P&Q’s Must Reads: Poets&Quants’ 2025-2026 MBA Ranking

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: Poets&Quants 2025-2026 MBA Ranking

Kellogg has done it again. For the second year in a row, Northwestern University’s business school finishes No. 1 in Poets&Quants’ ranking of the best full-time MBA programs in the U.S., solidifying the momentum that began in 2024 when the school took the top spot for the first time.

Harvard rises to No. 2 in the composite ranking – now in its 16th year – which assesses placement in five of the most reputable MBA rankings.

You can find the full ranking, as well as our analysis, now on our homepage.

No. 2: Poets&Quants’ 2025-2026 International MBA Ranking

And, in other major ranking news, INSEAD once again finishes No. 1 in P&Q’s composite international MBA ranking. The school claims the top spot for the 11th time in the 16 years we have published the list, and third in a row – a run of dominance unmatched anywhere in graduate management education.

This year’s ranking reaffirms a trend of the Big Three of INSEAD, IESE, and London Business School consistently leading an increasingly competitive global field.

See the full results, now in our ranking tab.

No. 3: Stanford MBA Jobs: GSBers’ Total Pay Declines For A 2nd Straight Year

For Stanford Graduate School of Business MBAs, 2025 was a year of steadier footing — and a quieter warning.

Base salaries rose modestly, median salaries held at a record level, and job placement improved slightly from a year earlier. But when bonuses and incentive pay are factored in, total compensation slipped for a second straight year

It’s just the latest in a series of employment reports from major MBA programs in the U.S. to show a hiring environment that continues to be sluggish. You can find other employment analysis for 2025 graduates in our Careers and Pay tab from the main menu, or read Stanford’s full report from our homepage.

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: When Is The Perfect Time To Get An MBA?. This insider perspective explains why waiting for ideal timing can quietly stall your career. Find it on our homepage.

Next: Don’t Sabotage Yourself. This advice column from our friends at North Star Admissions covers the common pitfalls in round 2 MBA applications – and how to avoid them. Find the article in our admission hub

Finally: The Art Of The Elevator Pitch: Top Tips For MBA Applicants. This article, also in our admission hub, helps you answer the ever important question: “Tell me about yourself.”

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.

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