The FT MBA ranking features 100 of the world’s best full-time MBA programmes. All participating schools meet the FT’s entry criteria and are accredited by Equis or the AACSB. The FT surveys alumni three years after completing their MBA. For schools to enter the ranking calculations, the FT usually requires that a minimum of 20 per cent of alumni reply to the survey, with at least 20 fully completed surveys. The ranking considers the following 21 metrcis:

Weighted salary (16%): average alumni salary three years after completion, US$ PPP equivalent, with adjustment for variations between sectors. 

Salary increase (16%): average difference in alumni salary from before the MBA to now. Half of this figure is calculated according to the absolute salary increase and half according to the percentage increase relative to pre-MBA salary.

Value for money rank (5%): calculated using salary today, course length, tuition and other costs, including income forgone during the MBA. 

Career progress rank (3%): calculated according to changes in the level of seniority and the size of the organisation alumni work in now, compared with before their MBA. 

Aims achieved (4%): the extent to which alumni fulfilled their stated goals or reasons for studying for an MBA. 

Alumni network rank (4%): effectiveness of the alumni network for career opportunities, starting companies, gaining new ideas, recruiting staff and providing event information (eg career-related talks), as rated by alumni. 

Careers service rank (3%): effectiveness of the school careers service for career counselling, personal development, networking events, internship search and recruitment, as rated by alumni. 

Employed at three months (2%): percentage of the most recent completing class that found employment or accepted a job offer within three months of completing their studies. 

Sector diversity rank (3%): calculated according to the diversity of sectors in which the students worked at the time of admission, before the MBA. 

Female faculty (3%): percentage of female faculty.

Female students (3%): percentage of female students on the MBA.

Women on board (1%): percentage of female members on the school’s advisory board.

International faculty (3%): calculated according to the diversity of faculty by citizenship and the percentage whose citizenship differs from their location of employment. 

International students (3%): calculated according to the diversity of current MBA students by citizenship and the percentage whose citizenship differs from the location in which they study. 

International board (1%): percentage of the board whose citizenship differs from the location in which the school is based.

International mobility rank (5%): based on alumni citizenship and the locations where they worked before their MBA, on completion and three years after. 

International course experience rank (3%): calculated according to whether the most recent completing class carried out exchanges and internships, lasting at least a month, in countries other than where the school is based. In-person, virtual and hybrid experiences are included.

Faculty with doctorates (5%): percentage of full-time faculty with a doctoral degree.

FT research rank (10%): calculated according to the number of articles published by current full-time faculty members in 50 selected academic and practitioner journals from January 2021 to July 2023. The rank combines the absolute number of publications with the number weighted relative to the faculty’s size.

Carbon footprint rank (4%): calculated using the net zero target year for carbon emissions set by the university and/or school, and the existence of a publicly available carbon emissions audit report since 2019. Extra credit is given to schools with an audit report that includes Scope 3 emissions (those not controlled directly by the school but which occur externally in its value chain as a result of its activities). 

ESG and net zero teaching rank (3%): proportion of teaching hours from core courses dedicated to environmental, social and governance issues and climate solutions for how organisations can reach net zero. Alumni evaluation of their school’s ESG teaching is also included.