MBA Rankings 2016: The Best Business Schools For Career Prospects

If you want a prosperous career, Stanford’s Graduate School of Business is your best bet, according to a new ranking of top MBA programs based on career prospects.

The Princeton Review has ranked Stanford GSB — which is also ranked as hardest to get into and as having the best campus environment — as best for career prospects for the past four consecutive years. The ranking is based on average starting salary and the percentage of graduates employed after three months.

According to Princeton Review, 92% of last year’s Stanford GSB graduates had jobs three months after graduation, up from 90% in 2013. Average starting salary was $130,000. Approximately 29% were employed in financial services; 25% in consulting. Tuition is $61,875.

Notable Stanford GSB alumni include Mary Barra, chief executive of US carmaker General Motors, and Phil Knight, founder and chairman of sportswear group Nike.

Harvard Business School is second in the ranking, up from third last year. Approximately 89% of Harvard graduates were employed three months on from graduation, with average salaries of $127,000. Harvard’s tuition is $58,875.

Columbia Business School is third, down from second in 2014. Some 91% of Columbia’s class secured jobs three months after graduation. Having paid $63,148 in tuition, their average salaries are $119,000.

Dartmouth’s Tuck School and Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania complete the top-five, in fourth and fifth spots respectively. Tuck graduates reported starting salaries of $117,860. At Wharton, the figure is $120,605.

Princeton Review, the New York based test prep company, revealed the top schools for careers in its Best Business Schools 2016 ranking.

The careers ranking, compiled from a survey of 22,000 graduates, also takes into account student ratings, including: effort of career services departments; the calibre of companies recruiting on campus; and opportunities for internships.

Berkeley’s Hass School of Business, whose graduates earn $121,816, is ranked at six, while MIT Sloan School is at seven, with Sloan graduates earning $118,406 in salary.

Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, UCLA Anderson School of Management, and Michigan Ross School of Business complete the top-10.

Meanwhile, Simmons School of Management was ranked by Princeton Review as the best business school for opportunities for women.

Indiana’s Kelley School of Business is ranked as the best school for professors.

BYU’s Marriott School of Management is rated as the most family friendly business school.

And Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business has the best “green MBA”.