Where Should You Study Your Master In Management?

Master in Management (MiM) programs are aimed at recent bachelor’s graduates with a maximum of two years of work experience, who wish to hone their leadership skills and kickstart their career in business.  

MiM degrees are clearly a great opportunity for recent grads, but does it matter where you choose to study your program? 

Here’s everything you need to know about what to expect in terms of program quality, cost, and career prospects for MiM programs across the US, Europe, and Asia.

Master in Management: program quality 

You can find high-quality MiM programs around the world, although the majority are in Europe, according to global Master in Management rankings.

Rankings are based on a variety of criteria including salary expectations, career progress, diversity, and value for money. 

16 of the top 20 programs in the QS Master in Management ranking 2025 have a campus in Europe. That figure climbs to 18 for the Financial Times (FT) Master in Management ranking.

When broken down by country, France dominates the rankings with six schools in the FT's top 20—all of which are ranked within the top 10—and another six schools featured in the QS ranking.

HEC Paris offers the world’s best Master in Management according to QS, while the FT ranks Switzerland’s University of St.Gallen in top spot. 

Europe’s dominance over Master in Management rankings can be explained by the fact that the US has more long-established MBA programs, while Europe has more long-established MiMs. 

That said, MiM degrees are beginning to emerge in the US. In 2024, there were four US schools in the QS top 20 MiM ranking.

Several Asian schools also offer high-quality Master in Management degrees. China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University offers the fifth best MiM in the world according to the FT, while SP Jain Institute of Management and Research ranks at number 35. 

Download our Master in Management Guide 2025

Master in Management: cost 

According to our BusinessBecause Master in Management Guide 2025, studying a MiM program at high-profile European schools such as Italy’s Bocconi, Spain’s ESADE, or Germany’s ESMT Berlin will cost you between $30,000 and $50,000. HEC Paris offers one of the most expensive programs, at around $60,500*. 

But you can also find much cheaper courses. The top-ranked University of St.Gallen MiM only costs $11,500. At the Prague University of Economics and Business, ranked 16th in the world by the FT, you can complete a Master in Management for the small price of $10,800.

Asian schools are similarly affordable. In China, a MiM at Tongji University School of Economics and Management costs $22,200, while tuition for international students at SP Jain is $37,310.

Top-ranked schools in the US tend to be more expensive. Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business offers a MiM program for $65,300, and the MiM course at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business costs $58,615. 

Master in Management: career and salary impact 

MiM programs are a significant investment, but you can expect a strong return on your investment as Master in Managementgraduates go on to earn high salaries after graduation. 

The average salary three years after graduation for graduates of the top 20 MiM programs in the FT ranking is $88,978. This ranges from $47,696 to $156,010.

The school with the highest graduate salary is the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. Grads from the school see an average salary increase of 40%.

In Europe, HHL Leipzig’s MiM alumni are the highest-earning, with an average weighted salary of $140,418.

Among the two US schools listed in the FT's ranking, graduates of Hult International Business School earned an average of $82,581 three years after graduation, while graduates from Darla Moore School of Business went on to earn around $91,729.

Overall, MiM graduates see a salary increase of between 28% and an impressive 95% within three years of leaving the program. 

Demand for MiM grads is at its highest in East and Southeast Asia, where 76% of employers plan to hire as many or more grads in 2024, compared to 68% of employers in Europe and 35% in the US.

Manufacturing and tech are popular career paths for graduates, with 69% of global MiM grads moving into manufacturing and 63% into tech.

But these are not the only career paths available. MiM grads also explore diverse industries such as consulting, finance, healthcare, and luxury goods. 

MiM grads can get started in venture capital or private equity at companies such as Goldman Sachs, or explore booming sectors including e-commerce and FinTech at tech giants such as Amazon. 

There are high quality MiM degrees in Europe, the US, and Asia, and programs from each region offer grads competitive salaries and a variety of career paths.  

Programs in Asia tend to be cheaper, and will help you tap into a dynamic and growing market. MiM programs in the US are more expensive but are a great entry to the American business landscape. MiM programs in Europe are the most well-established, and demand for grads is at the highest level in the world.

There’s no right or wrong choice. Where you decide to study your Master in Management ultimately depends on how much you’re willing to spend on the course, how far you’re prepared to move, and your post-graduation ambitions. 

Whichever program you end up going for, you’ll gain a wide set of leadership skills, a far-reaching network, and a good return on your investment.

*fees converted to USD in October 2024.