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8 Best MBA universities in the world

By Olivier Guiberteau• Last updated: Mar 1, 2024
8 Best MBA universities in the world
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With competition for jobs more intense than ever, many students are choosing to gain a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.

And for good reason - an MBA will almost certainly give you the leverage to get a higher paid salary than without it. In fact, an MBA Executive is now the best-paying degree in the UK, earning on average £130,000 per year.

The idea of knuckling down and completing another three or four years at university might sound daunting, but the benefits of it, in the long run, are clear. If you need some extra motivations, why not check out our article 7 Fortune 500 CEOs with an MBA.

Here are our picks of the best MBA universities around the world, some of which rank among the top business schools in the world.

8 best MBA universities in the world

  1. Durham University
  2. University of Nottingham
  3. Cranfield University
  4. Loughborough University
  5. University of Birmingham
  6. UMASS Boston
  7. University of Illinois Chicago
  8. University of Canada West

1. Durham University Business School

Away from Britain’s big cities and outside of the cosy clique of Oxford and Cambridge is a university that has created a real name for itself. 

Firmly placed in the world’s top 100 universities, Durham University has been providing an excellent standard of education since its establishment in 1832.

The business school wing of the university has an outstanding MBA course widely considered one of the best in the UK. 

2. University of Nottingham

Another big hitter situated south of Durham is the sprawling University of Nottingham. 

With one of the largest student populations anywhere in the UK, Nottingham is a fantastic place to base yourself as a student.

The University of Nottingham’s Executive MBA program sits within the top 100 of its type anywhere in the world, and the university’s close links with both Singapore and Malaysia means that modules are available for you to spread your wings and live abroad for a few months as you expand your business knowledge even further.

Also read: Best MBA Universities in the USA

3. Cranfield University

Cranfield University was one of the first institutions in the country to offer an MBA. This is an institution with a well-established program, which makes it one of the top management institutes in the world. 

Its expertise in research, technology and management, makes it a truly excellent place to gain an MBA.  

4. Loughborough University

Loughborough is one of those universities that seems to do almost everything very well and ranks highly as a result. It has placed within the UK’s top 10 universities list for the past five years, and is a hugely popular choice for many.  

With a two year MBA degree and a three or four year MBA Executive on offer, there is something for everybody no matter where you are on your Masters of Business Administration journey.   

5. University of Birmingham 

Britain’s second-largest city allows you to combine a world-class education with a faster pace of life than the other universities on this list. Offering a wide variety of MBA courses including, MBA International Business, MBA Executive and MBA Global Banking and Finance, this is one university that has all bases covered.

It is also Britain’s oldest business school, with over 100 years of experience.  

Since 1993, Birmingham University has also offered its MBA Singapore degree split between Birmingham and Singapore. As you might imagine, this is billed as an MBA with more than a slight nod to the east and comes with more Asian business cases and institutional material than in the UK programme.

Also Read: Study MBA in Finance in the UK

Unsure about which course to choose?
Edvoy provides free expert guidance and helps you shortlist courses with ease

6. UMASS Boston

From the old world to the new. The University of Massachusetts doesn’t have the same star power as Harvard and Yale close by, but it does provide an excellent, streamlined 1 year MBA program. 

This award-winning program is spread out across 12 modules and comes without any prerequisites, making it perfect for those who are itching to do an MBA but may not have the required educational blocks in place.  

7. University of Illinois Chicago

The University of Illinois Chicago offers MBA programs through its UIC Business Liautaud Graduate School, where courses can be taken both full-time and part-time. This allows you to study in the heart of one of the most exciting cities in the US, and one where the financial district retains close ties to UIC. 

With over 33,000 students enrolled, it is the largest university in the Chicago area spread across 16 separate campuses and consistently ranks among the top 10 best value colleges across the United States. 

8. University of Canada West

And to our final country, Canada. The University of Canada West, located in Vancouver, offers a highly regarded ACBSP and NCMA-accredited MBA program as well as collaborations with business leaders such as Riipen, the Digital Marketing Institute, Salesforce (Trailhead), Tableau and IBM. 

And that’s before we’ve even started discussing the location. If you’ve never been to Vancouver, then you’re really missing out. Few cities in the world can compete with this Canadian metropolis, framed by the imposing image of Mt Whistler and on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. A stunning place to live and a phenomenal place to study. 

Whether you’re looking for an MBA course in the UK, the US, or Canada, and whether you’re looking to dip your toes into an MBA Foundation or go all out with an MBA Executive, there’s something here for everybody. 

With some of the highest paying graduate jobs now requiring an MBA and some of the largest annual salary increases, this is smart long-term thinking. 

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Oli lives in London and is a writer and photographer.

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