Launched today, the QS World University Rankings: Business Masters Rankings is made up of the QS Masters in Management Rankings, the QS Masters in Finance Rankings, the QS Masters in Marketing Rankings and the QS Masters in Business Analytics Rankings.
This ranking is based on data collected from the QS Global Employer Survey, the QS Global Academic Survey and a survey completed by business schools. For each ranking, universities and schools were assessed on five indicators, including employability, value for money and class & faculty diversity. 135 universities are included in this second master in management ranking, including 27 in the UK, 21 in the US and 20 in France.
Read on to discover the top 10 universities for master’s in management degrees in 2019, or click here to view the full table.
=9. University of St. Gallen – Master’s in Business Management (MUG)
Location: St.Gallen, Switzerland
First in our look at the top universities for master’s in management degrees is the University of St. Gallen, also known as HSG, a leading research university in the German-speaking area of Switzerland. Despite being one of the smallest universities in the country, HSG has Switzerland’s largest business and administration faculty. Ranked at joint ninth for its master’s in business management degree, which is taught in German, HSG receives high scores for its thought leadership, alumni outcomes and value for money. The MUG course has a highly entrepreneurial focus and prepares students for significant roles in management, administration, business consultancy and leadership.
=9. ESCP Europe Business School - Master in Management
Location: Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid, Turin, Warsaw.
ESCP Europe Business School is ranked at joint ninth for its master in management degree, achieving very high scores for its employability and diversity. Founded in 1819, ESCP is the oldest business school in the world, and is one of the largest business schools in Europe and the only one with six campuses in six European countries.
With an impressive score for the diversity indicator, a staggering 86 percent of ESCP Europe’s students are international, and international members make up 78 percent of the school’s faculty.
Additionally, ESCP Europe offers students a unique opportunity to receive valuable, preparatory experiences alongside their studies, including a combined intercultural program which provides students with the chance to study in at least two (and up to four) different countries. The school also boasts a 96 percent employment rate of students who land a job within just three months of graduation, earning an average starting salary of US$62,263.
8. CEMS, the Global Alliance in Management Education – Master’s in International Management
Location: Global
CEMS, the Global Alliance in Management Education, is a strategic alliance of 31 top business schools in 30 different countries as well as 74 multinational companies. It appears in eighth place for its master’s in international management. CEMS receives strong scores for its diversity and value for money, with 65 nationalities among its 1,251-strong class (as well as a 50/50 split between male and female students). According to a survey of CEMS’ recent graduates, 97 percent are in employment or further study, while almost half are currently working outside their home country. Most CEMS alumni are working in roles in the consulting, finance, consumer goods, technology and energy sectors.
7. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) - MSc Management and Strategy
Location: London, United Kingdom
Heading to London, the London School of Economics (LSE) retains its position of seventh this year for its Master of Science in Management, and achieves very strong scores for thought leadership and diversity. A member of the Russell Group, an association of 24 of the top universities in the UK, LSE is known as a world-class social sciences university, giving the department of management a unique advantage (as well as being ideally located in London, one of the largest financial centers in the world).
25 nationalities are currently represented in LSE’s MSc in Management and Strategy class, and graduates are highly sought after, finding roles at leading companies and organizations such as Barclays, Bloomberg, Nestlé, JP Morgan and Facebook.
6. IE Business School - Master in Management
IE Business School is ranked sixth for its master’s in management degree, gaining particularly high scores for diversity and alumni outcomes. Students can choose between English and Spanish and the course is made up of two periods of core business modules and a third period of specialization in a topic such as international business, sales & marketing, digital business or others. The course also includes a global immersion week, a unique option to help students develop their managerial skills and further their global understanding by traveling to places such as Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro and Accra.
5. Imperial College Business School - MSc in Management
Location: London, UK
Ranked fifth in the QS Masters in Management Rankings, Imperial College Business School, part of Imperial College London, is a triple accredited business school which opened in 2004 and has quickly built up a strong reputation for attracting the brightest minds in business. The school achieves high scores for employability, thought leadership and diversity, with 91 percent of its management graduates employed after three months, and 46 nationalities represented in the class of 2018.
Imperial College London itself is known for being a world leader in science and technology, meaning the business school drives business advantage through the combination of business and technology and an entrepreneurial mindset.
4. ESSEC Business School – Master’s in Strategy & Management of International Business
Location: France, Singapore and Morocco
ESSEC Business School is a multi-campus, non-profit institution which was established in 1907 and is considered one of the world’s most prestigious business schools. Ranked fourth for its Advanced Master’s in Strategy & Management of International Business (MS SMIB), ESSEC receives its highest scores for alumni outcomes and employability, with 88 percent of its graduates working in an international job role according to the Statistics Graduate Career Survey 2014. Graduates can also expect a starting salary in the region of US$55,860.
The MS SMIB is an internationally focused program which includes the opportunity to learn a foreign language, choose a specialized track, and take part in an in-company project anywhere in the world, and students can choose between studying in Paris, Singapore or Rabat.
3. ESADE Business School - MSc in International Management
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Next in our look at the top universities for master’s in management programs is ESADE Business School, which is ranked third and is the highest-ranked Spanish institution. Part of the Escola Superior d'Administració i Direcció d'Empreses (ESADE), the school has been ranked for its MSc in International Management program, a 10-month course taught in English (with the option of studying electives in Spanish).
ESADE receives its highest scores for alumni outcomes, employability and value for money, showing that its graduates are receiving a good return on their investment. ESADE is known for its international connections, and gives students the option to complete an internship in a company overseas, to put their knowledge into practice.
2. London Business School – Master’s in Management
Location: London, UK
The highest-ranked of the UK’s 27 entries in the master’s in management ranking, London Business School (LBS) is a constituent college of the University of London collegiate and is ranked second for its master’s in management program. LBS receives its highest scores for its employability and alumni outcomes, showing the school is recognized as an authority in their field and well respected for its expertise. The school’s Master’s in Management program has been developed in partnership with top international recruiters to equip students with practical skills, an adaptive mindset and the critical business knowledge needed to carve out a successful career and make a real impact in today’s fast-moving business world.
1. HEC Paris – MSc in Strategic Management
Location: Paris, France
Concluding our look at the top universities for master’s in management degrees is HEC Paris, which is highly regarded as one of the most prestigious and selective business schools in the world. Established in 1881 by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry, HEC Paris has been named the “Harvard of Europe” by Forbes and aims to provide a rigorous research environment as well as close connections to the corporate world.
Ranked first in the QS Masters in Management Rankings 2019, HEC Paris’ Master of Science in Strategic Management is an intensive specialized master’s program, taught entirely in English, which takes 10 months to complete. HEC Paris receives perfect scores for its employability and alumni outcomes in the management ranking, with graduates starting their careers with an average salary of US$70k in various paths, from strategy consulting to investment banking and the strategic departments of large, international companies.
This article was originally published in November 2017. It was updated in September 2019 to reflect the results of the latest QS Business Masters Rankings.
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