25 Best Undergraduate Business Schools 2020
Ranked below are the top 24 colleges that offer a bachelor's degree in business based on the median first-year earnings of graduates with this degree. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor tops the list with a starting salary of $76,900. Graduates of University of California - Berkeley have a median student debt of $14,000, which is the lowest amount owed by graduates of the schools ranked in this list. Median starting salaries on this list range between $57,900 and $76,900.
Tuition, median salaries, and median debt were reported by the U.S. Department of Education in November 2019. View our methodology for more details about these rankings or read more about the top-ranked schools.
2020 Best Colleges Highlights
Learn more about the top colleges for a Bachelor's in Business degree. You can also read student reviews of each school by clicking on the stars. Although student reviews were not used as a ranking factor in this list, we provide ratings and reviews so students can consider the experience of alumni in their decision-making process.
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor offers a Bachelor’s in Business Administration program which allows students to experience core business classes with a group of roughly 80 other students, and undergo a Signature Learning Experience which highlights business themes and involves a week-long entrepreneurial challenge for students to showcase what they’ve learned.
The other half of required courses take place at other schools on campus, allowing students to pursue an additional degree or minor, which 36% of Ross undergrads choose to do. There are also specialized focused programs available, such as the Cappo Sales Track which prepares students for success in sales, or the Carson Scholars program in which students get an intimate view of how business and government overlap via a 3-credit course in Washington, D.C. In addition, workshops, guest speakers, and career recruitment opportunities designed to reverse the underrepresentation of women in finance are available through the Och Initiative for Women in Finance.
Other Institutes and Initiatives include the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, the Center for Positive Organization, the Sanger Leadership Center, and many others that are offered through partnerships with other schools and businesses. Global student experiences are available to those in the program, including short-term and summer experiences, global semester exchanges, global fellowships, and more. A total of 186 companies hired graduates in 2019, with 97% of graduates receiving job offers by the end of September.
Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business' Undergraduate Business program provides students with smaller class sizes, allowing for more personal support and attention as well as stronger connections with professors and faculty. The program's curriculum focuses on the areas of economics, mathematics, and computing in addition to business, and also offers 11 different concentrations in the business arena for students to choose from, including accounting, business analytics, business technology, entrepreneurship, finance, graphic media management, marketing, and more. Students are required to complete a minor through any of CMU's schools and colleges, and may also choose to pursue an additional major or study abroad.
CMU's Career and Professional Development Center offers students the opportunity to explore internship and job options, as well as interact with experienced professionals, resulting in many students receiving job offers in the field prior to graduation. Graduates of the program are employed across the country and globe in areas of business consulting, banking and finance, logistics, private equity, software, insurance, pharmaceuticals, and more. Alumni also earn some of the highest salaries among graduates of the nation's top business schools with a median starting salary of over $75,000. Several scholarships are available to undergraduate business students through the Tepper School, and qualified students may apply for them once they’re enrolled.
The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree program available through the University of California - Berkeley’s Haas School of Business integrates coursework with the university’s liberal arts curriculum, providing graduates with a well-rounded education. There are two pathways available to students, both of which are selective four-year programs.
The Global Management Program focuses on helping students become leaders in communications, financial services, social sector solutions, foreign affairs, management consulting, and other areas. The program also blends general education, business, and broad cultural understanding, including a mandatory semester abroad during the fall of freshman year as part of Berkeley’s Global Edge experience.
The other pathway is the Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology program, which is a fully integrated, dual-degree program. Students earn both a bachelor of science in business as well as their choice of a degree in electrical engineering, computer sciences, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, industrial engineering & operations research, or bioengineering.
The Haas School accepts transfer students and continuing UC Berkeley students, provided they meet prerequisites and degree requirements. To sharpen their skills, students are also able to participate in case analysis competitions at the Haas School, as well as at numerous universities around the globe. Many business administration students go on to pursue careers in banking and finance, management, accounting, consulting, real estate, and other areas. When making post-graduation plans, UC Berkeley’s Career Center provides students with job search tools, events and workshops, career counseling, and 14 career fairs each year.
At the Goizueta Business School at Emory University, students in the BBA program are able to choose to focus in a primary area of accounting, finance, marketing, information systems & operations management, or strategy and management consulting, as well as a secondary area in analytic consulting, business & society, entrepreneurship, international business, or real estate. In collaboration with Emory College, the business school also offers concentrations in areas such as arts management, environmental management, film & media management, health innovation, and business beyond borders. There are also opportunities for students to earn their master's degree at Goizueta as well as an undergraduate engineering degree from Georgia Tech in addition to their BBA.
The core curriculum is broken up into functional courses, such as managerial accounting, corporate finance, and strategic management, and development courses, such as business communications, junior and senior seminars, and a senior capstone. There are also general education course requirements, as well as pre-requisites in mathematics, economics, and writing that must be completed for admission into the BBA program. For those looking for financial aid, Emory has several scholarships available including merit scholarships for incoming freshmen, and several specific to BBA students. Coaching and professional development are provided to all BBA students, and graduates have an incredibly high rate of employment in the field, with 96% of alumni reporting employment.
The University of North Carolina offers a rigorous undergraduate business education through its Kenan-Flager Business School, focusing on essential problem-solving, analytical, collaboration, and teamwork skills that can be applied to work in numerous fields such as finance and consulting, and in commercial, government, and non-profit sectors. Students may complete up to two areas of emphasis as part of their major, including consulting, entrepreneurship, investment banking, investment management, marketing management & sales, multinational finance, operations, and real estate.
Before being admitted to the business major, students must complete general education requirements and prerequisites. There are numerous electives available to students, both in business subjects as well as outside the subject, which prompts almost 60% of students to pursue an additional major or acquire a minor. Over 40 study abroad programs are available exclusively to Business students, allowing them to learn how business is done around the world. Students participating in the Global Immersion elective will spend 1-2 weeks studying in a foreign country, while those in the Globe program will cross three continents in an immersive 18-month program.
Graduates of the program can benefit from UNC's Undergraduate Business Career Service team, which offers career advising, job postings, career development, and more. Alumni have access to University Career Services (UCS), which provides additional resources such as mock interviews, assessments, and career events. Graduates are in high demand, with the graduating class of 2018 reporting 97% employment and a median salary of over $70,000.