Best European Business Schools | Financial Times Ranking

Find out which business schools are ranked best in Europe as we break down the latest European Business School Rankings by the Financial Times

HEC Paris has been crowned the best business school in Europe by the Financial Times in a 2020 European Business School ranking dominated by the UK and France.

The ranking considers the strength of a school’s Full-Time MBA, Executive MBA, and Master in Management programs.

It’s the second year in a row that HEC Paris has topped the list, owing in large part to the success of the school’s MBA program, which jumped from 19th place to ninth in the FT’s Global MBA ranking 2020. The school’s Master’s in Management was also ranked the second best in the world this year by the FT, and the Executive MBA third.

The top 10 screams Vive la France! with HEC Paris followed by INSEAD in third, Essec Business School in sixth, and ESCP Business School in eighth; there are 22 French business schools in the 90-strong list.

The UK is also heavily represented, a good sign almost a year on from Brexit. London Business School (LBS) is ranked the second best in Europe, and the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School is joint 10th; there are 19 UK business schools in the ranking.

In a turbulent year for business school admissions—with travel restrictions impacting international students and large proportions of teaching shifted online—72% of graduate business programs in Europe still reported an increase in applications. The region is growing in popularity among business school candidates.

Best MBA programs in Europe

(©INSEAD / via Facebook)

The INSEAD MBA tops the list for best MBA in Europe. MBA graduates from the school increase their salary on average by 101%, earning an average weighted salary of $181, 277. The classroom at INSEAD is an international melting pot, with 96% of students in the class hailing from overseas.

INSEAD’s French counterpart, HEC Paris, sits in third place for best MBA programs in Europe in a top 10 that boasts schools from a variety of European countries.

London Business School’s MBA is in second place, in fourth is IESE Business School. Fifth and sixth place are taken by the UK’s University of Cambridge Judge Business School and Oxford’s Saïd Business School respectively.

Spain’s Esade Business School is in seventh, Switzerland’s IMD Business School takes eighth, Italy’s SDA Bocconi ninth, and the UK’s Warwick Business School 10th.

Check out the FT's Full-Time MBA ranking.

Best Executive MBA programs in Europe

(©HECParis / via Facebook)

HEC Paris continues the strong performance across the board by French schools, with the institution’s Executive MBA program taking top spot in Europe in 2020. Graduates from the school’s EMBA program increase their salary on average by 81%, and take home an average salary today of $371, 789.

HEC Paris also comes in at second place in Europe, as part of the joint TRIUM EMBA program, hosted by HEC Paris, NYU Stern, and the London School of Economics.

Third place is taken by INSEAD, as part of the Tsinghua University/INSEAD EMBA. INSEAD’s standalone EMBA comes is ranked the sixth best in Europe.

ESCP Europe Business School’s EMBA is ranked the fourth best in Europe, followed by Spain’s IESE Business School in fifth.

London Business School is ranked in seventh place in Europe as part of the joint EMBA-Global Asia between LBS, Columbia, and Hong Kong University. LBS is also ranked ninth in Europe for its standalone EMBA.

In eighth place is Spain’s IE Business School, and rounding off the top 10 is Germany’s WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management.

Check out the FT's Executive MBA Ranking.

Best Master’s in Management programs in Europe

Europe is renowned for the strength of its master’s in management programs. This year’s FT ranking of the best master’s in management programs in the world featured a top 10 made up entirely of European schools.

The University of St Gallen takes top spot in this year’s best master’s in management programs in Europe. HEC Paris follows in second, with Essec Business School (third), London Business School (fourth), and Rotterdam School of Management (fifth) making up the top five.

ESCP Business School is sixth, with Stockholm School of Economics in seventh, and University College Dublin’s Smurfit School in eighth. The top 10 is completed by SDA Bocconi in ninth, and Imperial College Business School in 10th.

Check out the FT's Master's in Management Ranking.