For US Business Schools, Local Challenges Could Bring Global Solutions

Stanford University holds down the top spot among full-time MBA programs at US schools, as it has for the past six rankings. At first glance, it might seem little has changed for the schools on this year’s ranking—students again have weighted the career prospects available to them, post-degree, as a top interest. Consulting, technology and finance account for the biggest share of those starting new jobs within three months of graduation. But shifts are underway globally that could result in long-term, fundamental changes to these programs in the years ahead, as schools outside the US start to assert greater dominance. All this poses an intriguing question: Is the future of business education starting to move abroad, even if slowly? Read on for more on how school leaders are responding. —Dimitra Kessenides, Alexander McIntyre, Mathieu Benhamou

Schools by Region

New this year to the list are two schools: TAP Management Institute, in India; and Abu Dhabi University College of Business, founded more than 20 years ago in the United Arab Emirates. The regions this year have been updated, to make way for the latter addition as part of Europe & the Middle East, along with US, Canada and Asia-Pacific.

Where Recent MBA Grads Work

For most graduate business students, getting an MBA is largely a path to getting a job you want, one with more responsibility and greater earnings potential. Consulting, finance and technology are the top industries for pulling in B-school graduates, but opportunities await in several of the other fields we track, notably health care. Artificial Intelligence is creating some instability across the board, redefining (or in some instances eliminating) roles typically filled by B-school graduates.

What Will Your Return on Investment Be?

Business school is pricier and less profitable for students today than it was in 2024, according to our analysis. The latest update to the Bloomberg ROI calculator finds that return on investment fell at 4 out of 5 US schools. Read on to learn about an important measure in our calculations, what we call “pay edge.”

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