Wharton is widely considered a prestigious place to study business. Ranked second in the world, it was the top-ranked U.S. university for MBA courses in the Financial Times study. Wharton also ranked at the top for executive MBAs in a 2010 survey carried out by US News & World Report. Wharton claims that its MBA is "frequently cited as the most effective in preparing graduates to lead organizations in a global business environment." Weighted graduate salaries are excellent ($160,848 as of 2010) and represent an average increase for alumni of 111 percent on their pre-MBA salary. A full 81 percent of graduates had found employment within three month of completing the course.
Office of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid
The Wharton School
University of Pennsylvania
420 Jon M. Huntsman Hall
3730 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6340
215-898-6183
wharton.upenn.edu
Unsurprising for one of the best universities in the world, Harvard ranked third in the world in the Financial Times study. As of 2010, its total MBA enrollment stood at 942, or 12 percent of the 9,093 applications Harvard received. More than 70,000 alumni scattered across the world have graduated from this program, and Harvard claims that 45 percent of these individuals hold positions in senior management. The Financial Times study found that graduates from Harvard's MBA program experience a 109 percent salary increase, and can expect to earn, on average, $161,887 per year.
Harvard Business School
MBA Admissions
Dillon House
Soldiers Field Road
Boston, MA 02163
617-495-6128
hbs.edu/mba
Stanford University boasts the highest weighted graduate salary of the top 100 universities in the Financial Times study. It was $164,836 as of 2010, representing a 110 percent increase on their pre-MBA salary. For the class of 2011, Stanford received 7,536 applications, from which it selected 385 students. Dean Garth Saloner writes on their website that an MBA from Stanford "will launch you into a life of meaning and impact." The MBA curriculum is tailored to each student's background and experience, and uses a variety of learning methods including simulations, case studies and global study trips alongside traditional classroom-based learning.
Stanford Graduate School of Business
518 Memorial Way
Stanford, CA 94305-5015
650-723-2146
gsb.stanford.edu
Columbia claims that its graduates "don't just join the workforce---they influence it, shape it and change it for the better." According to the Financial Times study, they also benefit from an average salary increase of 121 percent and on average earn $160,679 per year. Columbia's MBA program is intended to offer students training which will benefit them for the rest of their working lives by focusing on skills and real-life scenarios. The school applies classroom theory to real world situations, encouraging graduates to apply their learning to real business projects. In addition to its high ranking in the Financial Times study, Columbia ranked fifth in the US News & World Report survey for its executive MBA course.
Columbia Business School
Admissions Office
216 Uris Hall
3022 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
212-854-5553
gsb.columbia.edu/mba