Students in Racially Diverse MBA and Law Classes Earn More

For years university administrators have claimed that racial diversity in the classroom promotes learning. And not just for those who are underrepresented or disadvantaged; every student benefits from the interactions that occur in a more diverse cohort. Many business school deans have gone even further: They say participating in discussions and collaborating on projects with students from other backgrounds is a prerequisite for successfully managing a diverse team in the corporate world.

The educational benefit of diversity is more than a mantra, it’s a legal argument schools have used in court to try to preserve racial preferences — the sort ...