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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 2024Business rank 2024 UniversityState
    11 Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts
    22 Stanford UniversityCalifornia
    33 Harvard UniversityMassachusetts
    44 University of California, BerkeleyCalifornia
    57 The University of ChicagoIllinois
    69 Yale UniversityConnecticut
    712 University of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
    813 Northwestern UniversityIllinois
    914 Columbia UniversityNew York
    1017 New York UniversityNew York

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

    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 2024Business rank 2024 UniversityState
    11 Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts
    22 Stanford UniversityCalifornia
    33 Harvard UniversityMassachusetts
    44 University of California, BerkeleyCalifornia
    57 The University of ChicagoIllinois
    69 Yale UniversityConnecticut
    712 University of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
    813 Northwestern UniversityIllinois
    914 Columbia UniversityNew York
    1017 New York UniversityNew York
    1118 Duke UniversityNorth Carolina
    1219 University of California, Los AngelesCalifornia
    1320 Cornell UniversityNew York
    1421 University of Michigan-Ann ArborMichigan
    1532 Carnegie Mellon UniversityPennsylvania
    1633 University of California, San DiegoCalifornia
    1734 University of MinnesotaMinnesota
    18=48 Dartmouth CollegeNew Hampshire
    1950 Michigan State UniversityMichigan
    2051 University of Southern CaliforniaCalifornia
    2154 University of WashingtonWashington
    22=59 University of Texas at AustinTexas
    2361 University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignIllinois
    2463 University of California, DavisCalifornia
    2565 Boston UniversityMassachusetts
    2666 Indiana UniversityIndiana
    2767 University of Wisconsin-MadisonWisconsin
    =28=68 Purdue University West LafayetteIndiana
    =28=68 University of Virginia (Main campus)Virginia
    30=72 Johns Hopkins UniversityMaryland
    31=76 University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
    32=80 University of MassachusettsMassachusetts
    3385 University of Maryland, College ParkMaryland
    34=91 Penn State (Main campus)Pennsylvania
    3594 University of FloridaFlorida
    3695 Texas A&M UniversityTexas
    37=99 Ohio State University (Main campus)Ohio
    =38101–125 Arizona State University (Tempe)Arizona
    =38101–125 Boston CollegeMassachusetts
    =38101–125 George Washington UniversityWashington DC
    =41126–150 University of GeorgiaGeorgia
    =41126–150 Vanderbilt UniversityTennessee
    =41126–150 Washington University in St LouisMissouri
    =44151–175 Georgia State UniversityGeorgia
    =44151–175 Northeastern University, USIllinois
    =44151–175 Temple UniversityPennsylvania
    =44151–175 Worcester Polytechnic InstituteMassachusetts
    =48176–200 Georgetown UniversityWashington DC
    =48176–200 North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina
    =48176–200 University of RochesterNew York
    =48176–200 Washington State UniversityWashington
    =52201–250 University of California, IrvineCalifornia
    =52201–250 Case Western Reserve UniversityOhio
    =52201–250 University of IowaIowa
    =52201–250 University of Notre DameIndiana
    =52201–250 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campusPennsylvania
    =52201–250 Rice UniversityTexas
    =52201–250 Syracuse UniversityNew York
    =52201–250 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia
    =60251–300 University of ArizonaArizona
    =60251–300 University of Central FloridaFlorida
    =60251–300 University of Colorado BoulderColorado
    =60251–300 Emory UniversityGeorgia
    =60251–300 Iowa State UniversityIowa
    =60251–300 University of MiamiFlorida
    =60251–300 University of South Carolina-ColumbiaSouth Carolina
    =67301–400 Drexel UniversityPennsylvania
    =67301–400 Florida International UniversityFlorida
    =67301–400 Florida State UniversityFlorida
    =67301–400 University of Hawai’i at MānoaHawai'i
    =67301–400 University of Illinois ChicagoIllinois
    =67301–400 Missouri University of Science and TechnologyMissouri
    =67301–400 University of Nevada, Las VegasNevada
    =67301–400 Rutgers University – New BrunswickNew Jersey
    =67301–400 University of South FloridaFlorida
    =67301–400 The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTennessee
    =67301–400 University of Texas at DallasTexas
    =67301–400 University of UtahUtah
    =79401–500 American UniversityWashington
    =79401–500 University of ArkansasArkansas
    =79401–500 Auburn UniversityAlabama
    =79401–500 Baylor UniversityTexas
    =79401–500 University at BuffaloNew York
    =79401–500 Colorado State University, Fort CollinsColorado
    =79401–500 University of ConnecticutConnecticut
    =79401–500 Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida
    =79401–500 George Mason UniversityVirginia
    =79401–500 University of HoustonTexas
    =79401–500 University of KentuckyKentucky
    =79401–500 Lehigh UniversityPennsylvania
    =79401–500 Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana
    =79401–500 University of Nebraska-LincolnNebraska
    =79401–500 New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNew Jersey
    =79401–500 Oklahoma State UniversityOklahoma
    =79401–500 Old Dominion UniversityVirginia
    =79401–500 Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteNew York
    =79401–500 Stevens Institute of TechnologyNew Jersey
    =79401–500 Stony Brook UniversityNew York
    =79401–500 Wake Forest UniversityNorth Carolina
    =100501–600 University of AlabamaAlabama
    =100501–600 University of DelawareDelaware
    =100501–600 Mizzou - University of MissouriMissouri
    =100501–600 University of North Carolina at CharlotteNorth Carolina
    =100501–600 University of OregonOregon
    =100501–600 Portland State UniversityOregon
    =100501–600 University of Rhode IslandRhode Island
    =100501–600 Rowan UniversityNew Jersey
    =100501–600 University of Texas at ArlingtonTexas
    =100501–600 Tulane UniversityLouisiana
    =110601–800 Bowling Green State UniversityOhio
    =110601–800 University of California, RiversideCalifornia
    =110601–800 Central Michigan UniversityMichigan
    =110601–800 Chapman UniversityCalifornia
    =110601–800 University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusColorado
    =110601–800 University of DenverColorado
    =110601–800 University of KansasKansas
    =110601–800 Kansas State UniversityKansas
    =110601–800 University of MemphisTennessee
    =110601–800 Mississippi State UniversityMississippi
    =110601–800 Montana State UniversityMontana
    =110601–800 New Mexico State University (Main campus)New Mexico
    =110601–800 Northern Illinois UniversityIllinois
    =110601–800 Rochester Institute of TechnologyNew York
    =110601–800 Saint Louis UniversityMissouri
    =110601–800 San Diego State UniversityCalifornia
    =110601–800 SUNY Binghamton UniversityNew York
    =110601–800 University of Texas at El PasoTexas
    =110601–800 University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyTexas
    =110601–800 The University of Texas at San AntonioTexas
    =110601–800 Texas State UniversityTexas
    =110601–800 Texas Tech UniversityTexas
    =110601–800 University of ToledoOhio
    =110601–800 Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia
    =110601–800 Wayne State UniversityMichigan
    =110601–800 Western Michigan UniversityMichigan
    =110601–800 William & MaryVirginia
    =110601–800 University of WyomingWyoming
    =138801+ College of CharlestonSouth Carolina
    =138801+ Georgia Southern UniversityGeorgia
    =138801+ Marquette UniversityWisconsin
    =138801+ Nova Southeastern UniversityFlorida
    =138801+ Oakland UniversityMichigan
    =138801+ Ohio University (Main campus)Ohio

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