Whether you aspire to be an independent entrepreneur or a company CEO, thriving in business is made easier with solid foundations. For many people, this means taking an academic path, with a well-respected qualification from a world-class university. If you wish to get yours in America, we can show you where to go. Using the trusted rankings of QS, Times Higher Education and U.S. News & World Report, we set out the top business schools in the USA.
1. Stanford Graduate School of Business
The business school at Stanford University is the best in the USA, based on the combined judgements of QS, Times Higher Education and U.S. News & World Report. Over the past century it has taught and inspired many famous names inside and outside of industry, earning credentials that make it a dream destination for enterprising students. The co-founder of Nike, Phil Knight, is just one of those who kickstarted their career here.
Stanford's international reputation is reflected by its staff and students. Thirty per cent of its faculty are from outside the USA, while the same is true of more than a third of its MBA graduates. Anyone who completes that course is very well placed to make it big in business.
The Stanford MBA is ranked as the world's best by QS and leads to a median starting salary of USD 185,000. However, getting it is not easy. Admissions are more competitive than anywhere else in the country, with less than 6 per cent of applicants being accepted.
Find out all about studying for an MBA in the USA.
2. MIT Sloan
The Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology takes a distinctly broad approach to its teaching. Unlike many of the top business schools in the USA, it offers undergraduate degrees as well as postgraduate and doctoral ones. You don't have to wait for your career to start to supercharge it at Times Higher Education's top-ranked institution for business worldwide.
However, if you would like to take your time, MIT has an appealing offer. Through its MBA Early programme, final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students can apply for deferred admission to the world-class MIT MBA course.
This means that you do not need any work experience when you make your application. Instead, you can enter employment knowing that the Sloan School is ahead of you, ready to join after two to five years of your career.
Unsure which business course is right for you? We can help you decide whether to go MBA or master's.
3. Harvard Business School
At the birthplace of the MBA, you are sure to get a powerful business education. Today ranked first in the world by QS, Harvard Business School has pioneered the study of the subject for more than a century. Its influence is endless and fundamental – the school inspired the inventor of the first commercial spreadsheet programme.
Alumni of this Ivy League institution go on to great things. Among the 85,000 in its global network of graduates are heads of state, CEOs and major philanthropists. As a student on any of its courses you will engage with future leaders from around the world.
This is underlined by the growing number of international students taking the Harvard MBA. At last count, 39 per cent of its enrolment came from outside the USA, up from just 33 per cent three years earlier. However, the admissions process remains competitive. Of the 8,149 people who applied last year, only 14 per cent were successful.
See where studying business could take you with our list of top jobs for MBA graduates.
4. The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
America's first business school remains a highly regarded place to study all things financial. It leads the U.S. News list of top institutions for the subject, and has space for a lot of students. More than 5,000 are currently on its various degree programmes, with more than half being undergraduates.
At their level the university offers a bachelor's in economics. Beyond its title, this qualification is very flexible. While it requires you to get to grips with the fundamentals of business and management, you will be encouraged to explore the subdiscplines and related fields that suit you best. More than a quarter of the courses you must take to graduate are run by other schools at the institution.
On the two-year Wharton MBA programme you can take things further, and even specialise. A key advantage it offers is its specific pathways for healthcare management and international studies. The latter is welcomed especially by students from outside of the USA, who make up almost one-third of all MBA students at the school.
Competition for places is tight. While the MBA has no GMAT requirement, the average score of successful applicants is 732. For more information on this topic, read our guide to GRE and GMAT.
5. The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
The Booth School at the University of Chicago has taken international students a long way. In 1997, India's Satya Nadella came here to earn his MBA. Within 17 years, he was the CEO of Microsoft. Remaining in the position to this day, he credits the school with advancing his understanding of real-world business issues.
The Booth MBA can offer you the same thing. Almost 98 per cent of international graduates receive a full-time job offer within three months of completing it, with the median basic salary of all graduates being USD 180,000. Employers are well aware of the qualification's reputation for quality.
This holds true regardless of how you study for it. In addition to its traditional two-year, full-time MBA programme, Booth runs two alternatives for part-time students. These flexible options take place on evenings and weekends, and are very highly regarded. According to U.S. News, the school has the best part-time MBAs in America.
Try some variety with our guide to MBA specialisations.
What other business schools are there in the USA?
You don't have to study at one of the top USA business schools listed so far to get a great grounding in the world of commerce. From Silicon Valley to Wall Street, America has a huge number of worthy alternatives.
Just outside the top five, you can find more world-class institutions. The Haas School of Business at University of California, Berkeley is the fourth-best globally, according to Times Higher Education. The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, meanwhile, is ranked third by U.S. News.
Still want more? Here are few other universities in the USA with business schools:
- The Lubin School of Business at Pace University
- Oregon State University College of Business
- The Sykes College of Business at the University of Tampa
- Kelce College of Business at Pittsburg State University
- Eller College of Management at University of Arizona
Now you know more about the best business schools in the USA, why not explore further? You could take a look at our list of top degrees for entrepeneurs or simply consider our reasons to study business. Alternatively, you can start looking for your ideal business course now with our simple search tool.
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