{"id":259228,"date":"2024-09-10T21:02:31","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T21:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/10\/fortune-ranked-the-best-mba-programs-for-2025-heres-what-the-data-shows\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:11:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:11:24","slug":"fortune-ranked-the-best-mba-programs-for-2025-heres-what-the-data-shows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/10\/fortune-ranked-the-best-mba-programs-for-2025-heres-what-the-data-shows\/","title":{"rendered":"Fortune ranked the best MBA programs for 2025: here\u2019s what the data shows"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If you\u2019ve ever wanted to get your MBA\u2014this is a great week to get started on the journey, in part thanks to the release of Fortune\u2019s latest ranking of the best MBA programs for 2025<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The highly competitive ranking process saw that many of the top schools retain their clout\u2014with Harvard Business School<\/a>, University of Chicago (Booth), and Northwestern University (Kellogg) landing the coveted top three spots, respectively.<\/p>\n

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Learn More<\/a> <\/span> <\/div>\n

<\/span> <\/picture> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
School<\/th>\n2021\u201322 rank<\/th>\n2022\u201323 rank<\/th>\n2023\u201324 rank<\/th>\n2025 rank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Harvard Business School<\/strong><\/th>\n1<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n1<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Chicago (Booth)<\/strong><\/th>\n4<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n2<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Northwestern University (Kellogg)<\/strong><\/th>\n5<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n3<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)<\/strong><\/th>\n3<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n4<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Columbia Business School<\/strong><\/th>\n6<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n5<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
The top 5 MBA programs in the U.S.<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Harvard Business School<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Chicago (Booth)<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Northwestern University (Kellogg)<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Columbia Business School<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

But there\u2019s much more to meet the eye than the initial data shows. Each program is unique, and for many students, any ranking is just part of the decision-making process to figure out where is best for their own education and career goals.<\/p>\n

Fortune<\/em> used nearly a dozen different data points to gauge 98 MBA programs across the country. For context, these are the averages among all the programs:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Metric<\/th>\nAverage<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Approximate tuition per year, out-of-state U.S. residents<\/strong><\/th>\n$52,650<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Acceptance rate, fall 2023<\/strong><\/th>\n49%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Median GMAT score, fall 2023 entrants<\/strong><\/th>\n665<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yield, 2023\u201324<\/strong><\/th>\n45<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Average undergraduate GPA, 2023\u201324 entrants<\/strong><\/th>\n3.45<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Graduation rate, 2020\u201323<\/strong><\/th>\n93%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Retention rate, 2022\u201323<\/strong><\/th>\n94%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Job placement rate (3 mo. after graduation)<\/strong><\/th>\n84%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Median base salary<\/strong> (3 mo. after graduation)<\/strong><\/th>\n$118,000<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fortune 1000 score<\/strong><\/a><\/th>\n8<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Average data points among the MBA programs ranked by Fortune<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Approximate tuition per year, out-of-state U.S. residents<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
$52,650<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Acceptance rate, fall 2023<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
49%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Median GMAT score, fall 2023 entrants<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
665<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yield, 2023\u201324<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
45<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Average undergraduate GPA, 2023\u201324 entrants<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
3.45<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Graduation rate, 2020\u201323<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
93%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Retention rate, 2022\u201323<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
94%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Job placement rate (3 mo. after graduation)<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
84%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Median base salary<\/strong> (3 mo. after graduation)<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
$118,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fortune 1000 score<\/strong><\/a><\/th>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

What makes the best MBA programs the best?<\/h2>\n

Holistically-speaking, the best MBA program prepares students for the business world of today and tomorrow through a modern lens. Students become the best at problem solving, critical thinking, and making data-driven decisions. Having an industry-experienced faculty and a constantly-evolving curriculum are paramount.<\/p>\n

Looking more quantitatively, the best programs are highly sought after, and thus students enter with competitive application materials, including multiple years of professional work experience, decent undergraduate GPA, and high GMAT or GRE scores<\/a>. Because of the growing costs of higher education, Fortune also weighs high tuition negatively. Once in the program, exceptional retention and graduation rates are key. Finally, after graduation, success is indicated by the ability to land jobs with high-paying salaries.<\/p>\n

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