Notre Dame MBA ranks 27th on USN&WR 2014 ‘Best Graduate Schools’ survey

The University of Notre Dame MBA program ranked No. 27 in the just-released U.S. News & World Report 2014 survey of “Best GraduateSchools.” The annual survey, distributed to nearly 450 business schools, rates the quality of MBA programs nationwide.

The Notre Dame MBA saw improved scores in the assessments of recruiters as well as peer deans and program directors. The program also reported a higher average starting salary of $111,255 and placement rate of 87.3 percent within three months after graduation.  

“The MBA marketplace has been extremely competitive in recent years, so seeing improvements in some of the key job-related numbers is encouraging,” said Edward J. Conlon, associate dean for Graduate Studies at Mendoza College of Business. “Overall, as with any ranking, the result motivates us to work even harder to succeed. We’re very thankful for the commitment of our students, faculty and staff, and for the strong support we receive from the University, our alumni and our friends.”

The top three graduate business schools were Harvard, Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), respectively.

Notre Dame MBA ranked No. 25 in the 2013 survey.

The “Best Graduate Schools” also reported MBA program specialty ratings in a number of academic areas. Notre Dame ranked No. 11 in accounting, a jump of 6 slots from the previous survey.

U.S. News surveyed 448 master’s programs in business accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB); of the 380 responding, 140 provided the data needed to calculate rankings based on a weighted average of eight indicators. The indicators included the publication’s survey of B-school deans and MBA directors and corporate recruiters; starting salaries and bonuses; employment rates at and three months after graduation; and student selectivity as evidenced by GMAT scores, undergraduate GPAs and the percentage of applicants who are accepted by the school.

A full explanation of the methodology can be found here.

The Notre Dame MBA, which offers one-year and two-year programs, is noted for its innovative teaching in the area of problem solving and for its emphasis on personal and corporate ethics as well as social responsibility. The program features action-learning and immersions in Asia and Latin America. The Mendoza MBA Program was ranked No. 20 in Bloomberg Businessweek magazine’s biennial survey, “The Best U.S. Business Schools 2012”; and No. 4 on the Aspen Institute’s Beyond Grey Pinstripes, a biennial ranking and survey of top U.S. business schools’ incorporation of social and environmental stewardship into their curricula and research. For more information, visit business.nd.edu/mba/

/news_and_events/news_articles/article/12724/notre-dame-mba-ranks-27th-on-usnampwr-2014-best-graduate-schools-survey