Top 7 Colleges to Study Business in the USA

Stand out among other business professionals with a degree from these respected universities.

With the best colleges and universities, the USA offers some of the highest-ranking courses and degrees in various fields, business is a top major for students. Given the presence of startups and multinational corporations in the country and the fact that the USA is considered the world's business hub, students who study business in the USA will receive the best education and be provided with valuable career resources and opportunities. 

Here are the top 7 colleges to study business in the USA: 

1. The Booth School of Business, University of Chicago 

The Booth School of Business (Chicago Booth) at the University of Chicago is ranked #1 in the Best Business Schools category. It is the second-oldest business school in the USA. Booth is associated with 10 Nobel Laureates in Economic Sciences, plus founders and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies like McKinsey and Co, BlackRock, and Bain and Co. trace their roots back to the Booth School of Business. 

Chicago Booth offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programs to students, with 14 academic concentrations in subjects ranging from accounting, international business, economics, entrepreneurship, marketing, HR management, and many more. 

Here are some important parameters to consider when applying to the Booth School of Business: 

  • Acceptance rate: 22%
  • Percentage of international students: 38.9% 
  • Average GPA for acceptance: 3.2 to 3.9 out of 4.0
  • GMAT cutoff score: 732/800
  • GRE cutoff score: 328/340

2. The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania 

The Wharton School (Wharton) at the University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia. It is amongst the most prestigious universities in the world, with notable alumni, including Warren Buffet and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies like Alphabet Inc., Boeing, Pfizer, and PepsiCo. Wharton offers various undergraduate courses that focus on specific concentrations in core management, general business, and international studies. 

On the graduate level, Wharton offers dual studies and business studies from different schools (law, government, and engineering). Some of the best specializations include general management, healthcare administration, accounting, e-commerce, economics, and entrepreneurship. Wharton also has a San Francisco campus, and students can stay at any student accommodation near the campus. 

Here are some important parameters to consider when applying to the Wharton School: 

  • Acceptance rate: 9%
  • Percentage of international students: 24% 
  • Average GPA for acceptance: 3.6 to 3.9 out of 4.0
  • GMAT cutoff score: 733/800
  • GRE cutoff score: 324/340

3. Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University 

The Kellogg School of Management (Kellogg) is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois and is one of the oldest business schools in the USA. Kellogg's contribution to Marketing and Management Sciences is well-recognized worldwide. 

Kellogg offers undergraduate, postgraduate (full-time MBA, executive MBA, etc.), and PhD programs specializing in marketing, leadership, general management, organizational behavior, portfolio management, and much more. 

Here are some important parameters to consider when applying to the Kellogg School of Management: 

  • Acceptance rate: 20%
  • Percentage of international students: 22% 
  • Average GPA for acceptance: 3.5 to 3.9 out of 4.0
  • GMAT cutoff score: 729/800
  • GRE cutoff score: 320/340

4. Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford University 

The Stanford Graduate School of Business (Stanford GSB) at Stanford University is a private research university in Stanford, California. It offers various postgraduate programs (MBA and Master of Sciences) and allows undergraduates to pursue a few courses from the graduate program on a case-by-case basis. 

The Stanford GSB is famous for its LEAD Business Program, an online certification program. The school offers specializations in technology management, marketing, production/operations management, organizational behavior, and much more. 

Here are some important parameters to consider when applying to the Stanford Graduate School of Business: 

  • Acceptance rate: 7%
  • Percentage of international students: 18% 
  • Average GPA for acceptance: 3.7 to 3.9 out of 4.0
  • GMAT cutoff score: 738/800
  • GRE cutoff score: 329/340

5. The MIT Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The MIT Sloan School of Management (MIT Sloan) is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is home to Nobel Laureate-awarded faculty and the originator of various ideas and models in finance, like the Black–Scholes model, the Solow–Swan model, the random walk hypothesis, and many more. 

MIT Sloan offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD courses with a curriculum focused on case studies and real-life learning, specializing in accounting, business analytics, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, general management, and much more. 

Here are some important parameters to consider when applying to the Sloan Business School: 

  • Acceptance rate: 14%
  • Percentage of international students: 38% 
  • Average GPA for acceptance: 3.6 to 3.9 out of 4.0
  • GMAT cutoff score: 730/800
  • GRE cutoff score: 328/340

6. Columbia Business School, Columbia University

The Columbia Business School is a private research university in New York. It belongs to the prestigious Ivy League and is one of the oldest universities worldwide. Columbia offers postgraduate degrees (full-time MBA, executive MBA) and professional programs with specializations including corporate finance, financial accounting, managerial statistics, managerial economics, leadership, operations management, and marketing strategy. 

Here are some important parameters to consider when applying to the Columbia Business School: 

  • Acceptance rate: 18%
  • Percentage of international students: 30% 
  • Average GPA for acceptance: 3.6 to 3.9 out of 4.0
  • GMAT cutoff score: 720/800
  • GRE cutoff score: 326/340

7. The Walter A. Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley

The Walter A. Haas School of Business (Berkeley Haas) is a public research university in Berkeley, California. It is the first public research university in the USA and has Nobel Laureates and government advisors as faculty. Students from Berkely Haas benefit from the school's location near Silicon Valley and other businesses and startup incubators that offer internships and work opportunities. 

Berkeley Haas provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses specializing in economics, entrepreneurship, public policy, finance, marketing, and more. 

Here are some important parameters to consider when applying to the Haas School of Business: 

  • Acceptance rate: 13%
  • Percentage of international students: 40% 
  • Average GPA for acceptance: 3.7 to 3.9 out of 4.0
  • GMAT cutoff score: 729/800
  • GRE cutoff score: 324/340

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Madhura Ballal is a postgraduate from the National University of Singapore.