UVA Darden Reaches Top 5 in Bloomberg Businessweek Best Business Schools Ranking

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business was named the No. 5 business school in the United States by Bloomberg Businessweek in its “Best Business School Rankings 2026–27,” climbing five spots from No. 10.

The No. 5 overall ranking marks a return to Bloomberg Businessweek’s top 5. It is the fourth time Darden has landed in the top 5 in the last seven years and the eighth year in a row placing as a top 10 school. Darden was also ranked the No. 1 business school at a public university in the United States and notched top-10 category rankings for networking (No. 8) and compensation (No. 10). The School rose 10 places in the learning category to No. 14 from No. 24.

“This recognition reflects years of work by our faculty and staff, the extraordinary students and alumni who represent Darden every day, and the employers and partners who continue to believe in our graduates,” said Darden Dean Yael Grushka-Cockayne, who assumed the role in August after serving on the School’s faculty since 2009. “Our opportunity is to build on that strength with ambition and purpose, continuing to make Darden even better for the students we serve and the world they will lead.”

To determine the rankings, Bloomberg Businessweek surveyed graduating Class of 2026 students, recent alumni and recruiters on topics including jobs, salaries, classroom learning, alumni networks and more. The survey results and additional data, such as employment rate and salary outcomes for the Class of 2026, are used to rank schools on compensation, learning, networking and entrepreneurship. The results in these four categories are then weighted and combined to produce an overall ranking

The Bloomberg Businessweek results continued Darden’s recent momentum in business school rankings.

In July, Darden earned top 10 placements in 11 categories in The Princeton Review’s Best Business Schools 2027 rankings—the highest total in the School’s history. In those rankings, Darden was named No. 1 for Best Professors for the third consecutive year and remained in the top 5 for Best Classroom Experience for the sixth consecutive year. The School also placed No. 2 for Most Family Friendly, No. 3 for Best MBA for Consulting, and No. 4 for Best Administered and Best Campus Environment.

Earlier in 2026, Financial Times ranked Darden the No. 9 MBA program in the U.S. and No. 19 globally in its global ranking of Full-Time MBA programs.