US News Business Ranking Methodology

We have earlier explained the ranking methodologies of Times Higher Education Methodology, Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s MBA ranking, and Financial Times Business Ranking. Rankings help students in better decision making while selecting a higher education institution abroad. In our series of explaining and simplifying top-ranking publisher’s methodologies, in this article, we will discuss the prestigious US News Rankings. The US News analyses the data collected from various sources like business schools, business schools' alumni, and corporate houses. US News is the only prominent ranking publisher that considers the opinion of business leaders while analyzing rankings. US News has been ranking full-time MBA programs since 1990. The ranking methodology has been changed a little since then.

Understand the indicators used by the US News to derive business school rankings:

Student selection: This factor takes into account the average GPA of undergraduate programs of full-time MBA students. It analyses the consistency of the candidates selected for the program. It also considers the average GMAT and GRE scores of the recently admitted MBA class. This is the most important indicator of the business rankings given by US News.

Employment outcome: This indicator takes into account the employment rates of the recently passed MBA graduates three months after completing their program. It also considers the employment status of the MBA grads on the day of completing their graduation. It also calculates the bonuses provided to MBA grads at the time of joining and starting base salaries.

Compensation: This is one of the most authentic indicators to measure the quality of the program. Through this indicator, US News analyses the opinion of the corporate world and recruiters by reading their opinion about the program.

Employers' opinion: This indicator analyses an important factor from the candidates' point of view. It captures the mean starting salary and the bonus of MBA grads. This is a major factor for candidates while selecting a business school.

Business school leaders' opinion: This indicator analyses the opinion of the heads of business schools'. Here, school heads also rate programs of other schools as well.

Schools included in the US News Best Business Schools Rankings

MBA programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International were analyzed by the US News to get Best Business Schools Rankings.

Apart from the MBA programs rankings, US News also publishes rankings for other prominent rankings like best global universities rankings and best national university rankings which we will be explaining further.

Also Read

• Times Higher Education (THE) Ranking Methodology
• Bloomberg Business Ranking Methodology
• Financial Times Ranking Methodology