My MBA Career: A Critical Review of LinkedIns Debut MBA Ranking

Last Updated on November 16, 2023 by Robert C. Hoopes

LinkedIn has recently unveiled its inaugural Top MBA Programs 2023 ranking, shedding light on the best 50 American business schools for career growth. While the ranking lacks transparency, it aligns with conventional wisdom by placing Harvard Business School and Stanford GSB at the top.

One of the main concerns surrounding this ranking is the mystery behind LinkedIn’s methodology. Without a clear explanation, questions about its credibility arise. The ranking is based on five pillars, including hiring and demand, ability to advance, network strength, leadership potential, and gender diversity.

Interestingly, LinkedIn’s ranking closely mirrors the business school rankings from U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek. Nonetheless, there are some differences. For instance, U.S. News recognizes Chicago Booth as the number one program, while LinkedIn places it ninth.

The major differentiating factor of LinkedIn’s ranking is its focus on outputs and results. The ranking rewards programs that excel in higher job placement, alumni promotions, executive experience, and alumni achievement. However, the lack of index scores makes it challenging to understand the numerical differences between business schools and their quality.

Furthermore, LinkedIn’s ranking fails to answer important questions about the comparison of business schools. Factors such as the differences in ability to advance and the impact of company size and prestige remain unanswered.

Although the LinkedIn MBA ranking provides a panoramic view of how MBAs perform in the early years after graduation, it leaves many candidates with unresolved queries. To get a comprehensive understanding of the top MBA programs, the LinkedIn ranking can be compared to its counterparts at U.S. News and Bloomberg Businessweek.

In conclusion, LinkedIn’s Top MBA Programs 2023 ranking has brought attention to the best American business schools for career growth. While the ranking aligns with traditional beliefs by placing Harvard Business School and Stanford GSB at the top, its lack of transparency raises concerns about credibility. Although it closely matches other well-known rankings, there are differences, such as the placement of Chicago Booth. The focus on outputs and results rewards programs for their success in job placement and alumni achievements. However, the ranking falls short in providing index scores to comprehensively compare business schools. The unanswered questions about comparing business schools and the impact of various factors leave many MBA candidates seeking more information. Therefore, it is worth considering other rankings alongside LinkedIn’s to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the top MBA programs.