What Is an M7 MBA?

The M7 business schools are regarded as the pinnacle of excellence in MBA programs. Often referred to as the “Magnificent Seven,” they are top-tier choices for prospective MBA candidates, both in the United States and around the world. These institutions turn out prestigious alumni, including high-profile CEOs and global industry leaders. Graduates of the M7 MBA programs are highly sought after by employers and enjoy lucrative six-figure starting salaries. 

Due to the elite nature of the M7 schools, admission to their MBA programs is highly competitive. In this blog post, we at Stratus provide information on the M7 business schools—such as median graduate salaries and average admitted student GMAT scores and GPAs—to help you better understand the requirements to gain admission to and the benefits of attending one of these top schools.

What are M7 MBA programs?

When you graduate from an M7 MBA program, you hold a degree from one of these business schools:

• Columbia Business School (CBS)
• Harvard Business School (HBS)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management
• Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management
• Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB)
• University of Chicago Booth School of Business
• The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Columbia Business School

U.S. News ranked CBS sixth among MBA programs in 2025. Because CBS has one of the largest class sizes (972 students within the Class of 2025) among top-ranked schools, each class is incredibly diverse. The school may be best known for its strengths in finance, but many CBS graduates also go into such fields as consulting and technology. CBS underlines the “New York advantage”—due to the school’s location, students are close to numerous top companies (not to mention Wall Street) and have access to notable faculty and speakers on campus.

• Location: New York City, New York
• 2024 average base salary: $175,000
• Notable alumni: Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway; James Gorman, chairman emeritus and former CEO of Morgan Stanley; and Harvey Schwartz, CEO of The Carlyle Group

Harvard Business School

HBS was ranked sixth (tied with Dartmouth Tuck and NYU Stern) in this year’s U.S. News Best Business Schools list. One of three Ivy League M7 MBA institutions, HBS emphasizes business management and leadership training as part of its MBA program. By using the case study method exclusively, the school teaches its students how to think, analyze, and act. HBS seeks people who can grow from setbacks or failures and are open to learning from others’ very different perspectives. 

• Location: Allston, Massachusetts
• 2024 average base salary: $175,000

Notable alumni: Former Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and American businessman and politician Michael Bloomberg

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management

MIT Sloan was named the number-five MBA program in 2025 by U.S. News. Consistently ranked among the top MBA programs in the world, the school encourages real-world learning through experiential Action Learning labs and provides opportunities for students to work with startups, global corporations, and nonprofits on strategic challenges. At Sloan, it’s about the four Hs: the heart to strive, the head to keep up, the hands to get things done, and the home to take risks in a supportive environment.

• Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
• 2024 average base salary: $169,370
• Notable alumni: Kofi Annan, former Ghanaian diplomat and secretary-general of the United Nations; Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett Packard; and John Reed, former chairman of the New York Stock Exchange 

Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management

U.S. News named Northwestern Kellogg the number-two MBA program (tied with Stanford GSB) in 2025. The school takes pride in its emphasis on teamwork and its student-centered, collaborative culture. Kellogg offers majors in accounting, finance, and marketing, and it has a robust international exchange program. The school’s state-of-the-art flagship building, the Global Hub, opened in 2017 and features a central atrium, a two-story auditorium, and numerous group meeting spaces—which is not surprising given that teamwork is very much at the heart of the Kellogg experience. 

• Location: Evanston, Illinois
• 2024 average base salary: $170,000
• Notable alumni: John Hoeven, US senator from and former governor of North Dakota; Charlie Baker, former Massachusetts governor; and Doug Conant, former CEO of Campbell Soup Company

Stanford Graduate School of Business

U.S. News named Stanford GSB the number-two MBA program (tied with Northwestern Kellogg) in 2025. Although the GSB is proud of its Silicon Valley roots and center of entrepreneurship, the school prides itself on training global leaders across all sectors. The school seeks candidates who will try to make a big difference, and it is willing to consider applicants who have taken risks, are innovative, and dare to be different or do things differently. However, the GSB is one of the most selective MBA programs in the country, admitting fewer than 7% of its applicants.

• Location: Stanford, California
• 2024 average base salary: $187,504
• Notable alumni: Jeffrey Skoll, the first president of eBay; Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors; and Rishi Sunak, former UK prime minister

University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Chicago Booth, the second-oldest business school in the United States, was ranked fourth in the U.S. News 2025 Best Business Schools list. The institution also has campuses in London and Hong Kong, providing global networking opportunities for MBA candidates. The school’s unofficial slogan, “Challenge Everything,” permeates student life, both in and out of the classroom. Much more than a simple “finance school,” Chicago Booth has recently strengthened its focus on marketing and entrepreneurship. But at its core, the school’s culture centers on rigorous thought and data-driven thinking.

• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• 2024 median base salary: $175,000
• Notable alumni: Susan Wagner, co-founder of Black Rock; James Kilts, former CEO of The Gillette Company; and Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Wharton was named the number-one MBA program by Financial Times in both 2024 and 2025 as well as the top program by U.S. News in 2025. This Ivy League institution offers students a choice of 21 majors and nearly 200 electives to further pinpoint their study interests. Although finance-based careers are at Wharton’s core, the school recently launched a new major in business analytics and has an emerging focus on tech-based entrepreneurship. Wharton is also home to a Health Care Management major, which is the preeminent health-care management program among business schools. With regard to marketing, Wharton boasts more than 40 professors in the field and describes its marketing faculty as “the largest, most cited, and most published… in the world.” Wharton’s real estate program is a popular choice among students (2.0% of the Class of 2024 went into real estate post-graduation), and the school also sends many graduates to such fields as retail (1.8%) and social impact (2.7%). Finally, Wharton’s MBA/MA joint degree with the Lauder Institute draws applicants each year with its emphasis on international studies and an interdisciplinary curriculum.

• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Francisco, California; and Beijing, China
• 2024 median base salary: $175,000
• Notable alumni: Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc.; and business tycoon Warren Buffett 

Do M7 schools actually have good MBA programs?

These first-class institutions are regarded as among the best in the world, regularly ranked in the top five MBA programs internationally. They are known for their academic resources, acclaimed faculty members, and global networks of influential alumni. Graduates of M7 MBA programs have higher future earning potential, enjoy the ability to network with other talented leaders, and are immersed in diverse perspectives and cutting-edge research and initiatives.

Earning an MBA degree from any of these institutions greatly increases the chances that you will be considered for highly sought after job opportunities upon graduation and throughout your career.

What are the admissions standards for M7 MBA programs?

Gaining admission to an M7 MBA institution ensures you will be surrounded by the brightest business minds in the country, learning the skills you need to accelerate your career trajectory. Most students admitted to M7 programs have amassed approximately five years of work experience before beginning their MBA studies.  

The admissions committees at these schools are seeking outstanding recruits who want to develop leadership skills and make the best use of their university’s academic resources. Accordingly, admittance to an M7 MBA program requires top scores on the GMAT, GRE, or EA, as well as a notable grade point average in undergraduate coursework:

*median

What is the M7 MBA post-graduation job placement rate?

The M7 institutions capitalize on their strong ties to notable alumni and employers across industries such as consulting, finance, and technology who are eager to hire graduates from their alma mater. As a result, most graduates of the M7 MBA programs receive a job offer within three months of graduation. Several M7 MBA schools exceed an 80% job placement rate. These are the three-month post-graduation job placement rates for 2024 graduates of the M7 MBA programs:

• CBS: 89.0%
• Chicago Booth: 84.1%
• HBS: 76.9%
• MIT Sloan: 77.2%
• Northwestern Kellogg: 87.2%
• Stanford GSB: 79.5% 
• Wharton: 88.2%

What can I do to increase my chances of admission to an M7 MBA school?

To gain admission to an M7 MBA program, you must navigate a challenging application and interview process. Generally, only 6–30% of applicants are accepted each year. The caliber of your application, essay, and interview will determine your success in being admitted to an M7 MBA institution. That is why half of all MBA applicants hire an admissions consultant, according to the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants.

Stratus’s MBA admissions counselors are graduates of leading MBA programs and understand what it takes to gain admission to an M7 school. We at Stratus take a team-based, personalized approach to guiding you through the admissions process and increasing your chances of acceptance to a top-tier program. Stratus has helped more than 3,000 applicants representing 50+ countries gain admission to their chosen business school and to qualify for millions in scholarship money.

To receive expert guidance in your MBA journey, schedule a free consultation with a Stratus counselor today!