FT 2025 Masters in Management Ranking : France still in the lead, Asia on the rise

FT 2025 Masters in Management Ranking : France still in the lead, Asia on the rise

The Financial Times has published its 2025 ranking of Masters in Management (MiM) programs. We have analyzed it for you—check out our findings!

 

Read more : Classement FT 2025 : 11 écoles françaises dans le top 50 des meilleurs Masters in Finance !
 

French Masters in Management : 25 schools in the ranking

RANK FRANCE FT WORLD RANKING SCHOOL WORLD DEVELOPMENTS
1 2 HEC Paris =
2 3 Insead =
3 7 ESCP Business School -1
4 10 ESSEC Business School =
5 12 emlyon business school -4
6 14 EDHEC Business School -10
7 18 SKEMA Business School +12
8 20 Grenoble École de Management +6
9 25 Audencia +18
10 26 IÉSEG School of Management -3
11 30 NEOMA Business School +4
12 39 Excelia Business School -9
13 43 Paris School of Business NEW
14 45 EM Strasbourg Business School +21
15 49 Burgundy School of Business +3
16 50 Montpellier Business School +3
17 53 Institut Mines-Télécom Business School +10
18 56 KEDGE Business School -6
19 67 ICN Business School +23
20 68 ESSCA +12
21 71 IAE Aix-Marseille Graduate School of Management -2
22 85 EM Normandie Business School NEW
23 92 Rennes School of Business  -4
24 93 ESDES Business School =
25 97 Clermont School of Business -16

 

With 25 establishments listed, France remains the best-represented country.

At the top of the table, we find the Parisian schools :

  • HEC Paris remains in second place worldwide, behind the untouchable University of St. Gallen (Switzerland).
  • INSEAD occupies third place.
  • ESCP Business School remains in the TOP 10 (seventh), despite a slight drop (-1).
  • ESSEC Business School retains its tenth place worldwide.

 

Significant declines : emlyon and EDHEC in difficulty

Behind this quartet, some schools are experiencing significant declines :

    • emlyon business school fell from 8th to 12th place worldwide (-4).
    • EDHEC Business School experienced one of the sharpest declines, falling 10 places to 14th in the global rankings.
    • Excelia (-9) and Clermont School of Business (-16) also suffered significant declines.

    These changes clearly demonstrate the competitiveness between Grandes Écoles on a global scale.

     

    Significant progress : Audencia, SKEMA, ICN Business School, and EM Strasbourg

    Conversely, several French schools stand out for their strong progress :

    • Audencia jumped 18 places to reach 25th place worldwide.
    • SKEMA Business School (+12) moved up to 18th place.
    • Grenoble Ecole de Management (+6) climbed to 20th place.
    • ICN Business School (+23) and EM Strasbourg (+21) achieved two of the most impressive rises in this edition.

    ESSCA (+12), Institut Mines-Télécom BS (+10) and NEOMA (+4) also climbed in the rankings, strengthening France's international standing.

     

    New entrants in the FT MIM 2025 ranking

    The 2025 edition also welcomes two new French institutions to the rankings:

    • Paris School of Business, ranked 43rd in the world.
    • EM Normandie, which enters the rankings in 85th place.

     

    The world's top 30 best Masters in Management programs for 2025

    WORLD RANKING SCHOOL COUNTRY
    1 University of Saint-Gallen Switzerland
    2 HEC Paris France
    3 Insead France
    4 Nova School of Business and Economics Portugal
    4 Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management China
    6 Shanghai Jiao Tong University : Antai China
    7 ESCP Business School France
    8 Tongji University School of Economics and Management China
    9 Stockholm School of Economics Sweden
    10 London Business School United Kingdom
    10 ESSEC Business School France
    12 emlyon business school France
    13 SDA Bocconi / Università Bocconi Italy
    14 EDHEC Business School France
    14 Vlerick Business School Belgium
    16 IESE Business School Spain
    17 Prague University of Economics and Business Czech Republic
    18 WU Vienna University of Economics and Business Austria
    18 SKEMA Business School France
    20 Grenoble école de Management France
    20 Rabat Business School - International University of Rabat Morocco
    22 WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management Germany
    22 ESMT Berlin Germany
    24 Esade Business School Spain
    25 Audencia France
    26 IÉSEG School of Management France
    27 IE Business School Spain
    28 University of Mannheim Germany
    28 Indian Institute of Management Bangalore India
    30 Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics Portugal
    30 NEOMA Business School France

     

    While France remains the country with the highest number of schools represented, competition remains fierce on the global stage. At the top of the rankings, the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland retains its first place. Just behind, HEC Paris (2nd) and INSEAD (3rd) complete the podium.

    Asia, meanwhile, continues to rise in prominence, with three Chinese institutions now in the global top 10: Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong, and Tongji University.

    In Europe, several countries also stand out. Portugal distinguishes itself thanks to Nova SBE (4th) and Católica Lisbon (30th), while Italy shines with Bocconi (13th). Spain (IESE, Esade, IE), Germany (Mannheim, WHU, ESMT), and the Czech Republic (Prague University of Economics) also feature in the world's TOP 30 best Masters in Management programs.

    Beyond Europe and Asia, other regions are gradually making their mark. Africa is positioned with Rabat Business School (20th), and India confirms its place in this ranking of the world's best Masters in Management with IIM Bangalore (28th).

    Overall, the 2025 edition shows increasingly fierce international competition, with Europe retaining a central role but facing the rise of Asia and the emergence of new players. 

     

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    How is the FT 2025 Masters in Management ranking constructed ?

    To be eligible, Masters in Management programs must be full-time, cohort-based, aimed at students with little professional experience, and have international accreditation (EQUIS or AACSB).

    The evaluation is based on 19 weighted criteria:

    • 42% comes from data provided by the schools.
    • 58% is based on a survey of graduates from the class of 2021.

    The main criteria include :

    • The current salary of graduates three years after graduation.
    • Salary progression compared to their situation before the program.
    • The employment rate three months after graduation.
    • Alumni satisfaction with the added value of the program.
    • The diversity of the student body and faculty.
    • Internationalization (student mobility, partnerships).
    • Teaching in ESG.