[BillP]

While it can easily be argued that schools with a better "pedigree" may attract a lot of companies looking for new hires, the most important thing to remember is that, in the final analysis, it is the quality of your education that matters most. Check out the reputation of the department at all the schools you are interested in and do a quick comparison, and compare these rankings with what you think might be the highest rated school in that field. Though this may not help with your decision, you will have a better idea of how potential employers might view things.

In my opinion (and experience), once you have been out of school, and into your career, for about 5 years, nobody really cares anymore about where you went to school. They are more concerned about what you have accomplished in your job. (I've been out of school for 27 years now and nobody cares that I graduated 2nd in my Geophysics department!).

Another way to think about it is that your diploma (BS, MS or PhD) is only a licence to go out and LEARN how to do your job. Your education will give you all the fundamental information and background to understand how to do what your employer wants you to do, but you still have to learn how to do it.

The bottom line is that how prospective employers will view you will be a combination of your school and your own performance. I believe that more emphasis will be placed on your performance.

Good luck, and work hard