The 10 best business schools in the US
Going to business school is a rite of passage for many of the world's most powerful business people.
But not all business schools are created equal. Some business schools launch graduates into high-paying careers and others can fall short of students' expectations . U.S. News & World Report analyzed thousands of schools to determine the best business schools in the country. They considered factors such as undergraduate GPA, ability to find a job within three months of graduation and starting salary.
Here are the top 10 business schools in the country:
10. Dartmouth College (Tuck)
Overall score: 91
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.52
Average GMAT score: 722
Acceptance rate: 23 percent
Average starting salary: $152,805
Employed at graduation: 80.2 percent
Employed three months after graduation: 91.8 percent
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $72,330
Enrollment: 582
9. Columbia University
Overall score: 92
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.60
Average GMAT score: 727
Acceptance rate: 14 percent
Average starting salary: $151,849
Employed at graduation: 69.9 percent
Employed three months after graduation: 89.3 percent
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $74,476
Enrollment: 1,297
7. University of California — Berkeley (Haas)
Overall score: 93
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.71
Average GMAT score: 725
Acceptance rate: 12.9 percent
Average starting salary: $146,752
Employed at graduation: 66.3 percent
Employed three months after graduation: 89.9
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $59,811
Enrollment: 543
7. University of Michigan — Ann Arbor (Ross)
Overall score: 93
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.46
Average GMAT score: 716
Acceptance rate: 25.3 percent
Average starting salary: $150,052
Employed at graduation: 89.7 percent
Employed three months after graduation: 94.4 percent
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $67,628
Enrollment: 824
6. Northwestern University (Kellogg)
Overall score: 95
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.60
Average GMAT score: 732
Acceptance rate: 20.2 percent
Average starting salary: $146,259
Employed at graduation: 81.6 percent
Employed three months after graduation: 92.6 percent
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $70,435
Enrollment: 1,296
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
Overall score: 97
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.57
Average GMAT score:722
Acceptance rate: 11.6 percent
Average starting salary: $148,451
Employed at graduation: 84.2 percent
Employed three months after graduation: 93.9 percent
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $71,312
Enrollment: 813
4. Stanford University
Overall score: 98
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.74
Average GMAT score: 737
Acceptance rate: 5.7 percent
Average starting salary: $159,440
Employed at graduation: 63.9 percent
Employed three months after graduation: 87.6 percent
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $68,868
Enrollment: 853
3. University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
Overall score: 99
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.60
Average GMAT score: 730
Acceptance rate: 19.2 percent
Average starting salary: $159,815
Employed at graduation: 82.3 percent
Employed three months after graduation: 92.6 percent
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $76,580
Enrollment: 1,737
1. University of Chicago (Booth)
Overall score: 100
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.61
Average GMAT score: 730
Acceptance rate: 23.5 percent
Average starting salary: $151,085
Employed at graduation: 88 percent
Employed three months after graduation: 95.3 percent
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $70,364
Enrollment: 1,176
1. Harvard University
Overall score: 100
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.71
Average GMAT score: 731
Acceptance rate: 9.9 percent
Average starting salary: $158,049
Employed at graduation: 78.9 percent
Employed three months after graduation: 89.3 percent
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $78,772
Enrollment: 1,857
The University of Chicago and Harvard University tied for the top place on U.S. News' list . This is the first year that the prestigious Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago received a first-place ranking.
All of the schools on in the top 10 are difficult to get into, but some stand out as being particularly selective. Stanford University had the lowest acceptance rate, with just 5.7 percent of applicants being accepted into a class of 853 students.
The cost of attending a top 10 business school ranges from $59,811 for out-of-state students at UC Berkeley to $78,772 at Harvard.
Fortunately, graduates from these programs earn some serious starting salaries. On average, graduates at these business schools earned well over six-figures. Graduates from the Wharton School of business at the University of Pennsylvania earned an average of $159,815 after graduation — the highest starting salary across all business schools in the country.
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