Methodology

This table lists the metrics used in the MBA rankings from U.S. News & World Report, Bloomberg Businessweek, Financial Times and Forbes. We’ve included the source of each metric and the official definition from the source. Program size and tuition are for information only and are not used in ranking schools. The methodology of the source publication is described in the definition for each metric.

Rankings calculator methodology: How is the top 30 schools list generated?

For each metric, the top 30 schools ranked in that category are assigned points for their ranking. The top-ranked school receives 30 points and the bottom-ranked school receives one point. Schools that tie receive the same number of points. The custom ranking list is based on the sum across criteria of the weight assigned to each metric times the school’s points on that metric. The best fit list ranks the top 30 schools based on these composite scores. Schools must be ranked in the top 30 schools on one metric and among the top 60 schools on at least one additional metric to be eligible for the calculator.

Average Salary & Bonus U.S. News & World Report Average starting salary & bonus for previous year MBA grads. Salary based on the number of graduates who reported data. Mean signing bonus weighted by the proportion of those graduates who reported a bonus. Copyrighted 2020. U.S. News & World Report. #2143536:0320JM

Job Placement Rate U.S. News & World Report Employment rate for previous year MBA graduates 3 months after graduation. Those not seeking jobs or for whom no job-seeking information is available are excluded. Copyrighted 2020. U.S. News & World Report. #2143536:0320JM

Return on Investment Forbes Alumni at 100 schools surveyed for pre- and post-MBA compensation, career choice, and location. Schools ranked based on five year MBA gains: alumni earnings in the first five years compared to opportunity cost (2 years forgone compensation/ bonuses & stock, tuition, fees). It’s assumed compensation would have risen half as fast as post-MBA salary increases had alumni not attended business school.

Low Average Debt U.S. News & World Report Average post-graduation debt for MBA graduates ranked from low to high. Schools must be ranked on at least one performance metric to be included in the Low Average Debt ranking. Copyrighted 2020. U.S. News & World Report. #2143536:0320JM

Alumni Advancement Bloomberg Businessweek Feedback from the classes of 2009, 2010, and 2011 on how their MBAs have affected their careers, their compensation changes over time, and their midcareer job satisfaction.

Faculty Research Financial Times Number of articles published by full-time faculty in 45 selected journals weighted relative to the size of each faculty. (Research rankings here only include rank among U.S. schools.) Global MBA Ranking 2018. Used under license from The Financial Times. All Rights Reserved.

Student Selectivity U.S. News & World Report Percentage of previous year’s applicants to the full-time program who were accepted. Copyrighted 2020. U.S. News & World Report. #2143536:0320JM

Average GMAT U.S. News & World Report Average Graduate Management Admission Test score and average GRE quantitative and verbal scores of full-time MBA students entering the previous fall. Copyrighted 2020. U.S. News & World Report. #2143536:0320JM

Dean & Director (Peer) Opinion U.S. News & World Report Survey of business school deans and directors of accredited business master's programs. Peers asked to rate programs on a scale of 1 "marginal" to 5 "outstanding" or "don’t know." School's score is the average of all the respondents’ ratings. Copyrighted 2020. U.S. News & World Report. #2143536:0320JM

Employer Opinion Bloomberg Businessweek Recruiter feedback on the skills they look for in MBAs, and which programs best equip their students with those skills.

Annual Tuition & Fees U.S. News & World Report For information only, not a ranking factor. Out-of-state tuition and fees cost per year for the full-time MBA program. Copyrighted 2020. U.S. News & World Report. #2143536:0320JM