Pitt Business: Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business & College of Business Administration

Press Release

January 26, 2004

Financial Times Ranks Katz School 56th in the World and 15th Among U.S. Public Business Schools

PITTSBURGH—The Financial Times ranked the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh 56th worldwide in its international ranking of business schools—up from last year's 72nd position and exceeding its three-year average of 60th in the world. Katz ranks 36th among all U.S. business schools and 15th among U.S. public business schools.

The Financial Times ranking of full-time MBA programs assesses the value of an MBA and the schools that offer them. The rankings' criteria were chosen to measure the relative strengths in three key areas: purchasing power in the marketplace, diversity of experience, and the school's research qualities.

A questionnaire was sent to alumni who graduated three years ago (in this case, the class of 2000) in order to chart the progress of graduates from before the MBA through graduation and into the workplace.

This year 27 (47 percent) of the U.S. schools fell, and only 20 schools (35 percent) moved upward in the Financial Times ranking. The Katz School was only one of three U.S. schools of business who moved up more than 10 places in its ranking.

The Katz School also ranked highly in many of the subrankings, including two categories that attest to the quality and value of the Katz MBA—the "value for money rank" and the "international mobility rank." The Financial Times ranked Katz 16th in the world in the first category, which could also be called the "best buy" category. This category rates schools based on the rate of return for each dollar spent on the degree between the start of the MBA to three years after graduation.

Katz is also ranked 28th in the world in international mobility. This measurement indicates the career progression of Katz MBAs in the international business workforce.

"Our Financial Times ranking underscores the viability of the Katz MBA. We are pleased to be one of the few schools that rose in the rankings while so many U.S. schools declined in the rankings. This is a testament to the strength of our programs and services," said Dean Frederick W. Winter.

The Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business (www.katz.pitt.edu) has been ranked consistently in the top 50 MBA programs in the United States. Recently, The Wall Street Journal ranked Katz 11th worldwide among public institutions. As one of the 13 founding members of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Katz is home to one of the first federally funded centers for international business and research. Its techno-MBA program options and its Evening Program have both earned recognition as top-20 programs from U.S. News & World Report.

The University of Pittsburgh (www.pitt.edu) system consists of its 132-acre campus located in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh and regional campuses in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown, and Titusville. Established in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh is one of the first 25 universities established in the United States. The University serves more than 32,000 students through the programs of 18 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools. It is recognized internationally as one of the leading research institutions in the world.