Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find, well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Research Universities for Business Degrees

By James Barham

Published: Nov 5, 2021
Updated: Nov 27, 2023

The best business research universities are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best business degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding business faculty.

Top 10 Research Universities Business Programs

Columbia University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Michigan
Cornell University
University of Pennsylvania
New York University
University of California, Los Angeles
California Institute of Technology
University of Washington
Northwestern University

Fordham University 58%
Ohio State University 57%
University of Washington 53%
George Washington University 50%
University of Florida 30%
University of Texas at Austin 29%
University of Virginia 21%
University of Michigan 20%
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 20%
Boston College 19%

University of Washington 20 to 1
Ohio State University 19 to 1
Georgia Tech 19 to 1
University of California, Los Angeles 18 to 1
University of Texas at Austin 17 to 1
University of Florida 17 to 1
University of Virginia 15 to 1
Boston College 14 to 1
Fordham University 13 to 1
George Washington University 13 to 1

Columbia University $63,530
Brown University $62,304
University of Pennsylvania $61,710
Boston College $61,706
Cornell University $61,015
Northwestern University $60,768
George Washington University $59,870
Carnegie Mellon University $58,924
Washington University in St. Louis $58,866
University of Notre Dame $58,843

Brown University $60,944
University of Notre Dame $58,190
Washington University in St. Louis $57,750
California Institute of Technology $56,364
Northwestern University $56,067
Massachusetts Institute of Technology $55,510
Columbia University $50,496
Carnegie Mellon University $46,441
Emory University $44,800
University of Pennsylvania $38,732

Georgia Tech
Boston College
Fordham University
George Washington University
University of Florida
Emory University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Notre Dame
Ohio State University
Washington University in St. Louis

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4%
Columbia University 4%
California Institute of Technology 4%
University of Pennsylvania 6%
Brown University 6%
Northwestern University 7%
Cornell University 9%
University of California, Los Angeles 11%
Emory University 13%
Washington University in St. Louis 13%

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3 to 1
California Institute of Technology 3 to 1
Carnegie Mellon University 5 to 1
Columbia University 6 to 1
Northwestern University 6 to 1
Brown University 6 to 1
University of Pennsylvania 6 to 1
Washington University in St. Louis 7 to 1
New York University 8 to 1
Cornell University 9 to 1

University of Florida $4,477
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill $7,019
Georgia Tech $10,258
University of Washington $10,927
Ohio State University $11,018
University of California, Los Angeles $11,442
University of Texas at Austin $11,752
University of Virginia $16,547
University of Michigan $16,865
Emory University $55,468

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill $10,552
University of Florida $10,770
University of California, Los Angeles $11,442
Ohio State University $11,560
University of Texas at Austin $12,050
Georgia Tech $14,570
University of Washington $16,605
University of Virginia $17,674
Fordham University $23,112
University of Michigan $24,902

Table of Contents

A bachelor’s degree in business administration is an excellent starting point for a career in business management, finance, or entrepreneurship. As a business major, you’ll learn basic business theory as well as practical concepts related to sales, marketing, accounting and more. You’ll also have a chance to focus on specific aspects of business, including human resources, hospitality, real estate, entertainment and much more.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, the business degree is an extremely popular degree because of its versatility. As a business major, you’ll pursue your own concentration—whether your interest is in sales, promotions, international business, or any of the countless other options at your fingertips. The best schools for business administration are those which are regionally accredited, which offer a full array of business administration concentrations, and which give you the chance to work with the best and most influential professors and classmates.

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Business Bachelor’s Degrees

Earning a bachelor’s degree in Business administration can open numerous professionals doors. In fact, you can do practically anything with this degree. If you have an interest in project management, marketing, or small business administration, you’ll love majoring in business. Majoring in business is also a great option for students who are interested in learning about retail management, corporate citizenship, entrepreneurship, hospitality, real estate, and much more. In addition to opening numerous career pathways, majoring in business can help prepare you for pursuit of an advanced degree. Many business majors will go on to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.

Today, top business influencers are driving innovation through their research on lean startup methods, social marketing, global entrepreneurship, and more.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, business administration is the single most popular major because of its versatility, as well as the potential for excellent pay. Many of the skills you’ll develop as a business major will be applicable in other areas of life and career. Business majors typically incorporate the kinds of 21st Century skills like collaboration, communication, creative thinking and technological literacy. Even if you don’t plan to start your own business or lead a company, these skills will be valuable as you pursue your professional goals.

The business major also offers students among the best returns on investment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, This median annual wage for business and financial occupations was $69,820 in May 2019, which was significantly higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $39,810.

Once you’ve declared your major in business administration, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of business-related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized business administration electives, there are a number of common courses that most business administration majors will be required to take, including:

Business Administration
Business Ethics
Accounting and Finance
Commercial Law
Franchising and Franchise Operations
International Finance
Organizational Behavior Studies
Construction Management
Marketing Research
Selling Skills and Sales Operations

The short answer to this question is, whatever you want. Whether you want to run a four-star hotel, start your own boutique shop on Main St., or crunch numbers for a Fortune 500 company, majoring in business is a good starting point. Your business major can lead to a wide range of career opportunities, including these top jobs:

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).
Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.
Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.
The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

If you think a liberal arts college may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best liberal arts colleges for a bachelor’s in business.

How do we determine the best business research universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call “Influence”.

The influence of a college or university is based on the schools’s top academic influencers related to the discipline in this ranking. We track the influence of faculty and alumni affiliate with these school counting not only the publications and citations of the school’s affiliated people, but we also consider the overall web presence of the faculty and alumni. The greater the citations, authority of web links, web searches, and page views, the greater the individuals’s influence. Those combined make up the departments’s influence in the field of study. We believe tracking the academic influence of the people affiliated with a school is the best indicator of academic excellence.

If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and misused performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is more insulated from manipulation, and more reflective of real-world educational outcomes.