‘If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants’ Issac Newton’s popular quote – that his own work was built upon the efforts of his predecessors – is testimony to the immense learning that can be derived from those who came before us.
In the business school context, the same applies to the alumni network – a powerful lifelong resource with high-achieving professionals from across the world who have themselves navigated through several challenges, seen the highs and lows and successfully built their careers.
Their wisdom, experiences and guidance can be invaluable during the various phases of your life journey – be it deciding the right fit with a business school, making the right career choice, getting your foot in the door in a new industry or function or planning a new venture.
Their experiences become a foundation for your growth – through mentorship, collaboration, career and industry insights, access to job opportunities, resources and support, long after graduation. A close-knit, engaged alumni community can significantly contribute towards professional growth and networking.
In addition, there are global alumni clubs and affinity networks that can help alumni get involved, socialize and stay connected to events and participate in activities that might be of interest.
Each year, the Financial Times comes up with the global MBA rankings. In addition, they also provide data and additional rankings based on several other parameters, one of which is the alumni network rank.
This is based on rating provided by graduates – measuring the effectiveness of their alumni network in supporting various tasks including career advice, gaining new ideas, internships, starting companies, job opportunities, providing event information (e.g. career-related talks) and recruiting staff.
This article discusses the top MBA programs for alumni network rank in the FT global MBA rankings 2025.
MBA programs with the best alumni network
| FT Rank 2025 | Business School Name | Country | Alumni Network Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Dartmouth Tuck | US | 1 |
| 3 | IESE Business School | Spain | 2 |
| 13 | Cornell Johnson | US | 3 |
| 27 | Indian School of Business (ISB) | India | 4 |
| 29 | Michigan Ross | US | 5 |
| 17 | Chicago Booth | US | 6 |
| 48 | Florida Warrington | US | 7 |
| 10 | Northwestern Kellogg | US | 8 |
| 6 | MIT Sloan | US | 9 |
| 83 | Brigham Young Marriott | US | 10 |
| 39 | UT Austin McCombs | US | 11 |
| 31 | Tongji University School of Economics & Management | China | 12 |
| 50 | Southern California Marshall | US | 13 |
| 15 | Shanghai University of Finance & Economics | China | 14 |
| 20 | Virginia Darden | US | 15 |
| 75 | Notre Dame Mendoza | US | 16 |
| 22 | International Institute for Management Development (IMD) | Switzerland | 17 |
| 52 | Vanderbilt Owen | US | 18 |
| 13 | Harvard Business School | US | 19 |
| 4 | INSEAD | France | 20 |
Among the top 5 schools for alumni network rank, there were three from the US – Tuck ranked 1st, Johnson ranked 3rd and Ross ranked 5th. IESE from Spain took the 2nd spot while ISB from India ranked 4th.
Tuck, a prestigious Ivy League business school with 10,700 alumni was at no.1 position. Due to Tuck’s location in the small town of Hanover in New Hampshire and its close-knit community, Tuckies are able to build strong life-long bonds.
Tuck is known for its very responsive alumni network with alumni always willing to help, be it general career guidance, career exploration, self-assessment, networking techniques, internship/job search. In addition, more than 550 alumni volunteer for the school annually.
Tuck alumni are also known to give back very generously to the school each year, in fact, this figure is around 70%, which is way higher than that of other business schools.
Alumni also contribute in the admissions and recruiting process, also actively participate in the MBA classes as visiting executives and guests. Tuck has consistently done much better than other top schools as far as placements are concerned, placing record high number of MBA graduates even in a difficult economy.
Here’s what Stephen Pidgeon T’07, executive director of career services at Tuck had to say “These employment outcomes are indicative of the quality of the class of 2024, the time and energy that they put into their career search, and the support provided by every sector of the Tuck community – including our dedicated career advisers, our world-class faculty, and our incredibly supportive alumni”.
IESE, a top-ranked business school located in Spain, has a very vibrant alumni community, comprising more than 59,000 graduates spread across 155 countries. The school believes in building lifelong connections with its graduates, also supporting them throughout their career.
Cornell Johnson is another reputed Ivy League school which has consistently figured in the FT among the top 3 for alumni network rank. With a robust alumni network of 150,000 spread across the globe, the school has a strong support network of alumni who act as mentors, guest speakers, and internship supervisors; they also contribute towards shaping the school curriculum.
In India, ISB, the only school in the top 20 list, has an actively involved alumni network comprising over 5200 alumni spread across 32 countries. The alumni are passionate about helping one another, be it through job referrals, job postings or general advice related to managing challenges at work.
The ISB alumni email group sees a lot of activity with high-level jobs and opportunities being posted not just during the placement season, but almost every single day. Another noticeable trend at ISB is that alumni have been leveraging this network for partnering and co-founding their own ventures.
Michigan Ross too has a strong, supportive and engaged alumni network with 58,000 alumni across 107 countries and 50+ alumni clubs worldwide.
While shortlisting business schools, in addition to considering aspects like brand name, curriculum, faculty, on-campus facilities, another aspect may also be on the candidates’ radar – the responsiveness and support of the alumni community and how well-represented they are across various industries.
This is because the current economy is at a juncture where even graduating from Harvard Business School cannot guarantee MBA grads a job. During difficult situations, it’s the alumni who rise to the occasion, providing them a safety net.
A solid example of this is that of Ross during the pandemic. There was a crucial time when employers starting cancelling internships due to COVID. This is when Ross established the Business Consulting Corps in collaboration with long-time project sponsors and alumni and provided summer work for over 120 MBAs and undergraduate business majors.
Funding is another way alumni express their gratitude and fondness for their alma mater though this metric is not included in the FT alumni network rank.
You may have heard about Pepsi Co’s Indra Nooyi endowment to Yale or Tatas’ gift of $50 million to HBS or Naveen Jindal’s $30 million donation to UT Dallas but there are several other lesser-known MBA alumni who have made generous donations to their business schools as a way of giving back and supporting the future MBA community.
The funding thus received helps expand opportunities by way of scholarships, fellowships, supporting research and innovation as well as various campus initiatives.
How alumni networks work at Vanderbilt Owen
MBA Crystal Ball got in touch with Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management – featured among the top 20 MBA programs with the best alumni network – to get more insights on alumni involvement.
Anne Rawlins, Senior Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving at Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management, shared with us how alumni actively give back and contribute to the success of the next generation.
“The Owen Alumni community is a dynamic network of highly connected individuals who are deeply committed to fostering student success through various impactful initiatives. Their support plays a pivotal role in shaping the educational experience for current students,” says Anne.
“First and foremost, alumni generously give back to Owen, providing crucial funding for student scholarships, which help alleviate financial burdens and make education accessible. Their contributions extend to programmatic support that enhances resources available to students. Furthermore, alumni donations facilitate experiential learning opportunities, such as travel for case competitions, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings.”
In addition to financial support, Anne highlights that alumni actively engage with current students by sharing their expertise and experience in a classroom setting. This direct interaction enriches classroom discussions and offers students valuable perspectives.
We asked Emily Anderson (Executive Director, Career Management Center, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management) how alumni contribute to the career success of current and prospective students.
“Navigating the competitive employment market for graduate business students can be challenging. Alumni play a vital role in providing insight and guidance to the various career paths, as well as preparing them for the recruiting process,” says Emily.
Each fall, student career-focused clubs organize career symposiums that provide insights into common career destination fields such as consulting, technology, financial services, and healthcare. Alumni from these industries share their experiences, offering valuable perspectives on launching careers and navigating recruitment. These events not only inform students about potential career trajectories but also facilitate the expansion of their professional networks.
Emily notes, “Fostering connections between students and alumni through events such as these create mutually beneficial relationships that can significantly impact students’ career journeys.”
“Additionally, alumni contribute to students’ success by establishing and maintaining strong recruiting relationships with their firms, whether they are small businesses or multinational corporations. They often facilitate introductions to recruiting teams or managers and may even sponsor recruitment processes, including interviews. This support is crucial for students as they seek to enter the workforce”.
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References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | Image: Christian Lendl (Unsplash)
