Graduate School of Business

Photo provided by Stanford University

By Mandy Oaklander

Graduate School of Business

Stanford's Graduate School of Business, established in 1925, is at the top of the B-school wish list for over 6,000 prospective MBAs each year. Besides being located in Silicon Valley—a business student's playground—the picturesque B-school will soon be even bigger and better: The multimillion dollar Knight Management Center will be completed in 2010-11. A perennial top 10 program in the BusinessWeek rankings for almost two decades, Stanford is known for its innovation, friendly atmosphere, and tailored education. The price tag for the full-time MBA program hovers around $98,000, but greatly enhanced salaries for graduates beat out those from every other business school by thousands: Stanford MBAs typically make around $125,000 after graduation.

For most though, spending two years at Stanford isn't only about the money to be made. Students can pursue their passions through myriad joint-degree programs: an MBA/MA in Public Policy or Education, an MBA/MS in Environmental Resources or Bioengineering, an MBA/JD in law, or an MBA/MD in medicine. Stanford also offers the Sloan Master's Program, a full-time 10-month program for mid-career executives, and a PhD program. But the traditional full-time MBA is still the main attraction and the school continues to produce leaders of all things relating to business.

Photos provided by Stanford University and specified photographers. Caption information provided by the school and BusinessWeek research.

Stanford on Business Exchange

Stanford MBA Profile

Slide Show: Top U.S. MBA Programs

B-School Forum