1. Babson College:

Babson is a small private school in Needham, MA, just about 20 minutes outside of Boston. The school is dedicated to business and entrepreneurship and is ranked #31 in the nation focused solely on business. Babson prides itself on having a unique course that all students must take: Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship, in which students create and manage a real business.  Babson admits 24% of its applicants, with an average out of state total cost of $75,000.

2. Baruch College

Baruch is a part of the CUNY (City University of New York) system and is within easy reach of Wall Street, Midtown Manhattan, and the global headquarters of many major companies, firms, and organizations. Baruch offers a unique Honors program dedicated to the Business school and has a uniquely diverse student population.  Overall Baruch admits 26% of students, but for the business program the admit rate in 39%, with an average of of state cost of $45,000+

3. Bentley University

Bentley, in Waltham, MA, prides itself on creating leaders who will “be a force for positive change”—and they mean it. With a focus specifically on business education, they offer 25 business-related majors and 35 minors, allowing students to customize their learning. Bentley admits 43% of its applicants, with an average out of state cost of $72,000.

4. University of Connecticut

UConn is a public research institution in Storrs, CT with a strong business college. It offers a unique major in Family Business, plus several programs that allow for 4+1 Masters options. Their large alumni network also helps with career opportunities both in college and after graduation.  It is a 53% admit rate for the business school with an overall admit rate of 49%, with an average out of state cost of $56.600.

5. University of Delaware 

The University of Delaware offers a big-school experience with small class sizes and unique majors in Hospitality Industry Management and Global Enterprise Management. It's only 30 minutes from Philadelphia and 45 minutes from Baltimore, with easy access to many other major metropolitan areas. Their admit rate overall is 64%, but they do not publish the admissions rate to the business program.  Their average out of state cost is $52,300.

6. Drexel University

Located in the heart of Philadelphia, Drexel's LeBow College of Business offers a wide variety of courses, from sport management to real estate management. They even offer a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, which gives students more technical experience than a traditional degree.  Overall, they admit 77% of applicants, but a 75% admission rate for their school of business. Their average out of state cost is $72,000.

7. Lehigh University

Located in Bethlehem, PA, Lehigh's program has a global focus and emphasizes the intersection of business with technology and data analytics. It houses one of the few bachelor's degrees in Integrated Business and Engineering, which gives students leadership training for everything from industrial research and development to finance services.  Their business school admits 22% of applicants, with an overall rate of 32%.  Their average out of state cost is $70,000.

8. Quinnipiac University 

Quinnipiac, located near New Haven, CT, offers so much more than business majors. Outside of the classroom, students can join the Social Media Club, the Entrepreneur Club, and the International Business Society. They'll also get hands-on experience managing the nearly $2 million student-managed investment portfolio.  Their overall admit rate is 72%, but they do not publish the admissions rate to the business program.  Their average out of state cost is $66,200.

9. Rochester Institute of Technology

By name, RIT (in Rochester, NY) might not seem like a business school, but it has an entire college dedicated to 8 unique majors and 13 minors including Supply Chain Management. Students can customize their educational experience with the flexibility of curriculum offered by RIT.  Their overall admit rate is 66%, but they do not publish the admissions rate to the business program.  Their average out of state cost is $65,200.

10. Villanova University

Villanova is a cross-town rival to Saint Joseph's, and it offers unique research opportunities in Business with world-class faculty. 99% of their undergraduate business majors participate in at least one internship before they graduate. And it doesn’t hurt that they've won two out of the last three National Basketball Championships.  Villanova’s overall admit rate is 31%, but their business school admits just 22%.  Their average out of state cost is $72,500.



It's easy for students to rely on big names for their college list, especially when they're looking into business. But it's important to keep an open mind and think about schools that might not be at the top of every list.