IESE MBA Tops Economist Ranking For 2021

The Economist has ranked IESE number 1 in the world for its full-time MBA, honing in on the educational experience given, the strong potential to network, and the ample career opportunities available to graduates.

The international reach of the program’s alumni network was also brought to the fore.

The Economist’s ranking assesses full-time MBA programs across four areas: the creation of new career opportunities, personal development opportunities and educational experience, salary enhancement, and the potential to network. IESE’s position at the top of the list came about because of its ability to score high across all four categories.

In particular, the ranking highlighted the exceptional educational experience that IESE’s MBA offers its participants, which is based on close collaboration with diverse classmates and faculty, innovative learning methods, and personalized feedback. 

It also flagged the rich opportunities available to students for networking, thanks to the global reach of IESE’s international alumni network (some 50,000 executives worldwide). 

IESE’s program, which is taught in English from the school’s campus in Barcelona, also scored well for the post-graduate salary of its MBA alumni, and for the new career opportunities that present themselves to graduates after studying an IESE MBA. Some 96% of IESE’s MBA Class of 2019 received a job offer within three months of graduation, according to MBA CSEA reporting standards. 

“At IESE, our focus is on creating a transformational educational experience for students, one where they get stretched and challenged both in and outside the classroom,” said Marc Badia, IESE’s Associate Dean for MBA programs. 

“This result is a confirmation of our ability to maintain the highest standards across all aspects of our MBA. It takes a tremendous team effort to make the MBA so transformational for students, and it’s great to see that recognized.”

2021 marks the fourth year that IESE’s MBA has been ranked no. 1 in the world by The Economist. 

When IESE launched its full-time MBA program in 1964, it was Europe’s first two-year MBA program. Since its inception, it has continually innovated. 

Today, the program offers students a unique international experience, with roughly 85% of the class coming from abroad. The curriculum also covers the latest business topics such as AI and big data and allows students to customize the program further to their needs by earning a concentration in specific topics (such as Data Analytics & Digital Business or Entrepreneurship & Innovation) along with their MBA diploma.

IESE’s full-time MBA can be completed in either 15 or 19 months, offering the flexibility that today’s participants seek so much.

Financial Times Puts IESE at Number 4 Worldwide 

Meanwhile, the Financial Times ranked IESE’s MBA ranked no. 4 in the world alongside the Yale School of Management, with its FT Global MBA Ranking 2021. In the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR) it topped the rankings, taking pole position ahead of all other global MBA programs. 

The assessment for this criteria was made by teaching hours dedicated to social and environmental issues and ethics. 

It is the second year in a row that IESE’s MBA has been ranked first in the world for CSR, making IESE’s strength in developing responsible business leaders apparent. The CSR metric looks at course content dedicated to CSR, ethics and social and environmental issues. 

“Coming first in the world for corporate social responsibility for the second year in a row reflects our focus on social impact,” said Badia.

Throughout the MBA, students take courses covering all aspects of social, environmental and ethical issues in business. That includes dedicated courses on topics like social impact consulting, or our new joint MBA course on the Future of Capitalism, where students critically observe the current state of capitalism and explore the roles of business leadership required to create a better future.”

Aside from this factor, IESE’s MBA ranked fifth globally for the career progress of its graduates.

It is third in Europe, according to the Financial Times. 

Taken together with The Economist, these various accolades allow IESE to show its colors as as one of the best MBA programs in the world.

---

© Copyright 2025 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.