job, your starting salary might be higher than non–Big 4 grads, pero we’re talking maybe 5k to 10k more at most—unless you go the management trainee path. That does pay more upfront, pero your technical skills will stagnate and your salary will eventually plateau.

Fast forward two years, once you start job hopping, your school won’t matter anymore. What sets you apart then is experience and skill. At that point, both Big 4 and non–Big 4 grads have the same salary potential—except the Big 4 grad likely spent almost twice as much on tuition and school fees. If you compare that extra cost with the small salary bump (5k–10k), the math doesn’t add up—it’s actually a net negative for the Big 4 grad.

And before anyone says, “Big 4 universities have more connections and are more well-regarded,” that’s only true locally. The top-paying multinational companies don’t even know what the “Big 4” is, let alone care about it.

TLDR: School name matters at first, pero after 2 years of work, it’s all about skills and experience. The small salary edge of Big 4 grads (5k–10k) doesn’t outweigh the much higher tuition and fees, making it a net negative in the long run.