Top 10 Universities for Master's in Management Degrees

Location: London, United Kingdom

Heading to London, the London School of Economics (LSE) retains its position of seventh this year for its Master of Science in Management, and achieves very strong scores for thought leadership and diversity. According to LSE, the course is designed to develop students’ critical and analytical skills in core strategic issues facing managers and organizations.  

A member of the Russell Group, an association of 24 of the top universities in the UK, LSE is known as a world-class social sciences university, giving the department of management a unique advantage (as well as being ideally located in London, one of the largest financial centers in the world).

15 nationalities are currently represented in LSE’s MSc in Management and Strategy class of 71 students, and graduates are highly sought after, finding roles at leading companies and organizations such as Barclays, Bloomberg, Nestlé, JP Morgan and Facebook.

Location: Madrid, Spain

IE Business School is ranked sixth for its master’s in management degree, gaining particularly high scores for diversity and alumni outcomes. Students can choose between English and Spanish and the 10-month course is made up of two periods of core business modules and a third period of specialization in a topic such as international business, sales & marketing, digital business or others. In their most recent graduate survey, IE Business School state that the average starting salary for their graduates is €55,000 (approximately $60,549 at the time of writing), with 91 percent of graduates having found work three months after graduation.

The course also offers students a chance to further their global understanding in the ‘global immersion week’, a unique option to help students develop their managerial skills and further their global understanding by traveling to places such as Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro and Accra.

Location: London, UK

Ranked fifth in the masters in management ranking, Imperial College Business School, part of Imperial College London, is a triple accredited business school which opened in 2004 and has quickly built up a strong reputation for attracting the brightest minds in business.

The school achieves high scores for employability, thought leadership and diversity, with 81 percent of the course being international students. Imperial’s strong employability is due to its location in central London, its strong academic reputation, as well as its strong relationships with employers, which allow students to easily network with global companies.

Imperial College London itself is known for being a world leader in science and technology, meaning the business school drives business advantage through the combination of business and technology and an entrepreneurial mindset. It works closely with employers such Amazon, Apple, Morgan Stanley, Dyson, McKinsey, LVMH, Kraft-Heinz, and JP Morgan alongside small and medium sized firms and start-ups.

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Next in our look at the top universities for master’s in management programs is ESADE Business School at fourth. Part of the Escola Superior d'Administració i Direcció d'Empreses (ESADE), the school has been ranked for its MSc in International Management program, a 10-month course taught in English (with the option of studying electives in Spanish).

ESADE receives its highest scores for alumni outcomes, employability and value for money, showing that its graduates are receiving a good return on their investment. ESADE is known for its international connections, and gives students the option to complete an internship in a company overseas, to put their knowledge into practice.

Location: France, Singapore and Morocco

Rising one place this year in is ESSEC Business School; a multi-campus, non-profit institution which was established in 1907 and is considered one of the world’s most prestigious business schools. Ranked fourth for its Advanced Master’s in Strategy & Management of International Business (MS SMIB), ESSEC receives its highest scores for alumni outcomes and employability,

The school scores well for diversity – 70 percent of its students are international from 62 different nationalities and students can choose between studying in Paris, Singapore or Rabat. The MS SMIB is an internationally focused program which includes the opportunity to learn a foreign language, choose a specialized track, and take part in an in-company project anywhere in the world. 97% of graduates of the course having signed a contract within 4 months of graduation, with starting salaries between US$49,545-US$62,200, meaning that ESSEC earns its best score in the alumni outcomes indicator.

Location: London, UK

The highest-ranked of the UK’s 26 entries in the master’s in management ranking, London Business School (LBS) is a constituent college of the University of London collegiate and is ranked second for its master’s in management program. LBS receives its highest scores for its employability and alumni outcomes, showing the school is recognized as an authority in their field and well respected for its expertise.

The school’s Master’s in Management program has been developed in partnership with top international recruiters to equip students with practical skills, an adaptive mindset and the critical business knowledge needed to carve out a successful career in business. 96 percent of graduates of the course accept an offer of employment within three months of graduation.

The masters in management course at LBS gives students the option of an Immersion Field Trip, which gives students the opportunity to put theory into practice in an international business context.

Location: Paris, France

Concluding our look at the top universities for master’s in management degrees is HEC Paris, which is highly regarded as one of the most prestigious and selective business schools in the world. Established in 1881 by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry, HEC Paris has been named the “Harvard of Europe” by Forbes. Ranked first in the QS Masters in Management Rankings 2020, HEC Paris’ Master of Science in Strategic Management is an intensive specialized master’s program, taught entirely in English, which takes 10 months to complete.

HEC Paris scores well thought leadership, employability and value for money, reflecting the school’s exceptional reputation as one of the best business schools in the world. HEC Paris earns a perfect score in alumni outcomes; the school has excellent company connections and 97% of the course’s graduates are employed within three months, with an average starting salary of $64,130.

This article was originally published in November 2017. It was updated in September 2019 to reflect the results of the latest QS Business Masters Rankings.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.