When it comes to pursuing an MBA abroad, most candidates do not go beyond the FT Global MBA Rankings and the Quacquarelli Symonds MBA Rankings - these have served as platforms providing the most reliable rankings based on a holistic assessment of the best business schools in world. Recently, both platforms have released their rankings for the world's top MBA colleges in 2020. Here is a list of the top 50 global business schools, as ranked by the Financial Times and QS MBA Rankings.
Top Business Schools In World 2020 - Important Highlights
With the exception of Shanghai based CEIBS, the top-5 business schools are identical for both FT and QS MBA rankings in 2020, and include Harvard Business School, The Wharton School, Stanford GSB, and INSEAD. 80% of the top-10 institutes featuring in the QS and FT rankings are the same for both lists, with the exception of Columbia Business School, Haas School of Business at Berkeley, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern.
While 7 in 10 business schools feature in both the FT Global MBA rankings as well as the QS MBA rankings for 2020, there are some significant differences that emerge between the two lists. Here are some striking differences:
- 14 out of 65 common business schools that feature amongst the top-50 in the QS rankings do not feature either in the top-50 or even the top-100 for the Financial Times. On the other end, 15 of the 65 common business schools that feature amongst the top-50 in the FT rankings do no feature in the top-50 or even the top-100 for QS.
- The Tuck School of Business, an Ivy League business school and ranked 15th by the Financial Times, is not counted amongst even the top-40 business schools in the world as per QS, and is ranked 45th in the list released by the latter organisation.
- UCLA's Anderson School of Management, ranked amongst the world's top-15 business schools by QS, doesn't even feature in the top-20 for FT. More significantly, IE Business School, ranked 14th by QS, doesn't even feature in the top-50 in the Financial Times Global MBA rankings.
- The Imperial College Business School, ranked amongst the top-20 business schools by QS, does not even feature amongst the top-50 for FT.
- The Darden School of Business and HKUST, counted amongst the top-20 business in the world as per FT, do not feature even in the top-45 management institutes for QS.
The majority of the top-50 business schools (43%) in both the QS and FT MBA rankings are located in the United States. 32% of the top-50 business schools in the world are located in Europe, of which over 30% of the institutes are located in the UK.
Also read - What You'll Need To Score On The GMAT To Get Into The World's Top-30 Business Schools
Top Global Business Schools In 2020 - Where Do Indian Business Schools Find Themselves?
IIM Bangalore, ranked by the Financial Times as the top Indian business school in 2020, just about makes it to the top-45 business school for QS. The institute is ranked higher than the Indian School of Business in both lists. ISB has been ranked as India's top business school in the previous editions of the FT rankings, but barely makes it to even the top-100 for QS.
IIM Ahmedabad ranked as India's most desirable business school, has slipped down significantly in the FT rankings, dropping by 14 places down to the 61st position and out of the top-50 for Financial Times. However, the institute does feature amongst the top-40 in the QS MBA rankings. IIM Calcutta features in the top-50 for FT but doesn't make it to the top-100 for QS.
Best Business Schools In World In 2020 - MBA Rankings As Per Financial Times, QS MBA Rankings
The table below is made keeping the Financial Times rankings as primary, and the respective QS Ranking secondary. We looked at the top 100 schools listed in both, and have for you a list of 65 business schools that made it to the top 50 of either one of the two rankings.
Top MBA Colleges In World In 2020 - How Do FT And QS Rank Business Schools?
As observed, there is significant inconsistency in the rankings released by the Financial Times and QS MBA rankings, which can be attributed to the fact that both of these rankings are created by adopting different methodologies while conducting surveys.
The Financial Times surveys alumni from b-schools three years after they graduate. The rankings are based on 20 criteria, 8 of which are based on the survey, 11 on the school data and the last one is a research rank. These criteria include the salary today, value for money, career progress, etc.
| Criteria |
Weight |
| Weighted Salary |
20% |
| Salary Increase |
20% |
| Value for Money |
3% |
| Career Progress |
3% |
| Aims Achieved |
3% |
| Career Service |
3% |
| Employed at 3 months |
2% |
| Alumni Recommend |
3% |
| Female Faculty |
2% |
| Female Students |
2% |
| Women on Board |
1% |
| International Faculty |
4% |
| International Student |
4% |
| International Board |
2% |
| International Mobility |
6% |
| International Course Experience |
3% |
| Languages |
1% |
| Faculty with Doctorates |
5% |
| FT Research Rank |
10% |
| Corporate Social Responsibility |
3% |
| Total |
100% |
For the complete methodology, click here.
QS rankings are based on 3 different surveys: namely the QS Global Employer Survey, QS Global Academic Survey, and a survey completed by the b schools themselves. QS ranked 240 MBA programs in the year 2019, and focused on criteria such as employability, entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes, return on investment, diversity to name a few.
| Criteria |
Weight |
| Employer Reputation |
35.00% |
| Employment Rate |
5.00% |
| Alumni Outcomes Index |
10.00% |
| Entrepreneurship |
5.00% |
| 10Y ROI |
15.00% |
| Payback Month |
5.00% |
| Academic Reputation |
10.00% |
| Research Impact |
2.50% |
| Ph.D. Faculty |
2.50% |
| Gender Balance – Students |
2.50% |
| Gender Balance – Faculty |
2.50% |
| International Mix – Students |
2.50% |
| International Mix – Faculty |
2.50% |
| Total |
100.00% |
For the complete methodology, click here.
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