Table notesAlthough the headline ranking figures show the changes in the survey year to year, the pattern of clustering among the schools is also significant. Some 195 points separate the top school from the school ranked 100 in the 2009 ranking. The top 10 schools, from the joint first London Business School and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to New York University: Stern, form the leading group of world class business schools. Some 31 points separate LBS and Wharton from Stern. The second group is headed by the University of Chicago: Booth which scored 57 points more than University of California at Berkeley: Haas, leader of the third group. The fourth group is headed by University of California at Irvine: Merage and includes schools ranked from 74 to 100.
Footnotes
1. These schools run additional courses for MBA students for which additional language skills are required. These figures are included in the calculations for the ranking but are not represented on the table to avoid confusion.
2. These data are for information only and are not used in the ranking.
3. Indicates the most recent year that KPMG audited a business school, applying specified audit procedures relating to selected data provided for the Financial Times MBA ranking. KPMG reported on the results of obtaining evidence and applying specified audit procedures relating to selected survey data provided for the Financial Times 2009 MBA ranking for selected business schools. Enquiries about the assurance process can be made by contacting Michelle Podhy and Patrick Gaudet of KPMG by e-mail at pgaudet@kpmg.ca. The specified audit procedures were carried out between November 2008 and December 2008. The audit date published denotes the survey for which the specified audit precedures were conducted.
4. The average alumni salary three years after graduation. (The 2009 ranking surveyed the MBA class that graduated in 2005). This figure includes alumni salary data for the current year and the one or two preceding years, where available. The figure is NOT used in the ranking.
5. The average alumni salary today with adjustment for salary variations between industry sectors. This figure includes data for the current year and the one or two preceding years where available.
6. The percentage increase in average alumni salary from before the MBA to today as a percentage of the pre-MBA salary. This figure includes data for the current year and the one or two preceding years where available.
7. This is calculated using the salary earned by alumni today, course length, fees and other costs, including the opportunity cost of not working for the duration of the course.
8. This is calculated according to changes in the level of seniority and the size of the company alumni are working in now versus before their MBA. Data for the current year and the one or two preceding years are included where available.
9. The extent to which alumni fulfilled their goals or reasons for doing an MBA.
10. Alumni who used the careers service at their business school were asked to rank its effectiveness in their job search. This figure includes data for the current year and the one or two preceding years where available.
11. The percentage of the most recent graduating class that had found employment or accepted a job offer within three months of graduation. The figure in brackets is the percentage of the class for which the school was able to provide employment data.
12. Alumni were asked to name three business schools from which they would recruit MBA graduates. The ranking is calculated according to the votes for each school. Data for the current year and the one or two preceding years are included where available.
13. Percentage of female faculty
14. Percentage of female students.
15. Percentage of female members of the advisory board.
16. Percentage of faculty whose citizenship differs from their country of employment.
17. Percentage of students whose citizenship differs from the country in which they are studying.
18. Percentage of the board whose citizenship differs from the country in which the business school is based.
19. This is calculated according to whether alumni worked in different countries before the MBA, on graduation and also where they are employed today.
20. Weighted average of four criteria that measure international exposure during the MBA programme.
21. Number of extra languages required on completion of the MBA. Where a proportion of students requires a further language due to an additional diploma, that figure is included in the calculations but not presented in the final table. These schools run additional courses for MBA students for which additional language skills are required. These figures are included in the calculations for the ranking but are not represented on the table to avoid confusion.
22. Percentage of faculty with a doctoral degree.
23. This is calculated according to the number of doctoral graduates from each business school during the past three years. Additional points are given if these doctoral graduates took up faculty positions at one of the top 50 full-time MBA schools of 2008.
24. This is calculated according to the number of faculty publications in 40 academic and practitioner journals. Points are awarded to the business school at which the author is currently employed. The total is weighted for faculty size.