It used to be that business school was for young straight white men, just as their older counterparts ran businesses. Thankfully, the reality has been changing for a while. Now, most top MBA programs welcome 30 percent women and almost 50 percent international students. Just as exciting, as the world has progressed, so, too, has LGBT equality in business school.
According to Reaching Out MBA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to LGBT MBA students, more LGBT students than ever are attending elite MBA programs. In fact, in 2016, 3.43 percent of students at elite MBA programs self-identified as LGBT—up 2.94 percent from last year and 2.7 percent the year before. It’s a promising trend that shows no signs of slowing down.
That said, according to a GMAC survey, only 9 percent of graduate business programs worldwide and only 13 percent of programs in the United States report special LGBT outreach efforts. So, if you self-identify as LGBT, where should you head to school?
Top 10 LGBT MBA Programs
What makes an MBA program welcoming for LGBT students? For our list we considered a few factors:
- The resources available to the LGBT community
- The LGBT acceptance factor and culture within the MBA program
- The focus on diversity within admissions
The schools on our list have not been placed in any particular order. Instead we focus on explaining why each program was chosen for inclusion.
San Diego State University College of Business Administration
The Pride Center is one of the best resources available to the LGBTQ community at San Diego State University (SDSU) College of Business Administration. The center welcomes all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and ally students. Its goal is to provide an open, inclusive, safe and affirming space for all students regardless of their sexual or gender identities. It offers education, events, resources, support services and more. SDSU also receives a 5-star rating by the Campus Pride Index, thanks to its LGBT-friendly and safe environment.
The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
Wharton stands out for its professional and social club, OutForBusiness. It’s the largest MBA LGBT club in the nation, with more than 830 participants. The club welcomes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight ally graduate students, faculty and staff. Its goal is to celebrate a diverse community of MBAs and to promote LGBT visibility. Each year the annual White Party social event sells out and welcomes close to 75 percent of the student population. Josh Lotstein, WG15, had this to say about the club:
“Out4Biz was a primary reason I came to Wharton, and since arriving in Philadelphia, Out4Biz has played a key role in my MBA experience,” he said. “I am proud to be part of such a diverse and inclusive community that is a leader on campus and throughout business schools worldwide.”
Columbia Business School
Columbia Business School is home to the second-largest LBGT MBA club in the nation, Cluster Q. With 664 active members, it makes up 4.15 percent of the student body and is a welcoming community for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students, faculty and administrators. Cluster Q is focused on creating a robust network to provide extensive resources and opportunities to the LGBT community. One of the best parts of the club is the annual Diversity Matters event, which highlights diversity and inclusion on campus. Overall, approximately 4.15 percent of Columbia’s MBA students identify as LGBTQ, according to Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA).
UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business
At the Haas School, according to ROMBA, 4.8 percent of MBA students self-identify as LGBT. Haas is also home to the club Q@Haas, which serves the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Its goal is to build and support a lasting network of students, faculty, staff and alumni, to enhance professional and personal development, and to create awareness and visibility around LGBT issues. Beyond the club, MBAs at Haas can also apply for the Reaching Out LGBT MBA Fellowship, which offers $10,000 per academic year.
University of Massachusetts’ Isenberg School of Management
Isenberg makes the list for the sheer fact that it has the largest percentage of LGBT-identified MBA students, 6.67 percent according to ROMBA. But that’s not its only attractive feature. It’s also home to the Stonewall Center, which offers resources, speaking events and workshops for the LGBTQ community on campus. It was one of the nation’s first professionally staffed LGBT campus centers, having opened in 1985. MBAs also can take part as members of Isenberg’s Reaching Out MBA chapter.
Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management
Kellogg is one of the best MBA programs for LGBT students thanks to its Pride at Kellogg club. The club welcomes LGBT MBA students to facilitate and enhance the current LGBT experience on campus. It focuses on creating a network for prospective and current students alongside alumni, as well as providing social, academic and pre-professional support. There are more than 134 active group members and 128 annual events. Kellogg also recently ranked #2 at the annual MBA Ally Challenge, which determines the LGBT-friendliness of campuses.
University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business
Ross was recently named as one of the most LGBT-friendly business schools in the nation. It received this ranking from Friendfactor for its LGBT participating rates, activities held to educate and encourage straight allies and survey responses about the school’s LGBT awareness and friendliness. Ross MBAs will find the Out for Business at Ross (OFB) club to be a fantastic opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community. The club supports its members by offering mentoring, on-campus and off-campus recruiting, as well as various events.
Harvard Business School
One of the things that makes HBS unique is its recruiting efforts directed at LGBT students. Each year, Harvard holds an LGBT Open House, during which the admissions team hosts an on-campus event, which includes class visits, tours and a round table discussion for LGBT students. MBAs at HBS also have the option to participate in one of two clubs for LGBT students and their allies. There’s the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Student Association, with more than 70 members, and the LGBTSA Allies Club, with nearly 600 members.
Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business
Starting in 2011, the Fuqua School began hosting an LGBT Weekend to show off its LGBT-friendly culture and to dispel negative perceptions. Another great opportunity for LGBT MBAs is FuquaPride, a student-run organization for the LGBT community and its allies. The organization is dedicated to opening a dialogue about LGBT issues and providing resources for students, faculty and alumni.
“As an LGBT applicant, I was originally concerned that moving from a liberal city to a southern college town would result in a negative experience. Quite frankly, I couldn’t have been more wrong,” said Dave Henning ’12.
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford GSB stands out for its LGBT business “boot camp.” The LGBT Executive Leadership Program teaches LGBT business leaders how to lead authentically, effectively and confidently. It focuses on how individuals can use their LGBT identity to influence and strengthen their leadership style, how to asses and refine their interpersonal skills and more. Stanford is also home to the LGBT Community Resources Center, which provides a warm and welcoming space for the LGBT community and its allies. The center offers a library, computers, meeting spaces and more.