Yale Tops Economist Executive MBA Ranking 2018

The Yale School of Management has captured the top spot in the Economist Executive MBA Ranking 2018, up from being ranked 10^th in 2015.

The Executive MBA is usually a part-time program, catering to those who do not want to leave their profession but need to enhance their knowledge of the business field. This ranking of executive MBA (EMBA) programs, is the third by the London-based publication.

In the case of Kellogg, its own program in the US is ranked lower at 9^th than collaborations with WHU (3^rd), and York (8^th).

With the programs being ranked on two broad parameters, namely, personal development/educational experience and career development, Yale stood first on both counts.

In the ranking of 65 programs Yale also was number one for pre-MBA salary, quality of faculty, a rating of culture and classmates. The current students’ praise of the helpfulness of its alumni network was an additional point in favour of the School.

Coming 2^nd is UCLA/NUS Business School (US/Singapore) followed by Northwestern Kellogg/WHU (US/Germany) in the 3^rd slot, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business 4^th, IMD 5^th. Chicago Booth 6^th, Oxford Said 7th, Northwestern Kellogg/York (Schulich) 8^th, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management 9^th and Warwick Business School 10^th.

Interestingly, it can be seen that 4 programs in the top 10 are joint programs, mostly between schools in the US and in other countries. For instance, UCLA Anderson School of Management and the National University of Singapore. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University has a tie-up with WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management in Germany and Kellogg has a joint program with York University’s Schulich School of Business in Canada.

In the case of Kellogg, its own program in the US is ranked lower at 9^th than collaborations with WHU (3^rd), and York (8^th).

Another noteworthy point is the EMBA program’s popularity among international students. For instance, nearly a quarter of the class of 2019 at Yale come from 16 different countries. Meanwhile, two in the top ten are new entrants, Berkeley Haas and IMD Business School.

Ranking Methodology

The ranking is based on data culled from two web-based questionnaires between March and May 2018. One of the questionnaires was for business schools that had questions about details of students and faculty, the number of overseas assignments required and statistics on alumni.

The second one was circulated among current students and alumni from schools’ last three graduating classes. Around 8,000 of these questionnaires were completed. The information sought included a rating of classmates, faculty, facilities and the like. The alumni also reported their pre-EMBA and current salaries, from which average increases were calculated.

The programs were ranked on two broad measures: personal development/educational experience and career development. Both categories were equally weighted.