U.S. News Ranks UC Davis Online MBA in Top 20

(Davis, CA) — The UC Davis Online MBA, the first and only online MBA in the University of California system, moved up significantly to No. 20 in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.

The media outlet released updated online MBA program rankings on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

The UC Davis Online MBA jumped 22 spots to No. 20 overall and No. 2 among programs at universities in California.

MBA Specialty Rankings

In addition, U.S. News included specialty rankings of online MBA programs with focuses in general management, finance, marketing and business analytics that were based entirely on responses to a peer assessment survey.

The UC Davis Online MBA specialties ranked:

• No. 17 for finance
• No. 22 for business analytics

Methodology

For the overall rankings, U.S. News considered the five weighted criteria below to evaluate 366 online MBA programs. A program's score for each ranking indicator is calculated using data that the program reported to U.S. News in a statistical survey and from data collected in a separate peer assessment survey:

• Engagement - 30%
• Expert Opinion - 25%
• Faculty Credentials and Training - 15%
• Services and Technologies - 15%
• Student Excellence - 15%

Online MBA Success

The U.S. News Best Online MBA Programs follows Poets&Quants' rankings published in December that placed the UC Davis Online MBA at No. 22 in the U.S. and No. 12 among programs at public universities.

In April 2024, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranked the UC Davis Online MBA at No. 7 in North America and No. 13 globally.

The Graduate School of Management's close-knit community inspires others to achieve, helps others to succeed, builds trust and challenges students to develop as collaborative leaders. The STEM-designated Online MBA program is designed for motivated professionals who need a flexible schedule, balancing work and school while earning their degree. 

In addition to the Online MBA, the School offers these graduate management programs:

• Full-Time MBA
• Part-Time MBA in Sacramento and Bay Area
• Master of Professional Accountancy
• Master of Science in Business Analytics
• Master of Management (Online)
• Master of Management (On campus)

More Information

• U.S. News 2025 Online MBA rankings
• UC Davis Online MBA profile
• U.S. News methodology

UC Davis and Rankings

A world-class university, UC Davis is highly ranked for how it transforms students’ lives, the impact of its research, the excellence of its academic programs, its sustainability and more. The university performs self-evaluations and also appreciates the value of third-party assessments. However, ranking methods vary, change over time and can be subjective. UC Davis focuses on those rankings that most closely align with its mission and values—including serving the public good, inclusiveness and equity, and social mobility—and in national rankings looks most closely at its standing among public universities. UC Davis encourages prospective students to weigh rankings among other factors in their college decision, including consulting with UC Davis admissions advisors, current students, and, if possible, visit the campus.

Media contact:

Tim Akin, UC Davis Graduate School of Management, (916) 402-9270