Carlson and Sloan are two of the most competitive MBA programs in the country, but they differ in key areas. Sloan holds a stronger US News ranking. Sloan reports a higher median base salary. Carlson offers lower annual tuition, and Sloan delivers the stronger 5-year ROI. Sloan is the more selective program by acceptance rate.
| Metric | Carlson | Sloan |
|---|---|---|
| Rankings | ||
| US News Rank | #342026 | #62026 |
| Bloomberg BBW Rank | #442024 | #32024 |
| Financial Times Rank | — | #12025 |
| QS Global MBA Rank | — | #32025 |
| Admissions & Financials | ||
| Annual Tuition | $62,000 | $82,000 |
| Median Base Salary | $125,000 | $246,000 |
| 5-Year ROI | 404% | 650% |
| Class Size | 100 | 480 |
| Acceptance Rate | 35.0% | 13.6% |
| Median GMAT | 661 | 730 |
| Average GPA | — | — |
Green = better value per metric. Rankings: lower rank number = better. Salary & ROI: higher = better. Acceptance rate & tuition: lower = better.
The Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota offers a strong, versatile MBA in the Twin Cities—a major Midwest business hub home to more Fortune 500 headquarters per capita than almost any other US city (Target, Best Buy, 3M, UnitedHealth Group, Cargill). Carlson's MBA is known for strong finance, supply chain, and brand management programs, with outstanding corporate access and placement within the Midwest's corporate powerhouses.
MIT Sloan combines management education with MIT's engineering and technology DNA. Known for producing leaders in tech, biotech, and entrepreneurship, Sloan offers a unique action learning approach. Students benefit from MIT's broader ecosystem of innovation and research.
Sloan is a top M7 program; Carlson is a highly ranked T15 school. Sloan ranks higher in US News, but Sloan delivers a stronger 5-year ROI of 650%. The best choice depends on your career goals and preferred location.
Sloan is more selective with a 13.6% acceptance rate, compared to 35.0% for Carlson.
Carlson reports a median base salary of $125,000, while Sloan reports $246,000. Actual salary varies significantly by industry and function.
Carlson annual tuition is $62,000 and Sloan is $82,000. Carlson offers a 20,000 lower annual cost.
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