College of Business Rankings and Recognitions

We're one of the nation's best for over 30 years.

And yet we’re even more than a fully AACSB accredited business school with talented individuals, innovative ideas, long-standing national rank and an extensive network of accomplished alumni, students, faculty, and friends.  We also care greatly about every student.

AACSB Accreditation

  • We're among an elite group of business schools worldwide who hold AACSB accreditation at all levels.
  • We've achieved continuous AACSB accreditation since 1969.
  • AACSB is the most respected and highest credential of excellence worldwide for business and accounting schools.
AACSB Accreditation

Best Undergraduate Business School

  • No. 3 nationally for business schools with the most diverse student body - Poets&Quants (2022, 2020)
  • No.30 nationally within an elite group of schools for best overall academic experience – Poets&Quants (2021)
  • No.55 nationally for attracting and retaining high-quality students – Poets&Quants (2022)
  • No.55 nationally for nurturing and improving soft skills in businessPoets&Quants (2022)
  • No.78 nationally and among nation’s best for each year of this survey, since 2017 – Poets&Quants (2022)
  • “A” grade from alumni in terms of highly recommending the business program and for faculty availability – Poets&Quants (2022)
  • "A" grade from alumni for strength of the degree, opportunities and faculty engagement - Poets&Quants (2018, 2017)
  • No.4 best in Chicago - College Choice (2017)
  • Top 15% and among nation’s best for nine years - Businessweek (2016)
  • Top 15% in student satisfaction - Businessweek (2016)
  • One of the nation’s esteemed business schools for 34 consecutive years, since 1987 - U.S. News & World Report (2022 ranking)

Best Academic Programs

  • MBA program was named one of Money’s 2024 Best Grad School Programs
  • Evening MBA and EMBA rank in tier one of a global MBA survey - CEO Magazine (2018)
  • Top 14 percent part-time MBA program and among nation’s best for five years - U.S. News & World Report (2018 ranking)
  • Among best one-year MBA programs in Chicago - MetroMBA (2017)
  • No. 47 best value nationally for Master of Taxation - Value Colleges (2017)
  • No. 10 best Master of Accounting Science (Leadership) program - Online Accounting Degree Programs (2017-2018)
  • No. 15 most affordable Master of Accounting Science program - Accounting Degree Review (2017, 2016)
  • No. 25 best Master of Accounting Science program - Accounting Degree Review (2017)
  • Among top 25 nationally for more than 20 years, undergraduate and graduate level accountancy programs - Public Accounting Reports (2017)
  • No. 59 best undergraduate accounting programs – U.S. News & World Report (2022 ranking)
  • No. 10 best value online digital marketing master's program - Value Colleges (2021)
  • No. 2 best undergraduate accounting degree program in Illinois - Accounting Degree Review (2017)
  • No. 29 best undergraduate accounting degree program - Accounting Degree Review (2017 Super Ranking)
  • Top 20 CPA exam pass rate (2010) and among nation’s best for more than 30 years
  • No. 23 in information systems - Businessweek (2013)
  • No. 24 in sustainability (social entrepreneurship) - Businessweek (2013)
  • No. 40 in marketing - Businessweek (2013)
  • No. 43 in corporate strategy - Businessweek (2013)
  • No. 54 in accounting - Businessweek (2013)
  • Continuously among the nation’s best professional sales programs - Sales Education Foundation

Recognitions

  • NIU MBA in-residence program with MATTER at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (2021)
  • MATTER partner (2019)
  • WorldChicago partner (2018)
  • 89% SAP TERP10 exam pass rate, far exceeding the national pass rate of 65% (SAP University Alliances, 2016)
  • SAP University Alliances community member since 2011

Contact Us

NIU College of Business
Barsema Hall
740 Garden Road
DeKalb, IL 60115

Departmental Contacts

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