UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Smeal College of Business at Penn State has continued its trend of upward trajectory in both The Economist’s and the Financial Times’ 2021 MBA rankings — demonstrating the college’s dedication to improvement.
The Penn State Smeal Resident MBA Program has been ranked No. 28 overall in The Economist’s 2021 Full-time MBA Ranking, moving up 15 spots since last year and 55 spots since 2016.
Based on thousands of former and current student evaluations, The Economist rated 90 different MBA programs and their curriculums in the rankings, which is coined, “Which MBA?”
Programs also received a score for more specific areas, with the Smeal Resident MBA Program earning top 12 spots such as No. 4 in faculty quality, No. 5 in alumni effectiveness, No. 9 in potential to network and No. 11 in salary increase.
“The Economist Full-Time MBA rankings help shine light on aspects of the program we are most proud of,” said Ryan Hess, interim director of admissions. “From our faculty to the success of our alumni, the rankings help to prove that the Smeal MBA consistently produces high quality graduates year after year.”
The Financial Times Global MBA Ranking named the Smeal Resident MBA Program No. 47 overall, moving up 42 spots over five years. Additionally, Smeal ranked No. 4 in “value for money” globally, which is calculated using alumni salary, course length, fees and other accruing factors.
These recent industry rankings display Smeal’s commitment toward providing the most updated and effective curriculum possible for its students, which is made possible through faculty efforts.
“It’s not about re-inventing the program or making huge shifts in culture — it’s about the little things that the team does every year to make the program better than it was the year before,” said MBA Admissions Director Michael Waldhier.
“Over the past five years we’ve added flexible curriculum options, improved program diversity, built even more collaborative and inclusive communities, and found new ways to engage with our incredible alumni. The positive multi-year trend in both the Financial Times and Economist rankings says that we’re doing the right things for our students, and that’s what matters.”
The Penn State Smeal Residential MBA program is currently accepting applications. To learn more, access the program’s website.