Top Business Schools for 2017

Explore the top MBA programs and graduate business schools in the United States. Rankings below are based on composite of top business school ranking indices. Ranking metrics include peer assessment, post-graduate student success, recruiter assessment and admissions selectivity.


Rank School Name Description
Stanford University Earning an MBA at Standford University isn't cheap, but the payoff is big. Tuition at Stanford runs about $130,000 but many Stanford graduates go on to achieve successful careers where they're earning well over $250,000 a year. The average GMAT score for entering students at Stanford Business School was 733 as of 2015. Currently, Stanford is the #1 ranked graduate business program in the United States. Stanford is well known for its entrepreneurship program.
Harvard University Harvard University slid into second place this year in the top MBA rankings, finishing #2 just behind Stanford University. Notwithstanding, both Harvard and Stanford are comparable business schools. The Pre-MBA salary average for Harvard MBA students is $85,000. The cost of attending Harvard Business School is roughly $140,000. The starting salary for Harvard graduates is right around $140,000 (not including signing bonus). Entering students at Harvard Business School have an average GMAT score of 730.
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) Even though the Wharton School of Business has one of the larger MBA programs, it's still a very difficult program to get into. The total cost of attending Wharton will run you between $120,000 and $140,000. Starting salaries range from $80,000 to $200,000. The average GMAT score for entering students is 730. Wharton is best know for its business finance program. If you can get into Wharton and graduate, you'll open the door of a large variety of top career opportunities.
Northwestern University (Kellogg) Entering MBA students at the Kellogg School of Business have an average GMAT score of 720. The average starting salary for graduates is north of $118,00 and the school is best known for having one of the best graduate marketing programs in the nation. Companies including McKinsey & Co., BCG, Bain & Co., Deloitte Consulting, Accenture, Apple, Google, Microsoft and Amazon regularly hire graduates from Kellogg.
University of Chicago (Booth) The Booth School of Business has more Nobel laureate faculty than any other business school in the nation. It also has a top-flight reputations with recruiters at Fortune 500 companies from around the globe. Two-year tuition at booth is just over $120,000 and the average GMAT score for entering students is 730. At #5 in nation, Booth is one of the most prestigious and reputable business schools in the nation.
Columbia University (Columbia) Columbia University is one of the number one feeder schools for Wall Street. Many of it graduates also find positions in consulting and finance with some the nation's most prestigious consulting firms and Fortune 500 companies. Entering students have an average GMAT score of 716. Starting salaries for graduates range from $80,000 to $150,000, with the average being $119,400. Tuition at Columbia is roughly $140,000.
Dartmouth (Tuck) The central mission of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth is to provide full-time MBA education and ensure its students the best 2-year MBA experience possible. The average GMAT score for students accepted to the Tuck MBA program is 720. First year starting salaries for graduates range from $60,000 to $150,000. Total tuition and fees are roughly $135,000.
MIT (Sloan) Through the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers aspiring entrepreneurs, executives and management professionals one of the most prestigious and skills-oriented MBA degrees in the world. It is also one of the few schools to offer dual MBAs degrees in a MS in engineering or science. Tuition at Sloan is just over $120k and graduates on average make over $140,000 starting salary–including signing bonus. The average GMAT score for entering students is 710.
University of California Berkeley (Haas) Located just a stone's throw away from Silicon Valley and the venture capital center of the world, Haas School of Business has a reputation as a top school for those interested in venture capital, technology and entrepreneurship. Entering students at Haas have an average GMAT score of 720. The average starting salary and bonus for graduates is just over $121,000, and over 80% of graduates have received a job offer within three months after graduation. The tuition cost of attending Haas School of Business is just north of $110,000.
Cornell University (Johnson) The core focus of the MBA program offered through the Johnson Graduate School of Management is leadership, collaboration and analytical skill development. Earning your MBA at Cornell University will cost you from $120k to $160k, including tuition and fees. The average starting salary for graduates is roughly $120,000. The average GMAT score for entering students is 692.
Duke University (Fuqua) Want to earn an MBA at a top ranked university? The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University offers a world-class MBA that is within reach of serious candidates. Where Stanford and Harvard have admission rates of 7% and 11% respectively, Fuqua has an acceptance rate of 25%. The average starting salary and signing bonus for graduates is right around $118,000. Over 80% of graduates have received a job offer by graduation. Entering students have an average GMAT score of 700.
Yale University Earning your MBA at Yale isn't cheap, but it's well worth the investment. Tuition runs about $124k for the two-year program but students can expect to make a first year starting salary of over $140,000 including signing bonus. The Yale School of Management has earned the reputation as being one of the 'Most Distinctively Global' business schools in the United States and have very diverse student body. The average GMAT score for entering students is 720.
University of Michigan (Ross) The Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor offers a world-class MBA program for managers, executives and aspiring entrepreneurs who are serious about taking their game to the next level. Ross School of Business offer an MBA program with an enterpreneurial focus that rivals that of Stanford, Harvard and Babson. The average starting salary for graduates is $115,300 with an average signing bonus of $25,000. GMAT scores for entering students range from 650 to 750. Ross offers full-time, evening, weekend, executive and global MBA programs.
University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler) Leadership is one of the key features at Kenan-Flagler Business School and it is emphasized throughout the MBA experience. In fact, leadership is at the core of education you'll receive as an MBA student at the University of North Carolina. Graduates from the Kenan MBA programs have an average starting salary of $105,000 with an average signing bonus of $25,000. Tuition costs run about $113k for the two-year MBA program. Kenan-Flager offers a full-time MBA program, executive MBA program and an online MBA program.
University of Virginia (Darden) If you're looking for a world-class MBA program that will prepare you to succeed as amanager, executive or entrepreneur, look no further that the Darden School of Business. The average starting salary (including first year bonus) for Darden graduates is just over $140k. The cost of tuition to attend the Darden MBA program is $123k for residents and $127k for non-residents. GMAT scores for entering students range from 640 to 750. The MBA program has an acceptance rate of 26%, 89% of students have job offer by graduation, and 94% of students have job offer within 3 months of graduating.
The University of Texas at Austin (McCombs) The McCombs School of Business situated in the "Silicon Hills" in the burgeoning city of Austin, Texas is growing in recognition and reputation as force in world of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education. To get into the McCombs School of Business you'll need a GMAT score between 640 and 730 and a GPA around 3.4 or higher. The average starting salary (including signing bonus) for graduates is just over $132k and 92% of graduates have received a job offer within 3 months after graduating.
New York University (Stern) The Stern School of Business is one of the most prestigious business schools in the nation–and it now also one of the most expensive. The school's estimated expense for completing a full-time, two-year MBA is not whopping $184k–but New York is an expensive place to live and study. The good news is that the average starting salary for graduates, including signing bonus, is north of $150,000 a year. The average GMAT score for entering students is 700.
University of California Los Angeles (Anderson) The MBA program offered through the Anderson Graduate School of Managment (AGSM) at UCLA is designed for the aspiring professional or manager with modest work experience. And with total tuition costs of $37k for residents and $50k of non-residents, the AGSM MBA program is one of the best deals in nation. With the exception of BYU, you won't find another top ranked MBA program that offers such low tuition. The average GMAT score for entering students is 570 and the school has an acceptance rate of 79.3%. The average base starting salary for graduates is $63k with a $7k signing bonus. Unfortunately, the percentage of students with a job offer at graduation is relatively low (10%) compared to BYU's 80%.
Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) With a total enrollment of around 400 students, the Tepper School of Business MBA programs offers students a personalize experience where they have the opportunity to develop lasting relationships with other students, faculty and professors. GMAT scores for entering students range from 620 to 750. The school has an acceptance rate of 31% and the average base starting salary for graduates, including signing bonus, is roughly $134,000. Nearly 80% of students have job offers by graduation and 90% have a job offer withing 3 months after graduation.
Indiana University (Kelley) The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University offers a highly innvative, cutting edge MBA program. With just over 200 students the program is close-knit offering students an intimate atmosphere of comradery where everyone knows everyone. Students interact with other students and professors on campus, in class, dinner parties and tailgating events. Tuition for this two-year MBA programs runs just over $100k for residents and on the upwards of $200k of non-residents. The average GMAT score for entering students is 670 and the media base first year salary, with signing bonus, is $123k. About 84% of students have job offers by graduation, and 93% have a job offer within 3 months after graduating.
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21 Emory University (Goizueta) The hallmark of the Goizueta Business School at Emory university is its tight-knit culture and personalized experience, where students know all the other students, interact with professors on a daily basis, and mingle with faculty and administrators. Its sometimes been referred to as the "Cheers" of MBA programs "where everybody knows your name." The cost of tuition to attend the Goizueta MBA program is just over $100,000. The average GMAT score is 680 and graduates can expect to earn an average starting salary of $132k (including signing bonus) after they graduate.
22 Washington University in St. Louis (Olin) The Olin Business School offers a top-notch MBA programs for aspiring managers, executives and entrepreneurs. The program's operating principle is "Research-driven thinking, applied." What does this mean? It means that business problems and cases are approached with type of in depth analysis used in research. The average base starting salary for graduates is $100,000 with a signing bonuse of $15,000. GMAT scores for entering students range from 640-670. 86% of students have a job offer by graduation and 97% of student have received an offer with 3 months after graduating. The Olin Business School offers full-time, executive and professional MBA options.
23 Texas A&M University (Mays) Mays is one of the few top ranked business school to offer an accelerated MBA degree program that can be completed in just 16 months. GMAT scores for entering students range from 560 to 710. The median base salary for graduates is $98,313 with a median signing bonus of $14,800. Nealry 80% of students have a job offer by graduation and over 96% receive a job offer withing 3 months of having graduated. Mays Business School offers full-time, professional and executive MBA degree programs.
24 University of Notre Dame (Medoza) The University of Notre Dame has a reputation for having one of the largest and most loyal alumni networks of any major university in the nation. For MBAs seeking job opportunities after graduation, this can be a huge advantage. The cost of tuition to attend the Mendoza College of Business MBA programs is roughly $98k. The two-year recommended budget to cover tuition, fees and other expenses is $134k. The median base starting salary for recent graduates is just over $102k with a median signing bonus of $19,500. Within 3 months of having graduated 90% of students have received a job offer.
25 Brigham Young University (Marriott) The MBA experience at Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management meets every definition of the word "value". The average starting salary for MBA graduates is $96,600 with an average signing bonus of roughly $20,000. 80% of MBA graduates have job offer by the time they graduate and 91% of students receive an offer within 3 months of having graduated. And to top it off tuition is runs between $20k and $40k. Can you say incredible! No other MBA program provides this type of ROI. GMAT scores for entering students range from 620 to 710. The Marriott School of Management offers a full-time and executive MBA program.
26 University of Southern California (Marshall) While the Marshall School of Business offers an MBA program that competes with the best of the best, the school is most well known for the "The Trojan Network"–one of the largest, most loyal alumni networks of any MBA program. Attending the Marshall School of Business MBA program will set you back about $115k. The average base first year salary for graduates is about $101k with a median signing bonus of $21,400. Just over 70% of students have job offer by graduation and 85% of students have received a job offer within 3 months of having graduated. GMAT scores for entering students range between 640 and 730. Marshall offers full-time, professionals & managers, online, executive, IBEAR and global executive MBA degree programs.
27 University of Minnesota (Carlson) The MBA program at the Carlson School of Management may not have the name recognition or reputation of say Stanford or Harvard, but with alumni throughout the United States and 78 countries, and strong relationships with many of the top Fortune 500 companies, the school is well connected–which is very helpful when it comes time to start looking for a job. Within 3 months of having graduated, 90% of MBAs will have received a job offer. The average GMAT score for entering students is 690 and the base first year starting salary with bonus is just over $120k. The Carlson School of Management offers full-time, part-time, executive, dual degree and industry MBA programs.
28 Michigan State University (Broad) If you ask a current student or alumni how they'd describe their experience at the Eli Broad MBA program, they'd say it's like a home away from home. The college prides itself on providing its students small class sizes, a low student-to-faculty ratio and emphasizes teamwork and collaboration throughout the program. The average base starting salary for recent graduates is $91,600. The average signing bonus is $14,900. By graduation 80% of students have received a job offer. By 3 months after graduating 99% of students have received a job offer. GMAT scores for entering students range from 565 to 730.
29 Pennsylvania State University (Smeal) The MBA program offered at Smeal College of Business focuses on individualized leadership within the context of business management in an evolving global economy. Students who graduate from the Smeal MBA program are in high demand domestically and internationally. 81% of students receive a job offer by the time they graduate. 90% of students receive a job offer within 3 months of having graduated. Program cost for residents is $49,900 and for non-residents $77,700. GMAT scores for entering students range from 550 to 720 and the median base starting salary is $101,000, not including a $17,000 average signing bonus.
30 University of Wisconsin Madison With an annual enrollment of 100+ MBA students, the Wisconsin School of Business is one of the smallest MBA programs in the nation. But don't think their small size is a reflection of the quality of their program. On the contrary, the MBA program at Wisconsin School of Business is one of the best in the nation. This MBA program focuses on applied projects and emphasizes specializes areas of study that prepare students for successful business careers. Wisconsin School of Business also provides one of the best value programs in the nation. Program cost for residents is just $28,600, and for non-residents $55,600. The median base first year salary is $95,800, with a median signing bonus of $17,900. The average GMAT scores for entering students range between 560 and 730.
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