Top MBA programmes in the world

The QS Global MBA Rankings 2024 have been released, ranking business schools from around the world. The rankings are also split up into regions: Canada, The United States, Latin America, Europe, The Middle East and Africa, Asia and Oceania. 

MBA programmes were ranked based on the indicators of diversity, thought leadership, employability, entrepreneurship & alumni outcomes and return on investment. You can learn more about these indicators by reading about our methodology. 

This ranking highlights the world’s top business schools for full-time MBA education, featuring 315 institutions. If you’re interested in finding which school is the best fit for your chosen career path, the QS MBA by Career Specialisation Rankings 2024 provide a comprehensive list of the best business schools for seven different career specialisations, including finance, consulting, and technology. 

The United States continues to dominate the MBA rankings with the top three schools all based in the US as well as half of the top 10. The other five schools are all based in Europe. 

Read on to explore the top 10 business schools offering MBA programmes in the world.

=9. IESE Business School

In joint ninth place this year is IESE Business School based in Barcelona, Spain. It received nearly perfect scores for both return on investment and employability indicators, showing the school’s commitment to ensuring that its students’ money really is an investment into their future. 

IESE Business School was initially established in 1958 and began offering MBA programmes in 1964. It was the first institution in Europe to offer a two-year MBA programme and currently has over 55,000 alumni working in various areas of business and entrepreneurship.

=9. Cambridge (Judge)

Also in joint ninth place is Cambridge Judge. It also receives nearly perfect scores for employability and return on investment as well as thought leadership. 

Cambridge Judge was established in 1990 and aims to be a world leader in conducting business research. They use an interdisciplinary approach to research and solve problems that have a real-world impact on the industry. They encourage innovative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit. 

8. IE Business School

In eighth place this year is IE Business School which is located in Madrid, Spain. It scored highest in the return on investment indicator: 10th in the world. 

IE Business School offers customised learning approaches to ensure that each student is able to get the most out of their education. The courses each focus on three main skillsets: ‘hard skills’ such as negotiation, project management and business knowledge, ‘soft skills’ such as mentoring, communication and team building and ‘digital skills’ such as programming, social media and data analytics. 

7. Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School in New York comes in seventh this year. It scored highly in thought leadership and employability indicators showing the school’s focus on innovation. 

The MBA course at Columbia Business School uses a forward-thinking teaching approach which offers focused information on the specific subject that a student choses to specialise in. It claims that graduates are well informed and ready to begin working towards solving real problems in the business world. 

6. MIT Sloan School of Management

In sixth place is MIT Sloan which also received almost a perfect score in both employability and thought leadership. For both of these indicators, MIT Sloan scored first in the world. 

MIT Sloan aims to produce innovative world leaders who use their careers to make important changes within the world of business. The courses offered at MIT Sloan aim to combine principles of business and technology in order to understand the future of business and help students cultivate the skills that they may need later in their careers. 

5. HEC Paris

HEC Paris is fifth this year. It ranked highest for thought leadership and return on investment, placing fifth in the world for both of these indicators. It shows the innovation that the school prioritises throughout its MBA courses. 

HEC Paris is one of the oldest business schools in Europe; founded in 1881. It aims to create the business leaders of tomorrow through its founding principles of curiosity, excellence, diversity, responsibility and entrepreneurial spirit. 

4. London Business School

Rising one place in the rankings this year is London Business School. It scored highest in the employability indicator, ranking third in the world for this. 

An international business mindset is something that London Business School attempts to instil within their students. They place importance on integrating their students into a global network of business contacts and aims to ensure that, after graduation, students will be able to work as part of an international team. 

3. Harvard Business School

The first entry to the top 3 MBA programmes in the world this year is Harvard Business School. It ranked highly for thought leadership and employability, highlighting the school’s highly esteemed reputation among employers. 

Harvard Business School aims to redefine business education by placing the focus of its learning on case studies. It was initially established in 1908 but did not start practicing its ‘case method’ until 1921 with the introduction of the ‘General Shoe Company’ case. 

2. University of Pennsylvania Wharton Business School

In second place again this year is Penn (Wharton). Penn (Wharton) scored highly for thought leadership and employability and ranks fourth in the world for both of these indicators. 

Penn Wharton boasts a curriculum that is intensive yet flexible to ensure that each student receives the most value from their education. The flexibility in the course means that students are able to follow their interests and passions while studying instead of conforming to a set curriculum. 

1. Stanford Graduate School of Business

The top ranked business school for an MBA programme this year is Stanford Graduate School of Business. It scored highly for entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes, also scoring best in the world for this indicator. 

Stanford Graduate School of Business aims to use research and collaboration to create ideas that change the teaching of business. It aims to create the next generation of world leaders in the field of business who are principled and innovative. 

Frequently asked questions

What's the top MBA programme in the world?

Stanford Graduate School of Business has been ranked as the top full-time MBA programme in the world. It scored particularly highly for entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes. 

What's the top MBA programme in Canada?

The Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto is the top full-time MBA programme in Canada and is ranked 30th in the world. There are a total of 21 universities including Toronto (Rotman) in the Global MBA rankings.

What's the top MBA programme in Europe?

London Business School is the top full-time MBA programme in Europe and is ranked fourth in the world. 80 European business schools are included in this year’s rankings from 15 different locations including France, Spain, and the UK. 

What's the top MBA programme in Asia?

National University of Singapore is the top-ranked full-time MBA programme in Asia, ranked joint 24th in the world. There are a total of 48 Asian business schools in the ranking this year. 

What's the top MBA programme in Latin America?

EGADE Business School in Mexico is the top full-time MBA programme in Latin America. It ranks joint 62nd in the world. 11 business schools in Latin America are included in this year’s rankings.

What's the top MBA programme in Oceania?

Melbourne Business School is the top full-time MBA programme in Australia or New Zealand and is ranked 30th in the world. 17 business schools from Oceania are included in this year’s rankings. 

What's the top MBA programme in the Middle East & Africa?

Suliman S. Olayan School of Business in Lebanon is the top full-time MBA programme in the Middle East and Africa and is ranked 68th in the world. 19 business schools from this region are featured in this year’s rankings.