A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree provides business leaders with in-demand and marketable business tools, skills, and knowledge. Business is the most popular advanced degree discipline in the nation, with hundreds of thousands of business degrees conferred each year. Top MBA programs can lead to outstanding career flexibility and advancement. Graduate students holding an MBA degree are qualified for many management positions. These professionals receive some of the highest and most impressive annual wages among major occupational groups.
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The Nation’s Best MBA Programs
Choosing the right program can present challenges. Many high-quality business schools across the nation offer different options among specializations, tuition rates, and program formats. So how does one choose which program is right for her? To help with the daunting process, we have compiled a list of the top 25 MBA programs currently available in the United States. These advanced business programs are tried and true and will give you an excellent framework for considering how you will advance in business leadership.
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Methodology
This 2023 ranking of the best MBA programs is a consensus ranking. In order to get an expansive view of each MBA’s prestige across the country, we combined data from five respected MBA ranking systems: Bloomberg Businessweek, U.S. News and World Report, Forbes, The Financial Times, and The Economist. Data was averaged and placed on a 100-point scale to find the Consensus Score and ranking order.
Harvard University features the nation’s best MBA through the Harvard Business School. This on-campus program is designed for maximum results in business leadership. Harvard has designed the program as a two-year, full-time MBA with a general management curriculum emphasizing real-world practice.
Through the degree’s rich case- and experience-based curriculum at Harvard Business School, graduate students construct deep management and leadership skills, setting the base for lifelong impact on how they lead. This MBA program’s case method brings business leadership to life. On-campus students step into the shoes of case protagonists and real business managers while learning to make tough decisions and being challenged by the diverse perspectives of classmates. Students apply this learning in experiential field programs and independent studies to see what it means to become leaders who make a difference in the world.
Each of the learning platforms contributes to a global experience, from global cases and protagonists to an international classroom and project-based experience. This stellar MBA is the best the nation has to offer.
Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management offers a highly prestigious MBA. This excellent Full-Time MBA Program provides distinct options for earning an MBA. High-quality business school leaders determine each option for achieving business leaders’ personal, professional and educational goals. Whichever MBA students choose, they develop as people and learn how to spark development in any organization.
Graduates of Northwestern’s Full-Time MBA leave with an agile, broad-based skill set that prepares them to lead confidently in the face of enormous opportunities and unprecedented challenges. The business school’s One-Year MBA Program is the quickest path to a Kellogg MBA. It is perfect for students building upon their business fundamentals and getting them back in the workforce with new knowledge and skills that propel their careers forward. From June to June, MBA students immerse themselves in the rigorous curriculum while learning from world-class faculty and building leadership experience. They also form a supportive network that helps them immediately and throughout their careers. This excellent MBA from Kellogg has got what it takes.
The Graduate School of Business at Stanford University features an excellent MBA. Program designers want to see their MBA students improve lives, alter organizations, and change the world. The business school’s motto is more than words — concepts started here have fundamentally transformed how the world connects, works, and lives. But the other change is less quantifiable — an internal change that occurs as MBA students become leaders by gaining global exposure, challenging themselves intellectually, and engaging and collaborating with equally driven peers.
An MBA from Stanford will take business leaders wherever they want, but they must take the first step. The best place to start a Stanford story is at an admissions event hosted by the business school. These virtual and in-person events show program candidates more detail about how Stanford GSB can transform their lives and careers. Admissions events include small group chats, MBA information sessions, panels, and more. These activities allow future students to engage with students, alums, and admissions experts worldwide. Program designers of this MBA at Stanford have left nothing to chance in this top-three degree.
The University of Pennsylvania features one of the nation’s best MBA programs at the Wharton School. Pennsylvania’s mission is to develop business leaders who perform with a richer understanding of themselves, their particular organization, and their community committed to the positive development of each. This degree features many benefits.
The McNulty Leadership Program at Wharton features one of the most extensive options to develop an MBA student’s leadership style by analyzing and building on her strengths. Wharton’s Center for Leadership and Change Management drives leadership development and fosters a new understanding of developing organizational leadership and influencing practical applications of this knowledge.
The Wharton MBA gives students the business and leadership skills they need to realize their goals throughout their careers. This on-campus MBA ranks as one of the top for job offers and annual earnings. While the value of an MBA in today’s market can be hard to evaluate, the most significant value of a Wharton MBA is the network graduates inherit. Wharton MBA students add 100,000 Alumni to their network. The MBA from Wharton is an excellent business program.
A top MBA is available at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. Chicago Booth features an MBA degree in multiple formats. Each is designed to meet MBA students’ professional needs and goals: the Full-Time MBA, the Global Executive MBA Program, Evening MBA, and the Weekend MBA. Chicago Booth welcomes business leaders who see themselves as risk-takers. People who believe in challenging the status quo will find a place in this stellar program. Business professionals who dream big and want to do big things will thrive with this MBA.
All four of Booth’s master’s in business administration programs feature a robust MBA curriculum, world-class faculty, an influential network, and a dynamic community. Only the format and the graduate student’s professional profiles are unique. MBA students choose the one that matches their schedule, interests, goals, and experience. In co-curricular opportunities, in class, and in their community, the Booth MBA experience opens doors and empowers students to turn their bold thinking into real-world impact.
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A best-of-the-best MBA is available at the Columbia Business School in New York. The Columbia MBA prepares today’s students to lead in the rapidly evolving business world of tomorrow. The business school’s comprehensive and forward-looking curriculum lays the foundation for success in all business fields while featuring deep insights into many industries. With unparalleled access to business as it happens and a vital community of diverse thinkers, graduate students leave Columbia informed, adaptive, and prepared to solve real-world business problems with innovative solutions.
Students enrolled at Columbia Business School experience the power of knowledge. The business school’s 150 full-time staff members are transforming business strategies worldwide. Over twenty Executives in Residence and more than one hundred adjunct faculty practitioners from leading corporations are partnering with them to share their wealth of experience. Informed in real-time by the ever-evolving business landscape, these instructors teach a transformative curriculum that empowers graduates to create opportunities. There is a lot to love about Columbia’s MBA.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management offers a prestigious full-time MBA. New students within this program begin to imagine—and plan for—their future on their very first day of class. Through Career Core, all MBA students analyze personal interests, values, and strengths to market themselves effectively. They also learn about the current job market and discover opportunities available to MBAs.
The business school provides one-on-one career coaching and access to faculty members working as practitioners in their industry. MBA students can enjoy club events and company presentations as part of their experience. These are some ways MIT Sloan works with graduate students at every stage of their journey, no matter where they want to go. When they graduate, students join an excellent network of over 135,000 MIT alum, representing nearly 100 countries worldwide. This program prepares graduate students for success. MBA students select a two-year program, but the relationships they build at MIT will last a lifetime.
An excellent MBA is currently available at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business. Every component in the academic experience at Tuck—from global learning opportunities and team-based project work to experiential case-based courses, small-scale Research-to-Practice Seminars, and small-scale study—is designed to push MBA students further than they thought possible. They do it through the art of developing creative and curious leaders.
Rigorous self-analysis is at the heart of Tuck’s approach to leadership crafting. Fusing feedback from coworkers and fellow students with lectures and peer coaching, Dartmouth students gain insights that go above and beyond the traditional case teaching method. Tuck’s integrated core curriculum features robust coverage of critical functional disciplines and areas with courses that streamline and complement each other. Students learn about analytics, operations, corporate finance, capital markets, managerial and global economics, strategy, marketing, organizational behavior, and communications. MBA students with extensive experience in a discipline may be exempt from a course and instead take an elective course. This MBA from Dartmouth has a lot going for it.
The Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, provides an excellent MBA. At Berkeley Haas, MBA students build a fluency in business fundamentals that influences confident leadership decision-making. Enrolled students hone values that give their decisions a larger context and learn how to move teams and organizations from vision to execution. With a Berkeley MBA degree, business leaders develop as managers who see what is and what promises to be. The business school holds a tradition of producing thoughtful, collaborative, and inclusive industry leaders who can inspire others to experience success.
MBA students encounter and solve real-world issues from day one through a focus on hands-on projects and an unparalleled experiential learning environment. All students can develop cross-cultural business acumen in the classroom and within global experiences, through case competitions, and with classmates worldwide. Haas is in the business of developing leaders who know there is more to learn and who recognize that bringing many voices to the table is the best way to learn. This high-powered MBA from the University of California, Berkeley is committed to prepare business leaders.
Yale University provides a top MBA at the Yale School of Management. This program staff is motivated by its mission to educate today’s leaders for society and business. It helps advanced business students develop the critical skills and vision they need to contribute to the big picture and the bottom line in whatever leadership roles they pursue. Yale’s integrated curriculum helps MBA students grasp challenges in all their nuances and see how the components of a meaningful organization form together into a unit.
The business school’s community comes together to support those passionate about making a substantial difference. Year one’s core coursework is a student’s first step toward growing as a leader who substantially impacts his company. The first-year core course series is carefully designed to build one’s understanding of the whole organization. Year two features electives that have students digging deep and exploring all Yale offers. All MBA students tailor their second year by taking courses from the School of Management and adding as many classes as possible from other Yale University schools. This MBA checks all the boxes for training tomorrow’s business leaders.
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The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan provides one of the best MBA programs in the country. Graduate students enrolled in this top-ranked Full-Time MBA work through real business issues alongside one of the nation’s most highly skilled and talented cohorts. The rigorous, two-year residential program meets in Ann Arbor. It is rooted in collaboration, action-based learning experiences, and unparalleled networking opportunities. An MBA student’s average age is twenty-seven, while the average work experience of a Ross graduate student is five years.
Most MBA students satisfy all program requirements in two years. Program designers provide unparalleled resources to scale, develop, and launch new business ideas. MBA students can consult full-time for seven weeks on a project in twenty countries or manage one of six student-led investment funds responsible for millions of dollars in resources. This degree goes beyond hypothetical situations and simulations to drive real business. Michigan’s Ross MBA opens doors to the world’s most attractive employers. The University of Michigan has designed an excellent MBA.
The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University currently features a top MBA. Duke’s full-time, top-ranked MBA program helps on-campus graduate students grow into new types of leaders. MBA students are equipped to change the business world and prepare to impact the world itself. Program architects have designed a degree that develops sharp skills to analyze options. Students form an open mind to appreciate different perspectives and form a new way of working based on drawing out the strength in others. Ultimately, graduates of this program leave Fuqua as leaders who inspire organizations to do better while working to do what’s best.
Fuqua’s unique curriculum features over fifteen different specializations and has fewer core classes. Enrolled MBA students can pursue electives sooner within this model. A customizable format means students can define their academic experience. The program also features access to student organizations on campus. Students lead 60+ clubs. Opportunities to take the initiative within this stellar on-campus MBA are constantly evolving.
The Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia provides an excellent MBA. At Darden, MBA students’ learning experience is spontaneous and deliberate. It contrasts sharply with other business schools’ lecture-based approach. The thoughtfully orchestrated curriculum and classroom environment promote deep engagement and develop MBAs’ leadership voices.
Collaboration and teamwork are pillars of the Darden experience. Working on a learning team is vital to the case method and the program’s First Year experience. The group of five to six students spans the different First Year sections while supporting students to work through and comprehend each case. Students remain with their learning team and First Year group throughout the core curriculum. This connection further strengthens their relationships with their peers and sharpens their communication skills. The MBA’s learning format allows students to dive deeper into case discussions and challenges them to listen and think critically within collaborative environments. This MBA program at Darden is full of possibilities.
New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business provides an MBA for tomorrow’s leaders. MBA students can immerse themselves in a successful early-stage technology organization in NYC. They study the founding vision, the funding path and value creation model, and assess how the firm’s metrics are connected to its priorities and growth.
On-campus graduate students work with companies to identify and develop their most critical branding solutions. MBA students at NYU learn global branding frameworks, concepts, and valuable consulting skills. They learn how to manage complex projects, enhance team dynamics, build client relationships, and optimize presentation skills. Graduates of this program can aptly communicate their company’s vision with mentorship from today’s business leaders, seasoned executives, and serial entrepreneurs.
The business school’s Endless Frontier Lab is a seed-stage program for massively scalable, science-based organizations. During the nine-month fellowship, enrolled students act as non-voting members of an NYC-based non-profit organization and serve on committees. There is a lot to love about NYU’s MBA.
Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business features an excellent MBA. This immersive two-year MBA program is taught on the school’s Ithaca, New York campus. Enrolled students turn ambition into impact through a tailored curriculum, a brilliant set of Ithaca and NYC course options, and access to faculty, staff, and peers committed to bringing out the best in others. The two-year MBA is unique in its tight-knit community, stellar curriculum, and dual-campus approach. Graduate students are prepared to hit the ground running and stand out among the competition—first during internships and then as they begin their new careers.
Johnson’s STEM-designated, full-time MBA program boasts a one-of-a-kind curriculum with fully integrated leadership development lessons. MBA students are encouraged to take advantage of programming with Cornell Tech in New York City and a needed summer internship. Johnson’s two-year MBA immersion learning approach focuses on an industry of the student’s choice in her first year—she’ll learn more sooner. This advanced business degree from Cornell is one of the nation’s best.
The Anderson School of Management at UCLA provides one of the most prestigious MBA programs in the country. UCLA Anderson is in the business of preparing the brightest aspiring MBAs to develop as leaders in the business world. It is no secret that recruiters from the nation’s top organizations, including Google, Goldman Sachs, and BCG, work with the business school annually.
Enrolled students gain advanced tool kits and an alum network of over 40,000 to start their careers and the lives they’ve always wanted. As Anderson students follow their professional passions, the majority switch industries, functions, or both with an impressive salary increase from pre- to post-MBA levels. That is just the beginning of a lifetime of positive returns on a UCLA Anderson MBA ROI.
The business school’s curriculum is designed to lead graduate students to create an impact at their career destinations. This relevant set of tools leads MBA students into a more flexible, experiential curriculum in their second year, which includes a real-world master’s thesis giving them unparalleled access to regional and global organizations.
A prestigious MBA is offered through the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. Marshall utilizes a holistic academic-career program model. The business school has tightly integrated and aligned the programmatic, academic, and career development of the MBA Program.
Core courses at the start of the MBA program include Structured Analysis for Unstructured Problems, Communication for Management, and Foundations for Your Professional Value. These courses explore value-creation, self-awareness, leadership, and communication to help MBA students identify their personal interests and value within the marketplace. All courses within this on-campus MBA help graduate students engage with the Graduate Career Services’ Career Insights Seminars as they gain direct access and exposure to career pathways. These resources align with student goals and help students meet and network with professionals in their industry.
Finally, the Academic Career Roadmaps guide the students as they identify and work toward a career objective. They can take relevant courses while getting involved in career clubs and case competitions that achieve career objectives. Marshall’s MBA has a lot going for it.
The McCombs School of Business at UT Austin provides a top MBA. The Full-Time MBA program at the McCombs School of Business allows enrolled students to immerse themselves in learning, exploration, and developing meaningful connections with their classmates. Graduate students meet for classes at Rowling Hall on the UT at Austin campus. The program’s flexible curriculum gives them the option to specialize in one of over twenty concentrations. Fourteen of the program’s concentrations are STEM certified.
UT at Austin’s Full-Time MBA program is perfect for students needing support in career exploration, career advancement, career transition, and a foray into entrepreneurship. No matter their path, the business school’s dedicated career advisors will provide support as they pursue their goals. MBA Admissions and Financial Aid teams guide program candidates through the entire application and enrollment process. New MBA students can be ready to start the program at the beginning of the fall. The business school accepts applications in three rounds and considers all applicants for merit-based scholarships. This high-quality program is full of opportunity.
A top MBA is available at the University of Washington’s Michael G. Foster School of Business. Enrolled students take their careers to the next level with the Foster Full-time MBA degree. This two-year full-time MBA experience in Seattle gives business leaders the curriculum, instructors, career support, and network that shape their future. The ROI of a Foster MBA goes beyond financial and career outcomes, positioning business managers to lead with impact.
The Foster School of Business is seated in the heart of Seattle. It is home to a thriving business community, from Amazon, Starbucks, Zulily, Microsoft, and T-Mobile to hundreds of start-ups. The solid connection between the city and the school produces a cutting-edge curriculum that world-class instructors and industry leaders deliver. A wide range of hands-on learning opportunities include internships and consulting projects. With this program’s dedicated Career Management office and close relationship with iconic organizations, the Foster Full-time MBA Program reports one of the country’s most successful job placement rates. This on-campus MBA is a game-changer.
The Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill features a top-notch MBA. Enrolled students within this stellar program learn how to hone their skills, master new knowledge, create impact, and change the world. The practical business skills and knowledge business leaders acquire with an MBA make it one of the most beneficial graduate degrees a manager can pursue. MBAs can also refocus career objectives, uncover exciting opportunities, and identify paths for success that business leaders may have never considered.
This excellent MBA is designed to be genuinely transformative. Program architects challenge students to change how they think about themselves, their potential, and their worldview. UNC at Chappell Hill’s top-ranked, STEM-designated MBA program is meant to ensure graduate students’ experience is as strong as their education. All the business school’s MBA program formats share strengths: instructors and classmates invested in success, powerful coursework students can customize to meet objectives, and a challenging yet collaborative learning environment.
The Goizueta Business School at Emory University provides an excellent MBA. This top-ranked Goizueta One-Year MBA provides a rich MBA experience—including world-class instruction and professional and personal development within one academic year. The curriculum is delivered in a dynamic, global city. The format includes an accelerated curriculum with a summer term start.
This degree is ideal for students continuing their existing career paths who don’t need an internship to meet their professional goals. Sponsored and entrepreneurial-focused students will also benefit from this stellar program. The average class size is 30-50 students. Most students have at least seven years of professional experience. The Goizueta MBA is among the few top-ranked MBAs offering world-class academics with small-by-design classes in a dynamic, global metropolitan area. All enrolled MBA students receive high-quality, personalized feedback with access to Fortune 500s and emerging businesses. Graduate students can switch careers through internship opportunities and transition into industries that hire from internship pools. This MBA at Emory is one of the nation’s best.
A high-quality MBA is featured at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. This program helps graduate students personalize their education to transition careers successfully. At Kelley, they start with students in mind. Their proven two-year curriculum lets MBA students tailor their education to their future, with teamwork, leadership, and global opportunities built into the program.
Once MBA students begin to understand business basics, they start to specialize, designing their unique academic schedule of electives beginning in their first year’s second semester. This structure proves to be a substantial advantage in their internship and career focus. From the start, a Kelley MBA is the student’s MBA—her major, her Academy, and possibly a minor or dual degree if she chooses, all leading to the career the business leader wants. And, with instructors, mentors, and career coaches to help get them there, MBAs are sure to advance in business.
One of the nation’s best MBA programs is delivered at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. The Georgetown McDonough program features an MBA curriculum intended to prepare business leaders for the global stage, with the unrivaled access that only Washington D.C. can offer. This program is the perfect launchpad for discovering an MBA student’s true strength.
All enrolled students enjoy access to an engaging faculty, gain hands-on consulting training through the Global Business Experience, build their network of over 200,000 alum, and receive individualized support through the MBA Career Center.
Graduates of this program exceed their expectations. This MBA is not exclusively for those in consulting and finance. Georgetown MBA alums work across diverse industries and functions. The business school seeks students with experience across industries and functions. This diversity of thought allows for robust and thought-provoking interactions. In this MBA program, students are expected to get involved outside the classroom to improve their leadership ability. Georgetown’s MBA graduates emerge as leaders.
The Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University provides an excellent MBA. Rice University has built the reputation, curriculum, and campus experience graduate students are looking for in a quality Professional MBA program. Enrolled students get to know their classmates who lead as professionals in Houston. MBAs expand their perspectives and their networks.
Program designers are committed to helping students take what they learn in their MBA courses and apply it to their work environments the next day to advance their careers. This remarkable program is not what one thinks of when people consider a full-time MBA. In the Rice MBA program, on-campus students can access world-class instructors and resources. Students enjoy flexibility as they can choose the evening or alternating weekend program to find the right fit for their schedules and future. Most enrolled students have an average work experience of eight years. The work experience range is between three and twelve years. Students can expect to take two years to complete the degree. This stellar business program is as diverse as Houston, the city it calls home.
An excellent MBA is available at the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. The Vanderbilt MBA curriculum provides on-campus students with the foundational business courses they need to succeed, plus the flexibility to customize their curriculum through emphases, concentrations, and specializations to develop the subject matter knowledge to catapult or change their careers.
Vanderbilt gives business students the flexibility to shape the curriculum to meet their needs and career goals. The Mod System gives students an advantage by exposing them to the MBA core and elective courses before prepping for summer internship interviews. Graduate students can customize their curriculum by adding components or taking advantage of the business school’s many immersion learning opportunities and independent study courses.
Vanderbilt’s holistic approach to admissions ensures that admissions representatives take the time to get to know applicants and their unique goals. They exist to walk candidates through the entire application process, from research and test prep to their first day of class. This MBA equips business leaders with success.
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- Should I consider pursuing an MBA?
- Will the benefits outweigh the costs?
- What kind of advantages can I expect to get from a business school while earning a business degree?
- How do I find the right MBA program for me?
Many questions arise when considering the why and how of pursuing an MBA. Thankfully, there are excellent answers for prospective MBA students.
What Does an MBA Offer?
A Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) is a graduate degree that emphasizes building leadership skills and learning valuable and relevant business principles. But for many business students, MBAs offer exponentially more than that. These professionals benefit from a solid professional network, access to vast job opportunities, and, yes, a more attractive paycheck.
Some of the benefits of an MBA manifest themselves sooner than others. Those accepted into highly respected programs can expect to gain almost immediate access to seasoned instructors who will help them make connections. These graduate students can expect a significant pay increase after graduation. The average salary for MBA graduates from top schools is in the six-figure range.
But often, the full impact of an advanced business degree like the MBA can take some time to mature. Warning: if you’re in it for unhealthy reasons, you might miss out on achieving the expected outcomes.
Given the strain on an MBA student’s time, money, and energy, it’s crucial to think about where your career aspirations fit into this equation before deciding which business schools you will begin applying to.
Pursuing an MBA for the Right Reasons
1. An MBA Will Prepare Your Career for the Marathon and Not the Sprint
In many conversations among MBA alumni and executives, one might hear about the need for “future-ready skills.” But what does that mean, and how does it translate into an MBA? It means that organizations are increasingly looking to advance in our post-pandemic world stronger than they were before. They do that by adjusting and pivoting their business models. When they hire, they find the right talent with relevant skills to help them reach their goals. While researching MBA programs and asking if they are right for you, try to have the same mindset. Ask yourself important questions: How can I expand my capabilities and skillset to be the best candidate for roles that interest me? What do I need to get there? What sacrifices do I need to make to get where I want to go?
Many organizations are interested in the skills and knowledge range from team management and empathy to understanding how to forecast, set strategic goals, and communicate with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds. Business leaders wanting to develop skills around influence have unique opportunities to do so within an MBA coursework.
MBA programs teach how to improve business leaders’ communication and collaboration skills by featuring group projects with students from all walks of life. Soft skill development is a vital part of any MBA worth its salt. But there should also be rigorous analytical work. An MBA holds many opportunities to grow and learn. Lean in and stay the course.
2. An MBA Offers Experience with New Industries and Functions
Perhaps you’re interested in making a career pivot. An MBA will help you face the challenge with much-needed support. Business school is an optimal time to gain exposure to peers, instructors, and a network of alum from various professional backgrounds. A curriculum’s case studies and class projects dive into multiple industries and sectors.
You might have two career ambitions. You may want to pivot into real estate management or lead an organization one day. Deciding on an MBA degree would allow you to accomplish both goals because you will be introduced to resources that will help you learn about and more easily transition into a new industry. MBAs include leadership training skills you can use for years to come in your career.
Many graduate students go to business school to explore entrepreneurial paths. They can go on to launch their start-ups or join early-stage firms. Alums offer a vast resource for many entrepreneurs as business schools make it a point to get current and former students together.
An excellent characteristic of an MBA is that it is relevant to most industries. For graduate students who don’t know what industry is right for them, there are a series of concentrations, specializations, and emphases they can explore within these programs, like management, strategy, operations, and finance.
3. An MBA Can Improve Your Career Path
Not all MBA students want to make a complete change. Many are looking to increase the pace of their professional development within an industry or at their existing organization. That growth will often include gaining access to senior roles with higher salaries.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers reported that starting salaries for MBA grads were $20,000 more yearly than their undergraduate business degree-holding counterparts. Graduates from top MBA programs land positions that put them on an accelerated leadership path. The reason is apparent: Employers expect graduates of these elite programs to have the leadership, academic, and interpersonal skills needed to solve complex business issues.
Accelerated MBAs are an option for graduate students earning a degree in less time. Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business introduced the first one-year MBA program more than half a century ago for candidates with the discipline. It focused on earning their degree in a shorter time. Other schools like Duke and Cornell added similar offerings. The accelerated format is not for everyone. It could be a feasible option if you have a business background and can handle the pace.
4. An MBA Will Expand and Diversify your Network
A significant benefit of enrolling in business school is joining a community of future leaders and well-connected alum. Some elite business schools offer a global alum network spanning hundreds of thousands of former students living everywhere in the world in many industries. Those connections can prove to be invaluable during and after the hiring process. Most MBA programs feature networking events hosted by employers and clubs. Business schools also host affinity networks and student-led groups. These opportunities expand one’s reach and potential and, consequently, chances of success in the business world.
These are four reasons to consider earning an MBA. There are countless more benefits to this exciting business degree. If you are interested in finding out more, contact admissions experts at your favorite business schools, as they will walk you through the application process.
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