International & Ethnic Diversity in the MBA Class of 2018

The US has been hogging the international headlines for seemingly all the wrong reasons in 2017. The country’s new president and his aggressive, yet regressive rhetoric concerning matters of international inclusiveness has not painted a pretty picture for those considering MBA study at its top business schools.

However, in the fall (autumn) leading full-time MBA programs enrolled classes that were typical of the US’s recent past rather than what the most sensationalist reports would have you believe lies in its potential future. Here is a look at the proportions of international students and the proportions of those defined as being of US minority origin found among the MBA class of 2018 at 20 of the US’s top business schools. These figures are unlikely to change much in the near future, given these schools’ enduring appeal to applicants and the continuing demand among the country’s employers to bring in the finest emerging business leaders in possession of a top MBA qualification.       

In this selection of 20 top business schools in the US, the average proportion of international students found in the full-time MBA class of 2018 is 35%.

Sources: Class profile information from business schools' official websites

Three schools record figures of 40% or higher. The highest figure (48%) relates to the two classes which enrolled in 2016 at Columbia Business School , in January and August. A 46% proportion at Yale School of Management is next, although here it should be noted that the figure pertains to the number of its students in possession of an international passport. Stanford GSB, meanwhile, reports a 40% proportion of international students among its class of 2018.

There are also three schools with proportions this year that fall below the 30% mark. Those are UT Austin’s McCombs School, Vanderbilt Owen and UNC Kenan-Flagler. However, each of these schools still records a proportion of international MBA students that is higher than one in four.