Business School Rankings 2025: Wharton and Columbia Lead the Pack

The latest global business school rankings for 2025 have been released, with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School securing the top spot. Columbia Business School follows closely at second place, with Harvard Business School ranking 13th despite having the highest weighted salary for graduates.

Top 10 Business Schools in 2025:

1. University of Pennsylvania: Wharton (US) – $241,522 average salary, carbon footprint rank: 65
2. Columbia Business School (US) – $242,747, carbon footprint rank: 67
3. IESE Business School (Spain) – $198,584, carbon footprint rank: 8
4. INSEAD (France) – $209,992, carbon footprint rank: 17
5. SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) – $217,241, carbon footprint rank: 1
6. MIT: Sloan (US) – $232,565, carbon footprint rank: 17
7. London Business School (UK) – $214,823, carbon footprint rank: 55
8. Esade Business School (Spain) – $205,044, carbon footprint rank: 4
9. HEC Paris (France) – $191,828, carbon footprint rank: 8
10. Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management (US) – $219,487, carbon footprint rank: 50

Key Insights:

• Highest Salaries: Harvard Business School graduates reported the highest weighted average salary at $256,731, despite Harvard ranking 13th overall.
• European and Asian Presence: European schools like INSEAD (France), SDA Bocconi (Italy), and IESE (Spain) continue to hold strong positions. Asian schools, such as CEIBS (China) and Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, also feature prominently in the rankings.
• Sustainability Focus: Schools are now being ranked based on their carbon footprint, with SDA Bocconi having the lowest environmental impact among the top-ranked institutions.

Other Notable Rankings:

• Harvard Business School (US) – 13th, with the highest graduate salaries.
• University of Oxford: Saïd (UK) – 26th, maintaining its prestige in Europe.
• IMD (Switzerland) – 22nd, reflecting a strong European business education presence.
• Peking University: Guanghua (China) – 25th, leading in China.

With increasing emphasis on graduate salaries, global presence, and sustainability, the 2025 rankings highlight the dynamic shifts in business education worldwide. As MBA programs continue to evolve, these rankings offer valuable insights for prospective students and industry leaders alike.

Related Readings:

• European Business Schools Dominate FT Global MBA Rankings as U.S. Giants Slip

• Wharton School Launches AI Leadership Program Led by LinkedIn Co-founder Reid Hoffman

• London Business School’s MBA Rises in Global FT Ranking
  

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