MBA in UK vs. MBA in USA- Your Guide

What does an MBA in UK vs. MBA in USA debate denote? Which country should you choose for your MBA? The question requires careful evaluation of several parameters before you can answer. In fact, the MBA in USA vs. UK debate has a lot to do with the increasing popularity of both nations worldwide, in terms of their cutting-edge curriculums, top-ranked institutions, and excellent career prospects. Here’s looking at some other crucial aspects. 

Popular Specializations Offered Across both Countries

For the USA, some of the popular MBA specializations include the following: 

• Strategy 
• Consulting
• General Management
• International Management
• Operations Management
• Finance Leadership
• Entrepreneurship
• Marketing

For the UK, these are some specialization choices: 

• Marketing
• General Management
• Accounting
• Operations Management
• Human Resources
• Consulting
• Environmental Management and Sustainability 
• Entrepreneurship

Top Universities in UK vs. USA 

USA- 

Name of the Institution	QS World Ranking (MBA)	Approx. Fees
Stanford Graduate School of Business	1	$76,950
Harvard Business School	2	$73,440
Penn (Wharton)	2	$84,874
MIT (Sloan)	5	$80,400
Columbia Business School	9	$80,472
UC Berkeley (Haas)	11	$67,178

UK-

Name of the Institution	QS World Ranking (MBA)	Approx. Fees
London Business School	6	£97,500
Chicago (Booth) United Kingdom	12	$155,682 for two years
Oxford (Said)	13	£68,790
Cambridge (Judge)	17	£64,000
Imperial College Business School	21	£57,200
Warwick Business School	32	£45,950

Application Process

USA

Here is a snapshot of the application procedure for an MBA in the USA- 

• Round one deadlines are usually in September. 
• GRE/GMAT examinations have to be taken. Do this at least three months before the deadline. 
• Essay, resume, and other academic transcripts should be compiled. 
• Application submissions in round one and interview preparations. 
• Round two deadlines are usually in January. 
• Round three deadlines are in March-April. 
• You will have to provide LORs (letters of recommendation) as sought by the institution. 
• Scores in English language proficiency tests may be required. 

UK

Here is a snapshot of the application procedure for an MBA in the UK- 

• You can apply either in the September deadline (Fall) or the Winter deadline, which is usually January. 
• You can apply with your academic and degree transcripts, personal statement, and CV. 
• You should also fill up career planning and other questionnaires as institutions desire. 
• You will have to provide referee details so that the institution can verify your credentials. 
• If required, submit your GRE/GMAT scores and English language proficiency scores. 
• The next steps are the video assessment, interview, and the finalization of the admission decision. 

Academic Details and Intake Deadlines

UK- 

Universities usually have intake deadlines in September, January, and April. While the third round may conclude around March-April, there could be subsequent admission rounds in some cases until May or June. 

USA-

The intake deadlines are usually in September, January, and March-April. 

Application Fee

The application fees for MBA programs in the USA could hover between $250-275 on average for leading B-Schools. For UK business schools, this is usually £25-60 or more for top B-Schools. These fees vary across institutions and are subject to change as well. 

Living Costs

UK- 

1. Accommodation- £400-600 each month. 
2. Utility Bills- £40-50 per month. 
3. Television License- £12.56 each month. 
4. Food and Associated Costs- £160-200 per month.
5. Mobile- £15-50 each month. 
6. Apparel- £25 each month. 
7. Stationery and Books- £21 each month. 
8. Miscellaneous expenditure- £150 per month. 
9. Transportation- £32 each month. 

USA- 

1. Accommodation- $200-1,000 per month. 
2. Food & Groceries- $120-160 per month. 
3. Internet Costs- $40-50 each month. 
4. Mobile- $50-100 each month. 
5. Transportation- $70-90 per month. 
6. Electricity Costs- $50-100 each month. 
7. Shopping, Leisure and Miscellaneous Expenditure- $370-400 per month. 

The above-mentioned costs could be higher for leading cities throughout the USA and UK, while being comparatively lower for several cities as well. 

Salaries across Popular Job Profiles for MBAs

UK

According to Payscale, this is the average salary structure for MBAs in the UK: 

• CEO (Chief Executive Officer) – £ 53-£153,000. 
• Project Manager- £ 31-£74,000. 
• Finance Manager- £ 34-69,000. 
• Management Consultant- £ 42-115,000. 
• Operations Manager- £ 29-101,000. 

The median salary is around £ 56,000 per year. 

USA

According to Payscale, this is the average salary structure for MBAs in the USA: 

• Chief Financial Officer- $95-$240,000. 
• Project Manager- $60-$124,000. 
• Human Resources Manager- $54-100,000. 
• Senior Financial Analyst- $68-109,000. 
• Financial Analyst- $52-88,000.