Wharton School ranked top business school for finance by Quacquarelli Symonds

The Wharton School's MBA program was ranked as the second-best graduate business program and the top business school for finance in the world by Quacquarelli Symonds, which publishes annual ranking reports of the best worldwide universities.

Wharton ranked second best to Stanford Graduate School of Business in the global rankings of the top, full-time MBA rankings. Last year, Wharton and Stanford tied, with the programs sharing the title of the number one MBA program in the world.  

Among business schools ranked for their finance specialization, the University was first in Pennsylvania and in the Ivy League and ranked ahead of Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Business School, and Columbia Business School overall.

MBA programs were evaluated based on several factors, including class size, the average work experience of admitted students, employment and earnings prospects for graduates, diversity, and curricular offerings. 

In addition to overall rankings, QS MBA by Career Specialization Rankings evaluate business schools on the basis of intended career specialization. The ranked specializations include consulting, entrepreneurship, finance, information management, marketing, operations management, and technology. 

Within the finance concentration, Wharton topped the list with the strongest score for research strength among all ranked programs. According to QS, 36% of Wharton graduates working in the finance sector, and those working in finance also earn an average salary of US $150,000 three months after graduation. 

The QS rankings also cited the MBA program’s extensive curricular offerings, diverse student body, and unique opportunities available to students. It also drew attention to the large number of interdisciplinary and dual-degree programs Wharton offers, as well as the high-level career and earnings prospects available to graduates. 

Wharton MBA graduates currently earn a median salary of $125,000 — one of the world's highest — and 95% of students secure employment within three months of graduation, mostly in the finance and consulting sectors.

The University also placed sixth in the QS rankings of consulting, entrepreneurship, and information management concentrations. The program also secured the number 10 spot for technology.  

Wharton has consistently been ranked among the top MBA programs in the world over recent years. This year, Wharton tied Stanford for first in U.S. News and World Report's 2021 ranking of full-time MBA programs.