The annual ranking highlights the master’s degrees leading the way in finance teaching across the globe.
So, alongside the two leading institutions from France and the UK, which other business schools rank among the best Master’s in Finance programs in the world?
Methodology
Within the QS Ranking, schools are assessed across five categories. At 30%, the highest weight is given to employability, followed by alumni outcomes, value for money, and thought leadership, at 20% each. Diversity accounts for the remaining 10% of a school's overall score.
The QS Business Masters Rankings—which rank finance degrees as well as those in management, business analytics, marketing, and supply chain—include programs that are mainly taught in person and full-time. All schools must be accredited by AACSB, AMBA, or EFMD.
The rankings are then decided based on three surveys: the QS Global Employer Survey, the QS Global Academic Survey, and a survey completed by business schools themselves.
World’s best Master's in Finance | The top 10
HEC Paris takes first place in the QS MiF Ranking this year, pushing Oxford Saïd Business School down into second. The two schools have battled for the top spot in recent years, frequently swapping positions.
Also making moves is Cambridge Judge Business School, climbing to fourth place this year, up from fifth in 2025. Meanwhile, ESSEC Business School, previously ranked seventh, drops to 10th.
The top-ranked schools all boast strong alumni outcomes, with Oxford Saïd, Yale School of Management, MIT Sloan School of Management, and London Business School all featuring in the top eight for this category.
Meanwhile, HEC Paris ranks joint fifth for return on investment, alongside Swiss-based IMD Business School.
For employability—the most heavily weighted category—The Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania) takes the top spot, closely followed by MIT Sloan, which also makes the overall top 10. Two UK schools are included: London Business School (sixth) and Oxford Saïd (ninth).
Interestingly, MIT Sloan and Oxford Saïd secure joint first place for thought leadership, while ESSEC Business School is the only institution from the top 10 to feature in the diversity category, ranking joint fourth with Australia’s UNSW Business School.
Also among the top 10 are the London School of Economics (LSE) and Yale School of Management, both climbing to joint seventh place in 2026.
UCLA Anderson School of Management, based in California, also improves its standing, moving from 10th to ninth place. Meanwhile, London Business School slips one spot to fifth.
10 Best Master's in Finance Programs 2026 (QS)
A globally recognized degree
European business schools dominate the top 10, taking six out of 10 places. These include leading UK institutions such as Oxford Saïd, Cambridge Judge, and several based in London, alongside HEC Paris and ESSEC in France.
US schools, such as the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business, make up the rest of the top 10—showcasing the strong popularity and reputation of the Master’s in Finance across both the US and Europe.
While the UK and US lead at the top of the table, the wider ranking underlines the global appeal and recognition of the degree, with programs from all over the world making the list. For instance, the University of Amsterdam was the best-performing new entry, debuting at 45th place—a notable achievement for a newcomer.
Meanwhile, the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University marked the biggest improvement, climbing 22 spots to reach 65th place—a significant leap.
In total, the 2026 ranking features 248 entries in the Master’s in Finance category, including 29 new schools. Of these, 55 improved their position, 61 remained the same, and 103 dropped off.
Key takeaways
⇨ While the top-ranked schools remain unchanged across other QS specialized master’s rankings, HEC Paris overtakes Oxford Saïd to claim first place in the Master’s in Finance Ranking.
⇨ The UK and US dominate the 2026 QS Master in Finance Ranking top 10, securing eight out of 10 spots, with the remaining two going to French business schools.
⇨ A total of 248 programs feature in this year’s Master’s in Finance ranking, underlining the degree’s strong global appeal.
