U.S. News Reverses MBA Ranking Changes Amid Backlash from Business Schools

ARLINGTON, Va. — U.S. News & World Report has announced a reversal of its proposed changes to the MBA ranking methodology after facing significant criticism from business schools across the country. The changes, which were set to be released on April 8, 2025, would have removed at least 14 business schools from its specialty rankings.

The announcement regarding the methodology alterations was made in an embargoed copy shared with business schools. Many institutions voiced immediate concerns about the implications of these changes, suggesting that they would have negatively impacted their visibility and recruitment efforts.

Eduvantis President Tim Westerbeck publicly criticized the revisions, describing them as “incomplete” and “inaccurate.” He emphasized that the proposed model did not cater to all student needs, particularly those of working professionals seeking flexible educational options. “Just when business education needs to evolve to meet radically changing workforce demands, this policy change seems almost comical in the degree to which it would entrench rather than challenge the status quo,” he stated.

Among the schools most affected was Gonzaga University’s Graduate School of Business Administration, which would have lost five specialty rankings, including project management, where it was ranked fourth the previous year. Santa Clara University‘s Leavey School of Business also faced the elimination of four rankings due to its part-time MBA offering.

Several other prominent business schools, including the University of Iowa‘s Tippie College of Business and the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business, would have been impacted as well. Tippie discontinued its full-time MBA in 2017 and would have lost its rank in accounting, where it placed 35th last year. Gies, ranked third in accounting in 2024, also discontinued its full-time program in favor of online offerings.

The decision to change the ranking methodology was initially communicated on March 24, with U.S. News announcing criteria revisions for this year’s rankings. Schools had to respond to a statistical survey as of fall 2024 concerning full-time MBA programs to remain eligible for specialty rankings.

U.S. News conducted surveys with a total of 508 accredited business schools, with 337 completing the statistical surveys and 133 ultimately being ranked. The methodology changed this year, with rankings now considering data from both the old GMAT and the newly introduced GMAT Focus Edition.

As U.S. News revisits its MBA ranking criteria due to industry pushback, the broader business education landscape continues to adapt to changing student needs and market demands. Most business schools are keenly aware of the importance of their rankings in attracting prospective students, making this reversal a significant development.