Pepperdine Graziadio Business School Soars to #51 in Bloomberg Full-Time MBA Ranking

The Pepperdine Graziadio Business School surged in Bloomberg's 2021?2022 Best Business School Ranking coming in at #51 among 119 schools meeting the ranking criteria. The school's placement in this year's full-time MBA ranking represents an all-time high and is another in a pattern of recent high rankings. More information about the Pepperdine Graziadio ranking is available on the Bloomberg website.

Since the last formal Bloomberg ranking in 2019 (no rankings were published in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Graziadio climbed 12 spots from #63 to #51 today. Since 2016 the school has climbed 33 positions.

"There are more than 900 AACSB accredited graduate business schools in the US and thousands more around the world," said Deryck van Rensburg, dean of the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. "To be named in the top six percent of MBA programs in the US sends a signal to business leaders, employers, and managers that Pepperdine Graziadio is one of the premier business programs in the nation."

Pepperdine Graziadio achieved standout rankings in multiple areas. In the Entrepreneurship category, the school was ranked #7 in the nation. Pepperdine Graziadio's focus on creating business models and launching ventures aligns with the marketplace's need for creative ideas to solve big problems. Students are challenged in highly tailored entrepreneurship-related courses such as family business, product innovation, and private capital markets. Pepperdine Graziadio's entrepreneurship ranking bested renowned names such as Harvard, MIT (Sloan), and Northwestern (Kellogg), as well as local rivals USC (Marshall) and UCLA (Anderson).

Pepperdine also was named #20 in the nation for diversity based on race, ethnicity, and gender. Pepperdine Graziadio has a long-standing commitment to creating diverse learning environments and inclusive coursework. According to Bloomberg, the school was noted for a large percentage of Asian and Hispanic students who bring experiences and perspectives that help all students to flourish. The school was also a trailblazer in recognizing the growing importance of women in business. In 2015 Pepperdine Graziadio launched the Center for Women in Leadership (CWL) focused on building confidence and instilling a strong sense of competency and readiness for the challenges and rewards of leadership.

"The surge in ranking is a testament to our institution-wide focus on values, collaboration, real-world experiences and global perspectives," said Van Rensburg. "As we enjoy a pattern of higher rankings, we aim to continue to pursue and excel in areas that power the future world of business such as entrepreneurship and diversity."

Verbatim quotes drawn from survey responses and included in the ranking pointed to strong faculty instruction as a key differentiator. Pepperdine respondents also pointed to collaboration, faculty expertise, and hands-on experiences as Graziadio strengths. "The intense collaboration and requirement to think critically for executing strategic business decisions has proven to be a crucial part of my business and industry," read one quote.

In addition to the Bloomberg rankings, Pepperdine has achieved other high rankings this year. Pepperdine Graziadio was ranked #21 in the 2021 Best Executive MBA Programs from Fortune Magazine, #26 in the 2021 Best Online Programs from U.S. News & World Report (USNWR), #31 in the 2021 Global MBA Rankings in CEO Magazine, and one of the Best Business Schools for 2021 in The Princeton Review.

About the Bloomberg Ranking

The 2021 Bloomberg ranking is based on data compiled from 6,640 students, 12,462 alumni, 853 employers, and compensation and job-placement data from each school. Bloomberg ranks schools based on five indexes that capture key elements of business school education: Compensation, Learning, Networking, Entrepreneurship and Diversity.

About Pepperdine University Graziadio Business School

For more than 50 years, the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School has challenged individuals to think boldly and drive meaningful change within their industries and communities. Dedicated to developing Best for the World Leaders, the Graziadio School offers a comprehensive range of MBA, MS, executive, and doctoral degree programs grounded in integrity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The Graziadio School advances experiential learning through small classes with distinguished faculty that stimulate critical thinking and meaningful connection, inspiring students and working professionals to realize their greatest potential as values-centered leaders. Follow Pepperdine Graziadio on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.