How Do We Rank the Best MBA Programs in Each State?
Choosing an MBA program requires more than a glance at the school’s reputation or curriculum. It encompasses a broad spectrum of factors such as the return on investment (ROI), starting salary, tuition costs, and career progression. Further elements to incorporate into your calculus when choosing the right program include the student/faculty ratio, offered concentrations, 3rd party rankings, average GMAT score, post-graduation salary, and accreditation, which assures the quality and excellence of the program.
This is our comprehensive evaluation approach, which empowers you to make a strategic decision for the MBA programs you decide to apply to and attend. First, we assemble a list of all accredited business schools offering MBA programs in each state, and then rank them based on our methodology and the following factors:
- Program quality and desirability: student/faculty ratio, tuition and fees, enrollment, concentrations offered, 3rd party rankings, average GMAT score, average salary after graduation, AACSB accreditation: 50%
- MBAGuide’s editorial ranking of the business school’s reputation: 10%
- The affordability of the programs offered by the business school: 20%
- An ROI of 150% when calculating tuition to starting graduate salary: 20%
- About the Author
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Jeff Morrow is the Publisher of MBAGuide.org, where he leads content strategy, program evaluation, and data-driven rankings for prospective MBA students. Drawing from over three decades of experience in digital publishing, marketing, and platform development, Jeff helps readers make informed, confident decisions about their graduate business education. His focus on transparency, affordability, and outcomes has positioned MBAGuide.org as a trusted resource for comparing online MBA programs across the U.S. for over 10 years.
Before launching MBAGuide.org, Jeff held senior roles at Microsoft, CareerBuilder, and several venture-backed startups. At Microsoft, he managed the redesign and daily operations of TechNet, the company’s primary support portal for IT professionals. He drove major improvements in user experience, search optimization, and cost efficiency. His career has spanned content strategy, product marketing, and consulting for high-growth digital and SaaS ventures—experience he now channels into helping future business leaders navigate their MBA journey.
Jeff holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from UCLA.
