If you’re considering an MBA but are not interested (or able) to enroll in a traditional, full-time program, an Executive MBA program might be the perfect fit for you. Use our time-saving guides to conduct research into the best EMBA programs in the US.
The Wharton Executive MBA program is aimed at those who have more than 10 years of professional work experience, and the average work experience at the time of enrollment in the program is 12 years.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan’s Global Executive MBA Program is tailored towards mid-career professionals. It’s a 20-month program marked by flexibility in its class format, as well as four immersive modules and an international students’ trip!
With its New York City location, attending Columbia Business School can do wonders for your career. If you have more than 8 years of professional work experience, Columbia Business School’s Executive MBA Program may be a better fit than the traditional, full-time program.
UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business is often on the list of top b-schools and offers both a full-time and part-time MBA program as well as an MBA program for Executives.
NYU’s Stern School of Business is appealing for anyone wanting to pursue a degree in the heart of a major metropolis. Stern’s MBA program for Executives can be completed in either in New York City or Washington, D.C.
Cornell Johnson is unique among Executive MBA programs for the number of options available to EMBA students. The EMBA Americas, EMBA Metro NY, and EMBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership are sure to appeal to executives researching unique, flexible degrees.
Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business offers a global Executive MBA program, which includes international residencies and exposure to a diverse global network in addition to a more traditional weekend EMBA program.
Yale School of Management offers a unique executive MBA program, integrating a rigorous core curriculum, leadership development program, and advanced courses in one of three areas of focus: Asset Management, Healthcare, or Sustainability.
Georgetown McDonough’s Executive MBA program ranks highly among U.S. EMBA programs, attracting mid- to senior-level managers from many different industries, including Aerospace, Communications, Law, Manufacturing, and Transportation.
Michigan Ross offers students a unique opportunity to experience life in another industry, role, or location through their ExecMAP program. This program is a major selling point for business professionals who hope to gain new perspectives during their Executive MBA program.
The Executive MBA program from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University focuses on cross-cultural learning and collaboration, using on-campus learning to foster acceptance of diversity and personal growth. Northwestern’s EMBA stands out due to its classification as a STEM-designated field of study.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s business school has three STEM-designated Executive MBA programs. These globally high-ranking programs are taught by accomplished faculty who are not only talented teachers but expert researchers. UNC’s EMBA programs offer unique, flexible degrees that allow students to continue working full-time while earning their degrees.
Can’t find the school you’re looking for? We regularly publish new content for business school applicants, both MBA and EMBA, and aim to provide the highest quality information on top MBA programs. Send us a note to share your interest in programs not featured on this page at: [email protected]
Executive MBA Program Rankings
Different media outlets have divergent opinions on which US-based Executive MBA (EMBA) programs are the best. EMBA programs are designed for mid-level professionals who hope to move into management and executive roles. While continuing to work full-time, EMBA students are able to grow their network and strengthen their leadership skills. But what makes a strong EMBA program according to different sources?
Ranking methodologies are not consistent between major sources, with some rankings comparing programs based on the placement and earnings outcomes of graduates, student achievements, and expert opinions on overall program quality, to name a few.
One source, Fortune, has a unique methodology, which includes three categories: Program Score, Brand Score, and Fortune 1000 Score. Program scores are calculated from students’ average years of work experience, average years of management experience, and percentage of students with an advanced degree. Brand score is calculated by surveying business professionals and hiring managers. Finally, business schools are judged based on the number of each school’s alumni who are C-suite executives at Fortune 1000 companies.
Prospective students should be aware of possible biases which may be present in popular EMBA rankings. This article will discuss the differences in ranking methodologies between several news organizations and give tips on how to understand and use current Executive MBA rankings.
Can EMBA Rankings Be Trusted?
It is very difficult for EMBA rankings to be meaningful. For example, the full-time MBA rankings have their faults, but at least they point to some hard data around employment outcomes. For Executive MBA programs, the rankings are potentially built upon even more “hot garbage.” Some of the other problems with EMBA ranking methodology include:
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U.S. News: Rankings “are based solely on ratings by business school deans and directors of AACSB-accredited MBA programs from the list of schools surveyed. They were asked to nominate up to 15 programs for excellence in each area listed.” No hard data used.
Fortune: The following is noted in the Fortune methodology: “Outcomes data like salary and job information aren’t widely provided by the executive MBA programs we surveyed, as most students are already employed while they enroll in a program.” So, there’s no basis for career data. However, it looks like they do try to account for this with their “Fortune 1000” score.
Financial Times: This source uses online surveys, one for participating schools and one for alumni. Schools provide information about the proportion of core courses dedicated to environmental, social and governance issues, student and faculty gender diversity, and international diversity. Alumni are asked about their salary today, salary increase, career progress, work experience, and aims achieved.
College Consensus: College Consensus ranks programs based on their “Consensus Score”. That is, they average a school’s Publisher Consensus (an aggregate of official third-party rankings) and Student Consensus scores (a school’s average student review score from around the web). In regards to EMBA rankings, this last component sets College Consensus apart, making their ranking a good starting point for EMBA candidates looking to orient themselves to the various programs.
Top MBA: They include salary uplift in the methodology overview, so that’s positive. However, it is interesting to note that you must create an account to view the full methodology.
How Does Menlo Coaching Rank EMBA Programs?
At Menlo Coaching, potential EMBA students can peruse detailed guides of Top Executive MBA programs, conducting their own research and drawing their own conclusions based on what is most relevant to them.
Our Executive MBA coaches often encourage applicants to consider the following factors:
Curriculum: Which professors are teaching? Are they well-known professors who also teach in the full-time program or well-known practitioners in their industry? Which courses are available?
Network / brand: Does the school have a strong network in your own company where the connections would be helpful for further advancement? How strong is the school’s brand or network in your field? Keep in mind that the network will include not only classmates from the EMBA program but also alumni from all MBA programs at the school, so there is probably some carry-over of brand value from the full-time programs.
Culture / fit / convenience: Unlike full-time programs, applicants might need to travel to the program so they need to personally rank and assess the value of the curriculum and network against their own schedule and willingness to travel.
Conclusion
Despite divergent methodologies, several notable business schools, including Yale School of Management, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Columbia Business School, frequently appear in most top 10 lists. Further, although most sources reach a different conclusion regarding the best Executive MBA program in the US, one school is consistently ranked in the top five by all major news outlets mentioned in this article: the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Depending on your goals and background, however, certain up-and-coming executive MBA programs like those offered at Fordham University and Marquette University might be a fit for your needs.
If you’re unsure of how to evaluate the return on investment from a given Executive MBA Program, it can be a good idea to reach out to an Executive MBA Admissions Consultant.
Why an EMBA? Why not?
Deciding whether an Executive MBA program is going to be worthwhile in your career depends on your current personal and professional situation as well as your goals for the future. We cover this topic in detail elsewhere, focusing on particular on Executive MBA Salary, Career Advancement, and Other Benefits.
However, in brief, an EMBA is a good choice if you don’t plan to leave your career while studying and you’re looking for a business degree that you can incorporate into your current, executive position. It lasts two years and practically offers the same academic rigor as a full time MBA, with many top business schools offering an executive track.
The main consideration is whether you mind giving up the immersive experience of a full-time, in-person MBA program. Although networking is a cornerstone of an Executive MBA as well, you will see your fellow candidates less frequently than you would in a traditional graduate school.
Apart from that, the top Executive MBA programs are a great option to strengthen your leadership skills.
Still Uncertain?
Have you decided to apply to business school but you’re not sure of which program will be most suitable for you? Does the prospect of an MBA sound exciting, but you’re not sure that you can commit to two full years at business school? Have you got more work experience than is typical of an MBA applicant and are considering a top Executive MBA?
In that case, take a look at our range of resources for traditional MBA programs, as well as alternative MBA tracks.
