Harvard Business School to Launch "HBS 2+2" Program in 2008

Not long ago, an MBA degree was regarded by many people as a passport to a lucrative professional job in a field such as investment banking or strategy consulting. While many students still pursue these career paths, a growing portion of them are looking for purpose as well as profit in their jobs.  In fact, making a positive social or environmental impact has overtaken pay and other perks as the top reasons MBA students pursue their career, according to an often-cited survey by Bain & Company, which, ironically, is a consultancy firm.  Curriculum changes are underway as business schools respond to the corporate social responsibility (CSR) revolution. Schools have been criticized for their apparent role in the global financial crisis and for focusing too heavily on maximizing shareholder return. Today many top MBA programs include an impact-related module, such as impact investing or social entrepreneurship.  The career opportunities in this field have flourished. CSR was previously something many companies merely paid lip service to, but they are making “impact” a fundamental piece of their business plans. There are now 2,655 certified “B Corporations”, or firms that verify their high social and environmental performance, across 150 industries and 60 countries, including the ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s and the social media company Hootsuite.  Picking the right program, however, is crucial. So we’ve ranked the best MBAs for social or environmental impact, below. 

We’ve crunched the data, finding the best schools for those who scored a respectable 680 on the GMAT. If you’re around that score, then it makes sense to target schools with a similar average. That does not mean compromising on quality though.

If you want a business degree without giving up your job or salary, there are a plethora of part-time MBA courses to pick from. Many of the world’s most prestigious business schools run part-time MBAs that provide flexibility, but without sacrificing on the quality of content or delivery. See the top 10 part-time MBA programs globally.

These are the top 10 MBA programs in the US where you’ll get the most bang for your buck.