The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has claimed the top spot in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report MBA rankings, breaking last year’s tie with Stanford Graduate School of Business. Stanford now shares second place with Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, followed by Chicago Booth and MIT Sloan rounding out the Top 5.
Kellogg made notable gains this year, not only in the full-time MBA rankings but also by tying for #1 in the part-time MBA category alongside Booth and Berkeley Haas.
Harvard Business School remains in sixth place, though this year it shares the position with NYU Stern and Dartmouth Tuck. Yale secured the final Top 10 spot, while Columbia landed at No. 9.
Big movers include Ohio State’s Fisher (up 7 spots to No. 24) and University of Washington’s Foster (up 5 to No. 22). Meanwhile, UNC Kenan-Flagler fell out of the Top 25 to No. 28.
While rankings offer insight into employment outcomes, starting salaries, and selectivity, many business school leaders question their volatility—especially for programs with smaller cohorts. Still, the U.S. News MBA list remains the most influential among prospective students and recruiters alike.
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U.S. NEWS MBA RANKINGS: TOP TEN

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One reply on “Wharton Tops 2025 U.S. News MBA Rankings”
These rankings may shift from year to year, but Wharton consistently remains among the top business schools. If I were fortunate enough to be accepted into any of these programs, none would compare to Wharton at UPenn—it truly stands in a league of its own.