Best Business Schools in the US – Class Profile, Curriculum, and Post-MBA salary

Are you planning to pursue your MBA in the USA? The United States continues to draw international talent and is home to some of the world’s most prestigious business schools. In fact, the M7 and Ivy League business schools are also located in the USA. Apart from reputation, US business schools offer numerous career opportunities, a diverse learning environment, and world-class education, with a world-leading faculty base. Over a thousand business schools in the USA provide different types of MBA programs that can fit your needs.

This article highlights the 20 best business schools based on their student excellence, placement success, and qualitative assessments by experts.  

Top 20 Business Schools in the US 

Earning an MBA from the best US business schools enables you to identify career opportunities, build professional networks, and improve prospects for promotions. How?

Most Fortune 500 companies have their headquarters in the US, which helps you connect with top recruiters in the industry. Moreover, you can interact with industry leaders through seminars and training programs conducted by the business schools. In fact, according to the GMAC Prospective student survey 2022, the United States is the most preferred study destination for international students, followed by Western Europe. 

Here is the list of 20 best business schools in the US:

1. Chicago Booth School of Business 
2. The Wharton School 
3. Kellogg School of Management 
4. Stanford Graduate School of Business 
5. Harvard Business School 
6. MIT Sloan School of Management 
7. Yale School of Management 
8. Columbia Business School 
9. Berkeley Haas School of Business 
10. Michigan Ross School of Business 
11. Tuck School of Business 
12. Duke Fuqua School of Business 
13. NYU Stern School of Business 
14. UVA Darden School of Business 
15. SC Johnson College of Business 
16. Tepper School of Business 
17. UCLA Anderson School of Management 
18. McCombs School of Business 
19. UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School 
20. USC Marshall School of Business 

Best business schools- GMAT score, tuition, and post-MBA salary 

The Wharton School has the highest average GMAT score. The minimum GMAT score for the latest MBA class of 2023 for the 20 best business schools is approx. 700+. So, to make your MBA profile stand out, you should target more than GMAT 720. 

The average tuition fee for the best business school range from $50,000 to $100,000 per academic year. Kellogg School of Management offers the most expensive MBA program, followed by Wharton and MIT Sloan. Although the tuition is high, the post-MBA salary is also high compared to the top 20-50 business schools. The average median salary is more than $125,000 per year. Based on the U.S.News ranking 2023, here are the best business schools, with their average GMAT score, tuition, and median base salary:

Here are the average GMAT scores of top business schools in the US, Canada, and Europe.

10 best business schools

The top 10 business schools in the US includes the M7 – the seven most elite business schools in the world. Apart from the M7 business schools, three schools have made it to the top 10 B-schools list. 

Consulting, Finance, and Technology are the top industries where MBA grads got hired. Moreover, the majority of the MBA programs are STEM-certified. How is it beneficial?

STEM-certified programs allow you to extend your visa duration. A STEM MBA graduate can extend the OPT period after graduating and get 36 months of OPT. A typical graduate gets 12 months of optional practical training (OPT). The full-time MBA program at business schools like Chicago Booth, Stanford GSB, MIT Sloan, Columbia, and Berkeley Haas is fully stem-designated. Business schools like Wharton, Yale, and Ross offer stem-designated majors/concentrations. 

Here is an overview of the 10 best business schools:

Let us have a look at the top 10 business schools in detail below. 

Chicago Booth School of Business 

The full-time MBA program at Booth school of business is 21 months long. The campus is located in Chicago, Illinois – one of the most populous cities in the USA. With a class size of 620, Booth has one of the largest MBA class size. 

The MBA curriculum at Booth is somewhat flexible. Even though you can waive the prerequisites for some courses, the Booth curriculum requires you to make certain academic choices early on. In fact, Booth’s MBA students have pointed out that having a clear educational path in mind helped them to make the right academic choices. 

Professors at Booth can decide which method of instruction they prefer on a class-by-class basis. Some use case studies, while others lectures or a combination of both. How does this help you? 

You can specifically target classes in which the case study method will be effective and then engage in lecture courses to make your theoretical knowledge strong. Here are some key stats on Chicago Booth’s MBA Class 2023:

• Class Size: 620 
• Work experience: 5 years 
• % of international students: 38.9%
• % of women: 42.3%

Booth MBA graduate – Employment Stats 2021

The average median base salary is $155,000. The majority of Booth’s MBA graduates got hired into consulting industry (34.4%), followed by finance (27%) and technology (22.9%). Take a look at the median base salary for the top 3 industries: 

MBA Application deadline – Booth 

There are three rounds of application for Fall admissions. Here are the latest Booth’s MBA application deadlines:

The Wharton School 

The full-time MBA program at the Wharton School is 20 months, including 3.5 months of internship. The campus is located in Philadelphia. The class size of the incoming MBA batch of 2023 is 887. 

The MBA curriculum at Wharton is a mix of fixed and flexible components. The flexible core curriculum allows you to choose from 8 category courses. You can customize 6.25 credit hours of flexible core courses. If you have prior professional or academic experience in a given field, you can waive it by completing an examination or with permission from the course’s professor. However, you should first complete 3.25 credits of fixed courses with your assigned cohort. 

Professors at Wharton decide which method of instruction they prefer to use based on the content. They use a mix of lectures, team projects, simulations, and case studies. Here are some key stats on Wharton’s MBA Class 2023:

• Class Size: 887
• Work experience: 5 years 
• % of international students: 36%
• % of women: 52%

Wharton MBA graduate – Employment Stats 2021

The average median base salary is $155,000. The majority of Wharton’s MBA graduates got hired into the finance industry (35.1%), followed by consulting (27.2%) and technology (18.6%). Take a look at the median base salary for the top 3 industries: 

MBA Application deadline – Wharton 

There are three application rounds with three key dates for each round of MBA Application 2022-2023:

Kellogg School of Management 

The full-time MBA program at the Kellogg School of Management is 24 months long. The campus is located in Evanston, a suburban city. Evanston offers a hybrid of city and campus life. With a class size of 508, Kellogg’s MBA program is categorized as a medium-sized program. 

The MBA curriculum at Kellogg school of management is hybrid. Although around one-half of the total credits required to graduate are within the core, you can waive up to 7 of the core classes. But, again, you do not get a free pass. Instead, you are expected to take a more challenging course in the same area. 

Regarding learning pedagogy, team-based learning prevails in all courses – cases and lecturers alike. Here are some key stats on Kellogg’s MBA Class 2023:

• Class Size: 508
• Work experience: 5 years 
• % of international students: 36%
• % of women: 49%

Kellogg MBA graduate – Employment Stats 2021

The average median base salary is $150,000. The majority of Kellogg’s MBA graduates got hired into consulting industry (33.2%), followed by technology (30.1%) and finance (14.2%). Take a look at the median base salary for the top 3 industries: 

MBA Application deadline – Kellogg 

There are three applications rounds, with two important deadlines:

Stanford Graduate School of Business 

The full-time MBA program at the Stanford Graduate school of business is 24 months long. The business school is located on a campus in Stanford, California. It is 35 miles from San Francisco. With 426 students enrolled, Stanford has a smaller class size than the other best business schools. 

Unlike Wharton or Kellogg, Stanford students can not waive classes. Moreover, most of the first year is dedicated to core requirement courses. The second year allows students to choose elective courses that vary yearly. It also includes a global experience requirement which must be completed by the winter of year two. 

A diverse set of teaching methodologies are used at Stanford. Professors typically teach using both case methods and lectures. Moreover, they frequently develop their own cases. Students also learn by participating in simulations, group projects, and role-playing scenarios. Here are some key stats on Stanford’s MBA Class 2023:

• Class Size: 426
• Work experience: 4.8 years 
• % of international students: 47%
• % of women: 44%

Stanford MBA graduate – Employment Stats 2021

The average median base salary is $158,400. The majority of Stanford’s MBA graduates got hired into the finance industry (33%), followed by technology (29%) and consulting (18%). Take a look at the median base salary for the top three industries: 

MBA Application deadline – Stanford 

There are three application rounds:

Harvard Business School 

The full-time MBA program at Harvard Business school is 24 months long. The campus is located in Boston, Massachusetts. With a class size of 1010, Harvard is one of the largest business schools in the US.

There are two-semester at HBS. You must take all the same classes in the first year, without exception. There are 11 required courses like Finance, Strategy, Marketing, and Field Global immersions in the first year. The second-year curriculum includes electives and does not include any required courses. 

Harvard Business school is the pioneer of the case study method. You will end up participating in more than 500 case discussions. Moreover, class participation is crucial. Around 50% of your final grades depend on class participation. Here are some key stats on Harvard’s MBA Class 2023:

• Class Size: 1010
• Work experience: 5 years 
• % of international students: 37%
• % of women: 46%

Harvard MBA graduate – Employment Stats 2021

The average median base salary is $150,500. The majority of Harvard’s MBA graduates got hired into consulting industry (23%), followed by technology (19%) and finance (14%). Take a look at the median base salary for the top three industries: 

MBA Application deadline – Harvard 

Here are the application dates for the MBA class of 2025: 

MIT Sloan School of Management 

The MIT Sloan School of Management’s full-time MBA program is 24 months long. The campus is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts – in the heart of the Boston area. The class size range is similar to business schools like Kellogg, Stanford, and Michigan. i.e., 400-500.

Unlike Wharton or Kellogg, MIT Sloan students can not waive classes. Sloan’s core curriculum has five fixed required courses. Apart from that, there are electives that students can choose from. Almost 75% of the time, students have the flexibility to take any elective Sloan offers. Students can also take up to three courses at Harvard or any MIT graduate school. 

A diverse set of teaching methodologies are used at MIT, such as team projects, lectures, case studies, presentations, etc. Here are some key stats on MIT’s MBA Class 2023:

• Class Size: 450
• Work experience: 5 years 
• % of international students: 43%
• % of women: 44%

MIT Sloan MBA graduate – Employment Stats 2021

The average median base salary is $150,000. The majority of MIT’s MBA graduates got hired into consulting industry (28.3%), followed by technology (25%) and finance (21.4%). Take a look at the median base salary for 2021: 

MBA Application deadline – MIT Sloan 

There are three rounds of application at MIT:

Yale School of Management 

The full-time MBA program at the Yale School of Management is 24 months long. The campus is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and Yale is the city’s largest employer. Unlike Harvard, Stanford, and Kellogg, Yale SoM has a smaller class size. Around 349 students got admitted into its class of 2023. 

Like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT, Yale SoM MBA students can not waive classes. The first-year students gain a common framework and language for their MBA experience through the orientation to Management series, which has seven courses. The program introduces concepts that will be broadly explored in subsequent courses. The second year of the MBA program is made up entirely of electives. 

Yale SoM uses a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, experimental, and case study methods. Here are some key stats on Yale’s MBA Class 2023:

• Class Size: 349
• Work experience: 4.4 years 
• % of international students: 44%
• % of women: 43%

Yale MBA graduate – Employment Stats 2021

The average median base salary is $140,400. The majority of Yale’s MBA graduates got hired into consulting industry (34.2%), followed by finance (13.8%) and technology (10%). Take a look at the median base salary for the top three industries: 

MBA Application deadline – Yale 

Three application rounds are there for the Yale MBA program:

Columbia Business School

The full-time MBA program at the Columbia Business School is 24 months long. The campus is located in uptown Manhattan, New York. With a class size of 847, Columbia has one of the largest MBA class sizes. 

Columbia offers a flexible core curriculum. You can take exception exams in areas where you already have proficiency and then opt to replace core courses with electives. First-year students are expected to complete core courses; the second-year curriculum consists entirely of electives. 

Columbia follows a hybrid teaching method – The lecture and case study method. There is no specific pedagogy that professors must use, so the method varies based on the course, instructor, and availability of relevant cases. Here are some key stats on Columbia’s MBA Class 2023:

• Class Size: 847
• Work experience: 5 years 
• % of international students: 48%
• % of women: 41%

Columbia MBA graduate – Employment Stats 2021

The average median base salary is $150,000. The majority of Columbia’s MBA graduates got hired into the finance industry (36%), followed by consulting (33.4%) and technology (17%). Take a look at the median base salary for the top 3 industries:

MBA Application deadline – Columbia 

Students can enroll in either January or August. Students who enroll in August will only be able to do internships. Here are the MBA application deadlines for August and January 2023 entry:

Here are top business schools who allow a January intake for their MBA programs.

Berkeley Haas School of Business  

The full-time MBA program at the Haas School of Business is 24 months long. The business school is located on the campus of UC Berkeley, 14 miles northeast of San Francisco. The typical class size range between 200 to 300, with around 291 students enrolled for the MBA batch 2023. 

The MBA curriculum at Haas is flexible. You have the flexibility to waive five out of 12 core courses by taking an exam. But, any course that is waived must be replaced with an elective.  Students can even voice their opinion regarding the curriculum changes. The business school takes regular feedback on the curriculum to change the elective offering or adjust core courses. 

The professors at Hass have the flexibility to choose the method of teaching – lecture or case study.  While some classes are 100% case-based, others rely more on lectures. Experiential learning has always been a core part of the Haas MBA curriculum. For instance, The Haas Socially Responsible Investment Fund class offers hands-on experience in developing trading strategies for social, financial, and environmental returns on a student-led fund valued at more than $3M. Here are some key stats on Haas’s MBA Class 2023:

• Class Size: 291
• Work experience: 5.5 years 
• % of international students: 37%
• % of women: 37%

Haas MBA graduate – Employment Stats 2021

The average median base salary is $149,000. The majority of the MBA graduates got hired into the technology industry (34.1%), followed by consulting (28.4%) and financial service (12.3%). Take a look at the median base salary for the top 3 industries:

MBA Application deadline – Haas 

There are three rounds of application. Here are the 2022-2023 application deadlines:

Michigan Ross School of Business

The full-time MBA program at the Ross School of Business is 24 months long. The campus is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The typical class size range from 400 to 500, with around 398 students enrolled for the MBA batch 2023.

Ross MBA students typically spend most of their first year taking core courses. But, the MBA curriculum does offer some level of flexibility by taking electives and the ability to waive core courses via exam or waive request. Corporate strategy and Competing in a Global Business Environment are the two core courses that students cannot waive. 

Ross’s teaching method combines both lecture-based and case methods. Here are some key stats on the MBA Class 2023:

• Class Size: 398
• Work experience: 5 years 
• % of international students: 28%
• % of women: 46%

Ross MBA graduate – Employment Stats 2021

The average median base salary is $136,000. The majority of the MBA graduates got hired into consulting industry (35.1%), followed by technology (24.9%) and financial service (15.5%). Take a look at the median base salary for the top 3 industries:

MBA Application deadline – Ross 

There are two rounds of admissions: 

Best Business Schools in the US- FAQs