Fortune Names Best MBA Programs for 2025

4th annual best MBA ranking from Fortune Recommends addresses rising interest in graduate business education 

Harvard Business School ranked as top MBA program in the U.S. for 4^th year in a row 

NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the new graduate school application season gets underway, Fortune is helping the next generation of corporate leaders navigate the world of business education. Fortune Recommends, the product review arm of Fortune, presents its ranking of the best full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs for 2025.  

The fourth annual edition of the Fortune Recommends flagship MBA ranking comes at a time when demand for continuing education is growing as individuals seek to learn in-demand skills, like AI and data analysis, in a business context.

For the fourth year in a row, Fortune has identified Harvard Business School as the best MBA program. Among public institutions, the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor (Ross) is the best for 2025. 

THE TOP 10 BEST MBA PROGRAMS FOR 2025: 

1. Harvard University (Harvard Business School) 
2. University of Chicago (Booth School of Business) 
3. Northwestern University (Kellogg School of Management) 
4. University of Pennsylvania (The Wharton School) 
5. Columbia University (Columbia Business School) 
6. Stanford University (Graduate School of Business) 
7. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor (Ross School of Business) 
8. Duke University (Fuqua School of Business) 
9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan School of Management) 
10. New York University (Stern School of Business) 

For this year's ranking, the Fortune team analyzed data from nearly 100 MBA programs and considered 11 key ranking factors, including base salaries of recent graduates, cost of tuition, graduation rates, and the number of MBA alumni now serving in Fortune 1000 C-suite positions.  

Among the universities named in Fortune's MBA program ranking last year, the following schools saw the greatest growth in our new ranking: 

• Washington University in St. Louis (Olin School of Business): No. 21 (+18)
• Southern Methodist University (Cox School of Business): No. 30 (+13)
• University of Tennessee-Knoxville (Haslam College of Business): No. 36 (+16)
• University of Massachusetts–Amherst (Isenberg School of Management): No. 41 (+13)
• University of Houston (Bauer College of Business): No. 50 (+12)
• University of South Florida (Muma College of Business): No. 67 (+11)

Fortune Chief Executive Officer Anastasia Nyrkovskaya said, "Obtaining an MBA is essential for becoming an effective business leader. Our data shows that 90% of graduates from the top 10 MBA programs got jobs within three months of graduation—with average salaries of over $175,000. Rankings like this one prove that Fortune is here to help our readers with authoritative insights."      

"Fortune Recommends publishes high-quality reviews of the products and services readers use every day to make their lives better," said Jason Steele, general manager of Fortune Recommends. "This is the fourth annual update to our flagship ranking of the best MBA programs, and the release of this year's ranking also caps the integration of Fortune Education into the Fortune Recommends brand." 

Fortune Recommends is home to over two dozen educational rankings that go deep to uncover the top schools for business, technology, and health & wellness. Every time a list is updated, a methodology is expertly curated to ensure accuracy and thoroughness.  

The full Fortune Recommends MBA ranking: https://fortune.com/education/business/best-mba-programs/ 

The ranking methodology: https://fortune.com/education/articles/best-mba-methodology/

About Fortune:
Fortune is a global multi-platform media company built on a legacy of trusted, award-winning reporting and information for those who want to make business better. Independently owned, Fortune tells the stories of the world's biggest companies and their leaders as well as a new generation of innovators who are moving business forward. Digitally and in print, Fortune measures corporate performance through rigorous benchmarks, and holds companies accountable, in regions around the world. Its iconic rankings include Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, Most Powerful Women, and World's Most Admired Companies. Fortune builds world-class communities by convening industry thought leaders for exclusive summits and conferences, including the Global Fortune Forum and Brainstorm Tech. For more information, visit fortune.com. 

Media Contact:

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SOURCE Fortune Media