Best ROI for international students: 3 universities with leading graduate business schools

A business education in the US is a big investment. From time and savings to personal sacrifices, everything comes at a premium. However, choosing the right business school – the one that fits your needs and aspirations — ensures that the investment pays off.

Take Satya Nadella, who earned his MBA before becoming CEO of Microsoft. His business education provided the strategic thinking and leadership skills that helped him drive Microsoft’s transformation into a cloud computing giant.

That’s the power of a top-tier MBA. It equips students with the skills, network, and opportunities to get to the C-suite or start their own ventures. When it comes to tried and tested, this enduringly popular master’s degree has time and again accelerated careers, increased earnings, and unlocked industry leadership roles.

The first step? Finding a school that aligns with your goals, offers strong industry connections, and provides real-world learning experiences.

If you’re ready to invest in your future, here are three universities with the best return on investment:

Whether you’re aiming for a Big Three consulting firm or your own startup, the College of Business Administration at Central Michigan University equips you with the skills and experience to succeed. Source: Central Michigan University

Central Michigan University

Earning a business graduate degree is a significant investment — but at Central Michigan University’s College of Business Administration (CMU CBA), it’s one with great returns, especially for international students. CMU was ranked fifth in the nation for international students by F1 Hire, placing it alongside private institutions like Stanford and Princeton.

Established in 1892, CMU is one of Michigan’s largest universities, drawing students from all over the world. One of its biggest attractions? Affordability. CMU offers competitive tuition rates and generous financial aid, including scholarships, grants, and reduced tuition. Graduate assistantships provide additional financial support while offering valuable research and teaching experience. Notably, CMU has the lowest tuition among Michigan’s research institutions, and the cost of living is significantly below the national average.

If you’re looking to advance your career, CBA’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) is an ideal choice. Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the programme meets the highest global standards. You can choose to study full-time or part-time, in person or online, making it a flexible option for working professionals and full-time students alike.

The MBA curriculum equips you with advanced skills in accounting, finance, marketing, and management. The core courses, which strongly focus on business quantitative methods, include statistical theory, data analytics, visualisation, and forecasting. You can tailor your degree by choosing from 11 emphasis areas, including STEM-designated fields like business data analytics, cybersecurity, finance, information systems (with SAP), logistics, and project management.

Beyond coursework, CBA provides hands-on experiences that prepare students for real-world challenges. Faculty members bring business trends and case studies into the classroom. Students with entrepreneurial ambitions can compete for funding at the annual New Venture Competition too.

With personalised academic advising and a curriculum that adapts to individual learning styles, the MBA programme and CMU ensures its 1,600 international students gain practical knowledge while earning their degrees. Whether you want to launch your career or advance within your organisation, earning an MBA from CBA is a strategic and rewarding step forward.

Apply to Central Michigan University’s MBA today.

The Vanderbilt MBA offers core business courses and flexible customisations through concentrations, specialisations, and emphases to accelerate or pivot your career. Source: Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University

An MBA typically offers a broad understanding of business, covering areas like marketing, finance, and accounting. At Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management, however, the focus is clear: shaping professionals into strong leaders and helping them achieve their career goals.

Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the Vanderbilt MBA welcomes students from 23 countries, creating a diverse and close-knit learning environment. Small class sizes ensure personalised attention, while the flexible curriculum allows you to tailor your experience. Alongside core business courses, you can choose from various concentrations, specialisations, and emphases to gain expertise in your chosen field.

For those interested in a STEM-designated MBA, Vanderbilt offers concentrations in Accounting, Consumer Psychology and Marketing Analytics, Finance, General Management, and Healthcare, among others. These STEM tracks also allow international students to extend their US work authorisation by 24 months, making it a strategic choice for professionals seeking more global impact.

Specialisations provide even deeper expertise, with options such as Brand Management, Corporate Finance, Human and Organisational Performance, and Investment Management. This focus on customisation ensures that graduates have both the broad business knowledge and specific skills needed to excel in their careers.

Support starts early. From the moment you begin your application, a personal recruiting manager guides you through the process. Once enrolled, career preparation takes centre stage. The Career Management Centre, which partners with over 500 companies, offers one-on-one coaching, résumé workshops, and mock interviews to ensure you are ready to impress.

The results speak for themselves. As many as 91% of the Class of 2024 received a job offer within three months of graduation, with an average salary of US$150,246.

Arizona State’s W. P. Carey School of Business offers a transformative Connected MBA, shaping students into leaders who innovate, build, and drive change. Source: Arizona State University/Facebook

Arizona State University

Arizona State University‘s W. P. Carey School of Business has a clear mission: to empower students, advance research, and engage communities to shape the future of business.

As the largest business school in the US, W. P. Carey provides world-class education with unmatched accessibility. More than 23,000 students from over 120 countries call it home, benefiting from top-tier programmes consistently ranked in the Top 30 by US News & World Report. The Full-time MBA programme, ranked #32 by US News and #29 by Fortune, exemplifies the school’s commitment to excellence.

The STEM-designated Full-time MBA at W. P. Carey is an immersive, connected experience that prepares you for a rapidly evolving world. With nine specialised concentrations — including Artificial Intelligence, Business Analytics, Finance, and Supply Chain Management — you can customise your education to align with your career goals. Leadership training, executive mentoring, and built-in career coaching ensure that you’re not only job-ready but career-resilient.

This approach delivers results. Among the Full-time MBA Class of 2023, 88% were employed at graduation and 96% were employed within 90 days, with an average starting salary of US$126,618.

“This is one of the best programmes in the country,” says Chikezie Anachu, an MBA graduate. “I’m saying that not just because of the curriculum, the faculty, or the wonderful recruitment outcomes, but because it’s a place of growth.”

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International