The LinkedIn ranking goes global this year, as their list of full-time MBA programs expands from its inaugural 50 U.S.-based schools to 100 with the inclusion of international business schools in 2024.
Like last year, the ranking is based on job placement (hiring rate and labor market demand), career advancement, network growth and strength, leadership potential, and gender diversity. Eligibility criteria required accreditation by AACSB or EQUIS, a full-time program structure, and a minimum of 1,500 alumni. They lowered the required number of graduates from 500 last year to at least 400 graduates between 2019 and 2023 for this year’s ranking.
Clear Admit Co-founder, Graham Richmond, offered the following take on LinkedIn’s MBA ranking: “It’s surprising to see LinkedIn come back with an MBA ranking less than a year after they unveiled their first foray into this domain, but I would imagine this is due to the fact that they have expanded the scope of their ranking in a number of ways. The most notable expansions are their decision to rank 100 programs instead of just 50, and to include programs from across the globe and not just the U.S. In fact, this was one of the critiques we shared last year, since we felt their inaugural ranking was far too narrow in scope.”
Here’s a look at the top ten in 2024, with a school’s 2023 ranking in parentheses (where applicable).
| Ranking | Full-Time MBA Program |
|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford Graduate School of Business (2) |
| 2 | INSEAD |
| 3 | Harvard Business School (1) |
| 4 | The Wharton School (4) |
| 5 | MIT Sloan School of Management (5) |
| 6 | Indian School of Business |
| 7 | Northwestern Kellogg School of Management (6) |
| 8 | Dartmouth Tuck School of Business (3) |
| 9 | Columbia Business School (11) |
| 10 | Chicago Booth School of Business (9) |
Richmond adds, “As to the results, once again, we see many of the usual suspects, but the ordering of programs can be a bit head-scratching at times; for instance, Clear Admit’s data would suggest that candidates aren’t choosing WHU Otto Beisheim in Germany (ranked #13 by LinkedIn) over NYU Stern (ranked #23 by LinkedIn) or Michigan Ross (ranked #30).” Meanwhile, “INSEAD (landing at #2 overall) must be very happy with LinkedIn’s decision to include non-U.S. programs. We are happy about this too, given that it was one of our primary concerns with the last ranking.”
Earning an MBA provides essential tools for career advancement, fosters the development of a valuable professional network, and opens doors to greater opportunities. For aspiring business leaders, choosing the right degree from a highly respected business school with a rigorous program maximizes one’s chances of success. Richmond says, “Another great note from the ranking was the fact that the percentage of senior leaders with MBAs hired each year is up 25% since 2010 – this bodes well for the value of the degree.”
See the full ranking list here.
