Top 10 MBA Programs in the United States 2021

The QS Global MBA Rankings 2021 have been released today, ranking business schools from around the world. The rankings are also split up into regions: Europe, Asia, Oceania, Latin America, US and Canada.

MBA programs were ranked based on the indicators of employability, entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes, return on investment, thought leadership, and diversity. You can find out more about the rankings’ methodology here.

The top 10 business schools in the US MBA Rankings 2021 are:

10) Yale School of Management

• Tuition: US$139,000
• Students in class: 345
• Percentage of female students: 42 percent
• Percentage of international students: 44 percent

Kicking-off our US top 10 is Yale School of Management, which has retained its spot from last year’s rankings. The 21-month program incorporates core modules in the first year, as well as electives in the second from the schools of management, art, engineering and more. Students also have the opportunity to travel abroad for a weeklong course at another b-school as part of the Global Study program.

9) UCLA Anderson School of Management

• Tuition: US$130,228
• Students in class: 343
• Percentage of female students: 33 percent
• Percentage of international students: 31 percent

Next up we have UCLA Anderson’s 22-month MBA, which received high scores for thought leadership, return on investment and employability. The program is based around nine courses, long-term projects, and elective classes. As part of the degree, students also need to fulfill a global requirement.

8) The Kellogg School of Management

• Tuition: US$143,088
• Students in class: 474
• Percentage of female students: 43 percent
• Percentage of international students: 37 percent

Eighth on the list for US programs is the MBA program from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. The 21-month degree offers a plethora of global learning opportunities, including 37 exchange programs across 20 countries. Students can customize their curriculum with seven optional majors, including Economics, Marketing and Finance.

7) The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

• Tuition: US$144,000
• Students in class: 283
• Percentage of female students: 37 percent
• Percentage of international students: 31 percent

In seventh place is the 21-month MBA program at Chicago Booth, which received high scores for thought leadership and employability. The degree has a flexible curriculum, helping students tailor their learning experience to fit their personal career aspirations. There are 13 concentrations to choose from, including Economics, Operations Management and Business Analytics.

6) Haas School of Business

• Tuition: US$119,622
• Students in class: 283
• Percentage of female students: 37 percent
• Percentage of international students: 35 percent

Next in the ranking is Haas School of Business at University of California Berkeley. The 21-month program is comprised of 12 required core courses and a selection of electives to tailor the curriculum to your needs. The Haas MBA scored highly for thought leadership, employability and return on investment. During their degree, students must complete an ‘Applied Innovation’ requirement, which hones leadership skills through experiential learning and teamwork.

5) Columbia Business School

• Tuition: US$143,088
• Students in class: 1022
• Percentage of female students: 38 percent
• Percentage of international students: 47 percent

Halfway through the list for the top programs in the US is the full-time MBA from Columbia Business School (CBS). The program includes over 200 electives, access to over 4,000 graduate-level courses and career-focused concentrations for students to choose from, including accounting, finance and entrepreneurship. The school scored highly for employability and thought leadership.

4) Harvard Business School

• Tuition: US$146,880
• Students in class: 938
• Percentage of female students: 43 percent
• Percentage of international students: 37 percent

Just missing out on a top-three spot is Harvard Business School, the originator of the MBA. The school produces over 80 percent of business school cases sold globally, which MBA students will read and work on throughout their degree. The 24-month program at HBS scored highly for employability and thought leadership.

3) MIT Sloan School of Management

• Tuition: US$148,400
• Students in class: 416
• Percentage of female students: 41 percent
• Percentage of international students: 41 percent

Retaining its third place from last year’s US ranking is the 24-month program at MIT Sloan School of Management. The school is well-renowned for its faculty’s research excellence and received a near-perfect score for thought leadership. The MIT Sloan MBA focuses on ‘Action Learning’, meaning that students can develop management and leadership skills hands-on, helping companies solve real-life business challenges.

2) The Wharton School

• Tuition: US$162,756
• Students in class: 856
• Percentage of female students: 46 percent
• Percentage of international students: 30 percent

 Losing the top spot from last year’s rankings and coming in second is The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, which received some of the highest scores on the list for thought leadership, employability and return on investment. The 21-month Wharton MBA includes 18 majors (including accounting, finance and marketing) and a recommended summer internship program.

1) Stanford Graduate School of Business

• Tuition: US$141,180
• Students in class: 417
• Percentage of female students: 47 percent
• Percentage of international students: 43 percent

This year’s newly crowned top business school in the US – and globally – is Stanford Graduate School of Business, which received the highest score for entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes in the rankings. Throughout their degree, students can customize their curriculum with courses at other Stanford schools, electives, seminars, or a joint or dual degree. Moreover, they must complete a Global Experience Requirement, where they study and work abroad for a minimum of 10 days. Previous destinations have included South Korea, Greece and Brazil.