Iowa State’s MBA program made a jump in the 2020 U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, placing in the top 10 percent for the first time. The Ivy College of Business full-time MBA program was ranked 79 in 2019, but jumped to 47 this year, placing it in the top 10 percent.

“When I was hired in 2013, I heard a clear message from my Dean’s Advisory Council. They knew that we should be a top 50 business college,” said Raisbeck, Endowed Dean David Spalding in a press release. “It was so important that we put that in our strategic plan in 2015. This new ranking for our MBA program is a result of our focus on continuous improvement and innovation.”

Iowa State’s part-time MBA program, offered in downtown Des Moines, has also experienced its share of success, recently voted Best MBA Program in Des Moines. James Brown, Kingland MBA Professor and chair in the department of finance, attributes all the recent growth to a combination of factors.

“It’s a combination of phenomenal students, phenomenal faculty, and phenomenal career services that provide students with jobs and internships,” Brown said. “It’s really a team effort.”

Iowa State’s Business Career Services center provides students and alumni with free tools needed for professional development and job seeking. Brown said these services are one thing that makes Iowa State special.

“Our job placement rate is exceptional, and that plays an important role in the rankings,” Brown said.

The Ivy College of Business is looking to continue innovating and growing in the future. The Gerdin Business building is currently in the midst of a 45,000 square foot addition, and according to a press release, the college has had four years of record enrollment. 

“This significant rise in the ranking is a direct result of the quality work our faculty do every day in the classroom,” Spalding said in a press release. “At a time when some universities are dropping their full-time MBA programs, the Ivy MBA continues to excel. Our internationally known faculty provide a top-notch MBA experience that helps our MBA graduates advance their careers to the next level.”