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Best universities for business degrees in the United States 2024

Find the best US universities for business degrees using Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2024 data

    November 17 2023
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    Top 10 universities in the US for business degrees 2024

    Scroll down for the full list of best universities for business in the US

    US business rank 2024  Business rank 2024  University State
    1  1  Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts
    2  2  Stanford University California
    3  3  Harvard University Massachusetts
    4  4  University of California, Berkeley California
    5  7  The University of Chicago Illinois
    6  9  Yale University Connecticut
    7  12  University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania
    8  13  Northwestern University Illinois
    9  14  Columbia University New York
    10  17  New York University New York

    The US has more than 4,000 universities, including some of the world’s top universities for studying business. 

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    The American higher education system offers flexible options that students can switch up according to their needs and interests. At the undergraduate level, students can choose different courses before they declare their choice for a major at the end of second year. 

    Many of the top universities in the US do not offer business as an undergraduate degree, but instead encourage students to study across the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences to build a strong foundation. Students are also encouraged to participate in business research, entrepreneurship, work experience opportunities and taster sessions to discover whether a master’s degree in business is right for them.  

    Some of the MBA programmes offered at US universities are recognised all over the world and have a strong alumni network that can be accessed long after graduation.  

    These are the best universities in the US for business degrees according to Times Higher Education’s  World University Rankings 2024. 

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    5. The University of Chicago 

    The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation drives venture creation and technology commercialisation at The University of Chicago. Through education, partnerships and new venture support, the Polsky Center advances the knowledge and practice of entrepreneurship, accelerates the commercialisation of research and helps  The University of Chicago community navigate the complex process of creating and growing a start-up. 

    The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (Chicago Booth or Booth) is the graduate business school of  The University of Chicago. It offers full-time, part-time, and executive MBA programmes, as well as a PhD programme in business. For those already on their career path and looking to educate themselves further, the executive education courses may be a good choice.  

    While the university does not have a specific undergraduate programme in business, Booth does offer a number of programmes and business certificates for undergraduates. Undergraduate students are also able to take an economics major and specialise in business economics.  

    The university offers more than 45 faculty-led study abroad programmes in at least 20 countries, including those in conjunction with its centres in Beijing, Delhi, and Paris. 

    4. University of California, Berkeley

    The Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley offers a range of courses for students interested in pursuing business degrees at university.

    Unlike some of the other universities in the US, the Haas school does offer undergraduate degrees. It does offer a BS in business administration, as well as a management, entrepreneurship and technology programme and the global management programme. 

    In terms of postgraduate programmes, students can choose from a full-time MBA or a evening and weekend MBA and an MBA for executives. 

    The school also offers a couple of pre-college courses for students that are planning to study business at university. These courses aim to help to address any gaps students may have in their education and are typically for students who are the first in their family to go to university, or are from low-income families or have average grades. 

    3. Harvard University 

    The Harvard Business School  offers a two-year, full-time MBA programme with a general management curriculum focused on real-world practice. It also offers management-related doctoral and executive education programmes. There is also the opportunity to study a joint master’s degree with one of six other graduate schools at Harvard. 

    The university does not have an undergraduate business programme, however the business school runs summer programmes for undergraduate students. These range from a one-day taster of the MBA programme to a 10-week course on research into markets and organisation.  

    Harvard is home to the largest academic library in the world and once enrolled at Harvard Business School, students have lifelong access to the Baker Library which provides resources for career, business and organisational research. 

    All business school alumni are able to access four complimentary career coaching appointments per year.  

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    2. Stanford University 

    The Stanford Graduate School of Business is widely regarded as one the most selective business schools in the world, admitting only about 6 per cent of applicants. 

     The school only offers postgraduate degrees: an MBA, an MSc, and a PhD programme. Non-degree and certificate programmes are also available. For any undergraduate student interested in a graduate programme at the Stanford Business School, majoring in humanities, social sciences or sciences will provide a good foundation. Students are also expected to have some work experience to study at the Stanford Business School.  

    There are careers advisors on site for undergraduate students, who can advise them on preparing themselves for a career in business.  

    Faculty members at the Stanford Graduate School of Business include three winners of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, five recipients of the John Bates Clark Award, 19 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and four members of the National Academy of Sciences. 
     
    Companies founded by Stanford affiliates and alumni generate a total annual revenue of more than $2.7 trillion, which would be the 10th largest economy in the world. These companies include Google, Nike, Netflix, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Instagram and Charles Schwab. Stanford alumni also have founded non-profit organisations such as Kiva and SIRUM.  

    1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

    The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is an independent, co-educational, private research university based in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

    MIT’s business school, the MIT Sloan School of Management, aims to offer practical business teaching to new students, mid-career professionals and everything in between. It offers 11 courses from undergraduate to PhD level as well as non-degree and certificate programmes.  

    Students who choose to study business at the MIT Sloan School of Management will find themselves part of a strong alumni network on graduating – there are more than 120 alumni clubs worldwide.  

    MIT estimates that its living alumni have launched more than 30,000 active companies, created 4.6 million jobs and generated roughly $1.9 trillion in annual revenue. 

    The university is associated with 85 Nobel laureates, 58 National Medal of Science winners, 29 National Medal of Technology and Innovation winners and 45 MacArthur Fellows.  

    Top US universities for business and economics 2024

    Click each institution to view its World University Rankings 2024 profile

    US business rank 2024  Business rank 2024  University State
    1  1  Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts
    2  2  Stanford University California
    3  3  Harvard University Massachusetts
    4  4  University of California, Berkeley California
    5  7  The University of Chicago Illinois
    6  9  Yale University Connecticut
    7  12  University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania
    8  13  Northwestern University Illinois
    9  14  Columbia University New York
    10  17  New York University New York
    11  18  Duke University North Carolina
    12  19  University of California, Los Angeles California
    13  20  Cornell University New York
    14  21  University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Michigan
    15  32  Carnegie Mellon University Pennsylvania
    16  33  University of California, San Diego California
    17  34  University of Minnesota Minnesota
    18  =48  Dartmouth College New Hampshire
    19  50  Michigan State University Michigan
    20  51  University of Southern California California
    21  54  University of Washington Washington
    22  =59  University of Texas at Austin Texas
    23  61  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois
    24  63  University of California, Davis California
    25  65  Boston University Massachusetts
    26  66  Indiana University Indiana
    27  67  University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin
    =28  =68  Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana
    =28  =68  University of Virginia (Main campus) Virginia
    30  =72  Johns Hopkins University Maryland
    31  =76  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina
    32  =80  University of Massachusetts Massachusetts
    33  85  University of Maryland, College Park Maryland
    34  =91  Penn State (Main campus) Pennsylvania
    35  94  University of Florida Florida
    36  95  Texas A&M University Texas
    37  =99  Ohio State University (Main campus) Ohio
    =38  101–125  Arizona State University (Tempe) Arizona
    =38  101–125  Boston College Massachusetts
    =38  101–125  George Washington University Washington DC
    =41  126–150  University of Georgia Georgia
    =41  126–150  Vanderbilt University Tennessee
    =41  126–150  Washington University in St Louis Missouri
    =44  151–175  Georgia State University Georgia
    =44  151–175  Northeastern University, US Illinois
    =44  151–175  Temple University Pennsylvania
    =44  151–175  Worcester Polytechnic Institute Massachusetts
    =48  176–200  Georgetown University Washington DC
    =48  176–200  North Carolina State University North Carolina
    =48  176–200  University of Rochester New York
    =48  176–200  Washington State University Washington
    =52  201–250  University of California, Irvine California
    =52  201–250  Case Western Reserve University Ohio
    =52  201–250  University of Iowa Iowa
    =52  201–250  University of Notre Dame Indiana
    =52  201–250  University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campus Pennsylvania
    =52  201–250  Rice University Texas
    =52  201–250  Syracuse University New York
    =52  201–250  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia
    =60  251–300  University of Arizona Arizona
    =60  251–300  University of Central Florida Florida
    =60  251–300  University of Colorado Boulder Colorado
    =60  251–300  Emory University Georgia
    =60  251–300  Iowa State University Iowa
    =60  251–300  University of Miami Florida
    =60  251–300  University of South Carolina-Columbia South Carolina
    =67  301–400  Drexel University Pennsylvania
    =67  301–400  Florida International University Florida
    =67  301–400  Florida State University Florida
    =67  301–400  University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Hawai'i
    =67  301–400  University of Illinois Chicago Illinois
    =67  301–400  Missouri University of Science and Technology Missouri
    =67  301–400  University of Nevada, Las Vegas Nevada
    =67  301–400  Rutgers University – New Brunswick New Jersey
    =67  301–400  University of South Florida Florida
    =67  301–400  The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Tennessee
    =67  301–400  University of Texas at Dallas Texas
    =67  301–400  University of Utah Utah
    =79  401–500  American University Washington
    =79  401–500  University of Arkansas Arkansas
    =79  401–500  Auburn University Alabama
    =79  401–500  Baylor University Texas
    =79  401–500  University at Buffalo New York
    =79  401–500  Colorado State University, Fort Collins Colorado
    =79  401–500  University of Connecticut Connecticut
    =79  401–500  Florida Atlantic University Florida
    =79  401–500  George Mason University Virginia
    =79  401–500  University of Houston Texas
    =79  401–500  University of Kentucky Kentucky
    =79  401–500  Lehigh University Pennsylvania
    =79  401–500  Louisiana State University Louisiana
    =79  401–500  University of Nebraska-Lincoln Nebraska
    =79  401–500  New Jersey Institute of Technology New Jersey
    =79  401–500  Oklahoma State University Oklahoma
    =79  401–500  Old Dominion University Virginia
    =79  401–500  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute New York
    =79  401–500  Stevens Institute of Technology New Jersey
    =79  401–500  Stony Brook University New York
    =79  401–500  Wake Forest University North Carolina
    =100  501–600  University of Alabama Alabama
    =100  501–600  University of Delaware Delaware
    =100  501–600  Mizzou - University of Missouri Missouri
    =100  501–600  University of North Carolina at Charlotte North Carolina
    =100  501–600  University of Oregon Oregon
    =100  501–600  Portland State University Oregon
    =100  501–600  University of Rhode Island Rhode Island
    =100  501–600  Rowan University New Jersey
    =100  501–600  University of Texas at Arlington Texas
    =100  501–600  Tulane University Louisiana
    =110  601–800  Bowling Green State University Ohio
    =110  601–800  University of California, Riverside California
    =110  601–800  Central Michigan University Michigan
    =110  601–800  Chapman University California
    =110  601–800  University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Colorado
    =110  601–800  University of Denver Colorado
    =110  601–800  University of Kansas Kansas
    =110  601–800  Kansas State University Kansas
    =110  601–800  University of Memphis Tennessee
    =110  601–800  Mississippi State University Mississippi
    =110  601–800  Montana State University Montana
    =110  601–800  New Mexico State University (Main campus) New Mexico
    =110  601–800  Northern Illinois University Illinois
    =110  601–800  Rochester Institute of Technology New York
    =110  601–800  Saint Louis University Missouri
    =110  601–800  San Diego State University California
    =110  601–800  SUNY Binghamton University New York
    =110  601–800  University of Texas at El Paso Texas
    =110  601–800  University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Texas
    =110  601–800  The University of Texas at San Antonio Texas
    =110  601–800  Texas State University Texas
    =110  601–800  Texas Tech University Texas
    =110  601–800  University of Toledo Ohio
    =110  601–800  Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia
    =110  601–800  Wayne State University Michigan
    =110  601–800  Western Michigan University Michigan
    =110  601–800  William & Mary Virginia
    =110  601–800  University of Wyoming Wyoming
    =138  801+  College of Charleston South Carolina
    =138  801+  Georgia Southern University Georgia
    =138  801+  Marquette University Wisconsin
    =138  801+  Nova Southeastern University Florida
    =138  801+  Oakland University Michigan
    =138  801+  Ohio University (Main campus) Ohio

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