Canada’s 10 Top Business Schools for Employability

Canada was the first country outside the US to offer the MBA degree and remains one of the world’s most popular study locations among international applicants.

It is also home to employers who display a consistently strong demand for MBA graduates.

Even so (and as is the case for any study location) the employment prospects for those who study an MBA in Canada will be a chief consideration for anyone interested in pursuing the qualification at one of its top business schools, whether their ambition is to remain in Canada after graduation or not.

A total of 18 business schools in Canada feature in the QS World University Rankings: Global MBA Rankings 2020 and the 10 top business schools shown below are those which scored highest for employability:

MBA in Canada: Where to find the employability top 10

Canada’s 10 top business schools for employability are spread across most of the country’s major urban areas, although it is those based in the province of Ontario that lead the way.

Ontario

Those looking for a full-time MBA in Canada might find it interesting to note that half five of the top MBA programs in Canada, according to QS Global MBA Rankings 2020 are offered in Ontario, the country’s most populous province.

Kingston’s Smith School of Business, (which often lands a spot as one of the top Canadian business schools), The University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, London’s Ivey Business School occupy the first three positions. And it’s no wonder Ivey scored so highly – as the Ivey MBA curriculum is delivered using Ivey’s case study method (the only case-based program in Canada). Similarly, Smith School of Business was the first Canadian business school to join the Forté Foundation, awarding numerous Forté Foundation Fellowships to highly qualified female MBA students.

In seventh place, meanwhile, is a second Toronto-based school, York University’s Schulich School of Business. Rounding off the top 10 is Burlington’s DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University.

Rotman School of Management was crowned the best MBA program in Canada according to our QS Global MBA Rankings 2020. Rotman’s Self-Development Lab (SDL) gives personalized feedback on your behavioural performance, communication style (to name but a few) through a series of individual coaching sessions and small group workshops – ensuring students develop key interpersonal skills needed to become an effective problem-solver in business.

Quebec

Three of the top 10 are found in Canada’s predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec. All three schools are located in Montréal – Canada’s second-most populous city (after Toronto) and where most residents possess a working knowledge of both French and English. McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, HEC Montréal and Concordia’s John Molson School of Business all offer full-time MBAs in the English language, while HEC Montréal also has a full-time program in French.

John Molson scored the highest score for ROI in Canada in this year’s Global MBA Rankings, and with students earning a post-graduation average salary of US$59,321 up from US$28,571, it’s easy to see why.   

Top 10 MBA programs in Canada

Alberta

There is only one full-time MBA program based in the province of Alberta in the top 10 for employability in Canada, available at the Alberta School of Business, based in Edmonton, Alberta’s capital city. 

The business school holds on-campus corporate recruitment events and interviews throughout the year, however, September through to November are the busiest times on campus with employers. 

Students undertake a series of actions and deliverables throughout their degree, along with on-going career coaching, to help students achieve ideal criteria for positions at organizations.

Why Alberta School of Business could be the b-school for you

British Columbia

Seasonal weather, breath-taking landscape and friendly locals are just some of the reasons why studying in B.C. is a viable option. But let’s not forget about the prominence technology holds in the area.

The technology sector provides over 100,000 jobs in B.C. – generating more than US$8.16 million in annual revenues. So, the province is a great option if you’re interested in landing a tech job post-graduation.

Vancouver is Canada’s third-largest city and is home to UBC Sauder School of Business. The b-school’s 16-month program scored the second highest for thought leadership in Canada. In placing sixth here, Sauder is this top 10’s sole entrant from British Columbia – Canada’s westernmost province. The Hari B. Varshney Business Career Centre (BCC) is staffed with MBA Career Coaches who will help you develop your market skills and shape your career.