Top Universities for Master's in Management Degrees in 2021

The QS World University Rankings: Business Masters Rankings includes the QS Masters in Management Rankings 2021, an index of 148 of the world’s best institutions for master’s in management degrees.

The management rankings are based on a methodology which assesses each institution’s employability, alumni outcomes, value for money, thought leadership and diversity, with data collected from a global survey of employers and other sources. 

Read on to discover the 11 highest ranked institutions for management or click here to view the full table.

Learn more about business degrees to consider in a post-COVID world by attending this exclusive online meet-up

=10. WU Vienna

In joint tenth place, and one of three universities breaking into the top 10 this year, is WU Vienna. The school scores particularly highly for employability and value for money, reflecting the effort taken by the university to ensure their graduates pursue their preferred career path. 

The two-year full-time program’s flexible structure encourages you to broaden your horizons by going on an exchange semester or completing a double degree abroad.

=10. EMLyon Business School

Also in joint tenth place is EMLyon Business School, whose MSc in Management program rises four places this year. The institution scores consistently well across all ranking indicators, but particularly highly for diversity and alumni outcomes.

The program takes between two and three years to complete, and is taught in both French and English. The university has a huge network of over 32,000 alumni across the world, plus 1600 business partners. An impressive 95 percent of graduates from the program are employed within six months after graduation. 

Isabelle Huault, Executive President and Dean of emlyon business school said: "The whole community is extremely proud of this ranking and delighted to be featured amongst the 10 best Masters in Management worldwide and the fourth best French MiM. Our Masters in Management, called Programme Grande Ecole in France, is the School’s longest-standing program and has constantly been in the pursuit of excellence. This ranking comes as a true recognition for emlyon business school’s academic performance, the strong reputation of our brand with employers and the constant success of our alumni on the international scene.

"The early maker spirit and pedagogy permeates all of the School’s programs, and in particular the Masters in Management. What we mean by that is an approach that is both experiential and reflexive, based on personal and professional development and the ability to learn, unlearn and relearn in various economic and cultural environment, in a collaborative way.

"My vision for this program, which I share with Sylvie Jean, the program’s Director, is to leverage on the program’s distinctive strengths, based on experiential pedagogy combined with the results of our Faculty’s research, and opening up to other countries, cultures and disciplines. Personal Development, Entrepreneurship, Hybridization and Social Responsibility will therefore be the key words for the continued development of emlyon business school’s Masters in Management program."

9. Bocconi University

The only Italian university in the top 10, Bocconi University ranks ninth in the 2021 master’s in management rankings, up three places this year. The university’s highest scores come in the value for money and employability ranking indicators.

The program takes two years to complete, with coursework including a ‘Business Game’ with partner companies. Students can pick one of a variety of majors to specialize in for their final year: Fashion, Luxury and Made in Italy; Organizational Change and Consulting; Green Management and Sustainability; Entrepreneurship, SMEs and Growth Strategy; or Finance.

8. Imperial College Business School

Dropping five places this year but nonetheless still firmly in the global top 10 is Imperial College Business School. The university scores particularly highly in the employability and thought leadership ranking indicators.

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. Partner companies include Amazon, Apple, Morgan Stanley, Dyson, McKinsey, LVMH, Kraft-Heinz, and JP Morgan. 

7. ESCP Business School

In seventh place, up two places this year, is ESCP Business School, which gains its highest scores in the rankings for employability and diversity.

Founded in 1819, ESCP is the oldest business school in the world, and is one of the largest business schools in Europe. With six campuses in Europe, ESCP aims to ‘harness diversity in all its forms as a source of innovation, strength and leadership’.

6. IE Business School

Madrid’s IE Business School remains in sixth place this year, the second-highest ranking business school in Spain. The program scores highly across all indicators, particularly value for money and alumni outcomes. 

Students can choose to learn in either English or Spanish (or both!) The 10-month program 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, and many more options.

5. Copenhagen Business School

Cracking into the top five is Copenhagen Business School (CBS), up four places from last year. Denmark’s only entrant in the top 10 achieves one of the highest scores in the ranking for alumni outcomes, also scoring highly for thought leadership.

The MSc in Economics and Business Administration is divided into four semesters over two years of full-time study. The first and second semester consist of compulsory courses, the third semester elective courses, and the fourth semester finishes off the program with a master’s thesis.

4. ESADE Business School

The highest-ranked university for master’s in management in Spain, Barcelona’s ESADE Business School is ranked fourth in the world. The school scores particularly highly for value for money and thought leadership.

ESADE is known for its international connections, and the 10-month program gives students the option to complete an internship at a company overseas to put their knowledge into practice. 

3. ESSEC Business School

Remaining in third place this year is ESSEC Business School, which achieves its highest scores in the ranking indicators for value for money and alumni outcomes. 

The MSc in Strategy & Management of International Business 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. 

2. London Business School

Taking the silver medal position in 2021 is the UK’s highest ranked university for a master’s in management degree, London Business School. LBS achieved a perfect score for alumni outcomes, and the second-highest score in the rankings for thought leadership. 

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. 94 percent of graduates accept an offer of employment within three months of graduation. 

1. HEC Paris

Taking the top spot again this year is the world-beating MSc in Strategic Management at HEC Paris. The school achieves a perfect score in an incredible three indicators: alumni outcomes, value for money, and thought leadership.

Established in 1881 by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry, HEC Paris has been nicknamed the “Harvard of Europe” by Forbes. HEC’s MSc in Strategic Management is an intensive specialized master’s program, taught entirely in English, which takes 10 months to complete.

Meet top-ranked world universities like Columbia, Cambridge, Imperial, HEC-Paris, NYU, NUS, UC-Berkeley and many more at the QS Virtual Masters Events taking place across India from 5 December until 15 December. Meet admissions directors, get your profile evaluated, and access to scholarships worth US$ 5.8M Register here.