Taking bracketology to brackenomics, PayScale.com recently put UC Berkeley’s basketball team in the championship game if pairings were accorded to median alumni salary. Using language like “fat wallet four,” “top earning 8” and “salary 16” to denominate bracket tiers, the infographic puts a zingy twist on an American pastime. The Golden Bears, it seems, are more apt than we thought. UC Berkeley’s average salary of $89,400 sails through the competition, only to be trumped, at last, to a Crimson tide.

The findings put a sobering spin on March Madness, especially considering how President Obama did not think Cal’s men’s team would advance past its first game (he did place the women’s team in the final four). According to Business Insider, this year’s two favorites, Louisville and Indiana, do relatively poorly. Indiana does not win its opening round and Louisville barely scrapes into the Sweet Sixteen. Outside the arena, the ball stays in their court.

As for Cal, the infographic serves as another reminder of what the university is doing right. Be it heading the class of global higher education to fostering one of the country’s most attractive student populations, UC Berkeley’s example is testament to winning where it really matters.

Image source: 401(K) 2013 under Creative Commons.

Contact Alex Mabanta at amabanta@dailycal.org.

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