Last Updated on March 4, 2023 by MBA Gateway Team
This article is a part-of ‘MBA Careers’ Series
Best MBA programs for a Career in Project Management
Project management is a critical role in many organizations, ensuring that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of all stakeholders involved. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in project management, obtaining an MBA can help you gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in this field.
Here are some of the best MBA programs for a career in project management:
- University of Southern California (Marshall School of Business) – This program offers a concentration in project management, providing students with the skills needed to manage complex projects in a variety of industries.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan School of Management) – The MBA program at MIT Sloan includes courses in project management, supply chain management, and operations management, providing students with a solid foundation in these areas.
- University of Texas at Austin (McCombs School of Business) – The MBA program at UT Austin includes a concentration in operations and analytics, which covers topics such as project management, supply chain management, and data analytics.
Tips for pursuing a career in project management:
- Gain experience in project management: Look for opportunities to gain experience in project management, such as internships or entry-level roles in project management. This can help you build your skills and knowledge in the field.
- Develop your communication and leadership skills: Project managers need strong communication and leadership skills to effectively manage teams and ensure projects are completed successfully. Look for opportunities to develop these skills through courses or extracurricular activities.
- Build your technical skills: Project managers often work with complex software and data analysis tools. Building your technical skills can make you a more valuable asset to organizations and help you succeed in your career. Look for opportunities to learn new software or tools and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in the field.
Table: Top 20 Business Schools for Project Management
| Top 20 Business Schools for Career in Project Management | % Students going into Project Management | # Students going into Project Management |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 12.8% | 51 |
| University of Texas at Austin (McCombs) | 12.3% | 49 |
| University of Michigan–Ann Arbor (Ross) | 10.8% | 43 |
| New York University (Stern) | 9.9% | 40 |
| University of California–Berkeley (Haas) | 9.8% | 39 |
| Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) | 8.9% | 36 |
| University of Virginia (Darden) | 8.3% | 33 |
| University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler) | 8.0% | 32 |
| University of Southern California (Marshall) | 7.4% | 30 |
| Duke University (Fuqua) | 7.3% | 29 |
| University of Maryland–College Park (Smith) | 6.9% | 28 |
| University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign | 6.8% | 27 |
| University of Minnesota–Twin Cities (Carlson) | 6.7% | 27 |
| Emory University (Goizueta) | 6.6% | 26 |
| Georgetown University (McDonough) | 6.3% | 25 |
| Indiana University–Bloomington (Kelley) | 6.3% | 25 |
| University of Washington (Foster) | 6.2% | 25 |
| Ohio State University (Fisher) | 6.1% | 24 |
| University of Wisconsin–Madison | 6.0% | 24 |
| University of Pittsburgh (Katz) | 5.9% | 24 |
