Home >

2006 Rank	School Name and Location (linked to profile)	School Type	Length	Annual Cost	Enrollment	Students Ranked	Med. Starting Salary	Academic Quality	Index	Faculty/Student Ratio	SAT Avg.	Teaching Quality	Facilities and Services	Job Placement
1	Pennsylvania (Wharton) Philadelphia	Private	4	$ 32,364	2378	6	$ 55,000	1	100	1:8.8	1448	A+	A	A+
Teaching quality, high-caliber classmates, and top recruiters draw raves. Environment is too competitive for some.
2	Virginia (McIntire) Charlottesville	Public	2	$ 7,235	660	2	$ 50,000	4	98	1:11.0	1350	A+	A+	A+
Workload is intense, but students love the real-world core curriculum. Biggest strengths: finance and accounting.
3	Notre Dame (Mendoza) South Bend, Ind.	Private	3	$ 31,540	1538	3	$ 47,500	11	97	1:14.0	1379	A+	A+	A+
Students praise the school's focus on ethics and say career- services office does a great job preparing students for business.
4	MIT (Sloan) Cambridge, Mass.	Private	3	$ 32,300	292	4	$ 55,000	18	92	1:13.0	1477	A+	A+	A+
Praise for high quality classmates and recruiting efforts pushes Sloan to No. 4.
5	Emory (Goizueta) Atlanta	Private	2	$ 30,794	550	1	$ 50,000	10	89	1:11.0	1333	A+	A+	A+
Students rave about well-rounded education but feel that the school attracts few top recruiters outside of the Southeast.
6	Michigan (Ross) Ann Arbor	Public	2	$ 10,524	728	31	$ 52,000	14	88	1:12.8	1332	B	C	A+
Students benefit from small cohorts and the focus on job placement, but some say services are lacking.
7	NYU (Stern) New York	Private	4	$ 32,540	2265	21	$ 52,000	6	85	1:11.5	1422	A	B	A+
NYC attracts recruiters and speakers, and international focus is a plus. But competitive classmates are a turn off.
8	Brigham Young (Marriott) Provo, Utah	Private	3	$ 3,620	1792	7	$ 45,000	31	81	1:14.5	NA	A	A+	A
Stellar accounting program and ethics-based education wow many. But student body is 98% Mormon and may not be for everybody.
9	Texas (McCombs) Austin	Public	4	$ 7,438	3999	13	$ 47,000	30	81	1:29.2	1304	A	B	A+
Well-respected honors program receives high marks, but some feel that educational quality elsewhere is uneven.
10	Indiana (Kelley) Bloomington	Public	4	$ 7,112	3671	8	$ 44,000	26	80	1:20.0	1189	A	A	A+
Facilities need upgrading, but real-world curriculum and helpful career-services office catapults school into top 10.
11	North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler) Chapel Hill	Public	2	$ 4,700	670	10	$ 45,000	7	79	1:6.8	1319	A	A	A
Resources and teaching get thumbs up at UNC, but out-of-the-way location hurts recruiting and diversity.
12	UC Berkeley (Haas) Berkeley, Calif.	Public	2	$ 7,434	700	19	$ 53,000	8	79	1:7.4	1341	A	A	A
Program is challenging and rewarding, but lacks the MBA program's diverse student body and premier career services.
13	Georgetown (McDonough) Washington, D.C.	Private	4	$ 31,656	1271	33	$ 50,000	12	79	1:16.8	1370	A+	C	A
Teaching is first-rate and a new classroom facilitity is on the way. Some feel recruiting is too focused on financial firms.
14	Cornell Ithaca, N.Y.	Private	4	$ 17,367	709	5	$ 45,000	32	79	1:16.9	NA	A+	A+	A
Ivy League benefits include top-notch education and plenty of resources--although some classes are overcrowded.
15	Washington U. (Olin) St. Louis	Private	4	$ 32,042	736	15	$ 50,000	16	77	1:11.0	1451	A	A+	B
Faculty is talented and helpful, but many students feel not enough top companies recruit on campus.
16	Carnegie Mellon Pittsburgh	Private	4	$ 31,650	495	58	$ 55,000	2	75	1:5.0	1381	B	C	C
Focus on quantitative skills sometimes comes at expense of soft skills, but the program is becoming more well-rounded.
17	Miami U. (Farmer) Oxford, Ohio	Public	4	$ 9,636	3975	32	$ 40,000	21	73	1:17.0	1230	B	A	B
Classes can be too large, but students give high marks to the new honors program's high-caliber professors and classmates.
18	Lehigh Bethlehem, Pa.	Private	4	$ 31,180	1208	28	$ 50,000	13	71	1:20.1	1291	A	B	A
New financial-services lab and strong accounting program are impressive, but recruiting is too accounting-focused.
19	Villanova Villanova, Pa.	Private	4	$ 29,730	1798	18	$ 45,000	22	70	1:19.0	1273	A+	B	A
High marks go to committed professors and a curriculum rooted in the real world. But some say the student body lacks diversity.
20	SMU (Cox) Dallas	Private	4	$ 26,880	939	9	$ 45,000	20	70	1:13.2	1339	A+	A+	A
Students praise the helpful career services center and small class sizes. Good mix of classmates is needed.
21	USC (Marshall) Los Angeles	Private	4	$ 32,008	3822	22	$ 40,000	42	69	1:62.0	1351	A	B	A+
Students value the international focus and strong alumni network at Marshall, but many feel the grading curve is unfair.
22	Illinois Urbana-Champaign	Public	4	$ 9,934	2916	37	$ 47,000	37	67	1:24.0	1300	C	B	A
A first-class accounting program and career services win praise, but overcrowded classes hurt teaching quality.
23	Boston College (Carroll) Boston	Private	4	$ 30,950	2000	29	$ 47,000	24	67	1:23.0	1314	A	A	A
A well-rounded education based on Jesuit values leaves many satisfied. Academic advising could use improvement.
24	Wake Forest (Calloway) Winston-Salem, N.C.	Private	2	$ 32,140	383	39	$ NA	9	67	1:11.0	1302	A+	A	A
"They don't call it Work Forest for nothing," says one student of the challenging coursework and tough grading policy.
25	Richmond (Robins) Richmond, Va.	Private	2	$ 34,850	594	46	$ 47,500	3	66	1:11.0	1315	A+	B	B
Students heap praise on Richmond's hands-on teaching, but are disappointed with recruiting that's too regional.
26	Minnesota (Carlson) Minneapolis	Public	4	$ 9,382	1621	24	$ 43,500	19	65	1:12.9	1283	B	B	A+
Students get outstanding career preparation, but say that the teaching is uneven and some courses are too easy.
27	Wisconsin Madison	Public	2	$ 6,220	1213	16	$ 43,500	25	64	1:15.8	1260	B	A	A
Students praise the business career center and the "work hard, play hard" mentality of being a business major at UW.
28	Babson Babson Park, Mass.	Private	4	$ 30,496	1725	48	$ 45,000	5	63	1:11.4	1263	A+	B	B
Babson profs receive high marks, but intense business orientation leaves little room for anything else.
29	Michigan State (Broad) East Lansing	Public	2	$ 9,218	2341	25	$ 43,000	48	63	1:22.0	NA	B	B	A
Students give high marks to supply chain management program and Lear Career Services Center, but feel the teaching could use work.
30	Boston U. Boston	Private	4	$ 31,966	1806	51	$ 45,000	15	62	1:18.0	1283	B	B	C
Students praise the program's team-based approach. But many say tough grading policies are a problem.
31	Bentley Waltham, Mass.	Private	4	$ 28,614	3761	42	$ 42,500	17	62	1:12.0	1220	A	B	B
Small classes are a plus, but for some the recruiting is too focused on accounting and finance.
32	Penn State (Smeal) University Park, Pa.	Public	4	$ 13,110	4797	23	$ 41,400	51	61	1:43.0	1197	B	A	A
Core courses can be overcrowded. But first-class trading floor and $4.7 million student-run investment fund are tops.
33	Texas Christian (Neeley) Ft. Worth	Private	4	$ 26,140	1520	20	$ 48,148	34	60	1:17.8	1162	A	A	B
Professors receive high marks for being accessible and dedicated, but student body may lack diversity.
34	Texas A & M (Mays) College Station	Public	4	$ 6,234	3831	12	$ 40,000	50	60	1:28.2	1218	B	A+	A
Students enjoy the many extracurricular activities and clubs that the school offers. But academic advisers are in short supply.
35	James Madison Harrisonburg, Va.	Public	4	$ 6,081	3464	14	$ 42,100	45	60	1:29.0	1167	A	A+	B
Students enjoy program offered in the junior year that requires them to develop a business plan.
36	Maryland (Smith) College Park	Public	4	$ 7,821	2703	30	$ 46,000	39	60	1:21.0	1360	B	A	B
Upper-level courses are far superior to lower-level courses, which include too many "straight-from-the-book" lectures.
37	Northeastern Boston	Private	4	$ 28,800	3121	27	$ 45,000	29	59	1:25.0	1225	B	A	A+
Students are required to participate in as many as three six-month-long co-ops, or work projects, during the program; many find them valuable.
38	Baylor (Hankamer) Waco, Texas	Private	4	$ 27,943	2508	17	$ 41,303	35	59	1:19.3	1169	A	A+	B
Students praise a unique major that guarantees an internship with a professional sports team after completing the program.
39	Iowa (Tippie) Iowa City	Public	4	$ 5,855	1435	44	$ 37,500	43	59	1:14.0	1176	C	B	C
Teaching quality varies greatly, but entrepreneurship program and new career center win praise.
40	Georgia (Terry) Athens	Public	2	$ 16,848	2082	11	$ 40,000	49	59	1:19.0	1212	B	A+	B
Some programs, such as accounting and risk management, receive high marks, but other students get lost in the shuffle.
41	George Washington Washington, D.C.	Private	4	$ 36,387	1456	55	$ 42,750	23	54	1:24.0	1260	C	B	C
Some consider program "extremely overpriced," but being in the nation's capital adds value.
42	Syracuse (Whitman) Syracuse, N.Y.	Private	4	$ 28,970	1510	50	$ 46,185	28	54	1:24.0	1191	B	C	C
Recruiters for financial services companies are few and far between, but profs are helpful with networking.
43	Ohio State (Fisher) Columbus	Public	4	$ 8,718	2890	35	$ 42,000	54	54	1:28.0	1185	C	A	B
Honors accounting program is praised, but profs should spend more time teaching and less time on research.
44	U. of Miami Miami, Fla.	Private	4	$ 21,587	1984	26	$ 42,000	46	52	1:30.0	1246	B	B	B
Mentoring program that pairs business majors with local executives wows students, but teaching quality varies.
45	Purdue (Krannert) W. Lafayette, Ind.	Public	4	$ 8,032	2508	43	$ 40,841	44	51	1:23.4	1159	C	B	B
Teaching assistants are poor substitutes for real profs, but students leave management program well-prepared for the job hunt.
46	Marquette Milwaukee, Wisc.	Private	4	$ 25,074	1487	45	$ 42,000	38	50	1:24.4	1199	A	B	B
Students enjoy the downtown Milwaukee locale but wish more high-caliber companies would recruit for internships.
47	Florida (Warrington) Gainesville	Public	4	$ 3,180	4765	38	$ 40,000	56	49	1:54.0	1300	B	B	B
Online classes are convenient, but some say theyÕre too impersonal and detract from the overall learning experience.
48	Fordham New York	Private	4	$ 28,335	1784	57	$ 52,500	36	48	1:22.7	1190	B	C	B
Core courses in first two years not challenging enough, but students like career opportunities in NYC area.
49	Denver (Daniels) Denver	Private	4	$ 28,410	1828	34	$ 35,000	40	47	1:22.0	1150	B	A	C
Talented profs and the hospitality program's study-abroad requirement win praise. Many view classmates as immature.
50	Pittsburgh Pittsburgh	Public	4	$ 12,692	1652	54	$ 40,000	41	46	1:31.0	1231	B	C	C
Tough grading standards attract more qualified applicants than a few years ago, but career services could use improvement.
51	Arizona State Mesa	Public	4	$ 4,396	2139	49	$ 40,000	47	46	1:12.4	1127	B	C	B
Honors students get pampered but others say introductory classes with 200+ students are way too large.
52	Virginia Tech (Pamplin) Blacksburg	Public	4	$ 7,000	3539	36	$ 38,884	55	44	1:33.3	1180	C	A	B
Extracurricular activities, like managing a $4 million portion of the Pamplin endowment, get a thumbs up, but not recruiting.
53	Connecticut Storrs	Public	2	$ 7,912	1843	56	$ 38,000	33	44	1:17.6	1206	C	C	B
Administrative services can get mired in red tape. A laptop leasing fee--$450 per semester--is seen as unfair.
54	Florida State Tallahassee	Public	2	$ 3,208	2635	40	$ 37,500	57	39	1:23.3	1100	B	B	B
Too many teaching assistants, and too few real profs. But real estate, hospitality, and insurance programs get good reviews.
55	Tennessee Knoxville	Public	4	$ 5,290	3112	47	$ 39,500	58	38	1:26.0	1140	C	B	B
Upper-level classes should be smaller, but logistics program has many fans.
56	Arkansas (Walton) Fayetteville	Public	4	$ 3,069	2770	41	$ 33,612	60	35	1:34.0	1127	B	B	B
Students enjoy the close proximity to companies like Wal-Mart, JB Hunt, and Tyson Foods and the job opporunities it provides.
57	Oklahoma (Price) Norman	Public	4	$ 5,008	2627	59	$ 40,000	53	33	1:44.5	1156	C	C	C
Academic advisement needs improvement but students give high marks to the Energy Management program.
58	Drexel (LeBow) Philadelphia	Private	4	$ 29,880	2301	61	$ 43,000	27	33	1:22.0	1149	C	C	C
Students value the co-op requirement but say the experience is what you make of it--there's no hand-holding by the school.
59	Buffalo Buffalo, N.Y.	Public	4	$ 6,068	2029	52	$ 38,500	59	32	1:33.8	1116	B	C	C
Program provides "good return on investment." Accounting is tough but rewarding. Foreign profs are hard to understand.
60	Central Florida Orlando	Public	4	$ 3,339	5671	53	$ 37,500	61	31	1:35.7	1075	C	B	C
Some courses, such as marketing, are not challenging enough. But a course on teamwork and presentations is a hit.
61	Texas Dallas	Public	4	$ 5,904	1546	60	$ 35,000	52	24	1:15.6	1157	C	C	C
Small classes, accessible faculty create personal touch, but teaching quality varies and commuters outnumber residents.