When looking into MBA programs for graduate education, there are a number of choices out there – from on-line courses, to out of state education with the big name colleges, and even certification programs for business tracks.
However, most employers are looking for MBA degrees from one of the top ranked MBA schools, so we have compiled a list of the top MBA colleges, based on the cost of tuition, the rate of employment of graduates within 3 months of course completion, and the average salaries that students earn following graduation.
Harvard University – Consistent with most other Top MBA lists, Harvard comes in at number one, with a tuition base of $51K per year, and graduates earning an average salary of between $50K and $80K annually.
Stanford University – While the tuition rate is higher than Harvard, weighing in at $55K per year, most Stanford MBA graduates are recruited by major IT and pharmaceutical corporations, while others go on to each their EMBA degrees and even business doctorates.
University of Pennsylvania – With tuition at $53K per year, most graduates of the University of Pennsylvania find themselves earning between $60K and $78K per year – a very comfortable figure and easy to pay back those student loans.
MIT – Typically known for its engineers, MIT has an excellent MBA program that sees its graduates recruited by corporate IT firms such as EMC, and even financial institutes like Wachovia. Annual tuition for MIT’s MBA program is $52K per year.
Northwestern University – Northwestern consistently makes the list of Top MBA Schools. Most graduated of this $54K per year business school find themselves earning a minimum of $65K per year within three months of course completion.
University of Chicago – Graduates of this MBA school are sought after by banks and major industrial corporations. The University of Chicago has a yearly tuition of $53K, and over 91% of its MBA graduates are placed in jobs with annual salaries of around $70K within the first 3 months of graduation.
Berkeley – While the annual tuition for this university is only $46K for in-state students ($53K for out of state residents), the majority of graduates go on to earn the EMBA degrees, and work for large nonprofit organizations and corporations offering a base salary of $60K – $80K per year.
Columbia University – Steeped in the heart of New York City, this top MBA school produces graduates who are snatched up by Wall Street corporations, east coast pharmaceutical companies, and major banks. Many Columbia University MBA graduates even find themselves courted by large companies to handle international business accounts.
Dartmouth College – This Ivy League school offers an excellent MBA program which costs $53K per year. 92% of Dartmouth MBA graduates find themselves earning between $60K and $83K annually after they earn their degrees.
Yale – Rounding out the Top 10 MBA Schools in the United States is Yale University. With a tuition price of $52K per year, Yale teaches its MBA students the nuances of business management, with many of its graduates earning $78K per year (average) by working with major financial institutions and IT firms, such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, and JP Morgan-Chase.
While the above list is for the Top MB schools in America, there are excellent universities around the world that also offer MBA tracks.
The following is a list of the Top MBA schools in the world (excluding the ones in North America that make the list, as well). These schools were chosen based on the cost of tuition, the graduation rate, and the average income (in U.S. Dollars) per year of graduates within 3 months of completing the MBA program at these schools.
IMD (Switzerland) – This MBA school costs $46K (USD) per year to attend, but graduates of this top rated international MBA university find themselves earning between $100K and $240K per year, working for large pharmaceutical corporations and even international banks, such as UBS.
Insead (France, Singapore) – With annual tuition costing $42K per year, and an average salary for MBA graduates in the $190K per year range, it is easy to see why Insead is one of the top rated MBA schools in the world.
IE Business School (Spain) – At $32K per year for tuition, most MBA graduates from IE Business school find themselves placed in careers earning a base salary of $140K per year, within 3 months of completing their MBA degrees.
SDA Bocconi – While the yearly tuition for the MBA program at SDA Bocconi is only $26K, most of the graduates are recruited by companies paying 5 times that amount per year. In fact, many MBA graduates find themselves working for international banking corporation and earning over $135K per year immediately after completing the MBA program.
Cambridge (UK) – Never to be left out of any list of top universities in the world, Cambridge University’s MBA program costs $26K per year. While this may not seem like much for education from such a famous university, it should be noted that the quality of education has most Cambridge MBA graduates earning annual salaries of $150K per year within three months of course completion.
Oxford (UK) – Always close to Cambridge on any list, Oxford University boasts an MBA program that costs $25K per year. MBA graduates go on to earn between $120K and $145K per year, within mere months of finishing their MBA degrees.
Lancaster (UK) – This British University has a 5-year MBA program with tuition rates of $40K, annually. Lancaster MBA graduates are usually recruited by large corporations offering annual salaries with a base income of $86K per year.
Cranfield (UK) – With an annual tuition of $18K per year for the MBA program, Cranfield business graduates are typically placed in jobs earning between $90K and $128K, annually.
EM Lyon (France) – If you can speak the language, meet the entrance requirements, and are willing to live abroad, EM Lyon’s MBA program is one of the best in the world. Yearly tuition for the MBA track is only $13K per year, but MBA graduates soon find themselves in jobs earning (on average) $120K annually.
HEC Montreal (Canada) – Finishing off our list of the Top MBA Schools In The World is HEC Montreal, which costs $9K per year for its 5-year MBA program. The results of finishing HEC Montral’s MBA course is that graduates quickly find themselves being recruited by employers, and earning upwards of $90K per year.
Whether you reside in the United States, Europe, or Asia, the benefits of attending one of the top MBA programs are immeasurable. Your income will increase dramatically, and your employment potential will skyrocket with companies competing to get you on board.
If you are interested in furthering your education, or you simply want to pull down a larger annual income, you should contact any of the top MBA schools listed in this article to set up interviews, or to find out the specific requirements in order to gain entry into these top MBA programs.
While these top MBA schools may cost a bit to attend, the end results in personal and financial potential will far outweigh the price of tuition.
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Where did you get these average salary figures from? They’re grossly inaccurate.
Harvard MBAs earning on average $50-$80K? I don’t think so.
The median base salary of students graduating in 2011, according to HBS.edu, is $120K (not including a signing bonus)
And this isn’t just HBS, it’s roughly $110-$120K for all of the M7 schools.