Scientists believe that every extra inch a man has in height over his peers is worth almost $800 (£510) a year in increased earnings

Size really does matter in the boardroom, according to a new study.

Scientists believe that every extra inch a man has in height over his peers is worth almost $800 (£510) a year in increased earnings.

But not all inches are worth the same.

A new study has found that the sharpest jump in earnings takes place between men who are 5'4' and 5'6' – but wages remain the same at around 6'0'.

In Western countries, The Atlantic notes that a four or five inch difference in height is associated with an increase in salary between nine and 15 per cent.

Earning more if you're taller makes sense for jobs that require physical strength, but the trend is largely seen in desk-based roles.

Some researchers believe taller people in officers earn more because they have better emotional intelligence, social skills and self-confidence.

Another theory suggests that taller people are treated better giving them more emotional stability and a better work ethic.

A new paper by Andreas Schick, an economist at the FDA, and Richard Steckel, an economist at the Ohio State University, argues it may be a combination of these factors.

They looked at data from the UK tracking a group of people born in 1958, and they found that neither intelligence or physical factors alone could not explain the differences in earnings.

Instead, they found the most important variable was how much nutrition people received as a child, which affected both height and intelligence.

The study found for every two-inch increase in a child's height, the improvement on cognitive and non-cognitive tests is roughly equivalent to the difference between growing up in a lower-class family and a middle-class family.

Not all inches are worth the same. Researchers have found that the sharpest jump in earnings takes place between men who are 5'4" and 5'6" – but wages remain the same at around 6'0". The log earnings axis shows a percentage difference

It could go some way to explain why taller men earn more, but scientists say there are also other factors to consider, such as cultural perceptions.

Previous research has found that the same is true for shorter females, who often earn less than their loftier colleagues.

Those who stand at 5ft8in and above are twice as likely to earn more than $46,500 (£30,000) a year - or up to $7,750 (£5,000) more than their vertically challenged friends.

The researchers at clothing chain Long Tall Sally asked 1,461 women over the age of 16 to give details about their salary and measurements.

A fifth of those questioned who fell into the 'tall' category said they earned $46,500 (£30,000) and above compared with 10 per cent of women under 5ft8in.

At the same time, 20 per cent of the tall women said they saw their height as a source of 'empowerment and authority' compared with just five per cent of shorter females.