The HEC Paris EMBA Tops Global Programs in Latest QS Ranking

The HEC Paris EMBA is delighted to announce that it has placed 1st overall in the 2021 QS Executive MBA Rankings.

An analytical ranking with stringent quantitative requirements woven into their methodology, this year’s QS report examined 202 EMBA programs in 48 countries. The HEC Paris EMBA performed in the top percentile of schools worldwide, earning an overall score of 92.3 out of a possible 100 points.

“The QS result demonstrates that the quality of education that our graduates receive is literally second to none,” says Andrea Masini, Associate Dean, MBA programs. “We are thrilled to have been recognized not only as the top EMBA program in Europe, but also the world. We take great pride in knowing that our alumni are equipped to innovate, to lead, and to make a lasting, ethical impact on the world.”

Methodology highlights

HEC Paris tops QS EMBA rankings

In the ranking, the HEC Paris EMBA stood out in particular for its “thought leadership” and “employer reputation” indicator groups, scoring in the top percentage point globally in both respects.

The thought leadership score comes from interviews of tens of thousands of academics worldwide each year wherein each respondent ranks institutions that they believe conduct cutting edge research. Of note in the category of thought leadership was that the program was ranked Europe’s best.

The employer reputation indicator is derived from a survey asking employers from which schools they prefer to hire graduates.

HEC Paris also ranked amongst the elite in the category of “career outcomes,” earning 93.3 out of 100 points. To tally these results, QS aggregated data that took promotions and salary increases into account, attributing equal weight to each.

Other categories considered for the QS ranking include Diversity and Executive profile.

The QS ranking is another banner achievement with regards to HEC Paris Executive MBA accolades. Notably, the Financial Times ranked the HEC Paris EMBA #3 in the world and #1 in Europe in its most recent Executive MBA rankings.

The full results of the 2021 QS EMBA rankings can be found here.


More CEOs of Fortune Global 500 companies have graduated from HEC Paris than any other university in Europe, and nearly 4,000 graduates are currently CEOs, CFOs, or have founded their own companies. According to the Financial Times, the HEC Paris Executive MBA is ranked #1 in Europe and #3 in the world; click here to learn more.

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