Undergrad Rankings

Compare undergraduate business programs

To identify the best undergraduate business programs, BusinessWeek used five distinctive measures, including a survey of nearly 80,000 business majors at top schools and a poll of undergraduate recruiters. To better understand career outcomes, we also looked at starting salaries for graduates and how many each school sent to top MBA programs. Finally, an academic quality score--a combination of five measures including average SAT scores and faculty-student ratios—identified schools with the smartest, hardest-working, and best-served students.

The ranking is based on the "index number," which represents the sum of all five ranking measures. We also calculated letter grades on teaching quality, facilities and services, and job placement based on the student survey. In each category, the top 20% among all 93 ranked programs earned A+s. The next 25% got As, the next 35% got Bs, and the bottom 20% got Cs. School names are linked to individual program profiles for more in-depth coverage.

You can also compare how students graded colleges

Click column heading once to reorder from highest to lowest. Click twice to reorder from lowest to highest.

BW 2007 Rank	School Name and Location (linked to profile)	BW 2006 Rank	School Type	Program Length (Yrs.)	Annual Cost	Enrollment	Student Survey Rank	Recruiter Survey Rank	Med. Starting Salary	MBA Feeder School Rank	Acad. Qual. Rank	Index No.	Faculty/ Student Ratio	Avg. SAT Score	Avg. ACT Score	Teach Qual. Grade	Facilities and Svcs. Grade	Job Placement Grade
1	Pennsylvania (Wharton) Philadelphia	1	Private	4	$ 34,156	2384	4	4	$ 60,000	7	1	100.00	10.5	1430	NA	A+	A+	A+
Last year’s top program is still in a class by itself: outstanding faculty, high-caliber students, and an unparalleled alumni network.
2	Virginia (McIntire) Charlottesville	2	Public	2	$ 7,845	650	1	33	$ 52,500	2	3	92.74	10.8	1366	NA	A+	A+	A+
McIntire’s third-year Integrated Core Experience, strong faculty, and Type-A students makes UVA a destination for top national recruiters.
3	UC-Berkeley (Haas) Berkeley, Calif.	12	Public	2	$ 7,704	700	11	1	$ 55,000	4	24	91.86	26.9	1355	NA	A	A+	A
Top-flight faculty and student body, combined with a responsive administration, put Berkeley on top.
4	Emory (Goizueta) Atlanta	5	Private	2	$ 32,100	579	2	14	$ 50,000	9	8	91.16	9.2	1340	NA	A+	A+	A+
Experienced professors, challenging courses, and community events wow many. But the popular Greek scene might not be for everybody.
5	Michigan (Ross) Ann Arbor	6	Public	3	$ 11,713	731	8	9	$ 55,000	6	12	87.98	5.7	1317	29.0	A+	A+	A+
Difficult business core focused on action-based learning has students feeling prepared to take on the real world.
6	MIT (Sloan) Cambridge, Mass.	4	Private	3	$ 33,400	264	5	27	$ 60,000	8	11	86.06	2.8	1478	31.0	A+	A+	A+
Undergrads like the option of taking elective classes with the Sloan MBAs. The homework load is heavy, but students leave feeling prepared.
7	Notre Dame (Mendoza) South Bend, Ind.	3	Private	3	$ 32,900	1529	3	21	$ 48,815	11	6	84.74	16.8	1379	31.3	A+	A+	A+
Broad pre-business requirements help students make the right decision in choosing a major. Career services office is strong.
8	Brigham Young (Marriott) Provo, Utah	8	Private	2	$ 3,620	1640	6	2	$ 47,000	33	32	80.05	13.0	1222	27.0	A+	A+	A+
Ethics are all the rage in the BYU classroom and students are impressed with high-caliber recruiters.
9	NYU (Stern) New York	7	Private	4	$ 34,616	2271	16	23	$ 54,000	22	5	77.13	11.5	1441	31.0	A	A	A+
Finance students get majority of attention, at the expense of those in marketing. Grads say “Stern curve” makes getting an A difficult.
10	Cornell Ithaca, N.Y.	14	Public	4	$ 18,241	682	10	39	$ 53,000	1	28	76.81	17.5	1333	28.4	A+	A+	A
Class sizes of up to 300 don’t stop professors from really getting to know their students. Accounting offers few upper level courses.
11	Georgetown (McDonough) Washington, D.C.	13	Private	4	$ 33,552	1274	15	45	$ 55,000	5	21	76.67	25.0	1352	29.0	A+	B	A+
Recruiters from Wall Street and well-rounded faculty make for a strong finance program, but students in other departments feel neglected.
12	Villanova Villanova, Pa.	19	Private	4	$ 33,000	1907	13	17	$ 50,000	37	14	74.46	19.3	1282	29.0	A+	A	A+
Dedicated faculty, small classes, and outstanding accounting program make 'Nova a standout, but marketing majors have trouble finding jobs.
13	Texas-Austin (McCombs)	9	Public	4	$ 8,688	4140	12	5	$ 48,000	18	45	74.37	44.5	1310	29.0	A+	A+	A+
Small class sizes, individual attention leaves students satisfied. Some would like to see more recruiters from outside Texas.
14	Boston College (Carroll) Boston	23	Private	4	$ 33,000	1997	22	18	$ 51,000	14	19	71.86	21.0	1328	29.0	A+	A	A+
Alumni and professors love helping students find jobs, making BC’s campus networking an invaluable resource.
15	North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler) Chapel Hill	11	Public.	2	$ 5,034	670	14	57	$ 50,000	15	9	71.84	14.9	1335	NA	A+	A+	A+
The intimate program creates a “private school education at a public school price,” where undergrads and MBAs share courses.
16	Washington U. (Olin) St. Louis	15	Private	4	$ 32,800	745	19	37	$ 50,000	3	26	71.06	11.5	1443	31.0	A+	A+	B
Dedicated faculty and London internship program get raves, but career services can do a better job of getting top companies to campus.
17	Wake Forest (Calloway) Winston-Salem, N.C.	24	Private	2	$ 32,040	398	39	29	$ 50,000	17	2	71.05	14.7	1322	NA	A+	A	A
Challenging coursework, small classes, and demanding professors make for an intense experience. Grade deflation leaves many disappointed.
18	Indiana (Kelley) Bloomington	10	Public	4	$ 7,460	3842	9	11	$ 46,000	24	38	70.87	24.8	1222	28.0	A+	A	A+
Undergrad facilities need improvement, but grads say job placement is top-notch and professors are passionate and willing to go the extra mile.
19	USC (Marshall) Los Angeles	21	Private	4	$ 33,314	3710	18	15	$ 55,000	34	40	69.88	33.4	1379	NA	B	A+	A+
Helpful career services, far-flung alumni network, and quality teaching set Marshall apart. Grading curve irks many.
20	Lehigh Bethlehem, Pa.	18	Private	4	$ 31,180	1246	21	31	$ 52,000	27	15	69.50	19.5	1281	NA	A+	A	A+
Strong accounting program wins student praise, but many say they could use more advanced computer training.
21	Carnegie Mellon (Tepper) Pittsburgh	16	Private	4	$ 34,180	475	50	34	$ 55,000	12	7	68.83	4.9	1410	30.0	B	C	B
Students extol quantitative training and research opportunities, but say many of their peers are lacking in soft-skills like communication.
22	Illinois Urbana-Champaign	22	Public	4	$ 11,170	2967	44	3	$ 50,000	25	43	67.02	27.7	1310	29.5	B	B	A+
The career service office plays a huge role in job placement, but professors tend to focus more on research than teaching.
23	Richmond (Robins) Richmond, Va.	25	Private	2	$ 36,550	566	31	87	$ 47,000	13	4	63.74	11.5	1283	27.7	A+	A	A
Personal attention is a plus, but required professional development courses get a thumbs down, as does an unresponsive administration.
24	SMU (Cox) Dallas	20	Private	4	$ 27,400	941	7	77	$ 45,000	20	29	63.11	18.5	1393	31.0	A+	A+	A+
Students complain that classroom experience is based too much on theory and not enough on the real world.
25	Washington Seattle	NR	Public	2	$ 5,985	1524	57	13	$ 47,500	38	22	62.29	18.4	1207	25.0	A	A+	B
Focus on international business, a top-notch accounting program, and dedicated faculty win raves. A badly needed facelift is on the way.
26	Northeastern Boston	37	Private	4	$ 29,910	3031	30	32	$ 50,000	67	25	62.08	28.6	1240	26.0	B	B	A+
The five-year co-op program almost ensures that students will have a job when they graduate. Boston locale is a big selling point.
27	Santa Clara Santa Clara, Calif.	NR	Private	4	$ 30,900	1472	46	20	$ 45,000	32	18	61.93	16.2	1203	NA	A	C	A+
Small class sizes and dedicated support staff leave students satisfied with their experience at Santa Clara.
28	Wisconsin Madison	27	Public	2	$ 6,730	1250	26	53	$ 45,000	16	23	60.90	19.5	1257	27.6	A	A+	A+
Real estate, accounting, and actuarial science programs all rate high with students, and new facilities are planned. But advising needs work.
29	William & Mary (Mason) Williamsburg, Va.	NR	Public	2	$ 8,490	420	45	82	$ 50,000	10	16	59.96	10.0	1290	28.0	A	A	B
Accounting and finance majors get most of the jobs, but administration is responsive—if students complain about a prof, heads roll.
30	Maryland (Smith) College Park	36	Public	4	$ 7,906	2777	51	22	$ 46,000	35	30	58.27	20.7	1360	30.0	C	B	A
Teamwork focus satisfies students. The schools' emphasis on securing internships and jobs sometimes detracts from the academic experience.
31	Bentley Waltham, Mass.	31	Private	4	$ 29,810	3816	24	47	$ 47,500	66	36	57.45	22.2	1206	25.0	B	A+	A+
Helpful career services and real-world class exercises are a plus, but marketing students feel neglected when to comes to the job search.
32	Rutgers New Brunswick, N.J	NR	Public	2	$ 8,084	690	86	10	$ 52,500	29	27	56.90	12.3	1219	NA	C	C	B
Dedicated, high-caliber student body is valuable, but grading curves make it difficult for students to earn As.
33	Babson Babson Park, Mass.	28	Private	4	$ 32,256	1776	56	68	$ 46,050	43	10	56.88	19.7	1265	28.0	A+	C	B
The social scene may be a bust, but the opportunity for freshman to start their own businesses is a plus.
34	Fordham New York	48	Private	4	$ 30,000	1848	48	42	$ 53,173	56	34	56.67	15.7	1178	24.9	A	A	A
Facilities could use a facelift, but with NYC at their fingertips, students say work opportunities are plentiful and useful.
35	Miami U. (Farmer) Oxford, Ohio	17	Public	4	$ 9,911	4131	49	16	$ 41,550	30	44	55.71	30.8	1206	26.5	A	A	A
The tight-knit community has students cheering, but most would like to see more recruiters on campus from outside of Ohio.
36	Penn State (Smeal) University Park	32	Public	4	$ 13,338	5274	33	6	$ 46,500	46	72	55.54	47.9	1208	26.0	B	A+	A
Large program makes it hard for students to get face time with advisors. Co-ops give students useful work experience.
37	Boston U. Boston	30	Private	4	$ 33,330	1788	78	50	$ 47,500	19	13	55.15	17.2	1278	28.0	A	A	C
An emphasis on team work and real-world experience is a plus, but students say grading on the whole is too tough.
38	Baylor (Hankamer) Waco, Tex.	38	Private	4	$ 22,889	2950	25	61	$ 48,000	55	41	54.46	25.9	1183	25.0	A	A	A
It's not unusual for professors to give out their cell phone numbers to business students; classes rarely top 30 students.
39	Texas Christian (Neeley) Fort Worth	33	Private	4	$ 26,300	1694	20	62	$ 41,000	40	42	54.12	27.3	1165	25.0	A+	A	A
Students are smart, but sometimes unmotivated, and getting a high-quality professor is hit or miss. Campus upgrades have students excited.
40	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Lally) Troy, N.Y.	NR	Private	4	$ 32,600	377	32	83	$ 50,000	51	31	53.08	9.2	1212	NA	A	B	B
Many companies recruit on campus, but students wish that more were looking for management majors instead of IT.
41	Ohio State (Fisher) Columbus	43	Public	4	$ 9,426	3090	35	8	$ 43,000	61	71	53.05	38.1	1203	26.0	B	A+	A
Most business courses are centered on group work. Getting into required courses is sometimes a challenge.
42	Minnesota (Carlson) Minneapolis	26	Public	4	$ 9,933	1685	41	66	$ 46,000	36	39	53.02	30.1	NA	28.0	C	B	A+
The rigor and value of Carlson courses vary a lot across class sections and majors. Recruitment services could not be better.
43	Florida (Warrington) Gainesville	47	Public	2	$ 2,968	2395	52	7	$ 42,000	58	55	52.88	23.0	1300	29.0	B	A	B
Accounting program gets high marks, but students are put off by online classes that make connecting with professors and peers difficult.
44	Georgia Tech Atlanta	NR	Public	4	$ 3,820	1195	54	12	$ 46,250	50	65	52.05	29.1	1261	27.0	A	A	B
Graduates praise the emphasis on technology and engineering, but large class size takes limits personal attention.
45	Clemson Clemson, S.C.	NR	Public	4	$ 9,868	2415	40	51	$ 49,000	72	49	51.97	27.8	1206	27.0	B	A	A
Professors are friendly and know their stuff. There’s a diverse range of business courses to sample.
46	San Diego San Diego, Calif.	NR	Private	4	$ 30,480	1200	58	30	$ 46,000	28	47	51.93	20.3	1174	29.5	B	B	B
Accounting program makes the grade, and professors win high marks for availability outside class—some even give out their cell phone numbers.
47	U. of Miami Miami	NR	Private	4	$ 31,288	2063	23	91	$ 44,000	54	33	51.57	14.7	1269	28.0	A	A+	B
Pre-business courses give biz students a leg up, while mentors and full-time advisers provide a personal touch.
48	Michigan State (Broad) East Lansing	29	Public	2	$ 10,053	2017	27	38	$ 46,600	44	62	51.53	24.3	1151	25.0	B	A	A
Students applaud the Lear Center for help in the job search, but many would like to see higher admission standards.
49	Marquette Milwaukee	46	Private	4	$ 25,074	1549	29	84	$ 44,000	68	37	50.89	24.2	1179	26.1	A	A	A
Grading curve is unpopular, but the focus on ethical and moral reasoning is a hit. Alumni mentoring program leaves students happy.
50	Texas A&M (Mays) College Station	34	Public	4	$ 6,966	3851	17	41	$ 44,000	53	83	49.45	36.3	1183	25.0	A	A+	A+
Though large, Mays has a small school feel. Students work hard to manage heavy class load with Aggie social activities.
51	James Madison Harrisonburg, Va.	35	Public	4	$ 6,290	3109	28	73	$ 46,000	48	53	49.22	25.7	1140	23.0	A+	A+	A
Professors will bend over backwards for students. The required business plan project in the junior year is likened to a mini-MBA program.
52	Case Western (Weatherhead) Cleveland, Ohio	NR	Private	4	$ 31,090	515	75	74	$ 47,500	52	17	49.09	11.4	1280	28.0	A	B	C
Grads gripe about the shortcomings of the career center, but the accounting department gets high marks.
53	George Washington Washington, D.C.	41	Private	4	$ 37,790	1520	77	90	$ 46,000	31	20	47.95	24.9	1239	27.0	C	B	B
Professors are personable and facilities are shiny and new, but students complain about limited recruiting efforts on campus.
54	Seattle (Albers) Seattle, Wash.	NR	Private	4	$ 24,615	772	43	55	$ 42,500	87	50	46.52	15.8	1146	24.0	A	B	A
Students find professors personable and accessible, but heavy course loads leave little time for campus involvement.
55	Arizona (Eller) Tucson	NR	Public	2	$ 5,565	1800	42	19	$ 40,870	60	77	46.32	27.7	1144	24.0	B	A	B
Community service is important to Arizona students but poor recruiter showings at career fairs make finding a job challenging for some.
56	Georgia (Terry) Athens	40	Public	2	$ 4,964	2269	38	48	$ 41,000	49	61	45.84	21.4	NA	NA	A	A	A
Students say having their own career services office is a plus, but complain about large classes where personal attention is hard to find.
57	Bryant Smithfield, R.I.	NR	Private	4	$ 26,099	2743	53	40	$ 39,891	84	59	44.50	39.8	1117	23.2	B	A+	B
Technology on campus is outstanding. Each freshman is equipped with a brand new laptop upon arrival.
58	Massachusetts (Isenberg) Amherst	NR	Public	4	$ 9,595	3131	61	46	$ 46,500	47	66	44.22	29.5	1186	NA	A	C	A
Raves for the sports management program and career services, but internships outside of accounting and finance are difficult to find.
59	Virginia Tech (Pamplin) Blacksburg	52	Public	4	$ 5,450	3533	68	24	$ 45,000	76	68	43.89	37.2	1181	NA	C	A	A
Accounting program and student-run investment funds are tops, but large classes and lack of national recruiters disappoint many.
60	Purdue (Krannert) West Lafayette, Ind.	45	Public	4	$ 8,442	2661	59	65	$ 44,000	42	57	43.43	32.1	1152	25.0	B	B	B
Students applaud administration’s fast action in dealing with problems, but would like to see more national recruiters on campus.
61	Delaware (Lerner) Newark	NR	Public	4	$ 6,980	2206	55	76	$ 41,316	45	51	42.23	20.4	1203	NA	A	B	B
Available faculty and a curriculum that stresses real-world experience and teamwork get high marks, but recruiting for some majors is spotty.
62	Ohio Athens	NR	Public	4	$ 8,845	1767	64	64	$ 42,684	70	52	41.78	23.3	1141	24.6	B	B	B
Students applaud required business clusters as way to connect class work with real-life business problems.
63	Colorado State Ft. Collins, Colo.	NR	Public	4	$ 3,466	1996	66	35	$ 42,100	79	67	41.73	29.8	1152	25.1	B	B	C
There’s always a B-school sponsored event on campus and professors get high marks, but inept career services frustrate students.
64	Connecticut Storrs	53	Public	4	$ 6,456	1807	82	54	$ 37,900	74	35	41.31	17.7	1222	29.0	C	B	A
Finance and accounting areas are strong, and focused career services staff wins raves, but profs with poor English skills make learning hard.
65	Northern Illinois DeKalb	NR	Public	2	$ 5,500	3906	36	70	$ 40,000	86	73	41.00	52.1	NA	24.5	A	B	A
With dedicated professors and extraordinary facilities students say NIU provides a private school education on a state school budget.
66	Arizona State Mesa	51	Public	4	$ 4,591	2214	71	26	$ 46,125	65	76	40.73	22.1	1154	25.0	B	B	B
Students say there are plenty of jobs to choose from in Arizona, but those looking to get out of state post-graduation might be disappointed.
67	Tulane (Freeman) New Orleans	NR	Private	4	$ 31,900	833	70	93	$ 42,000	23	46	40.11	16.3	1266	NA	A	B	C
Program that allows students to manage part of the school’s endowment wins raves, but many complain about the lack of jobs at top companies.
68	Iowa (Tippie) Iowa City	39	Public	2	$ 6,335	1647	74	43	$ 42,500	62	63	39.57	27.0	1176	25.0	B	B	B
The required intro-level foundations courses are useless, but survive those and Iowa’s honors program attracts top recruiters.
69	Howard Washington, D.C.	NR	Private	4	$ 12,180	1320	91	58	$ 50,000	40	48	39.41	20.6	1097	24.0	C	C	A+
Traditional business majors have lots of resources, but not so for students interested in alternative business careers.
70	Tennessee Chattanooga	NR	Public	2	$ 4,698	1429	60	25	$ 35,300	90	78	39.33	29.2	1070	23.0	B	B	A
Faculty use real-world examples to teach business fundamentals and are available after class. Grads cheer networking opportunities.
71	North Carolina State Raleigh	NR	Public	4	$ 4,784	2073	47	75	$ 38,000	73	64	39.08	27.3	1172	24.0	B	A	B
Large class sizes and lack of help in finding internships pose problems for many students.
72	Oregon (Lundquist) Eugene	NR	Public	2	$ 5,349	1029	83	36	$ 38,200	39	60	37.39	15.6	1094	24.0	C	B	B
Small classes and challenging coursework in the honors program, but uneven teaching elsewhere. Sports marketing program gets raves.
73	Alabama (Culverhouse) Tuscaloosa	NR	Public	2	$ 5,278	2041	34	60	$ 38,000	78	86	36.95	20.8	1101	24.0	A+	A+	A
Profs go above and beyond the call—one student got help on homework for another class—but school could do better job of finding internships.
74	Binghamton Binghamton, N.Y.	NR	Public	4	$ 4,350	1375	92	86	$ 55,000	21	58	36.93	35.3	1264	26.0	C	C	C
Students complain about academic advising, but dedicated career services staff and access to big NYC recruiters make up for it.
75	Illinois State Normal	NR	Public	4	$ 8,039	3075	62	44	$ 37,500	85	79	36.16	31.4	1156	24.0	B	B	B
A new building with high-tech classrooms and small class sizes are student favorites, but administrative red tape can be a hassle.
76	St. Joseph's (Haub) Philadelphia, Pa.	NR	Private	4	$ 28,960	1947	73	89	$ 42,500	91	56	35.73	29.5	1133	23.0	B	C	B
Accounting majors get preferred treatment for internships and jobs. Students laud the unique Food Marketing Program.
77	Florida State Tallahassee	54	Public	4	$ 3,300	4582	37	79	$ 40,000	77	87	35.56	40.2	1190	26.0	A	A+	A
Real estate, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and accounting all get high marks but some say the finance program needs improvement.
78	Pittsburgh Pittsburgh	50	Public	4	$ 12,698	1703	84	85	$ 42,000	59	54	34.89	39.6	1245	27.0	B	B	C
Small career development office is overworked. Many students opt to go solo in their job search.
79	Cincinnati Cincinnati	NR	Public	4	$ 9,399	7896	89	52	$ 48,000	64	74	34.37	97.5	1120	24.0	C	C	B
Honors students graduate with nearly two years of work experience; teaching quality and large class size disappoint some.
80	Florida International Miami	NR	Public	2	$ 2,496	3856	79	81	$ 45,000	80	70	33.50	34.4	941	19.0	B	B	B
Hybrid and online classes offer flexibility and variety, but take away from face-time with professors.
81	Texas-Dallas Dallas	61	Public	4	$ 6,700	1565	65	49	$ 41,000	93	89	32.58	22.7	1117	23.5	B	B	B
Foreign-born faculty give classrooms an international feel, but some say school could do more to introduce students to working professionals.
82	Louisiana State (Ourso) Baton Rouge	NR	Public	4	$ 4,449	1675	81	71	$ 40,000	71	69	32.40	17.6	1209	26.0	C	B	B
Students rave about the internal audit program. Large class sizes and lack of hands-on experience sours many.
83	Texas Tech (Rawls) Lubbock	NR	Public	4	$ 4,050	3581	76	28	$ 39,118	88	91	32.29	43.7	1155	26.0	C	A	A
Students question the quality of academic advising, but the strength of the career center leaves them satisfied.
84	Missouri Columbia	NR	Public	2	$ 6,364	1300	72	67	$ 36,800	63	75	31.91	21.3	1187	24.5	C	A	B
A stellar accounting program, approachable faculty, and engaged alumni base are pluses, but large classes and low standards irk some.
85	Houston (Bauer) Houston	NR	Public	4	$ 3,990	3286	67	63	$ 40,600	82	90	30.48	36.1	1166	25.0	B	B	B
Accounting and entrepreneurship programs are top notch, and small classes win raves, but some profs lack business experience.
86	Auburn Auburn, Ala.	NR	Public	4	$ 5,496	3645	63	72	$ 39,600	83	92	29.48	45.0	1128	23.8	C	A	A
Students say management and marketing courses are a joke, but the economics major is valued among participants.
87	Kentucky (Gatton) Lexington	NR	Public	4	$ 6,698	2382	69	78	$ 35,000	57	81	29.10	29.0	1097	24.0	B	A	C
A big program with a small feel, UK has strong faculty and regional recruiting. Students complain about advising and lack of internships.
88	South Carolina (Darla Moore) Columbia	NR	Public	4	$ 7,408	2956	80	56	$ 38,00