Once again, Willamette University’s full-time MBA program has been named as a top business school in the U.S. by Bloomberg Businessweek.

Willamette MBA was ranked #1 in Oregon and #2 in the Pacific Northwest. The program was ranked 70th overall, four spots higher than last year, based on compensation data, quality of curriculum, strength of networks, entrepreneurship and diversity.

The program saw dramatic growth in key areas:

• Entrepreneurship: Catapulting 30 spots to #13 in the nation, Willamette stands among the best in the U.S. in providing a top-tier education for students who aspire to launch startups or new ventures.
• Learning: Defined by Businessweek as the core of an MBA’s mission, Willamette leaped 30 spots to #24 nationally for fostering real-world and relevant experiential learning to transform students into management-ready leaders.

“We take the work of educating tomorrow’s leaders very seriously, and this recognition is a testament to the dedication and passion of our entire community,” said interim Dean and Associate Professor of Accounting Romana Autrey. “All of us — from our talented faculty to our hard-working staff, from our ambitious students to our innovative alumni — we're all in this together, championing Willamette's brand of hands-on experiential learning and meaningful impact.”

The rankings drew on survey data from alumni, students and employers. For this year’s list, Bloomberg spoke to graduates from the class of 2024, alumni from 2016–2018, and employers who recently hired Willamette graduates.

What students and alumni say

• “The experiential courses are fantastic and offer real experiences that help to build a resume.”
• “The opportunities for collaboration and teamwork in classes. It’s great being able to work with diverse teams in different scenarios.”
• “Experiential learning and real-life courses such as [Practical Application for Careers and Enterprises] PACE, entrepreneurship, and grant administration.”
• “Being a part of the Angel Investing course, where students can invest up to $100,000 equity in startups.”
• “Hands-on consulting projects with real companies.”