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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Top school: Pennsylvania: Wharton
Wharton tops the Global MBA table for the 12th time since this ranking was launched in 1999. The US school’s alumni reported the third-highest average weighted salary, at $241,522. The school’s success is also due to it retaining top spot in the research category, based on the volume of articles written in selected academic and practitioner journals. Wharton additionally improves its position in the alumni career progress category, moving up to 15th place.
FT Global MBA Ranking 2025
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Highest salaries: Harvard
The five schools with the highest weighted alumni salaries are all in the US. Graduates from Harvard earn the most on average, at close to $257,000. This figure exceeds the average salary of alumni from other institutions by more than $10,000. Harvard alumni surveyed for the ranking said that the MBA was transformative and offered exposure to opportunities that would not otherwise have been accessible. The school is in joint 13th place overall.
Best value for money: Georgia: Terry
The MBA at Terry College of Business offers the best value for money for a second consecutive year. This is due to low course costs, minimal income lost during the MBA and improvements in salaries three years after completion. The US school, ranked 55th overall, is also sixth for its career services. Alumni praised the work of the staff in helping them secure good career moves. The alumni network was also applauded by graduates.
Highest new entrant: IIM Kozhikode
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode is the highest new entry, in joint 86th place. Its success is partly due to one of the highest salary increases three years after completion, at 242 per cent. The school is 10th for value for money, measured by alumni salaries, course length, tuition and other costs. Alumni also lauded the networking opportunities and how the course curriculum reflects the latest trends in industry.
Top school in Asia-Pacific: Ceibs
For the ninth consecutive year, Ceibs, in Shanghai, holds its position as the top-ranked MBA provider in the Asia-Pacific region, and is in 12th place overall. It is one of two schools in the region to make the top 20. Alumni reported an average salary of $194,589 and a 164 per cent increase from their pre-MBA earnings. The school also saw a significant improvement in the alumni career progress ranking, jumping from 20th to seventh place.
Biggest riser: Fordham: Gabelli
Fordham climbs 22 places to 78th. Alumni reported significant improvements in the teaching of financial, communication and project management skills. Their experience aligns with the school’s rise up the MBA ranking this year. Fordham improved its placings in all but eight categories, with at least a 20-place increase in four — most notably for sector diversity, which is based on where students worked before starting their MBA.
Biggest salary increase: XLRI — Xavier
Alumni of XLRI — Xavier School of Management reported the highest average salary increase, at 249 per cent, from pre-MBA to now, taking them to $142,022. This helped make the Indian school the third highest riser — up 16 places to joint 83rd overall. The school’s ranking ascent is also because of a rise in career progress, plus the ESG and net zero teaching categories. The latter measures the proportion of core teaching hours on ESG topics.
Top for sector diversity: Audencia
In 90th place overall, Audencia is top for sector diversity, which measures the range of industries in which the students worked before their MBA. Audencia is also one of two schools with class gender parity in its recent cohort. The French school rose from 10th to second place in the international course experience rank, which measures the number of alumni who completed exchanges or internships overseas, lasting at least a month.
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