Masters in Management: US vs Europe

Combining prominent touristic appeal with famously admired academic reputations, the US and Europe are both home to world-renowned universities for master's in management degrees, as highlighted in the recently released QS Masters in Management Rankings 2019. Of the 135 business schools in the ranking, 21 are in the US, while a whopping 96 are based in Europe, including 27 in the UK. The ranking assesses each institution according to five important indicators: employability, alumni outcomes, value for money, thought leadership, and diversity.

In addition, both study destinations are very well known for their many business-savvy cities, which makes them the ultimate study environments for students wishing to pursue careers in the world of business and management.

If you’re trying to decide whether to study your master’s in management degree in the US or Europe, read on for an in-depth breakdown of how they compare.

For applicants aspiring to further their studies in management, there are numerous top US business schools currently offering internationally-renowned master’s in management courses which provide students with valuable theoretical knowledge, as well as practical work experience to prepare future business managers for the competitive and ever-changing world of business.

For master’s in management courses, the US is home to four institutions in the global top 50, and 11 are ranked in the top 100. Ranked number one in the US in this year’s master’s in management ranking, the Michigan Ross School of Business is currently placed at joint 16^th in the world for the subject, scoring the highest in the country for thought leadership, and its second-highest score for the alumni outcomes indicator, followed by value for money. Given its impressive scores overall, the school’s Master of Management course – through relevant action-based curriculum – provides students with the leadership skills and capabilities required in business managerial roles, including a job-search program designed and intended to boost students’ potential to land their perfect job.

Of course, prestige often comes with a hefty price tag, and with that notion firmly embedded in mind, it’s no surprise that tuition fees across US universities are the most expensive in the world – with fees at Michigan currently standing at $48,733.

However, topping the master’s in management rankings as the US institution which offers the most value for its money is Northeastern University’s D’Amore McKim School of Business, which currently ranks fifth in the US and 58^th in the world. With tuition fees of US$24,000 (far lower than the global average of $51,916), the university also promises a high starting salary for graduates, who can expect to earn around a sizeable US$81,000 per annum.  

For those who want to study at a highly diverse business school, the highest-ranked US institution for the diversity indicator in the Master’s in Management Ranking is Boston University's Questrom School of Business, which is ranked joint 39th overall for its MS in Management Studies. 55 percent of students enrolled in the school’s MS in Management program are from outside the US, with a total of 19 nationalities represented.

Master’s in management classes in the US tend to be less diverse overall than the world average, with international students making up 37 percent of a typical class, while the global average is 48 percent. However, they do have an equal 50/50 split between women and men, which is in line with the global average.