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If the goal is investment banking after an MBA, a few schools consistently dominate.
• Wharton sends a big chunk of its class into IB — offers often start around $175K base plus $50K+ signing bonus.
• Columbia Business School benefits from its NYC location, making it a major feeder for firms like Goldman Sachs and Citi.
• Chicago Booth has strong finance training and alumni networks at top banks.
• NYU Stern is also a big name for banking roles, especially for students wanting to stay in New York.
• Harvard and Stanford send smaller numbers into IB, but their brand still carries huge weight.
• Internship conversion is key — many banks hire full-time almost entirely from their summer associate pool, making internships at these schools extremely important.
• First-year total comp packages usually range from $220K to $250K when including bonuses at top firms.
For investment banking, some US MBA programs have a clear edge because of their placement rates and location. Wharton is probably the strongest — over 12% of their MBA class goes into investment banking, with starting base salaries around $175K plus hefty signing bonuses.
Columbia Business School is another top choice, mainly because of its direct access to Wall Street. Major banks like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and JP Morgan recruit heavily there, and networking events happen right on campus.
Booth (Chicago) and Stern (NYU) are also strong players. Booth has excellent finance training, and Stern’s New York location makes it easier to build connections in the banking industry. MBAs from these schools often land Associate roles straight out of graduation, with total first-year compensation easily crossing $220K when bonuses are included.
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