Top Business Schools in 2017

The QS World University Rankings by Subject includes an annual ranking of the world’s top business schools, and this year’s has been extended to feature over 300 prestigious institutions in this field.

Read on for an overview of the top universities for business and management in each world region, as well as a look at the top 10, or click here to view the full interactive table.

Top business schools in the US & Canada 

The US dominates the business school ranking with 71 top business schools, an impressive 29 of which are in the global top 100. Outside the five institutions featured in the top 10 above, other high-ranking US business schools are Northwestern University (14^th) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (16^th). New York University and the University of Chicago are also in the top 20, sharing 17^th place, having previously shared 19^th place last year.

Canada meanwhile claims 14 of the world’s top business schools, including three in the top 50. These are the University of Toronto (35^th), the University of British Columbia (38^th), and McGill University (48^th).

Top business schools in Europe

Europe also has a large number of top business schools to choose from, including 34 in the UK alone. Outside the four in the top 10, other UK institutions in the top 50 include the University of Warwick (25th), the University of Manchester (=28th) and Imperial College London (36th).

The next best-represented European country is Spain, with 11 institutions featured in the business school ranking, including six new entries. Its three highest-ranked institutions, all climbing from 51-100 to their current rank, are: ESADE Business School (21^st), IESE Business School at the Universidad de Navarra (27^th) and IE Business School (44^th).

Germany has nine entrants, led by Universität Mannheim at 51-100. The Netherlands is another strong country to study business, with eight top business schools (including three new entries), led by Erasmus University Rotterdam at 29^th.

Meanwhile France has seven representatives in the business school ranking, including INSEAD in the top 10, with HEC Paris (12^th), and ESSEC Business School, Paris (51-100) also ranked highly.

Italy, Sweden and Denmark each claim five top business schools this year. Italy’s Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi just misses out on a spot in the top 10 (ranked 11^th), and not far behind is Denmark’s Copenhagen Business School (13^th). Sweden’s Lund University is the country’s highest ranked for business at 51-100.

Switzerland has four representatives in the business school ranking, led by the University of St Gallen at 50th. Russia, Belgium and Ireland are home to three top business schools each, including Belgium’s KU Leuven and Ireland’s University College Dublin at 101-150.

Elsewhere on the continent, Austria, Norway, Portugal and Finland each have two entries in the business school ranking, including Finland’s Aalto University at 51-100.

Lastly, Greece, Hungary and Lithuania have one entrant apiece, with Greece’s Athens University of Economics and Business ranked 151-200.

Top business schools in Asia

China has the largest number of top business schools in the region with 11, including three in the top 50: Peking University (=36^th), Tsinghua University (=40^th) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (46^th).

South Korea is another strong performing country, with 10 entrants in the business school ranking, led by Seoul National University at 33^rd and Korea University (45^th).

India and Taiwan are home to eight top business schools each, with Taiwan’s National Taiwan University (NTU) ranked 51-100, while India’s highest ranked institution for business is Indian Institute of Management (IIM) - Ahmedabad (101-150).

Japan has seven entrants in this year’s business school ranking, including the University of Tokyo and Waseda University at 51-100. Meanwhile Malaysia and Hong Kong are each home to six top business schools. All but one of Hong Kong’s entrants are in the top 100, led by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology at 20th. Malaysia’s highest ranked business school, Universiti Malaya (UM), climbed from 101-150 to 51-100 this year.

Singapore and Thailand each have three top business schools, with all of Singapore’s ranked in the top 100. Of these, the best-performing is the National University of Singapore (NUS) at 15^th. Lastly, Indonesia and Pakistan each enter the business school ranking this year with one representative each.

Top business schools in Australia & New Zealand

Australia is home to 19 of the world’s top universities for business and management, including four in the top 50. The University of Melbourne leads the way in 22^nd, closely followed by the University of New South Wales (=23^rd), Monash University (31^st) and the University of Sydney (=40^th). 

Meanwhile neighboring New Zealand is home to a further seven of the world’s top business schools, led by the University of Auckland at 51-100.

Top business schools in Latin America

Of the 13 top universities for business and management in Latin America, four are in Mexico, including the region’s highest ranked institution for this subject: Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (49^th).

Chile claims three representatives, including Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) at 51-100. Meanwhile Brazil and Colombia have two entrants each, while Argentina and Peru are both new to this year’s business school ranking with one representative each.

Top business schools in Africa & the Middle East

The United Arab Emirates and Turkey are both new to the business school ranking with one entrant each, with the UAE’s American University of Sharjah ranked 201-250.

Meanwhile in Africa, South Africa is also new to the ranking and has three top business schools, led by the University of Cape Town at 201-250.

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