Top 10 MBA Programs in the World 2021

Top 10 MBA Programs in the World 2021

The QS Global MBA Rankings 2021 have been released today, ranking business schools from around the world. The rankings are also split up into regions: Europe, Asia, Oceania, Latin America, US and Canada.

MBA programs were ranked based on the indicators of employability, entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes, return on investment, thought leadership, and diversity. You can find out more about the rankings’ methodology .

The top 10 business schools in the Global MBA Rankings 2021 are:

10) Haas School of Business

• Tuition: US$119,622
• Students in class: 283
• Percentage of female students: 37 percent
• Percentage of international students: 35 percent

Kicking off the global top 10 is the MBA program at Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley. The 21-month program is comprised of 12 required core courses and a selection of electives to tailor the curriculum to your needs. The Haas MBA scored highly for thought leadership, employability, and return on investment. During their degree, students must complete an ‘Applied Innovation’ requirement, which hones leadership skills through experiential learning and teamwork.

9) IE Business School

• Tuition: US$79,634
• Students in class: 598
• Percentage of female students: 32 percent
• Percentage of international students: 91 percent

The International MBA is IE Business School’s flagship full-time MBA program, based in Madrid. A total of 45 percent of the program is customizable, allowing students to fulfill their professional needs. During the core period, candidates can choose from four labs to further pursue their business interests. The program scored particularly high for return on investment and employability.

8) Columbia Business School

• Tuition: US$143,088
• Students in class: 1022
• Percentage of female students: 38 percent
• Percentage of international students: 47 percent

In eighth place is the full-time MBA from Columbia Business School (CBS), situated in NYC. The program features over 200 electives, access to over 4,000 graduate-level courses and career-focused concentrations for students to choose from, including accounting, finance and entrepreneurship. The school scored highly for employability and thought leadership.

7) London Business School

• Tuition: US$104,493
• Students in class: 497
• Percentage of female students: 31 percent
• Percentage of international students: 92 percent

The only British business school in the global top 10 is London Business School. The 21-month MBA program, based in one of the world’s financial capitals, ranked high for employability and thought leadership. LBS students can benefit from a customizable curriculum and access to a professional network of global top 500 companies.

6) INSEAD

• Tuition: US$98,009
• Students in class: 536
• Percentage of female students: 35 percent
• Percentage of international students: 91 percent

In sixth place is INSEAD, the second-best ranked European program in the world, which received high scores for thought leadership and employability. The 10-month course gives students the opportunity to choose from 75 electives and study at the school’s two campuses in Fontainebleau and Singapore.

5) HEC Paris

• Tuition: US$76,434
• Students in class: 281
• Percentage of female students: 34 percent
• Percentage of international students: 95 percent

Surpassing INSEAD as the best European school in the world is HEC Paris, which received a perfect score for return on investment. The 15-month program focuses on developing leadership skills through leadership seminars, a student-run MBA multisport tournament and the HEC Global Leaders Series, with influential industry experts.

4) Harvard Business School

• Tuition: US$146,880
• Students in class: 938
• Percentage of female students: 43 percent
• Percentage of international students: 37 percent

Moving up a spot from its position in last year’s global rankings and landing in fourth place is Harvard Business School, the originator of the MBA. The school produces over 80 percent of business school cases sold globally, which MBA students will read and work on throughout their degree. The 24-month program at HBS scored highly for employability and thought leadership.

3) MIT Sloan School of Management

• Tuition: US$148,400
• Students in class: 416
• Percentage of female students: 41 percent
• Percentage of international students: 41 percent

Retaining its bronze medal position from last year is the 24-month program at MIT Sloan School of Management. The school is well-renowned for its faculty’s research excellence and received a near-perfect score for thought leadership. The MIT Sloan MBA focuses on ‘Action Learning’, meaning that students can develop management and leadership skills hands-on, helping companies solve real-life business challenges.

2) The Wharton School

• Tuition: US$162,756
• Students in class: 856
• Percentage of female students: 46 percent
• Percentage of international students: 30 percent

Losing the top spot from last year’s rankings attaining the silver medal position is The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, which received some of the highest scores on the list for thought leadership, employability and return on investment. The 21-month Wharton MBA includes 18 majors (including accounting, finance and marketing) and a recommended summer internship program.

1) Stanford Graduate School of Business

• Tuition: US$141,180
• Students in class: 417
• Percentage of female students: 47 percent
• Percentage of international students: 43 percent

This year’s top business school in the world is Stanford Graduate School of Business, which received the highest score for entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes. Throughout their degree, MBA students can customize their curriculum with courses, electives, or seminars taught at other Stanford schools, or students can choose to undertake a joint or dual degree. Moreover, they must complete a Global Experience Requirement, where they study and work abroad for a minimum of 10 days. Previous destinations have included South Korea, Greece and Brazil.