Top 10 Business Schools in the US

57% of all respondents, US and international, reported applying for the top 10 business schools in the US, which is the highest demand of all program categories. US MBA programs of any rank are more sought after than EU or international programs by a significant measure. Among US MBA applicants, preference for the top 10 business schools in the US is very strong at 87%.  

Top 5 Business Schools among US applicants

63% of US MBA applicants are applying for top 5 business schools. This is double the 30.4% rate of internationals applying to top 5 business schools. The US respondents who are applying exclusively to top 5 business schools is 21%. This rate is much higher than the 12.8% of internationals who are exclusively focused on top 5 US business schools.  

Top 5 Business Schools among International applicants

30% of international respondents are vying for top 5 business schools in addition to other programs. Only 12.8% are exclusively focused on top 5 business schools.  Most international applicants cast a wider net for MBA programs due to the competitive nature of the top 5 US business programs.

Any US MBA program among US applicants

Among US respondents, 88% are applying exclusively to US MBA programs. 12% are applying to international programs. 4% are applying to international programs exclusively. The loyalty among US respondents to US MBA programs is remarkably high.

2% of US MBA applicants are not applying to US MBA programs (applying to only international programs), which is less than the 11% of international MBA respondents not applying to US MBA programs.  This is explained by geographic preferences relative to the applicant’s home country; we would expect more internationals to prioritize international MBA programs. 

Any US MBA program among International applicants

89% of the international MBA applicants are applying to US MBA programs (only or in addition to international programs). Only 11% of the 273 international respondents are not pursuing MBA programs in the US.  International MBA applicant interest in US MBA programs is very strong.  As well, the majority of the international respondents, at 54%, favor US MBA programs only (not applying to international programs at all).

Top Business Schools in Europe (EU) among International applicants

4% of  international respondents are applying to EU programs such as INSEAD, LBS, Oxford, Cambridge and not applying to US MBA programs.  78% of the internationals who are applying to EU programs such as LBS, INSEAD, Oxford, Cambridge are also applying to US MBA programs. 22% of the internationals who are applying to EU programs are not applying to US MBA programs. The 78% interest in applying to both US and EU programs is much higher than 22% EU program exclusivity.  

For EU MBA programs, Indian Nationals are the vast majority of the international applicants, at 64%. Only 22% of the total EU MBA program applicants are US citizens.

Lower Ranked International MBA programs

7% of the total international respondents are applying to lower ranked international MBA programs such as ISB, IIM, HKUST, IE, IESE. Among international respondents, interest in these lower ranked international MBA programs is coming mostly from Indian National applicants, representing 74%. The reported increases in international MBA program applicant volume may be skewed towards the Indian National applicant pool. 

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