Tuck graduates can expect an average annual salary of approximately $107,000 a 65 percent increase from last year's average pre-MBA earnings and 97 percent of students are employed within three months of graduation, according to a study conducted by The Economist.
Unlike most business school rankings, The Economist's annual report uses both objective and subjective metrics, according to the study. In addition to surveying students from each institution, the Economist weighs four over-arching categories new career opportunities, the potential to network, personal development and educational experience, and increasing salary from before matriculation to after graduation in order to determine its final list. Tuck placed eighth in the 2011 U.S. News and World Report's Best Business School rankings.
Out of the 17 sets of criteria used to compile the rankings, Tuck made it in the top 10 for eight of the areas, ranked first for alumni effectiveness and educational experience, and ranked second for new career opportunities.
Tuck's emphasis on students, dedicated alumni and cutting edge research contributied to its number one ranking, Tuck Dean Paul Danos said in an interview with The Dartmouth.
"When you talk to people who know Tuck not those who know it solely because of name recognition, but alumni and people who hire Tuck graduates the learning experience we offer consistently scores very high," Danos said.
Danos said that although American business schools are consistently disadvantaged in international rankings because graduates' published salaries do not include bonuses, Tuck was still ranked number one because of its excellence other areas.
A particular strength that contributed to Tuck's high ranking was the high level of dedication exhibited by Tuck alumni, Danos said. Tuck scored well in the segment of rankings regarding the quality of alumni, with Tuck students who participated in The Economist's survey grading the quality of alumni as "the best in the world," according to The Economist's website.
Tuck's annual giving rate is the highest in the country, with approximately 70 percent of alumni giving in 2011, Danos said. Tuck's alumni giving rate was ranked number one by CNN Money in May.
"It's a phenomenon that isn't repeated at any school that I know of," Danos said.
Danos, who spoke at a Thursday night celebration of the ranking attended by Tuck students and faculty members, proudly attributed Tuck's success to the school's focus on students.
"Tuck has a philosophy of sincerely caring about our students," Danos said. "The quality of the learning experience is our first priority, not just research."
Sally Jaeger, assistant dean and director of the MBA program at Tuck, emphasized students' constantly evolving mindsets and the strong cultural diversity at Tuck that lead it to be recognized as a world-class business school. With 33 percent of the student body hailing from other countries, Tuck as a whole "better reflects the world."
Although Tuck is ranked number one in The Economist, Danos said that administrators and professors are far from "complacent" when seeking to improve the already-existing programs.
"There are a lot of challenges, especially globalization and new technology," Danos said. "This is a constantly changing world, and our faculty is always experimenting and staying current with new research. We have a faculty of true thought leaders, and they won't ever let themselves be second rate at anything."
