9 Best Countries to Get a Business Education

Best countries for a business degree and education

Although some have argued that MBA degrees are not as prestigious as they once were, the number of high-paying jobs requiring an MBA suggests those fears may be unfounded. Further demonstrating the continued relevance of business education, every year, the Financial Times (FT) of London determines the top 100 business schools across the globe. Factors considered in the ranking include an ESG rating, the percentage of graduates employed within three months of graduation and weighted salary three years after graduation. 

Business.com analyzed this list and other reputable sources to determine the best countries and schools for a business degree and education — and the salaries you could potentially earn with an MBA credential.

1. United States

Forty-three of the top 100 business schools are located in the United States, the best of which are mixes of private and public academic institutions.

The U.S. is home to the following renowned Ivy League business schools.

• The Wharton School ($245,772): Located in Philadelphia and part of the University of Pennsylvania, the Wharton School offers a BS in economics as well as MBA/EMBA and PhD programs.
• Columbia Business School ($232,760): Part of Columbia University and based in New York, this program offers MBA/EMBA, PhD, MS, and MPhil qualifications.
• Harvard Business School ($246,509): Enroll in full-time MBA, PhD and any of several executive education programs at the graduate business school of the world-famous Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• Yale School of Management ($199,746): The Yale School of Management at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, offers MBA/EMBA, PhD, executive education and joint degree programs.
• Tuck School of Business ($211,515): Dartmouth College’s business school in Hanover, New Hampshire, offers an MBA and an advanced management program for executives.
• Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management ($194,542): One of Cornell University’s three famous business schools in Ithaca, New York, this college offers MBA/EMBA and PhD programs.

These are the top 10 U.S. business schools, by weighted salary, that are not in the Ivy League: 

• Stanford Graduate School of Business ($250,650)
• MIT Sloan School of Management ($229,639)
• University of Chicago Booth School of Business ($228,901)
• University of California at Berkeley Haas School of Business ($218,992)
• Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management ($216,134)
• NYU Stern School of Business ($205,262)
• Duke University Fuqua School of Business ($204,186)
• University of Virginia Darden School of Business ($202,371)
• UCLA Anderson School of Management ($196,204)
• Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business ($193,908)

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2. United Kingdom

Ten U.K. universities place in the FT’s ranking of the top 100 business schools, listed below by weighted salary:

• London Business School ($192,331)
• University of Cambridge Judge Business School ($176,786)
• University of Oxford Saïd Business School ($175,338)
• Imperial College Business School ($160,688)
• University of London Bayes Business School ($140,902)
• Alliance Manchester Business School ($140,238)
• Warwick Business School ($138,459)
• Cranfield School of Management (121,227)
• Durham University Business School ($120,138)
• University of Edinburgh Business School (112,850)

3. France

These are the top business schools in France by weighted salary:

• INSEAD ($198,904)
• HEC Paris ($175,673)
• ESCP Business School ($143,907)
• EMLyon Business School ($132,071)
• Edhec Business School ($124,405)
• Essec Business School ($115,708)
• Grenoble Ecole de Management ($109,757)
• Audencia ($90,309)

Notably, HEC limits the number of students it admits each year for its 16-month MBA course, capping the program at 300. Meanwhile, Edhec has domestic campuses in Lille, Nice and Paris, with international campuses in London and Singapore. 

“HEC Paris is a world leader in luxury brand management and strategic marketing with unparalleled access to fashion and luxury, and INSEAD offers a multicultural environment for global collaboration,” said Rebecca Leigh, educator at Academized.com.

4. India

The top business schools in India are listed below by weighted salary:

• Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad ($194,595)
• Indian School of Business ($174,421)
• Indian Institute of Management Bangalore ($167,425)
• Indian Institute of Management Calcutta ($161,676)
• Indian Institute of Management Lucknow ($141,382)
• XLRI — Xavier School of Management ($132,534)

The Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad has been designated an Institute of National Importance by the country’s Ministry of Human Resources. It’s also home to the well-regarded Centre for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship, making it an excellent choice for those interested in starting their own business or working with startups.

5. China

Befitting its status as the world’s second-largest economy, Chinese business schools have begun to appear in greater numbers on top business school lists. China currently has four institutions named in the FT ranking.

The top business schools in China by weighted salary are:

• Shanghai University of Finance and Economics College of Business ($211,973)
• CEIBS ($189,348)
• Peking University: Guanghua School of Management ($171,939)
• Fudan University School of Management ($169,057)

CEIBS (short for China Europe International Business School) is a joint venture between the Chinese government and the European Union. In addition to making the FT list, it also finishes in the top five of an equivalent Bloomberg ranking. However, the university attracted negative attention in recent years with the publication of the 12-part “CEIBS Diaries,” which revealed the unpleasant experiences of its overseas students.

6. Canada

These are the top business schools in Canada by weighted salary:

• Western University Ivey Business School ($119,306)
• University of Toronto Rotman School of Management ($119,049)
• Queen’s University Smith School of Business ($118,221)
• McGill University Desautels Faculty of Management ($110,108)

In addition to the Financial Times, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal and The Economist highly rank the Ivey Business School. The college also gives its name to the Ivey Purchasing Managers Index (IPMI), which it operates in association with the Purchasing Management Association of Canada.

7. Spain

Here are the top business schools in Spain by weighted salary:

• IESE Business School ($186,339)
• Esade Business School ($182,414)
• IE Business School ($172,982)
• Eada Business School Barcelona ($102,026)

8. Singapore

The top business schools by weighted salary in Singapore are:

• National University of Singapore Business School ($165,973)
• Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Business School ($158,111)
• Singapore Management University Lee Kong Chian School of Business ($125,659)

Those interested in eventually working in the tech sector may find the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School appealing.

“NUS focuses on hands-on, technology-driven business models that are aligned with Asia’s rapidly growing economies,” Leigh told us.

9. Hong Kong

Below are the top business schools in Hong Kong by weighted salary.

• HKUST Business School ($169,265)
• HKU Business School ($136,499)
• CUHK Business School ($121,592)

The HKUST School of Business and Management offers full-time MBA courses and executive education programs as part of the prestigious Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. HKUST’s Executive MBA program is conducted in partnership with Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management in the States. Qualifications are also accredited by both the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

Why you should get a business education

If you’re unsure whether a formal business education is worth your time, consider these benefits of obtaining an MBA.

You’ll learn important business skills.

In a high-ranking MBA program, you’ll learn how to drive innovation, formulate strategy, oversee expansion, manage cash, improve performance and more. You’ll also master all the business skills necessary to provide leadership from the top down. These are valuable competencies whether you aspire to reach the C-suite of an existing company or pursue your own entrepreneurial path.

It increases your credibility.

Earning an MBA is the clearest indication you can give an employer about the direction you want your career to go in and why you’re qualified. If you intend to start your own business, your business education may appeal to investors who want to be sure you possess the knowledge to succeed before investing in your startup.

It introduces you to the international business world.

If you opt for a business school in a foreign country, you’ll be immersed in a different culture, different laws and, sometimes, a different language. Along the way, you’ll pick up international business etiquette, which is useful for global business operations.

It expands your network.

Receiving a business education and earning an MBA can broaden your network and connect you with professionals in your preferred sector. Through internships, clubs and educational groups or communities, you’ll meet others in your field who might be able to help jump-start your career. 

Sammi Caramela and Sean Hopwood contributed to this article.