When you’re enrolling in an MBA or business master's degree, you’ll likely be expecting a world class education. From company CEOs to former politicians, US business schools generally attract the best faculty.
The Princeton Review recently listed the 10 US business schools with the best professors, according to students in the class of 2020.
The ranking combines student ratings of their professors, integration of new business trends in the curriculum, their professors’ accessibility outside of the classroom, and an assessment of their classmates’ contributions in class discussions.
Here are the 10 best business schools for professors and a breakdown of the top three:
10 Best Business Schools For Professors
Top 3
3.
Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management
Cornell Johnson values outstanding teaching, enough to have set up in-house faculty awards for it. This year’s 'Best Teaching Award' went to Luo Zuo, associate professor of accounting, while professor of finance Ming Huang was named 'Star Professor'.
The school considers its “immersion learning” approach to be one of its strongest distinguishing factors, creating reality-based situations for students to engage with.
2.
University of Michigan Ross School of Business
Michigan Ross’s second-place ranking also demonstrates a strong marriage between great research and great teaching.
The list of awards racked up by Michigan Ross profs is formidable. Most recently, in September 2020, the Academy of Management honoured no less than four of them at once: Sue Ashford, James Walsh, Lindy Greer and Jane Dutton.
Ashford’s was a lifetime achievement award honouring a body of research work in the areas of individual proactivity, leadership, job insecurity, and the gig economy. For Dutton, a professor emeritus, this was only the latest honour in a distinguished career.
Michigan Ross has a long history with experiential learning. They broke ground with their pioneering Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP) approach nearly 30 years ago, and the endeavor entered its latest phase in 2018 with the introduction of Ross Experiences in Action-Based Learning (REAL).
1.
University of Virginia Darden School of Business
To anyone familiar with Darden, the first-place ranking of its teaching comes as no surprise: the school was ranked the number one educational experience in the world for eight years up to 2018.
MBA students from the class of 2020 had already been surveyed in June by Bloomberg Businessweek and had scored Darden a perfect 100 in the category of 'inspiring and supportive' professors.
This achievement has been no accident: Darden reveres great teaching. Darden profs include luminaries such as Greg Fairchild, who teaches strategic management, entrepreneurship, and ethics. Fairchild has been named one of the 20 most influential business professors alive today, with his work cited in major publications including Fortune, The Economist and The New York Times.
The school is also looking to the future by investing in up-and-coming young academics who are already making their mark. In 2020, BusinessBecause included Gaurav Chiplunkar in our selection of 20 professors to watch.
Looking at how these three schools have distinguished themselves in terms of their teaching, certain factors keep coming up: an emphasis on teaching as an end in itself; professors who marry academic strength with the ability to communicate on their subject; and educational approaches that get students as engaged as their passionate faculty.
Finding yourself in CMU is such a great blessing. The amazing and great professors and lots of networking opportunities. I was in the faculty of engineering and here the course work was very interesting. The lecturers were very strict and couldn't accept late submission of assignments and work given. This made us very focused. The students are generally good and friendly
Joel
Verified
8/11/2022
On Campus
Excellence and Academic Integrity
CMU is one of the top class universities in Pittsburgh. It is a multi-diverse university with high regard for academic integrity, excellence, and innovation. It consists of different programs and departments that work together to achieve a common goal. I enjoy the convenience of moving from one building to the other. The faculty and staff are super friendly. It is relatively easy to make connections with other students, especially where collaboratory research is necessary. I would definitely recommend CMU to anyone looking for a muti-diverse academic experience.
Student
Verified
15/08/2023
On Campus
Stressful yet worthwhile
I've been genuinely impressed with the fusion of creativity and innovation at CMU. The professors are a mixed bag-- some are great and life-changing, but I had a couple (mostly gen eds in freshman year) that were really frustrating. The workload can be intense, and it's no joke. Campus was very lively; clubs, events, etc. – there's something for everyone. Pittsburgh in general has some areas that are great, and others that disappoint-- Oakland is a very nice university town area. Overall, CMU is a hotbed of innovation and learning, but the pace and location do come into play.
Tom
Verified
1/03/2023
On Campus
Quite demanding here
Carnegie Mellon is a demanding academic institution where students are expected to put in a lot of effort. Despite the challenging coursework and constant workload, this environment teaches you how to speak for yourself and stand up for what you believe in. The institution also has a strong graduate network, which helps you succeed in the job hunt both while you are enrolled there and after
Student
Verified
3/09/2024
On Campus
Transformative Learning
My time at Carnegie Mellon university has been truly transformative, opening up a wide array of opportunities that move beyond the traditional classroom experience. Participation in webinars and seminars has allowed me to explore various topics that are not typically included in the standard curriculum. This exposure has helped equip students like myself with essential tools to effectively navigate our complex world.
Assynath
Verified
20/01/2025
On Campus
CMU Africa: Educating the next African generation.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa offers master's degrees in technology and engineering fields. The campus has good facilities, high-quality education, focuses on African challenges, and students from many African nations. It aims to create tech leaders for Africa's future. I would recommend this university.
Student
Verified
5/06/2025
On Campus
A Well Rounded View from Diverse Minds
Carnegie Mellon University does a great job of attracting diverse minds for the staff and the student body. There was a good balance of in and out of class activities and clubs offered to students. The student body is filled with high achieving individuals so attention to work life balance was encouraged. Classes offered challenging activities, but support was available if you were not keeping up. I felt challenged and supported as a student.
Student
Verified
11/06/2025
On Campus
Nice course design
I had a good experience with this university overall. The course was well structured and the content was thoughtfully designed. I appreciated how the professors encouraged critical thinking and provided real-world applications. One thing I really liked was the flexibility in assignments and the supportive learning environment.
