P&Q’s Must Reads: 2024 MBA Salaries, Bonuses & Job Placement Rates At 30 Top-Ranked B-Schools

Hello everyone  — Welcome back to Poets&Quants’ Must Reads, a quick, digestible recap of the top business school news, sponsored by CentreCourt, P&Q‘s virtual admission events.

I’m your host, Kristy Bleizeffer, and I’ll be highlighting the most important P&Q stories you might have missed. So, let’s get to it. 

No. 1: 2024 MBA Salaries, Bonuses & Job Placement Rates At 30 Top-Ranked B-Schools

We know from individual business schools’ employment reports that 2024 was a tough year for MBAs on the job hunt. Here, in one place, are the numbers, in all their stark detail, from 30 of the leading U.S. B-schools.

To begin: Only two schools among the 30 reported job offers and acceptance rates for their MBAs higher than the classes that graduated in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic.

See just how stark the declines in employment and other important metrics were for top business schools in this story, up in our trending tab.

No. 2: Will International B-School Students Steer Clear Of The U.S. Under Trump? Experts Weigh In

Donald Trump’s increasing attacks on higher education — which include an investigation into an organization that has promoted B-school faculty diversity for three decades — have many observers, inside graduate business education and out, suggesting a looming crushing effect on the international student populations that B-schools rely on.

Poets&Quants asked top admissions consultants what they are seeing so far from their international clients two months into the new administration.

Read their reactions in this story, up now on our homepage.

No. 3: Best Undergraduate Business Schools Of 2025

Over on our sister site, Poets&Quants for Undergrads, we present our annual ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Schools.

And, surprising no one, The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has again claimed the top spot, making it the most dominant undergraduate program since we’ve been ranking them.

You can dig into all the data in this story, which is up now at Poets&Quants For Undergrads.

No. 4: Our Weekly Round Up of  News You Can Use

No matter where you are in your MBA journey, we bring several helpful stories for you this week.

First up: The Ultimate MBA Application Timeline. This article, now up on our homepage, offers a structured roadmap to help you plan effectively, meet key milestones & submit a compelling application to your target B-schools

Next: INSEAD Revamps Its MBA Application Essays. This story outlines the most substantial refresh of the MBA application essays in years. Find it in our admissions hub.

Finally: Finding Your Best MBA Admissions Consultant: This story, also in our admission hub, offers a guide for applicants looking for the consultant right for them. 

And, that’s it for this week’s Must Reads recap. 

I also want to alert school seekers to our events tab from our main menu. There, you’ll find all the upcoming admissions events for a range of degrees and programs including full-time and online MBAs, specialized masters, entrepreneurship and more. Registration is free.

Again, I’m Kristy Bleizeffer, and you can join me next week, right here, for a recap of what’s important in the world of business education. Thanks for listening.