10 Of The Best Business Schools For Getting Jobs At McKinsey

Jobs at McKinsey are in high demand. Luckily, McKinsey is always on the lookout for MBA talent from the best business schools in the USA

McKinsey is a top management consulting firm, with 127 offices across five continents. With so many offices, McKinsey is always on the lookout for the best and brightest MBA talent.

In fact, McKinsey plans to hire a record number of MBAs in 2021.

The following 10 schools have a history of placing many students with consulting firms, particularly McKinsey, and provide programs that can help candidates stand out.

Here's 10 of the best US business schools for getting jobs at McKinsey:

1. The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

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Of Chicago Booth’s class of 2019, 163 (33.7%) of graduates found employment in consulting. Of that, 48 (9.9%) were hired by McKinsey. It's clear from Chicago Booth's program offerings why McKinsey hires so many of its graduates. Chicago Booth offers five different management concentrations, all of which provide students opportunities to network within the consulting field and apply their classroom knowledge to real-world experiences, better preparing them for futures at McKinsey.

2. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University

Much like Chicago Booth, Kellogg places almost one-third (31%) of its graduates in consulting positions. McKinsey hired 28 graduates from the class of 2019. Lab courses prepare Kellogg students for their future careers with real-world consulting experiences. In these courses, students work in groups of four or five in order to provide recommendations to businesses, as well as nonprofit organizations and startups.

3. Duke...

McKinsey was the highest employer of Fuqua’s class of 2019, providing positions to 45 students. Of the graduating class, 112 students (32%) landed consulting roles. Fuqua provides students with many skills they need to be successful in management consulting. In addition to a vast array of concentrations that give students the advantage necessary to thrive in management consulting, Duke also provides the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum. This program provides students with the opportunity to work with an organization over the course of a semester, giving them the real-world experience to stand out over other applicants.

4. MIT Sloan School of Management

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Sloan and McKinsey have long had a close connection. McKinsey hired 12 students from the class of 2019, which makes it the fourth highest employer of Sloan grads. Sloan students are a hot commodity because they train in various fields and can tailor their education to the meet their employer's needs. Unlike other two-year programs where students are required to take a full year of requirements, Sloan requires only one semester. This provides students with the ability to better prepare for bright futures in management consulting.

5. University of Virginia – Darden School of Business

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The School of Business has a well-deserved reputation for setting up its students for careers in consulting. In addition to Darden’s unique case method teaching style, Darden offers various opportunities for students to gain practical experience by working with nonprofit organizations, corporations, and small businesses. The skills and experiences gained by students at Darden are coveted by consulting organizations, as 35.5% of graduates from the MBA class of 2019 were scooped up by consulting firms—McKinsey was one of the top five hirers.

6. Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

38% of students from Tuck's class of 2019 were hired by consulting firms—and McKinsey was eager to secure as many Tuck graduates as it could muster. Tuck prepares its graduates to make an immediate impact in management consulting due to the school's specialized management training, as well as Tuck’s OnSite Global Consulting program, which allows students to gain real-world experience.

7. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan

The Ross School of Business has a history of providing training and knowledge to students who wish to pursue management consulting. Of all the students from the class of 2019, 32% went into consulting. The flexibility of Ross' program combined with its global focus provide students with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed in their careers in management consulting.

8. Yale School of Management

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37.2% of Yale's class of 2019 secured positions in the consulting industry. Yale prepares its students through a curriculum that emphasizes global business and provides the ability to develop the analytic and decision-making skills that are paramount to your success in management consulting.

9. Wharton School – University of Pennsylvania

Given its history as one of the most prestigious business schools in the country, it is no surprise that McKinsey is eager to hire Wharton graduates. 25.1% of graduates from the class of 2019 entered consulting. The breadth of a Wharton education allows students to gain the knowledge necessary to excel at competitive firms such as McKinsey.

10. SC Johnson College of Business – Cornell University

Of Cornell's MBA class of 2019, 28% of Johnson graduates ended up in consulting. Johnson is unique because it offers a specialized consulting program. This in-depth, immersive program provides students with practical experience and contacts that will help them excel at top firms such as McKinsey.

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This article was first published in May 2018 and updated in March 2020. The data in this article was sourced from school MBA career reports for 2019.