Top Executive MBA Programs in Europe 2019

London Business School has been ranked the best business school for an executive MBA in Europe for the second year running in the QS EMBA Rankings by Region 2019.

Released today, the QS Global EMBA Rankings 2019 reveal the top executive MBA programs around the world, as well as providing a regional breakdown to help you find a top school near you. The rankings also include a separate table of the best joint programs.

You can find out more about the methodology used to produce the rankings here.

The top 10 in the European rankings can be seen below:

10) IMD

IMD earned a perfect score for executive profile and career outcomes, two of the indicators used to compile this ranking.

Students can undertake the program in 15 months or spread it over a longer period, with the average program length totaling 21 months. Students will only be away from the office for nine weeks in total.

IMD has a class size of 111 students (the second largest in the top 10), of which 22 percent are female and 88 percent are international, with 30 nationalities represented in the current cohort.

Students have an average of 16 years’ work experience and 12 years’ managerial experience, while 34 percent have C-Suite experience.

IMD’s 2019 tuition fee totals CHF105,000 (US$105,008), with graduates noting a more than 52 percent salary increase after completing their studies.

9) ESADE Ramon Llull University

One of two programs in the top 10 to have a campus located in Spain, ESADE’s Executive MBA was launched in 2001. The program is weekly, biweekly, or monthly for a total of 16 months (12 months core plus four months optative subjects).

The program earned a perfect score for diversity, with very high scores for employer reputation, career outcomes, and thought leadership.

ESADE has the second smallest class in the top 10 with only 42 students, of which 45 percent are female (the highest percentage in the top 10) and 80 percent are international. 31 nationalities are represented.

Students have an average of 11 years’ work experience and four years’ managerial experience, while 40 percent have C-Suite experience.

The total cost of tuition for the Executive MBA program for the 2019-2020 academic year is €64,000 (US$72,120).

8) SDA Bocconi

In eighth place we travel across the Mediterranean to Italy’s SDA Bocconi EMBA, which earns very high scores for employer reputation, thought leadership and career outcomes.

Established in 2007, Bocconi’s 20-month EMBA program spans seven cities on four continents. Students will be happy to hear there are 75 learning days, meaning only 63 days are spent out of the office across your entire degree.

Bocconi’s class is the smallest with 25 students, who have an average age of 38. This year’s cohort average 13 years of work experience and eight years of managerial experience, while 32 percent have C-Suite experience.

Female students make up 36 percent of the class, the second-highest amount in the top 10, while 55 percent of the class are international students with 12 nationalities represented.

Tuition for the executive MBA program costs US$100,000.

7) Judge Business School

The Cambridge Executive MBA is a 20-month program delivered over 16 weekends and four week-long sessions, meaning you’ll only spend 34 days out of the office.

Judge’s program celebrates 10 years of existence this year, so we’re sure celebrations are in order. The program scored very highly this year for thought leadership, career outcomes and diversity.   

Judge’s EMBA class has 81 students, with an average age of 37 and 13 years’ work experience. The cohort is 30 percent female, with 27 nationalities represented. 74 percent of the cohort are classified as international students.

Students on the September 2019 program will pay £69,200 (US$90,508) in tuition.

6) Saïd Business School

The 21-month Oxford Executive MBA program at Saïd scored very highly for career outcomes, diversity, and thought leadership.

Starting in January and September, the program is set out across 16 week-long modules. Most modules run from Monday to Friday, with at least two modules taking place internationally – namely India, China and the option of Palo Alto this year.

It’s quite an intimate class with 65 students who have an average age of 37. 36 nationalities are represented, while 28 percent of the cohort are women. Students also have an average of 14 years’ work experience and nine years’ managerial experience.

Total fees for the program are £87,000 (US$113,827), but graduates gain an estimated 46 percent salary increase.

5) INSEAD

In fifth place we jet over to France to take a look at INSEAD’s Global Executive MBA program, which launched in 2004. It scores very highly for employer reputation, thought leadership, and diversity.

INSEAD’s 2019 class profile boasts the largest cohort in the top 10 with 235 participants, aged between 33 and 43 years old, with an average of 13 years’ work experience, and six years’ managerial experience. 17 percent have C-Suite experience.

There are 59 nationalities represented in the cohort, with 89 percent classed as international students. A quarter of all EMBA students are female.

The GEMBA Europe tuition fees for the 2020 class intake are €123,000, with graduates reporting a 34 percent salary increase.

=3) HEC Paris MBA

HEC Paris’ Executive MBA program earns a perfect score for career outcomes, as well as very high scores for employer reputation and thought leadership.

There are 95 students in the current cohort, and the average student’s age is 40, with 14 years’ work experience and nine years’ managerial experience. 52 percent have C-Suite experience.

The cohort features 26 nationalities, with 68 percent of students coming from abroad. 23 percent of the class are female.

According to HEC’s website, 44 percent of EMBA participants create their own business.

Students will need to pay €79,950 (US$94,500) in tuition.

=3) Chicago Booth

Chicago Booth’s London campus qualifies it for inclusion in our European table and the school shares third place with HEC Paris.

The oldest EMBA program in the world, having been launched in 1943, Booth’s 21-month program earned a near perfect score for thought leadership, as well as very high scores for employer reputation and career outcomes.

Students have a home location (London, Chicago, or Hong Kong) but take classes at all global campuses during international session weeks.

Booth’s program has 92 students with an average age of 37. The class averages 13 years’ work experience and eight years’ managerial experience. The cohort is 22 percent female, with 46 nationalities represented.

If you’re considering applying, bear in mind that students have an average GMAT score of 672. Program fees for the June (London) 2019 class total US$167,000.

2) IESE Business School

In second place we visit Spain once more for Barcelona’s IESE Business School. The executive MBA program scored a perfect score for career outcomes, and very highly across all other indicators.

The program is 19 months long, with 300 cases, three international weeks and 1,500 hours of individual study and teamwork.

Of the 60 students, 35 percent are female and 89 percent are international, with 25 nationalities represented. When it comes to work experience, students have an average of 15 years under their belt as well as 10 years’ managerial experience. 53 percent possess C-Suite experience, the highest proportion in the top 10.

The fee for the Executive MBA program is €72,700 (US$81,951), but with an estimated 67 percent salary increase – the highest in the top 10 – the return on investment proves worthwhile.  

1) London Business School

Landing the top spot for a second year in a row is London Business School. The Executive MBA program earned a perfect score for career outcomes, and scored very highly across all other indicators.

LBS’ 20-month program can be taken at their HQ in London, or in Dubai – whatever suits your plans. Fees for the golden program are £90,800, but following graduation, alumni are expected to earn a 55 percent salary increase.

This year’s cohort has 74 students, with a quarter of the class identifying as female and nearly two-thirds (66 percent) classified as international. 33 nationalities are represented in total. Students have an average of 13 years’ work experience and 11 years’ managerial experience.