Undergrads and graduate students can make higher starting salaries by specializing in technology than any other subject, according to a survey of 450 hiring managers in the New York area. And the difference can be dramatic.

Job candidate holding a traditional MBA can earn $40,000 to $55,000 in their first year. Technical MBAs can command up to $78,000, according to the survey conducted for The New York Times by Beta Research. That starting range surpasses all other disciplines surveyed, including law, liberal arts, and nontechnical master's degrees.

Still, salary potential doesn't mean that people with technical degrees will be the first to be hired. Almost half of hiring managers surveyed say they're more likely to seek MBA students at the graduate level. Among undergrads, 43% of the managers say they would hire those with business degrees, followed by liberal arts, and technical degrees.

Less than 25% of job seekers believe that having a credential in technology will make them more attractive to potential employers. At the same time, the survey says about 24% of the students enrolled in college or about to matriculate will pursue business, while about 18% will go for a technology degree.