Top MBA Programs in the US by State

Freeman School of Business – affiliated with Tulane University – is ranked 65th in the US and 131-140 globally.

Primarily based in the vibrant city of New Orleans, all MBA students also travel as a class to three different areas of the world, such as Europe, Latin America, and Asia, as part of the required core curriculum.

Students can also take part in the Darwin Fenner Student Managed Fund course, where they manage nearly US$4.5 million in three separate equity portfolios.

As class size goes, Freeman offers an intimate environment with only 44 students, of which 32 percent are women, 27 percent are international, with four nationalities represented.

Freeman’s 21-month MBA program will set students back US$99,736 in tuition.

The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business offers MBA students the chance to get close to the action in the capital – with the White House only eight miles away.

Smith School of Business, situated in College Park, is joint 55th in the US and ranked 111-120 globally.

Differing to other b-schools, at Smith, all scholarship applications received by the priority deadline are automatically considered for the Dean’s Award two-year scholarship, the Smith Award one-year scholarship, and the Terrapin Award US$5,000-25,000 scholarship.

Smith’s 21-month program costs US$112,368, with graduates earning on average US$96,000, up from US$57,054 pre-MBA.

Harvard Business School’s MBA program ranks second in the US and our global rankings respectively.

Located in Boston, Massachusetts, tuition fees for the 24-month program are US$146,880. It’s one of the largest MBA programs in terms of class size, with around 928 students per year. 42 percent of these students are female and there are 70 nationalities making up the 35 percent of international students on the course.

The school’s famous case method is internationally renowned. HBS faculty writes over 80 percent of business school cases sold globally, producing approximately 350 new cases per year. During the two-year MBA program, students will read and work on 500 cases, both on their own and in ‘learning teams’, as well as discussions with the whole class.

The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business located in Ann Arbor, takes ninth position in the US and 15th globally, scoring highly for return on investment. The program is 20 months in duration and has tuition fees of US$125,000.

In terms of class profile, the average Ross MBA student is 29 years old with an average of six years of work experience. In a class of 422 students, around 43 percent are female, and 34 percent are international students.

A standout feature of Ross's MBA program is their Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP) course, where students can spend seven weeks on a full-time, often international, project, looking for a solution to a company's business problem. Recent trips have included challenges such as developing market entry strategies in Central America and the Caribbean.

The Curtis L. Carlson School of Management is part of the University of Minnesota, located in Minneapolis. Carlson is ranked 27th in the US and 57th globally. The program is 22 months long and has tuition fees of US$97,852 – with graduates earning roughly US$106,129.

Specializations on the MBA program include entrepreneurship, finance, information systems, management, marketing, medical industry and the supply chain.

Within each specialization, there are specific tailored opportunities and experiences too. For example, in the entrepreneurship specialization, there’s the start-up course, where students can test business model assumptions and gain feedback, and the ventures enterprise, in which students create, develop, and sustain new business ideas.

Located in St Louis – and dating back to 1917 – Washington University’s Olin Business School is ranked 34th in the US and 69th globally.

The 21-month program costs US$115,800, but the return on investment makes it worthwhile, with some grads earning US$108,000, up from US$52,740 pre-MBA.

Olin has a student-focused mentality, with small class sizes (145 students in this year’s cohort), and almost two-thirds of total credit hours are spent on elective courses to tailor your MBA education.

Setting itself apart – the application process has been streamlined: only a one-page CV, response to two essay questions, academic transcripts, and GMAT/GRE scores are required.

Located in Hanover, New Hampshire, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University is ranked 20th in the US and 41st globally.

The 21-month MBA program fees also hit six-figures at US$145,020 – but grads need not worry as some have earned double their pre-MBA salary at US$123,394.

Class sizes are mid-range with 293 students, of which 44 percent are women, 37 percent international students, with 35 nationalities represented.

There are over 100 electives to choose from, as well as exchange programs, joint and dual degrees, experiential learning and leadership development possibilities.

Founded in 1929, Rutgers Business School is located on the Newark and New Brunswick campuses of Rutgers University and is ranked 46th in the US and 95th globally. 

With only 72 students in the class, the Rutgers MBA program allows for a more personal approach among peers and staff.

Concentrations at the b-school include: pharmaceutical management, real estate, finance, global business, marketing, supply chain management and more.

The 24-month program costs US$91,378, with an average salary jump from US$47,000 to US$97,546.

Columbia Business School narrowly misses out on a place in the top five of the US table but achieved a near-perfect score for employability (fifth globally). Columbia also made it into the global top 10 in 10th position. The MBA program takes 24 months to complete and has tuition fees of US$148,000.

Of the 753 students in the MBA class, around 41 percent are female, and 43 percent are international. Graduates of Columbia's program can expect a salary uplift of approximately 65 percent.

The real star of Columbia's MBA program is its New York City location. It’s the only school in the US top ten located in the financial capital of the US, and the school claims it shares a symbiotic relationship with the city. Owing to their location, the school has more than 100 adjunct faculty from a huge range of industries, who are just a subway ride away from Columbia's campus.

Located in Durham, the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University is ranked 12th in the US and 20th globally.

There are many variations of the Fuqua MBA, including the full-time, two-year, residential Daytime MBA and the Cross-Continent MBA – a 16-month program in global cities, including London, New Delhi, St. Petersburg, Shanghai, Dubai, and Durham, NC.

The Fuqua MBA offers 10 concentrations with additional variations, and the school also offers a high level of international learning and study abroad opportunities through 27 partner schools.

On average, students are 29 with six years’ work experience. The class is also quite large with 433 students, of which 34 percent are women and 34 percent are international students respectively.

The 22-month program is US$133,865, with grads possibly earning US$125,000.

In Columbus, Ohio, you’ll find the Max M. Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University. The b-school is ranked 40th in the US and 84th globally.

This year’s cohort has 91 students in class, with 32 percent female students and 25 percent international students. The 21-month program is US$105,222, with grads earning US$95,604 on average post-MBA.

The program includes core foundation, skills-building, and leadership training courses over the first year, a summer term involving an internship or overseas Global Applied Project (GAP), and a second-year focus on electives.

Founded in 1935, the Collins College of Business is the University of Tulsa’s flagship school, ranked 81-90 in the US and 151-200 globally. The QAACSB accredited school is in Tulsa – once named one of America’s ‘most lovable large cities.’

The 16-month QAACSB full-time MBA program involves local business community leaders within the course – blurring the lines between classroom and workplace.

No work experience or interview is required, meaning applicants only submit standard documents (letters of recommendation, GMAT/GRE scores, university transcripts, and a completed application form) to be considered for a place.

Willamette University's Atkinson Graduate School of Management is located in Salem, Oregon. The business school is ranked 71-80 in the US and 151-200 globally.

Atkinson offers an Executive Development Center and two MBA programs: the Early Career & Career Change MBA and the MBA for Professionals.

The curriculum features consequential learning which involves making decisions under uncertain conditions with real capital and real outcomes.

The 21-month program has a small class size of 64 people. Students are 26 years old on average with two years’ work experience.

In third place in both the US and global tables is the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia.

The 21-month program has tuition fees of US$157,896, and a large class size of around 863 students. Of these, 44 percent are female, and 35 percent are international, from 65 nations across the world. Students can expect a salary boost of around 58 percent post-graduation.

Wharton is part of the Wharton-INSEAD alliance. MBA students at Wharton can spend one period of study at the partner school, ranked second in Europe and sixth globally, either at INSEAD’s Fontainebleau or Singapore campus.

Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina is located in Columba, SC. The school is ranked 62nd in the US and 121-130 globally.

Moore emphasizes the importance of global perspective, internships, foreign language learning and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Students on the full-time MBA are aged 27 on average with five years’ work experience. However, it’s worth noting that the class is extremely small with only 22 students.

If this level of intimacy works for you, the programs costs US$71,580, with grads earning on average US$84,206.

In the city of Vermillion, South Dakota state’s flagship university – The University of South Dakota and subsequently Beacom School of Business can be found.

Created in 1927, Beacom is ranked 100+ in the US and 201+ globally and is fully accredited by AACSB International.

The 21-month program boasts a tiny class with only 17 students and is inexpensive by MBA standards at US$12,530.

The Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management situated in Nashville is ranked 25th in the US and 55th globally.

Tuition for the 21-month program is US$96,666. Graduates earn on average US$119,904, more than double the average pre-MBA salaries of US$53,000.

Connecting through clubs and organizations is important at the school. Groups include: Owen Student Government Association; Honor Council; Adam Smith Society; Distinguished Speaker Series; Music Industry Club and more.

The school is also a sponsor of the Forté Foundation, which helps launch women into careers in business.

With its main campus situated in Downtown Austin, McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin is ranked joint 14th in the US and joint 29th globally.

In addition to the main campus in Downtown Austin, McCombs offers classes outside Central Texas in Dallas, Houston and internationally in Mexico City. And in 2019, McCombs will launch UTNY – a cross-discipline learning center in Manhattan, where students can explore classes and internships in business, finance and other subjects in the Big Apple.  

There are 45+ student-led organizations at the b-school for whatever your professional curiosities or personal hobbies. But if you want to get away from campus for a chance to study elsewhere, McCombs offers global opportunities including: Global Connections Study Tours; Exchange Programs; McCombs Adventure Program; Double Degree Program.

Students on the 21-month program will pay US$109,000 in tuition, with a possible average salary of US$116,403 post-MBA. There are on average 265 students, of which 40 percent are female, 18 nationalities are represented, and 28 percent of students are international.

Brigham Young University Marriott School is situated in Provo, Utah. The business school is ranked 81-90 in the US and 151-200 globally.

The 20-month program costs US$52,240, with some graduates earning US$102,534. The class has 136 students, of which 15 percent are international, 22 percent are female, and 10 nationalities are represented. Students are on average 29 years old with four years’ work experience.

BYU MBA students can earn a place on experiential learning programs, working on competitive venture capital, big data analytics, or global supply chain courses alongside firms including: BYU Analytics; Cougar Capital’ Cougar Strategy; Silver Fund and more.

The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business – situated in Charlottesville – was founded in 1955. It’s currently ranked 22nd in the US and 50th globally.

Darden’s 21-month program has a mid-large size class with 326 students, of which 39 percent are women, 34 percent are international, and 36 nationalities are represented. The program costs US$136,300.

Rather than following a topic-based structure, teaching is divided into case studies, which Darden describes as an ‘active learning approach’.

There are worldwide courses available, including: Global Immersion Courses; Global Client Projects; Global Topic Courses; Darden Worldwide Scholarship Fund, and more.

Since 2007, the University of Washington’s business school arm has been known as the Michael G. Foster School of Business, but the b-school traces its history back to 1917, making it one of the US’s oldest business schools.

Located in Seattle, Foster is ranked 30th in the US and 60th globally. Aside from the core and elective curriculum, students can take part in competitions: MBA Core Case Competitions and a Business Plan Competition.

Foster’s 21-month program tuition costs US$96,666, with some graduates earning US$119,904.

University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Wisconsin School of Business is ranked 44th in the US and 92nd globally.

For the full-time MBA, students can choose one of 10 specializations to boost their MBA with focused knowledge in their chosen area.

At Foster, students are 28-years-old on average with five years’ work experience. Classes are Wisconsin are an average size with 104 students, of which 30 percent are women, 18 percent are international, with six nationalities represented.

The following states don’t have business schools included in this year’s ranking: Arkansas; Arizona; Delaware; Hawaii; Idaho; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Maine; Mississippi; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Mexico; Rhode Island; Vermont; West Virginia; Wyoming.