The Best MBA Programs in 2027, Ranked by Cost, Selectivity, and Outcomes

Cornell University's SC Johnson College of Business lists several graduate business degrees on its program page, including two MBA options. The Cornell MBA from the Johnson School is a full-time, in-person, two-year program in Ithaca that starts in August and promises deep immersion opportunities and leadership development. The Johnson Cornell Tech MBA is a full-time, campus-based, one-year program in New York City that starts in May and includes a semester-long industry immersion and networking opportunities. Both require a bachelor's degree. The page also offers a program finder that lets applicants compare the college's 40 programs by degree, career stage, format, location and area of interest.

Cornell graduates 95% of its students and admits 9% of applicants. The program's Program Score is 97.2 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. The choice of a two-year Ithaca schedule or a one-year New York City schedule suits applicants who want a full-time, in-person MBA and are deciding between a longer immersion and a faster return to the workforce. Applicants should confirm current requirements and deadlines with the program before applying.

The Yale University's School of Management offers a two-year, in-residence MBA for students who want to accelerate leadership careers across roles and industries. The curriculum is integrated: Year 1 is the core and Year 2 is electives. The school frames its mission as educating leaders for business and society. Its class profile lists total enrollment of 367, 41% international students, 44% women and a middle 80% GMAT range of 691 to 760. Applications are accepted in three rounds, and the first-round deadline for the current cycle is September 15, 2026. The school also describes a student community built around curiosity and openness, with a Year 2 elective period that lets students shape the degree around their own goals and lets them draw on the wider university.

Yale graduates 96% of its students and admits 4% of applicants overall, so admission is highly selective. The program earns a Program Score of 97.1 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. It fits applicants with strong quantitative profiles who want a full-time residential MBA inside a research university and are comfortable with a mission built around business and society as much as the bottom line.

Duke University's Fuqua School of Business runs a full-time Daytime MBA in Durham. The school describes a curriculum with fewer core classes than is typical, so students reach electives sooner, with 16 concentrations and more than 100 electives to build from. Students team up in six-week terms, and the page highlights experiential learning, dual degrees with other Duke programs and global opportunities. More than 60 student-run clubs operate on campus, and the school says its Career Management Center has specialized coaches and draws more than 200 recruiting companies. The entire program now carries the official STEM designation, which the school says gives eligible international students two additional years to work in the United States if their jobs meet certain requirements.

The program has a Program Score of 97 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. Duke admits 6% of applicants, and 97% of its students graduate. The profile fits applicants with strong academic and work records who want a two-year residential experience, room to customize a course load, and a class built around team-based work. Applicants who need a part-time or online format will want to look at the school's other MBA options.

The University of California-Los Angeles lists its Master of Business Administration through the Anderson Graduate School of Management. No specific undergraduate major is required, though applicants are expected to have completed elementary algebra and differential calculus before entering. Admission is limited to fall, with three application rounds in October, January and April. Applicants may submit a GMAT Focus, GRE General Test or Executive Assessment score, plus two letters of recommendation, and the school gives preference to those with full-time work experience after the bachelor's degree. Concurrent degrees are available: an MBA/Master of Urban and Regional Planning, an MBA/MS in Computer Science and an MBA/MA in Latin American Studies, each completed in three academic years.

The federal data show a 93% graduation rate at UCLA, and the university admits 9% of applicants, so this is a highly selective path that rewards a strong record and real work history. The program carries a Program Score of 96.9 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking here. It fits professionals with a few years of experience who want a full-time MBA with the option to pair management training with planning, technical or regional specialties.

The Terry College of Business offers its MBA in four formats: a full-time, two-year program based in Athens, plus Executive, Professional, and Online MBA tracks run out of Atlanta. The full-time track carries nine concentrations, with named focus areas in strategy, social innovation, and Fintech, and University of Georgia also runs a Double Dawgs pathway that lets students combine a bachelor's degree with this MBA in five years or less.

UGA admits 38% of MBA applicants, one of the more accessible programs in this ranking next to Yale's 4%, Duke's 6%, and UCLA's 9%, while still graduating 90% of its students. Tuition is $10,034 in-state and $30,272 out-of-state, a $20,238 gap; in-state cost runs about 15% of Yale's flat $67,250 tuition. That balance of wide access, strong completion, and low public cost backs a Program Score of 96.7.

Fit: applicants who want format flexibility, full-time, executive, professional, or online, and a public price tag, especially Georgia residents paying near $10,000 a year rather than the $60,000-plus sticker prices at Yale or Duke.

Tufts University's Fletcher School offers the Executive Master of International Business Online, previously called the Global Business Administration degree. The page describes it as taking the core of a global MBA and adding the contextual intelligence of international affairs. It is designed for students with eight or more years of experience and is delivered online, with coursework completed on the student's own schedule, full time or part time. Two in-person immersions bring students together, one in Boston and one in an international city. The program is built to help working professionals pivot or accelerate toward their career goals, and it connects them with an international network of peers.

Tufts graduates 94% of its students and admits 11% of applicants, making the university highly selective. The program earned a Program Score of 96.7 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits experienced managers who want MBA-level rigor with a global affairs perspective while continuing to work, and who can travel for two short residencies. Because the schedule is flexible and the cohort is made up of experienced professionals, it is a weaker fit for students who want a traditional campus year straight after an undergraduate degree.

New York University's Stern's MBA page lays out the formats it offers. The Full-time MBA is a general two-year, 60-credit degree. Two focused full-time options, the Andre Koo Technology and Entrepreneurship MBA and the Luxury and Retail MBA, each run one year and 52 credits. The Part-time MBA is a 60-credit general degree with fall and spring intakes, and students have 2 to 6 years to finish. Dual degrees pair the MBA with an MD, JD, MFA or MPA, among others. The page also lists a one-year, 54-credit MBA at Stern's Abu Dhabi campus with a summer term in New York, and an online Master's in Management that is part-time, runs 20 months and may transfer into the Part-time MBA.

New York University is a private nonprofit university in New York City. About 88% of students graduate, and the school admits 9% of applicants, so admission is highly selective. The program earns a Program Score of 96.7 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. The range of formats suits applicants choosing between a full-time immersion, a focused one-year specialty, or part-time study alongside work.

Brown University's page describes an online Master of Management (MiM), a 16-month program built from eight courses worth 32 credits. It is offered online with one optional three-day in-person session, and students can enter in the spring or fall. The curriculum covers strategic leadership, business and data analytics, financial management, marketing, entrepreneurship, ethics and social responsibility. Brown frames the degree around technology-aided, data-informed, human-directed and ethical management, and it is designed for early-career professionals who want to build a business framework on top of an undergraduate foundation. The page lists early action, priority and final application deadlines for each term and invites prospects to attend an information session or speak with an advisor.

The Program Score of 96.7 out of 100 is the basis of this program's ranking. Brown graduates 96% of its students and admits only 5% of applicants, making it one of the most selective schools in the country. The program fits recent graduates and early-career professionals who want management fundamentals in an online format that keeps them in their current job and location.

The Full-Time MBA at the Paul Merage School of Business, University of California-Irvine, is a two-year program designed to prepare students for a digitally driven world. The school says it is ranked among the top 5% of business schools worldwide. The degree requires at least 92 units and a 3.0 GPA in the core curriculum and overall: ten required Common Core courses totaling 40 units and 52 units of electives chosen to fit career goals. The first year builds business foundations, and the second year is for electives. Experiential learning, a global residential, internships and workshops are part of the design. Students may pursue a concentration in Analytics in Digital Leadership, which takes four concentration electives plus the required MGMTMBA 270. A thesis is not required. Admission weighs transcripts, work experience, essays and references, with applications accepted on a rolling basis and a final deadline typically around April 1.

Federal data show an 87% graduation rate at UC Irvine and a 29% admit rate. The program earns a Program Score of 96.3 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits students who want a full-time, data-oriented MBA, including those with quantitative backgrounds in fields such as computer science, engineering or statistics.

Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business offers the Master of Business Administration in several formats: a Full-time MBA, a Part-time MBA available in person or online, and an Online MBA that combines virtual classes with two week-long residencies in Washington, D.C. The school says students can personalize their core courses, choose electives aligned with the future of work, and gain international experience through real-world consulting in the Global Business Experience. The curriculum puts early emphasis on leadership "power skills," ethical decision-making and AI fluency. Career support comes from the McDonough Career Center, which offers individualized coaching, recruitment events and treks. The school reports that 78% of its Full-time MBA class of 2025 received a job offer within three months of graduation, and it points to a global alumni network of more than 220,000 professionals. Admissions run in rounds, with several application deadlines each year.

Georgetown has a 95% graduation rate and admits 13% of applicants, so the program is highly selective. Its Program Score of 96.2 out of 100 is the basis of its ranking. The program fits applicants who want a choice among full-time, part-time and online formats, and who value a Washington, D.C. location with access to policy and industry leaders. Because admission is competitive, applicants should plan for the round-based deadlines and the application components the school lists.

The MBA at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler, the business school of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is offered in five formats: Full-Time, Online, Evening Executive, Weekend Executive and Charlotte Executive. The full-time program runs 21 months with daytime classes and an August start, and students average 5 years of work experience. The Online MBA is delivered live and on demand, runs 18 to 36 months and starts in January, April, July or October. The executive options run 21 to 24 months with evening or weekend classes, and their students average 9 to 12 years of work experience. The school describes all of its MBA programs as STEM-designated and says they share customizable coursework, leadership development and a dedicated career services team.

On the federal side, UNC Chapel Hill graduates 91% of its students and admits 15% of applicants. The program carries a Program Score of 96.1 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. Because the formats differ so much in pace, delivery and the experience of the typical student, the program fits early-career professionals who want a full-time immersion as well as experienced managers who need evenings, weekends or an online schedule. Applicants should expect selective admissions and should compare the formats on length and start dates before choosing one.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a Master of Science in Management through Gies College of Business, designed for students from any academic background, including psychology, communications, biology or engineering. The degree can be completed in 9 months, requires no prior business coursework and is STEM-designated. Learning is applied, with coursework across finance, marketing, operations and strategy that builds skills in analyzing business problems, working across functions, communicating with clients and leading projects. Students receive career coaching, resume and interview preparation, employer connections and professional development workshops starting early. The page lists roles such as business analyst, consultant, project manager and operations or strategy analyst. The program also offers a flexible pathway into the Gies iMBA.

Federal data show an 85% graduation rate at the university and a 42% admit rate. The program's Program Score is 96 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. It suits career-focused graduates from non-business majors who want a fast, one-year credential and a bridge into a later MBA, and who prefer applied projects to a long theory-heavy sequence.

Washington University in St. Louis lists a Full-Time MBA at Olin Business School that requires a minimum of 67 credit units: 25 credits of required core courses and at least 42 elective credits. Core courses include Financial Accounting, Data Analytics for Business Leaders, Managerial Economics, Marketing and Operations Management. Students may add one or more optional specializations of 12 unique credits each, including corporate finance, wealth and asset management, financial technology, consulting, brand and product management, marketing analytics and entrepreneurship. At least 58 credits must be taken in Olin MBA courses, and up to 9 credits may come from another AACSB-accredited program under conditions the bulletin sets. Approved semester-long international exchange study is also allowed. Elective options in the specializations include Private Equity Methods, Options and Futures, ESG Investing and AI Driven Customer Analytics.

WashU reports a 94% graduation rate and a 12% admit rate. The Program Score is 95.6 out of 100, the basis of this program's ranking. The degree fits students who want a full-time, credit-heavy MBA with room to build a specialty through electives, and who expect a selective admissions process.

Boston University's Master of Business Administration at the Questrom School of Business comes in three formats: Full-Time, Part-Time and Online. Most students earn a major in Business Administration, while Full-Time and Part-Time students may instead pursue Health Sector Management, Management Science or Social Impact, and Full-Time students may add a dual degree with the MS in Digital Technology. The Full-Time General Management curriculum is 64 units, typically completed in two years, with a core in financial reporting, marketing, operations, analytics and strategy, plus a required Action Learning elective and eleven additional electives. The Part-Time curriculum is 55 units, with 31 units of core and 24 of electives, typically finished in three years and no later than six years after matriculation.

Boston University graduates 89% of its students and admits 11% of applicants. The Program Score is 95.4 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. The format choices suit both people who can study full time for two years and working professionals who need an evening-style part-time path, and the optional majors suit those with a health sector or social impact focus.

Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management offers a full-time, in-person Master of Business Administration in Nashville that takes two years. Students complete a core and career-focused electives before internships, and can add concentrations and specializations to tailor the degree. The school reports that more than 500 companies have recruiting relationships with Owen, that 99% of Class of 2027 students who sought an internship accepted an offer during their first year, and that 79% of the Class of 2025 said the school's network and resources connected them to their full-time offer. Students can join any of 36 professional and special interest clubs. The school emphasizes a collaborative community and individualized career support, and offers an Insider's Guide to Admissions for prospective applicants.

Vanderbilt graduates 94% of its students and admits 6% of applicants. The program earns a Program Score of 95.4 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits applicants who can commit to two years of full-time study in person and who are aiming for a highly selective, recruiting-driven MBA experience.

The Columbia MBA at Columbia Business School is offered as a two-year full-time degree, a part-time executive MBA, and dual or joint MBA programs. The school describes a curriculum that builds a foundation across business fields while offering depth in specific industries. Students connect classroom work to internships and externships in finance, investing, marketing, data analytics and product development. The page reports 150 full-time faculty, more than 20 Executives in Residence and over 100 adjunct faculty practitioners, along with a global alumni network of more than 52,000. Students come from 90 countries, and a Career Management Center supports internship and full-time job searches.

Columbia graduates 96% of its students and admits 4% of applicants. The program's Program Score is 95.3 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. The program fits applicants who want an MBA rooted in New York City, with a choice between a full-time schedule and a part-time executive route, and who plan to use practitioner faculty and the alumni network to move into finance, consulting or other industries.

The Berkeley Haas Full-time MBA offers a general management curriculum aimed at leaders in any type of organization. The program says its faculty are recognized for research and thought leadership, and that its career services help students reach jobs at selective firms. Students can add one of four concurrent degrees: an MBA/MPH in public health, an MBA/MCS in climate solutions, an MBA/MEng combining business administration and engineering, or a JD/MBA in law. Three certificates can be earned through elective courses: the Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Real Estate, the Certificate in Business Analytics and the Michaels Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business. Students may also complete graduate certificates from other departments, such as the interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Food Systems. The program admits for fall only and lists its defining principles as Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always and Beyond Yourself.

Federal data show a 93% graduation rate at University of California-Berkeley and an 11% admit rate, which makes admission highly selective. The program earns a Program Score of 95.2 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits full-time students who want a general management MBA with the option to pair business with public health, climate, engineering or law.

Auburn University's Harbert College of Business offers several MBA formats that all lead to the same degree. The Full-Time MBA is an on-campus, cohort-based program of 17 months aimed at career starters, with two years of career experience preferred. The Online MBA is self-paced, averages 31 months to complete within a six-year window, and requires no GMAT. The Executive MBA blends online study with short residencies and travel study over 21 months, and expects eight or more years of experience. A Physicians Executive MBA serves practicing doctors. Students can add dual degrees in finance, information systems, industrial and systems engineering or supply chain management, plus graduate certificates such as business analytics and AI or cybersecurity management. The school reports AACSB accreditation.

The Program Score is 95.1 out of 100, which is the basis of this program's ranking. Auburn graduates 82% of its students overall and admits 46% of applicants. The range of formats makes the MBA a fit for several kinds of students: early-career applicants who can study full time, working professionals who need an online schedule, and senior managers or physicians who want a cohort with residencies.

The Boston College MBA from the Carroll School of Management comes in two pathways that lead to one degree. The Full-Time MBA is a two-year, on-campus program with small classes and elective choices that let students tailor the degree. The Part-Time MBA offers evening and online courses for people who keep working; students take two courses per semester on average and finish in about three years, and eligible candidates may earn advanced standing credit or waive some core courses. Every student takes the BC MBA data analytics sequence, designed so graduates can work with data across functions and industries. The page highlights experiential learning, diverse cohorts, and graduates working at employers such as Citi and Fidelity Investments.

Federal data show a 91% graduation rate and a 16% admit rate, so admission is highly selective. The program earned a Program Score of 94.9 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits applicants who want a general management MBA with the choice of an immersive full-time schedule or a part-time route that fits around a job.

Villanova University's Professional MBA is based in the Philadelphia region and is designed for working professionals. The school says students can take classes on campus at Bartley Hall or at a Center City Philadelphia location, learn online through one-hour live sessions plus asynchronous assignments, or combine both in a hybrid format. A Fast-Track MBA, described as an accelerated hybrid program, can be completed in as soon as 18 months. The program page highlights leadership and analytics, and links to curriculum, professional development, admissions, specializations and global opportunities. Villanova also offers an Executive MBA and a JD/MBA as separate options. The page describes the Professional MBA as one of the highest-ranked MBA programs in Pennsylvania, which is the school's own claim.

Villanova reports a 92% graduation rate and a 27% admit rate, so admission is selective. The program earns a Program Score of 94.7 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits professionals in the Philadelphia area who want a choice of campus, online or hybrid delivery, and anyone who wants the option of finishing faster through the Fast-Track route.