The 10 Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US – collegegazette.com

Though a bachelor’s degree in any subject can open the door to life-changing opportunities, few majors hold quite as many opportunities as a degree in business.

According to recent research by Forbes magazine, a degree in business is one of the most popular in America, with over six percent of all undergraduate students pursuing this lucrative field of education.

This popularity is for good reason!

By covering a wide breadth of topics, business schools teach more than simple management strategies. They teach students how to function in the highly competitive world of commerce, gathering knowledge of marketing, finance, and much more. 

As of 2017, a full seventy-two percent of all businesses in the nation listed a business degree as a qualifying factor for a starting position. 

Whether a student hopes to pursue a career as an accountant, manager, business strategist, or entrepreneur, the business school serves as the key to helping them unlock this future!

This ranking is an aggregate based on where each school stands in a number of other lists published by college information websites. Sources are at the end of the article. 

Without further ado, read on to learn more about the best undergraduate business school opportunities in the US!

10. UT Austin McCombs School of Business (Austin, TX)

Without a doubt, an education at the McCombs School of business promises a booming start to any ambitious student’s future career. The rankings prove it!

According to the US News and World Report, this business school holds the title of the number one accounting program, while the business school overall ranks within the top five. 

To nurture a student into their most successful future, a business school must provide ample networking opportunities; McCombs offers these chances in bulk!

At the CATT Global Analytics Conference, students can connect with others in their field as they learn from a panel of nationally recognized experts, including none other than Micheal Shepherd of Dell Technologies and Bill King of Movi Partners.

While at the Center for Global Business, students have the chance to gain internationally applicable knowledge all from the comfort of their Austin campus, guaranteeing that no matter where their career leads, they are prepared for the challenges of their future!

9. Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business (Ithaca, NY)

Under the umbrella of the Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business, students have 

access to the expertise of two separate colleges rolled into one.

At the School of Applied Economics and Management, expert professors guide students through the nitty-gritty of the business world, covering every possible topic from finance to environmental policy. 

Meanwhile, the Nolan School of Hotel Administration showcases the values of the “people” side of the business. This school may focus on hospitality, but within these walls, students gain invaluable skills in marketing, real estate and development, and service analytics as well. 

Students hoping to advance their bachelor’s degree even further won’t have to travel; Cornell University’s nationally recognized Johnson Graduate School of Management guarantees they  can move seamlessly into the next step of their education. 

By offering the widest possible knowledge base, the SC Johnson College of Business ensures that any student leaving their program does so with all the tools they need to take on the world!

8. Georgetown University McDonough School of Business (Washington, DC)

Though every business school on this list offers stellar opportunities for quality education, few dedicate as much to furthering their students’ careers as the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business.

While enrolled, undergraduate students have access to the career center, where dedicated professionals help them gather the skills and connections they need to thrive. 

Through the easily accessible Handshake program, students can schedule one-on-one meetings with career coaches prepared to guide them through every step of the job-hunting process. 

With lessons on everything from practice interviews to salary negotiation, these coaches are dedicated to not only helping students not only find a job but secure the pay and treatment they deserve. 

The outcomes of this strategy speak for themselves!

In 2021, a full 98 percent of all graduates from this business school received a job offer within three months of graduation, with an average starting salary of over $80,000. 

This program wasn’t just ranked number two in career outcomes; it celebrates the title of number one overall experience, proving the ease with which this business school helps its undergraduates settle into their best opportunities.

7. Washington University in St. Louis Olin School of Business (St. Louis, MO)

The Olin School of Business may be based in St. Louis, Missouri, but the opportunities students find here carry them all around the world. 

More than sixty percent of all students enrolled in this business program either study or intern within a foreign country, taking advantage of any of the twenty programs offered here to gain global experience under the umbrella of this fulfilling degree.

Students hoping to build solid connections for a global future can pursue the longer commitment of the study abroad program. 

However, this school sets itself apart by also offering short-term experiences for students who know that their future remains grounded on US soil.

Through a series of immersion courses, Olin School of Business allows the chance for students to explore the world of business through a singular, intense focus in a single off-campus location, including New York City, Budapest, Israel, and our nation’s capital. 

6. UC Berkeley Haas School of Business (Berkeley, CA)

Public domain photo via Wikimedia Commons

There is a good reason that the Haas School of Business is widely considered one of the best in the nation. 

It smartly leverages all the power of UC Berkeley in its favor, actively creating a situation in which any ambitious student– regardless of gender or financial status– can thrive.

Through the alumni network, graduates from this program join ranks with 41,000 like-minded individuals, allowing them instant connections into businesses worldwide. 

Under this power, a full seventy-seven percent of graduates leave this program with a lucrative job offer already in hand. 

The cohort program divides students into one of six separate cohorts, ensuring that within the wide world of business, students can still benefit from the intimate, relationship-building atmosphere of a much smaller university. 

Through the summer pre-core program, transfer students have access to a smooth transition into the rigorous levels of this business school, making it an ideal option for anyone seeking to enhance their own educational opportunities by crossing into this school from another.

5. NYU Stern School of Business (New York, NY)

NYU takes pride in ensuring that, while in the rigorous program of the Stern School of Business, students benefit from the connection and mental wellness resources they need to succeed. 

Through Be Well at Stern, students have access to the resources necessary to combat the stress so often associated with the competitive world of business. 

Free counseling services are available on the appointment, while deeper psychiatric help is only a few questions away.

Within the Relaxation Oasis, every undergraduate can learn stress management techniques and mindfulness strategies to carry with them throughout the campus and beyond. 

From yoga to meditation, these researched methods are guaranteed to continue providing relief for years to come.

In a further show of the care this business school provides, Stern takes an effort to educate every undergraduate on the social impacts of their choices, including possible enrollment in the four-year Social Impact Fellows Program. 

Here, students can network, learn about the connections of business and sustainability, and even receive monetary stipends to help them pursue their goals of positively impacting the world.  

4. University of Michigan Ross School of Business (Ann Arbor, MI)

While enrolled in the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, students have access to an environment that cares about more than just their tuition; it cares about their future happiness.

In addition to offering access to some of the top professors in the field– leading this school to be ranked fourth for business undergraduate programs by the QS World University Rankings– the Michigan Ross School of Business Summer Academy offers the chance to learn about the competitive world of business prior to full enrollment.

Here, this program offers high school seniors the chance to participate in a two-week college experience, ensuring they truly understand the intricacies of this business school before committing to a full degree. 

Through this program, students connect with leading experts, hear guest speakers, and learn what it means to be a leader in this field, making this the ideal school for any student anxious about their ability to seize the opportunities of this field. 

3.  USC Marshall School of Business (Los Angeles, CA)

The facts speak for themselves; the USC Marshall School of Business offers chances students are unlikely to find at any other business school in the nation!

90% of all students in this school participate in valuable internships, providing them the connections they need to step confidently into the real world. 

The World Bachelor of Business– also known as WBB– is the only four-year program in the nation to span over three continents, offering students massive opportunities to study the world of business from a global perspective.

In addition to being home to the first-ever integrated entrepreneurship program, Marshall is also the only school to offer a Business and Cinematic Arts program while pairing with the top film school in the world. 

Suppose a student is hoping for a degree that will carry them around the world, guide them through the unique intersection of business and the arts, and open extraordinary opportunities into the future. In that case, the Marshall School of Business is the place to be.  

2.  MIT Sloan School of Management (Cambridge, MA)

While participating in the undergraduate program at the MIT Sloan School of Management, students have access to a program built by students and led by experts. 

As with everything at MIT, the Sloan School of Management works from data to create the highest possible learning experience for its students. 

The Student Advisory Board– comprised of fifteen students from all fields of the business program– works diligently to gather information about ways this program can constantly improve. 

Tackling its mission with the drive this program notoriously carries, this organization surveyed students to compile a list of ways that this business school will continue to propel its students into the best opportunities in the nation. 

With its determination to always reach for a better future, this program inspires students to look beyond their present into a brighter future. 

1. University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business (Philadelphia, PA)

Public domain photo via Wikimedia Commons

Through its unique blend of liberal arts, business, and practical research, the Wharton School of Business sets itself apart as the top business school in this nation.

While many other business schools reserve true research opportunities for graduate students, Wharton takes pride in offering these advanced opportunities to any dedicated undergraduate ready to take on the challenge. 

The Wharton Social Impact Research Experience provides students with grants that empower their studies in the intersection of business and the environment. 

Through this powerful opportunity, students can plan their own research projects and work alongside the talented professors on staff to see their projects to fruition.

Likewise, the Warton Summer Program for Undergraduate Research allows the top students of this ambitious program the chance to dive into a ten-week program, working alongside the most dedicated faculty on staff to study any area of their chosen field. 

Sources for this ranking

US News

Poets & Quants

College Consensus

Niche (Only considered the colleges with undergraduate business schools on this list for our ranking)