# Best Colleges for Business

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: By Major
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-colleges-business

## Methodology

Composite score + program concentration bonus for Business & Marketing

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Choosing the right college for a business degree can be daunting, especially with so many options available. Families want to ensure that their investment leads to solid career outcomes and financial stability. The average earnings for graduates from these top business programs stand at $81,165, signaling a strong return on investment.

What separates the schools on this list from others? Key factors include graduation rates, average earnings, student debt, and mobility. A school that combines a high graduation rate with low debt and strong earnings is likely to provide students with the best chance of success after graduation. As you review the list below, consider how each school's data reflects their ability to prepare students for the business world.

For example, CUNY Bernard M Baruch College and Babson College both offer solid business programs, but their outcomes differ significantly. Baruch graduates earn an average of $75,971, with a graduation rate of 72%, while Babson graduates see earnings climb to $123,938 and a 93% graduation rate. This contrast highlights the importance of not just looking at the program name but also at the tangible results it produces.

## Key Findings

- CUNY Bernard M Baruch College has a graduation rate of 72% and an average debt of $11,512.
- Babson College graduates earn an average of $123,938, the highest in this list.
- University of Notre Dame has a net price of $26,780, significantly higher than Baruch's $3,033.
- The average earnings for graduates from these top business programs is $81,165.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [CUNY Bernard M Baruch College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college) | New York, NY | 72% | $75,971 | $3,033 | $11,512 | 0.15x |
| 2 | [Washington and Lee University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/washington-and-lee-university) | Lexington, VA | 94% | $94,810 | $23,781 | $19,500 | 0.21x |
| 3 | [Babson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/babson-college) | Wellesley, MA | 93% | $123,938 | $40,514 | $20,000 | 0.16x |
| 4 | [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-brooklyn-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 55% | $60,752 | $3,103 | $11,000 | 0.18x |
| 5 | [Cornell University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cornell-university) | Ithaca, NY | 95% | $104,043 | $28,690 | $14,000 | 0.13x |
| 6 | [Emory University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/emory-university) | Atlanta, GA | 91% | $80,137 | $22,585 | $18,250 | 0.23x |
| 7 | [University of Georgia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-georgia) | Athens, GA | 89% | $68,726 | $13,936 | $18,500 | 0.27x |
| 8 | [University of Notre Dame](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-notre-dame) | Notre Dame, IN | 96% | $99,980 | $26,780 | $19,000 | 0.19x |
| 9 | [Bentley University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bentley-university) | Waltham, MA | 88% | $120,959 | $37,930 | $25,023 | 0.21x |
| 10 | [University of Richmond](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-richmond) | University of Richmond, VA | 86% | $76,178 | $31,309 | $21,000 | 0.28x |
| 11 | [San Jose State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-jose-state-university) | San Jose, CA | 67% | $78,988 | $13,760 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 12 | [Saint Johns University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-johns-university) | Collegeville, MN | 76% | $76,786 | $25,672 | $27,000 | 0.35x |
| 13 | [Boston College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/boston-college) | Chestnut Hill, MA | 91% | $103,937 | $41,704 | $19,000 | 0.18x |
| 14 | [University of Southern California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-southern-california) | Los Angeles, CA | 92% | $92,498 | $32,740 | $18,000 | 0.19x |
| 15 | [Lehigh University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lehigh-university) | Bethlehem, PA | 89% | $105,584 | $36,931 | $21,960 | 0.21x |
| 16 | [Trinity University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/trinity-university) | San Antonio, TX | 83% | $71,668 | $23,464 | $22,954 | 0.32x |
| 17 | [Ramapo College of New Jersey](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ramapo-college-of-new-jersey) | Mahwah, NJ | 71% | $67,541 | $18,173 | $21,000 | 0.31x |
| 18 | [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/santa-clara-university) | Santa Clara, CA | 88% | $109,183 | $50,062 | $19,162 | 0.18x |
| 19 | [University of Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida) | Gainesville, FL | 91% | $71,588 | $6,541 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 20 | [Florida International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-international-university) | Miami, FL | 74% | $60,249 | $9,288 | $16,500 | 0.27x |
| 21 | [Loyola University Maryland](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/loyola-university-maryland) | Baltimore, MD | 80% | $82,652 | $30,574 | $27,000 | 0.33x |
| 22 | [Florida State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-state-university) | Tallahassee, FL | 84% | $61,675 | $11,297 | $18,000 | 0.29x |
| 23 | [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus) | Atlanta, GA | 93% | $102,772 | $12,116 | $21,672 | 0.21x |
| 24 | [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university) | Blacksburg, VA | 86% | $81,698 | $24,953 | $21,500 | 0.26x |
| 25 | [Georgetown University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgetown-university) | Washington, DC | 95% | $103,494 | $40,815 | $15,500 | 0.15x |
| 26 | [Northeastern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northeastern-university) | Boston, MA | 90% | $92,538 | $30,915 | $24,250 | 0.26x |
| 27 | [Fort Hays State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fort-hays-state-university) | Hays, KS | 48% | $48,928 | $12,569 | $21,000 | 0.43x |
| 28 | [University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania) | Philadelphia, PA | 97% | $111,371 | $28,699 | $15,715 | 0.14x |
| 29 | [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) | Chapel Hill, NC | 92% | $72,200 | $11,655 | $14,000 | 0.19x |
| 30 | [Wake Forest University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wake-forest-university) | Winston-Salem, NC | 90% | $78,158 | $28,719 | $21,500 | 0.28x |
| 31 | [San Diego State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university) | San Diego, CA | 77% | $64,909 | $15,364 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 32 | [University of San Diego](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-san-diego) | San Diego, CA | 83% | $86,522 | $30,365 | $22,940 | 0.27x |
| 33 | [Washington University in St Louis](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis) | St. Louis, MO | 94% | $86,182 | $21,786 | $17,500 | 0.2x |
| 34 | [Texas Christian University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-christian-university) | Fort Worth, TX | 86% | $68,424 | $36,660 | $21,500 | 0.31x |
| 35 | [Florida Atlantic University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-atlantic-university) | Boca Raton, FL | 63% | $56,746 | $8,752 | $17,236 | 0.3x |
| 36 | [Brigham Young University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/brigham-young-university) | Provo, UT | 82% | $75,790 | $15,564 | $11,069 | 0.15x |
| 37 | [Saint Peter's University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-peters-university) | Jersey City, NJ | 61% | $57,815 | $12,199 | $20,500 | 0.35x |
| 38 | [Trevecca Nazarene University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/trevecca-nazarene-university) | Nashville, TN | 54% | $49,378 | $16,813 | $18,744 | 0.38x |
| 39 | [Rice University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/rice-university) | Houston, TX | 95% | $89,718 | $13,370 | $11,000 | 0.12x |
| 40 | [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 93% | $114,862 | $31,944 | $21,750 | 0.19x |
| 41 | [University of Denver](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-denver) | Denver, CO | 77% | $71,155 | $36,131 | $21,844 | 0.31x |
| 42 | [North Park University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-park-university) | Chicago, IL | 57% | $59,572 | $16,948 | $25,500 | 0.43x |
| 43 | [Boston University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/boston-university) | Boston, MA | 89% | $83,238 | $24,402 | $23,250 | 0.28x |
| 44 | [Wofford College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wofford-college) | Spartanburg, SC | 82% | $68,964 | $18,732 | $25,732 | 0.37x |
| 45 | [State University of New York at Plattsburgh](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/state-university-of-new-york-at-plattsburgh) | Plattsburgh, NY | 59% | $56,403 | $17,156 | $21,196 | 0.38x |
| 46 | [Villanova University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/villanova-university) | Villanova, PA | 92% | $100,423 | $43,756 | $25,874 | 0.26x |
| 47 | [CUNY Lehman College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-lehman-college) | Bronx, NY | 50% | $58,013 | $3,148 | $10,950 | 0.19x |
| 48 | [University of Central Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-florida) | Orlando, FL | 77% | $58,308 | $10,411 | $18,190 | 0.31x |
| 49 | [University of North Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-florida) | Jacksonville, FL | 69% | $56,343 | $10,154 | $15,531 | 0.28x |
| 50 | [Clemson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/clemson-university) | Clemson, SC | 87% | $71,513 | $22,253 | $21,500 | 0.3x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Colleges for Business." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-colleges-business

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.