The George Washington University School of Business (GWSB) has been ranked No. 1 in the world for having the highest percentage of women enrolled full-time in a Global MBA program in the “Financial Times” Global MBA Ranking for 2024.
Women make up more than 65% of the school’s 2025 enrollment, making GWSB one of only three MBA programs in the world—and the only one in the United States—to surpass the 60% mark.
Vanessa Perry, GW Business interim dean and a professor of marketing and public policy, said this high ranking is a culmination of years of work by the school to foster an environment where diverse perspectives thrive.
“Our students come to GW Business to make an impact,” Perry said. “With women holding fewer executive positions in business, government and society, representation matters in the classroom. Everyone has a say. We're modeling the future boardrooms, and our students are thriving within these experiences.”
GW Business has taken steps to achieve this success including encouraging opportunities for women across faculty, staff and student organizations to hold visible and impactful leadership roles.
The school also supports initiatives like GW Women in Business, a program that helps prepare undergraduate students for professional careers and connects rising leaders with GW alumnae.
“So while we've achieved parity now across our enrollment at the undergraduate and graduate level, it's both the success of the last few years, where prospective students see that they can be part of a business school class that has a strong community and which also has the initiatives and strong leadership from women—faculty, students, staff and alumni—over time,” Perry said.
This is not the first time the school has been recognized for paving the way for gender equity in higher education. Over the past four years, GW Business has achieved a majority of women enrollment in its Global MBA full-time classes, with women making up 57% of the class of 2022, 56% in the class of 2023 and 59% in the class of 2024.
Students who chose to attend GW Business say it was at the top of their list because they sensed a community on campus and knew they could further contribute to a diverse and inclusive school.
Triada Cross, a student in the Global MBA program, said she originally didn't want to pursue an MBA program because of its reputation as a male-dominated field. Cross said she decided to enroll in GW’s MBA program after realizing that the school offered many opportunities to connect with diverse students, faculty and alumni.
“Part of why I picked GW Business was because they are serious about promoting women in business,” Cross said. “Before I applied, they had a webinar specifically for women interested in GW where women in the program talked about their experiences, and I was able to ask them questions. That was key to my decision to come here. In my past educational and professional experience, I was often one of the few women in the classroom or office, and that wasn't a dynamic I wanted to experience again in my graduate studies.”
Camila Batres, another student in the Global MBA program, said the experience of being part of a predominantly female MBA cohort has been empowering.
“It has provided an environment where I've gained self-confidence and motivation that I've never experienced in any other educational institution or workplace,” Batres said. “The collaborative atmosphere in the classroom, student associations and group work settings has allowed us to not only connect and create but also advance as a community.
“Our cohort's diversity, both in terms of gender and background, has been instrumental in our collective growth, both professionally and personally.”
