NEW DELHI: Professional networking website LinkedIn has released its third annual list of ‘Top MBA Programs 2025,’ featuring 100 global business schools that best support long-term career growth.
Four Indian institutions have made it to the top 20 MBA institutions this year. The Indian School of Business (ISB) has bagged the 5th spot globally. Meanwhile, IIM-Calcutta (16) and IIM-Bangalore (20) have entered the list and IIM-Ahmedabad (17) improved its position from last year.
Three other Indian business schools also find mention in latter ranks — IIM Lucknow (21), IIM Indore (36) and IIFT (50).
Stanford University has retained its 1st ranking, followed by Harvard University (2), INSEAD (3), and the University of Pennsylvania (4). Together with ISB (5), these institutions round off the top five globally recognised MBA programmes for 2025.
LinkedIn Top 20 Global MBA Programmes 2025
| Rank | Institution |
| 1 | Stanford University |
| 2 | Harvard University |
| 3 | INSEAD |
| 4 | University of Pennsylvania |
| 5 | Indian School of Business |
| 6 | Northwestern University |
| 7 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| 8 | Dartmouth College |
| 9 | Columbia University |
| 10 | University of London |
| 11 | University of Chicago |
| 12 | University of Oxford |
| 13 | Duke University |
| 14 | Yale University |
| 15 | University of California, Berkeley |
| 16 | Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta |
| 17 | Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad |
| 18 | University of Virginia |
| 19 | Cornell University |
| 20 | Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore |
How did LinkedIn rank the institutes?
The ‘Top MBA Programs 2025’ ranking is based entirely on LinkedIn data, focusing on how well MBA programmes set graduates up for long-term career success. The evaluation draws on five key parameters:
- Job placements and labor market demand for graduates (2019–2024 cohorts).
- Promotion rates and speed of reaching director or VP-level roles.
- Depth, quality, and growth rate of alumni networks.
- Share of alumni with C-Suite roles or entrepreneurial ventures.
- Gender parity in recent MBA cohorts.
According to Nirajita Banerjee, senior managing editor and career expert, LinkedIn News India, choosing the right MBA programme is also as vital as curriculum, but, it’s about networks, leadership opportunities, and long-term support.
Madan Pillutla, Dean of ISB, said that the school’s one-year Post Graduate Programme (PGP) equips students with the adaptability and confidence to thrive in a fast-changing world, reinforced by a 20,000-strong alumni network worldwide.
To view the complete and detailed list of top MBA institutions, click here.