WashU Olin MBA soars into global top 20 in latest Economist ranking

WashU’s full-time MBA program soared 22 spots to rank 19th in the world, 15th in the United States, in The Economist’s 2022 “Which MBA?” ranking. The program’s impressive showing came on the strength of improvements across all four major categories in the magazine’s methodology.

The publication tallies surveys and other school-provided data across four broad categories: career opportunity, personal development and educational experience, salary and “potential to network.” Olin’s MBA program rose substantially in all four.

The Olin MBA program’s global immersion—a three-continent, 38-day dive into international business for the entire cohort—likely figured into the ranking. One key dimension focuses specifically on educational experience and factors in access to overseas programs. There, Olin rose from 28th to third. The global immersion debuted with the incoming MBA cohort in the summer of 2019.

“This shows the impact of Olin’s strategic plan. I am deeply gratified to see our creative, thoughtful and innovative update to the full-time MBA recognized in this way,” said Olin Dean Mark P. Taylor. “I’m proud of our team’s work to enhance the curriculum, strengthen career services and broaden our global experience.”

Olin’s commitment to diversity

The ranking also hailed Olin’s commitment to diversity, noting a jump of 44 spots to 29th for student and faculty diversity. Meanwhile, The Economist also noted Olin’s strength in career services, notably the diversity of recruiters tapping into Olin’s student body, strong improvement in MBA salary numbers and solid improvement for alumni career services.

Olin’s top 20 appearance in The Economist’s tally arrives only months after the Financial Times’ global MBA ranking placed Olin at 29th in the world and 20th in the United States. That capped a five-year trend in the FT ranking as Olin moved up 39 spots—a trend Poets & Quants noted had singularly distinguished Olin above other schools.

And in another 2022 ranking, Olin’s strength in several similar career metrics pushed its program into the top 30 by US News & World Report, leaping seven spots to 29th.