What are M7 business schools?
The M7 business schools are thought to be the seven best in the United States when it comes to graduate management education. Their MBA programs are some of the best in the world, and they are extremely picky about who they let in, so it’s no surprise that the acronym stands for “magnificent.”
How many business schools are in the M7?
As the name suggests, seven business schools are in the Elite M7 business schools. Years ago, the deans of the seven most influential private business schools got together to create an informal network known as M7. The network convenes twice every year to share information and chat about some of the most pressing issues in graduate business education. The schools hold two annual meetings to exchange information and ideas about graduate management programs.
These seven schools make up the M7 and they are
- Harvard Business School
- Stanford Graduate School of Business
- The Wharton School
- Kellogg School of Management
- Columbia Business School
- Chicago Booth School of Business
- MIT Sloan School of Management
What is an M7 MBA? Why should you get an M7 MBA?
An MBA from one of the above-mentioned elite institutions is known as an M7 MBA.
If you want to get a good return on your MBA investment, consider applying to one of the M7 schools, which frequently score near the top of worldwide MBA rankings thanks to their cutting-edge research, illustrious faculty, rigorous coursework, and successful alumni networks.
If you want to advance your career and increase your earning potential, enrolling in the full-time MBA program at one of the M7 business schools is a terrific first step. Top-tier companies from every sector actively seek graduates from these institutions.
To reiterate, joining an M7 business school also gives you access to top faculty, real-world experiences, and accomplished peers and alumni, among other things.
How are the M7 business schools ranked?
Take a look at how US News, Financial Times, and QS rank the M7 business schools:
| Business School | US News | Financial Times | QS |
| Harvard Business School | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Stanford Graduate School of Business | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| The Wharton School | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Kellogg School of Management | 3 | 5 | 14 |
| Columbia Business School | 8 | 2 | 8 |
| Chicago Booth School of Business | 1 | 7 | 13 |
| MIT Sloan School of Management | 5 | 11 | 6 |
All M7 business schools are ranked highly in reputed global MBA rankings. But, how do they rank keeping in mind different specializations? Let’s find out.
MBA Rankings by Specialization
According to the QS ranking for 2021, Stanford GSB is the best school for Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and Technology. Wharton is the best school for Finance and Consulting.
Check out the ranking of MBA career specializations at M7 business schools:
| School Name | Consulting | Finance | Marketing | Technology | Entrepreneurship |
| Harvard Business School | 4 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 2 |
| Stanford Graduate School of Business | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| The Wharton School | 1 | 1 | 18 | 8 | 10 |
| Kellogg School of Management | 18 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 27 |
| Columbia Business School | 8 | 4 | 13 | 14 | 20 |
| Chicago Booth School of Business | 3 | 6 | NA | 20 | 33 |
| MIT Sloan School of Management | 2 | 16 | NA | 2 | 9 |
Now that you know how M7 business schools rank, let’s find out how M7 business schools’ class profiles look like.
Do you want to get into M7 business schools?
At Crack The MBA, we have helped hundreds of students get into top MBA programs around the world. We would be happy to help you too. Get in touch with us to learn more about our MBA application services.
M7 business schools – MBA class profiles 2024
The average work experience for M7 business schools is 5 years and average GPA ranges between 3.60 and 3.76. Average GMAT and GRE scores are high with average GMAT score being 730+ and average GRE score being 325+.
Female applicants have increasingly improved their presence at M7 business schools. 50% of Wharton’s MBA class of 2024 is female. All M7 business schools have at least 40% of their class represented by women.
Columbia Business School attracts the most international students with 51% of its class of 2024 from foreign countries. This number ranges from 35% to 51% for M7 business schools.
The class size varies from school to school with Harvard Business School having the largest class of 1015 students and Stanford GSB having the smallest class with 424 students.
Here are the class profile details of the M7 business schools for their latest incoming class i.e., the class of 2024
| School Name | Class size | Average work experience | Average GPA | Average GMAT | Average GRE | % Women | % international students |
| Harvard Business School | 1015 | 5 | 3.70 | 730 | 326 | 46% | 38% |
| Stanford Graduate School of Business | 424 | 4.9 | 3.76 | 737 | 327 | 44% | 37% |
| The Wharton School | 877 | 5 | 3.6 | 733 | 324 | 50% | 35% |
| Kellogg School of Management | 503 | 5 | 3.7 | 729 | 325 | 48% | 38% |
| Columbia Business School | 844 | 5 | 3.6 | 729 | NA | 44% | 51% |
| Chicago Booth School of Business | 621 | 5 | 3.6 | 729 | 327 | 40% | 37% |
| MIT Sloan School of Management | 408 | 5 | 3.62 | 730 | NA | 46% | 40% |
M7 business schools – Employment Statistics
M7 business schools are known for helping students boost their career and earning potential. It’s quite evident from the employment figures. These employment statistics are for the class of 2022.
The employment figures are yet to be updated for Stanford GSB and Columbia Business School for the class of 2022. However, it’s safe to assume that all M7 business schools’ median salaries range from $165,000 to $175,000 with more than 95% of the class getting employment offers within 3 months of graduating.
| School Name | Median Salary | Median Signing Bonus | Median Performance Bonus | % of the class that received an offer |
| Harvard Business School | $175,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | 95% |
| Stanford GSB* | $158,400 | $30,000 | $37,750 | 96% |
| The Wharton School | $175,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 | 99% |
| Kellogg School of Management | $165,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 | 99% |
| Columbia Business School* | $150,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 | 94% |
| Chicago Booth School of Business | $175,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 | 97% |
| MIT Sloan School of Management | $165,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 | 97% |
*The employment data hasn’t been updated by the business school for the class of 2022. The data considered here is for the class of 2021.
Let’s also look at what percentage of the class finds employment opportunities in the 3 biggest industries i.e., Consulting, Financial Services, and Technology. Here are the latest figures:
| School Name | Consulting | Financial Services | Technology |
| Harvard Business School | 26% | 33% | 19% |
| Stanford Graduate School of Business | 15% | 34% | 28% |
| The Wharton School | 24% | 39% | 17% |
| Kellogg School of Management | 40% | 16% | 21% |
| Columbia Business School | 33% | 36% | 17% |
| Chicago Booth School of Business | 35% | 35% | 15% |
| MIT Sloan School of Management | 31% | 23% | 23% |
Now that you know your earning potential from an M7 MBA, let’s find out how much it costs to attend an M7 business school.
M7 business schools – Cost of attendance
Education at M7 business schools is expensive. One year’s cost of attendance can range from $100,000 to $130,000 depending on the cost of living, family members (if your spouse and children are also going to be with you), and the lifestyle you want to maintain. However, there are a few fixed costs that everyone has to bear irrespective of these factors. Here is a table outlining the fixed cost of attendance for 1 year at M7 business schools.
| School Name | Tuition | Books, materials, and other admin fees | Health insurance and service fee | TOTAL (1 year) |
| Harvard Business School | $73,440 | $2,550 | $5,384 | $81,374 |
| Stanford Graduate School of Business | $76,950 | $2,655 | $7,491 | $87,096 |
| The Wharton School | $84,874 | $6,778 | $4,029 | $95,681 |
| Kellogg School of Management | $78,276 | $3,047 | $5,478 | $86,801 |
| Columbia Business School | $80,472 | $4,423 | $5,497 | $90,392 |
| Chicago Booth School of Business | $77,841 | $3,284 | $7,086 | $88,211 |
| MIT Sloan School of Management | $80,400 | $3,604 | $9,657 | $93,661 |
Looking at the above figures, it’s safe to say that the complete cost of attendance for two years at an M7 business school is ~$250,000 or approximately INR 2 crores.
Now that you have a sense of how much it costs to attend an M7 business school, let’s see the lifelong value that being a part of an M7 business school can add to your life. Here are details on the alumni networks of M7 business schools.
Do you want to get into one of the M7 business schools?
At Crack The MBA, we have helped hundreds of students get into top MBA programs around the world. We would be happy to help you too. Get in touch with us to learn more about our MBA application services.
M7 MBA Alumni Networks
A robust alum network provides you with invaluable contacts, insights, information, and inroads into a new profession or industry, in addition to giving you the chance to stay engaged and involved with your classmates.
Alumni can be a great source of support as you go through life. Talking to alumni of desired business schools can help you learn more about the school’s culture, its alumni network, and employment opportunities.
A Bloomberg survey ranked Stanford’s alumni network as the best of all schools for helping graduates find employment.
Nearly 15,000 MBA alumni from 126 different schools around the world took part in the survey and rated their school’s alumni network in its depth, breadth, and responsiveness. Based on their alumni networks, here is how the M7 business schools are ranked:
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School has about 85,000 alumni in 173 countries. Leaders in many fields, HBS grads have risen to the top. There are 104 alumni clubs that offer professional, social, and educational initiatives to global leaders.
Here are a few well-known HBS MBA graduates:
- Rahul Bajaj, 1964 – CEO of Bajaj Auto
- Sheryl Sandberg, 1995 – COO of Facebook
- George W. Bush, 1975 – 43rd President of the United States and former Governor of Texas
- Salman Khan, 2003 – founder of Khan Academy
- Naina Lal Kidwai, 1982 – Group General Manager and Country Head of HSBC India
- Robert Kraft, 1965 – chairman and CEO of The Kraft Group, owner of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution
- Michael Bloomberg, 1966 – CEO of Bloomberg LP and former mayor of New York City
- Stephen Schwarzman, 1972 – Chairman and CEO of the Blackstone Group
- Ray Dalio, 1973 – Founder and Co-Chief Investment Officer of the Bridgewater Associates
- Jamie Dimon, 1982 – CEO and chairman of JPMorgan Chase
Stanford GSB
With over 30,000 graduates, the Stanford Graduate School of Business has a large and active alumni community that is actively engaged in fostering professional growth and fostering strong networks for its members.
Some famous people who went to Stanford GSB include:
- Mukesh Ambani, Billionaire Indian Businessman and Chairman of Reliance industries
- Phil Knight, Billionaire Founder and Chairman of Nike
- Mary Barra, Chairman, and CEO of General Motors
- Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2022–present)
- Jeffrey Bewkes, Chairman and CEO of Time Warner
- Roelof Botha, Venture Capitalist, Sequoia Capital Global Head
Wharton
Wharton’s alumni network is over 100,000 alumni spread throughout 153 countries. Students, staff, and faculty can get involved in the 77 clubs that are independent, self-supporting, and run by volunteers.
Here are some of the most famous people who went to Wharton:
- Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google
- Ashwini Vaishnaw, Indian Politician and Current Minister of Railways and Minister of IT and Communications
- Robert S. Kapito, founder and president of BlackRock (world’s largest asset manager)
- Rakesh Gangwal, chairman and CEO of US Airways
- Vikram Limaye, Managing Director and CEO of the National Stock Exchange of India Limited
- Anil Ambani, chairman of Reliance Group
- Sachin Pilot, Indian politician
Columbia Business School
Over 45,000 people have graduated from Columbia Business School, and there are 80 alumni groups in different countries. The alumni network’s mission is to provide its members with a variety of networking, learning, and professional development opportunities. Here are some of the most well-known alumni from CBS include:
- Benjamin M. Rosen, MBA 1961, Former chairman and CEO of Compaq
- Beth Ford, MBA 1995, CEO of Land O’Lakes
- Beverly Leon, MBA 2020, former midfielder for Sunderland A.F.C. Ladies
- Harvey Schwartz, MBA 1996, president and COO of Goldman Sachs
- Henry Kravis, MBA 1969,[57] Founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
- Henry Swieca, MBA 1982, Co-Founder of Highbridge Capital Management, Founder of Talpion
- Jon Stein, MBA 2009, Founder and CEO of Betterment
- Jon Steinberg, MBA 2003, President of BuzzFeed
Kellogg School of Management
Across the globe, there are more than 65,000 graduates of Kellogg School of Management who are leaders in their fields. Roughly 35 alumni groups exist outside the United States, whereas there are 28 in the United States.
Some of the most well-known alumni from Kellogg’s MBA program include:
- Roshni Nadar, Executive Director, and CEO, HCL Corporation, Founder and CEO of the Shiv Nadar Foundation
- Darren Woods, Chairman, and CEO, ExxonMobil
- Pankaj Sahni – CEO at Medanta
- Kushagra Bajaj, Vice Chairman, Bajaj Hindusthan
- Chris Kubasik, former President and COO Lockheed Martin
- Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium
- Christopher Galvin, Former Chairman and CEO of Motorola
- Ginni Rometty, Former CEO of IBM (2012-2020)
Chicago Booth School of Business
Chicago Booth boasts a global alumni community of 55,000 people, with roughly 10,000 of them working in C-suite roles. There are over 90 alumni clubs throughout the world where Booth grads can continue to mingle, network, and feel a part of the global Booth family. Some of the most famous alumni of Chicago Booth include:
- Satya Nadella, CEO at Microsoft
- Jon Corzine, former CEO of Goldman Sachs, former governor of New Jersey
- Brady Dougan, former CEO of Credit Suisse Group
- James M. Kilts, founding partner of Centerview Partners; former chairman, president, and CEO of Gillette Company
- Eric Kriss, co-founder of Bain Capital
- Mark Loughridge, CFO of IBM
- Matt Maloney, co-founder and CEO of GrubHub
- Dhiraj Rajaram, founder and CEO of Mu-Sigma
MIT Sloan School of Management
MIT Sloan graduates are instantly connected to a network of more than 24,000 MIT Sloan alumni and over 136,000 MIT alumni, who are successful leaders and innovators in a wide range of companies and fields worldwide.
Some of the most famous alumni from MIT Sloan include:
- Adi Godrej, chairman, Godrej Group
- Robin Chase, Co-founder and former CEO of Zipcar
- Douglas Leone, managing partner, Sequoia Capital
- Sumantra Ghoshal, founding dean, Indian School of Business
- Ron Williams, former CEO, Aetna
- Thornton Wilson, former CEO, Boeing
- Randy Woelfel, CEO, Nova Chemicals
- Kofi Annan, 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations
Final Thoughts
Getting into M7 business schools can have a long-lasting impact on your career and can boost your career in more ways than you can imagine. If M7 business schools are on your list of target business schools, reach out to our team today to get started on your journey to Crack The MBA at M7 business schools.
