Which are the best US business schools for African-American students?

TL;DR

• Though the proportion of African-American MBA students has remained low several years, some schools across the US offer students a valuable route into business education 
• At schools such as Jackson State University and North Carolina A&T State University, African-American students make up the majority of the MBA class
• A number of these schools also offer an MBA education with fees significantly below the national average

African Americans are severely underrepresented at business schools across the United States. Of all US-origin GMAT examinees, less than 10% are African-American, according to our 2024 testing research. 

That figure has remained around the same level for some time. The knock-on effect is that industry suffers further down the pipeline—a 2020 survey found the trickle of African-American MBA graduates accounted for just 4% of executive and senior-level positions within private industry. Today, less than 2% of Fortune 500 companies are led by Black CEOs. 

A number of organizations, institutions, and individuals have committed to working against this widely-recognized lack of representation in business schools—and the marketplace that absorbs the MBAs they produce.

Here are five US business schools that display strong representation of African-American MBAs. 

1. Jackson State University

Based in Mississippi, Jackson State University (JSU) is a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) where more than 90% of the MBA intake are African-American.

Besides offering educational opportunities to racial minorities, JSU also has one of the most affordable MBAs in the entire United States. In-state students pay less than $9,000 in tuition, while out-of-state students only have to pay $11,690.

2. North Carolina A&T State University

With in-state tuition fees of less than $5,000 and a place in the U.S. News Top 100 Business Schools, North Carolina A&T State University can offer a solid business education at the fraction of the price of bigger universities.

It can also boast a diverse class in more ways than one; three-quarters of students are African-American and more than two-thirds are female. That kind of gender balance is a rare occurrence in the world of MBAs.

3. East Texas A&M University

Accredited by the AACSB and home to an Online MBA ranked in the top 100 programs in the US, East Texas A&M University is a well-regarded business school with a strong local and national reputation.

Just over 20% of the school’s intake are African-American, with other racial minorities also well-represented. This makes for a truly diverse cohort—especially when you factor in a near 50/50 gender split.

4. Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta may not offer the prestige of other top-tier schools on the list, but the intimate numbers and reasonably-priced tuition of its MBA program certainly make it an attractive option.

The 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio ensures individually tailored learning and plenty of opportunity for direct guidance from professors. In addition to its high proportion of African-American students , there is a near 50/50 split between male and female students—showing that Clark is providing opportunities to two historically underrepresented groups in society. 

5. University of North Texas

The University of North Texas MBA is one of the largest universities in Texas, with a healthy mix of people from different backgrounds. The school is accredited by the AACSB and ranked just outside the country’s top 100 business schools by U.S. News and World Report.

Despite its lofty credentials, tuition fees at the school come in at less than $10,000 —making it an affordable, high-quality, and diverse business school that is offering opportunities to underrepresented minorities.

This article was first published in May 2018, updated in July 2020, and then again in December 2025.