Touting the fastest payback in the nation, Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management is a steal according to BusinessWeek’s new ranking of the best b-schools. The magazine reports that BYU’s MBA graduates take only 3.5 years to recoup their investment in lost work and tuition.

“Our management core and specialized tracks add a lot of value to already talented students,” said Ned C. Hill, dean of the Marriott School. “We’ve also been able to keep the cost of education comparatively low.”
The Marriott School’s quick payback is fueled not only by the low tuition, but also by a 120 percent average salary increase over pre-MBA salaries. BusinessWeek reports that this year’s graduates of U.S. MBA programs are averaging 82 percent pay hikes over pre-business school salaries. Graduates in Europe and Canada enjoyed salary hikes of 71 percent over pre-MBA salaries.
Other U.S. schools offering a quick payback included Purdue, 3.8 years; Michigan State, 4.1 years and Yale, 4.1 years.
In addition to snatching the return on investment crown among U.S. schools, the Marriott School was ranked among the top 75 business schools worldwide. U.S. News & World Report ranked the school 42 among U.S. schools.
“The emphasis we’re placing on e-business, entrepreneurship and international business is strengthening our programs and helping our students compete well with graduates of other leading schools,” Hill said. “We remain focused on our mission to develop men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership around the world.”
BusinessWeek surveys students and recruiters every two years to determine its ranking of the best programs. Graduates are asked to rate their schools on such issues as teaching quality, program content and career placement. Recruiters assess student’s skills and rank schools on overall quality and the success rate of graduates. A new component called “intellectual capital” was added to this year’s rankings. Intellectual capital measures faculty publication in selected journals and national best-selling books.
BusinessWeek’s best b-school rankings are available online at www.businessweek.com and on newsstands in the 2 Oct. issue of the magazine.
The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally and internationally ranked programs in accountancy, business management, information systems, organizational behavior and entrepreneurship. The mission of the Marriott School is to educate men and women of faith, character and professional ability who will become outstanding managers and leaders throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.