USC Marshall and Michigan Ross are two most prestigious business schools of USA for pursuing MBA. We have provided a comparative analysis below to help international students in selecting one of them.
Overview Comparison
| Marshall Business School | Ross School of Business | |
|---|---|---|
| ranking (overall) | # 50 Financial Times 2025 # 24 Financial Times 2021 # 36 Financial Times 2020 | # 29 Financial Times 2025 # 21 Financial Times 2021 # 30 Financial Times 2020 |
| Programs | UG Programs -3 PG Programs -8 Doctorate Programs -5 | UG Programs -1 PG Programs -3 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 63468 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 25795 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 19609 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 64556 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 111484 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 16502 Per Year |
Top Courses Comparison
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 49 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 72 for Business by QS World University 2025 | # 13 for Business by US News 2025 # 21 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 29 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| application | - | #2989 Applicants # 421 Admissions # 14 % Acceptance Rate |
| exam scores | IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 61/90TOEFL - 90/120 | GMAT - 731/800GRE - 323/340IELTS - 7/9PTE - 70/90TOEFL - 100/120 |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) - | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -111484 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Jan 15, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Apr 15, 2026 (Round 2 Application Decision Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Apr 15, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Jun 1, 2026 (Round 3 Application Decision Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) | Jan 5, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Mar 13, 2026 (Round 2 Application Decision Date For 2026 Intake) Mar 23, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) May 1, 2026 (Round 3 Application Decision Date For 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
Comparison Notes
Following are some comparison notes on two of the top business schools of USA, USC Marshall and Michigan Ross, to help international students pick a better MBA program:
- Although USC Marshall ranks slightly lower than Michigan Ross, as per FT MBA ranking of 2020, its position has improved significantly from 59 in 2018 to 36 in 2020. On the other hand, Michigan Ross’s ranking dropped from 26 in 2018 to 30 in 2020.
- Student community of USC Marshall has 40% of international students whereas Michigan Ross has 32% of international students. Thus, it is more diverse in former’s case.
- As per the FT MBA ranking of 2020, USC Marshall’s value for money score is 4% higher than that of Michigan Ross.
- Placement percentage of both the business schools is more or less the same but Michigan Ross’s MBA graduates earn slightly salary than USC Marshall graduates.
Although Michigan Ross’s MBA ranks better, if we consider all other factors, USC Marshall seems like a better choice for pursuing MBA.
