Top 10 Largest Executive MBA Cohorts in 2019

Number of students: 168

Global rank: 27th

Established in 1986, Warwick’s two-year EMBA program (can be extended to four years) earned a perfect score this year for career outcomes, and students can expect an astonishing 114 percent salary increase after graduation.

Warwick’s global community is a network of over 45,000 graduates and students in over 140 countries. Students can also get involved in global CASE competitions with students from other leading global business schools.

Students on Warwick’s program have an average of 12 years’ work experience, nine years’ managerial experience, and 51 percent have C-Suite experience. 29 nationalities are represented in the cohort, and 33 percent of students are female. Tuition fees total £45,230 (US$58,919).

Number of students: 232

Global rank: 40th

AGSM’s Executive MBA program scored well across all ranking indicators. Although based in Sydney, the university also has campuses in Perth, Melbourne and the country’s capital Canberra.

Program fees are AUD$85,095 (US$60,515). Students can complete the EMBA anywhere between two-and-a-half and seven years, with most students taking three-and-a-half years.

You can enter the program by having a strong undergraduate degree and at least two years’ prior managerial experience, or by having at least six years’ previous managerial experience. The class of 2018 had an average of 11 years’ work experience, with finance, consulting and technology being some of the most popular previous industries.

Number of students: 234

Global rank: 1st

The Wharton School’s Executive MBA was ranked as the best in the world in the 2019 QS Global EMBA Rankings and it has a significantly sized cohort, with 234 students enrolled. The program features a required one-week Global Business Week, and students can also take part in Global Modular Courses at locations such as Israel, India, Brazil and more.

Wharton’s Class of 2020 has an average age of 35, 11 years’ work experience, eight years’ managerial experience and a median GMAT score of 700.

Students entering Wharton’s two-year program in May 2019 will pay US$210,900, but no need to worry, as Wharton grads have noted a whopping 84 percent salary increase – not too bad a return for the best EMBA in the world!

Number of students: 235

Global rank: =9th

INSEAD’s Global Executive MBA program – launched in 2004 – scores very highly for employer reputation, thought leadership, and diversity.

The school’s 2019 class ranges in age between 33 and 43 years old, with an average of 13 years’ work experience and six years’ managerial experience. 17 percent of students have C-Suite experience.

There are 59 nationalities represented in the cohort, with 89 percent classed as international students. A quarter of all EMBA students are female.

The GEMBA Europe tuition fees for the 2020 class intake total €123,000 (US$138,493), with graduates reporting a 34 percent salary increase.

Number of students: 262

Global rank: 67th

With its home base in Pilar, Argentina, IAE’s EMBA program is one of the few from Latin America to be included in this year’s ranking. Placing 67^th overall, it scored particularly well for executive profile and career outcomes.

Established in 1981, IAE has three formats on the program: Mondays’ EMBA IAE’s Pilar Campus offer classes once a week; BAires EMBA Buenos Aires City – Pilar feature classes in Buenos Aires on Tuesday and Saturdays in Pilar; Regional EMBA in Pilar is three days every three weeks.

On average, EMBA students have 10 years’ work experience, 10 years’ managerial experience, and a whopping 79 percent have C-Suite experience (the highest in the top 10). The cohort boasts 22 percent female students, 11 percent international students and five nationalities are represented.

Number of students: 309

Global rank: 32nd

Another Latin American executive MBA program, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile scored highly for career outcomes and diversity in this year’s ranking.

Students here can make the most of a wide range of international options, including exchange possibilities, one-week programs, study trips, among others.

EMBA participants have an average of eight years’ work experience and eight years’ managerial work experience, while 38 percent have C-Suite experience.

Females make up a quarter of the 18-month program, and there are 12 different nationalities represented in the cohort (22 percent of the class are from abroad).

Of the business school’s 2018 students, professional backgrounds were varied, with agronomy, architecture, journalism and civil engineering just some of the fields students came to the program from.

Number of students: 337

Global rank: 48th

Situated in Sandton, South Africa, GIBS Business School has the largest EMBA class of any institution in the world – think of all the opportunities that come with a class of more than 300 students. It’s clear to see why the program earned a perfect score for career outcomes and diversity.

Close to half of this year’s cohort are women (42 percent), while 19 nationalities are represented in the cohort. In terms of experience, students have an average of 12 years’ work experience and six years’ managerial experience, while 15 percent have C-Suite experience.

With an estimated tuition fee of US$20,000-$30,000, and an expected salary increase of 57 percent, this program offers a decent return on investment and countless networking opportunities.