Top Business Schools for Industrial Management and Manufacturing 2024

The school’s roots are in industry: it was called the “School of Industrial Management at Purdue University” until the mid-1970s. Its industrial pedigree is still obvious from recent placement statistics: upwards of one-third of some recent classes have gone into the manufacturing industry. The school also offers a Master of Science in Industrial Administration.

Over 17 percent of the most CEIBS MBA class went into the manufacturing industry. In recent years, CEIBS graduates have gone onto lucrative careers in manufacturing-heavy firms, such as 3M, Ford, and General Electric. The school hosts the CEIBS MBA Industrial Products and Services Club, where students can learn about industry and connect with relevant professionals in the field. 

Weatherhead's Cleveland, Ohio location puts the school in a manufacturing-heavy region of the country. The school’s Operations department has published a range of research in the field, and in 2016 the school launched a Leadership Lab for Women in Manufacturing, which provides training to women in the field. Of the most recent MBA class, some 17 percent found jobs in the manufacturing field.

Through a range of practical and theoretical curriculum, the school’s MBA in International Industrial Management prepares students for a range of roles in manufacturing. It’s one of the few European MBAs specialized in the field, and leverages insight from the area’s strong automotive industry.

Students have done hands-on MBA projects or have landed jobs with large European manufacturers like Siemens and Schindler. In some recent years, upwards of one-quarter of the graduating MBA class has gone into the manufacturing sector.

In recent years, upwards of 20 percent of the school’s MBA graduates landed jobs in the industrial sector. On-campus recruiters include large manufacturers like General Electric.

Although the school does not offer an MBA concentration in Manufacturing, it does place many students in the industry. For instance, upwards of 17 percent of recent MBA classes have gone into the field. Those interested in the manufacturing may choose to pursue the school’s MBA concentration in Supply Chain Management.

In the past, over one-quarter percent of some Carey’s MBA classes went into the manufacturing sector, to firms like Applied Materials and Henkel Consumer Goods. Students interested in breaking into the field can pursue relevant electives in the MBA program’s Supply Chain Management concentration.

The school's specialization in Supply Chain Management includes some relevant curriculum, like a course in “Manufacturing Design and Analysis.” Usually, somewhere between 25 to 30 percent of the school’s MBA grads go into the manufacturing sector. MBAs who are interested in hands-on experience can do so through the school’s Demmer Center for Business Transformation, which works with local manufacturing firms to help them stay competitive.

While SP Jain does not offer a specialized MBA concentration in Manufacturing or Industrial Management, those interested in the fields might consider pursuing the Global MBA program’s specialization in Global Logistics & Supply Chain Management. In recent years, up to one-quarter of the school's MBA classes have gone into the manufacturing industry, snapped up by firms such as Zespri, Coca-Cola, and Cummins, among others.