The vast majority of our inquiries are particular on MBA brand, insistent on only the top MBA programs because that’s where the strong value can be easily seen. “Applicants see an MBA as a long-term investment in their future,” says Beth, a former Kellogg School MBA Admissions Officer, now on the Stacy Blackman Consulting team. What makes an MBA program “top” and the factors that contribute to that brand perception are explored here. Three critical influencers for which MBA program is considered top include
- Rankings: Patterns over Time
- Selectivity, Stats and Demand
- Career Potential
Rankings: Patterns Over Time
We have a love and hate relationship with MBA rankings. For the most recent US News 2022 ranking summaries, check out their full time and part time MBA program lists here. Below you can see the hierarchy over time of MBA rankings by top programs
| Poets & Quants 2024 | Poets & Quants 2023 | Poets & Quants 2022 | US News 2024 | US News 2023 | US News 2022 | US News 2021 | US News 2020 | US News 2019 | |
| Stanford | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Harvard | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Poets & Quants 2023 | Poets & Quants 2022 | Poets & Quants 2021 | Poets & Quants 2020 | US News 2024 | US News 2023 | US News 2022 | US News 2021 | US News 2020 | |
| Wharton | 31 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Columbia | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| Poets & Quants | US News 2024 | US News 2023 | US News 2022 | US News 2021 | |
| Northwestern Kellogg | 12 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Chicago Booth | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Poets & Quants 2024 | Poets & Quants 2023 | Poets & Quants 2022 | US News 2024 | US News 2023 | US News 2022 | US News 2021 | |
| MIT Sloan | 14 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Berkeley Haas | 15 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Poets & Quants 2020 | US News 2022 | US News 2021 | US News 2020 | |
| Virginia Darden | 11 | 13 | 11 | 12 |
| Duke Fuqua | 14 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
Selectivity, Stats and Demand
The higher the rank of the MBA program, the higher the test score, GPA— they are all correllated. Similarly, selectivity for the top programs is inversely correlated where low selectivity predicts top program program.
| Class of 2025 Admissions Stats | Harvard | Stanford |
| Average GMAT* | 740 | 738 |
| GMAT Range | 500-790 | 630-790 |
| Average GRE | 163/163 | 164/164 |
| GRE Range | 145-170 | 139-170 |
| Average GPA | 3.73 | 3.77 |
| Selectivity* | 9.20% | 8.90% |
| Class of 2025 Admission Stats | Wharton | Columbia
(January 2023 and August 2023 Entrants) |
| Average GMAT | 728 | 730 |
| GMAT Range | 620-790* | 610-790 |
| Average GRE | 162/162 | not available |
| Average GPA | 3.6 | 3.5 |
| Class of 2025 Admission Stats | Kellogg | Booth |
| Average GMAT | 731 | 728 |
| GMAT Range | 620-780 | 600-780 |
| Average GRE | 163/163 | 163/162 |
| Average GPA | 3.7 | 3.6 |
| Class of 2025 Admission Stats | MIT Sloan | Berkeley |
| Median GMAT* | 730 | 730 |
| GMAT Range* | 700-760 | 690-760 |
| Average GPA | 3.61 | 3.65 |
| Selectivity* | NA | 17.70% |
| Yield* | NA | 45% |
| Class of 2022 Admission Stats | Duke | Darden |
| Average GMAT | 702 | 703 |
| GMAT Range | 660-740 | 660-750 |
| Average GPA | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Enrolled MBA Students | 798 | 733 |
| Women MBA Students | 46% | 39% |
| International MBA Students* | 38% | 24% |
| Minority* | 23% | 16% |
* Estimated, Under-Represented Minority – U.S. domestic or permanent residents students who identify as African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and those who are multiracial or multiethnic. URM does not include Asian Americans.
*International MBA students may include dual citizens; data reporting varies.
*GMAT scores are based on the Classic edition, which has been replaced by a new score range for the next application cycle. Selectivity rates are estimated.
Career Potential
The most underestimated influencer of how to define a top MBA program is employment recruiting. The MBA is an investment into your career path and your future employer, possible employment location, an salary will vary based on which business program you choose.
Below is a snapshot of how career recruiting varies and there are more comparisons here.
| Jobs & Pay Data Class of 2023 |
Harvard | Stanford |
| MBAs employed 3 months after commencement | 86% | 89% |
| Consulting Industry | 25% | 15% |
| Finance Industry | 26% | 38% |
| Tech Industry | 16% | 24% |
| Health Care | 5% | 4% |
| Northeast Location | 54% | 31% |
| West Location | 16% | 50% |
| Southwest Location | 7% | 3% |
| South | 5% | 3% |
| Mid Atlantic | 3% | 2% |
| Midwest | 4% | 3% |
| International | 11% | 8% |
I recently offered my insights on how to find a top MBA program here:
You can read additional insights on how to evaluate top MBA programs here:
Career Recruiting by MBA Program
MBA Program Deadlines & Average Test Scores
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