Chicago Booth vs Northwestern Kellogg: Check the Ultimate Smackdown to make your choice!

Are you planning to pursue an MBA in USA? If yes, then this blog can prove beneficial for you as here we share the Smackdown between two top MBA schools – Chicago Booth and Northwestern Kellogg (the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University).

Earlier, Kellogg was known for marketing while Booth was popular for Finance programs. But at present, both these B-Schools have expanded much in terms of academics. The majority of the recent MBA graduates obtaining a degree from any of these schools got placed in different top companies. 

Both of these B-Schools are one of the best options for pursuing MBA in USA and offer world-class facilities, international exposure, academic education, and wider placement options. Read out the comparison between Kellogg vs. Booth.

Kellogg vs. Booth: Location and Class Profile

Both of these B-schools are located in Chicago. Booth’s campus is in Hyde Park while Kellogg’s campus is in Evanston.

Hyde Park is one of the most famous neighbourhoods and has two of the city’s most prominent cultural institutions, including the Museum of Science and Industry and the University of Chicago.  

On the other hand, Kellogg’s campus at Evanston is just half an hour away from the heart of Chicago. One can enjoy an impressive lakefront while visiting the campus. There are 77 parks, and most people living in Evanston are within half a mile of green space.

Class of 2022 Profile of Full – Time MBA

Key differences in terms of the Class of 2022 profile for Kellogg vs. Booth are mentioned below:

Kellogg vs. Booth	Kellogg	Booth
Class Size	559	621
Female	40%	38%
Average GMAT	727	690
GMAT Range	640-770	600-780
Average Work Experience	5	5
Average GPA	3.6	3.6
International Students	26%	30%

In terms of class profile, we can say that both these schools offering MBA in the USA have almost a similar size. The Kellogg School of Management class size is close to 559 students, while it is slightly more prominent at the Booth School of Business, which has a somewhat larger class size with an average class size of 621 for the full-time MBA program.

Kellogg vs. Booth: Rankings

Ranking always plays a vital role in choosing a B-School for an MBA in the USA or anywhere in the world. When we talk about Booth and Kellogg, both of them have a higher ranking, but at the same time, both schools have some differences in ranking lists. In the 2021 FT Global MBA Ranking, Booth secured a rank at 3rd spot while Kellogg’s MBA program secured the 6th position.

Even the rankings awarded to them are different. Booth overtakes Kellogg in three other rankings, including QS World University (Top MBA), The Economist, and FT Ranking. You can refer to the beneath the table that mentions the ranking for Kellogg vs. Booth from the year 2018 – 2021.

Ranking and Year	Booth	Kellogg
FT Ranking
2021	3	6
2020	10	11
2019	7	14
2018	6	12
QS World University Ranking
2021	11	14
2020	8	10
2019	8	14
2018	12	14
The Economist
2019	1	4
2018	1	2
2017	2	1
US News Ranking
2021	3	4
2020	3	3
2019	3	6
2018	3	4

Kellogg vs. Booth: MBA Program and Curriculum

Now let’s talk about the course curriculum for an MBA program offered in these B- Schools. Both Kellogg and Booth have a flexible course curriculum thus giving better flexibility to MBA students. Kellogg and Booth offer different kinds of MBA programs to meet all the needs of students. The modes courses offered are – Full-time MBA, Evening and Weekend MBA, and Executive MBA programs.

Chicago Booth Full-Time MBA

The overall duration of the full-time MBA in USA course offered at Chicago Booth is 21 months. Thirteen different specializations are offered, and students can take up to 3-4 courses per quarter. Four main components of this flexible MBA course at Booth include – Foundational Courses, Functions Management, Business Environment Courses, electives, and leadership training (LEAD).

MBA students must take three foundation courses. They need to choose one from each division – Financial Accounting, Statistics, and Microeconomics. These divisions have different course options making it easier for the students to choose the best option.

In addition to foundational courses, students pursuing an MBA can select six courses from the seven categories (Operations, Finance, Marketing, strategy, among others).

Kellogg Full-Time MBA Curriculum

The MBA program offered at Kellogg is slightly different from the ones offered at Booth. Booth offers four types of full-time MBA programs via its School of Business. This includes the one-year MMM two years MBA Program.

The MMM Program offered here is a dual-degree full-time MBA providing an integrated curriculum. This program is perfect for young professionals focused on being a part of business and design innovation. After completing their studies, the MMM graduates get an MBA from Kellogg and an MS in Design Innovation from the Segal Design Institute.

The JD-MBA Program offered at Kellogg is ideal for planning to have a career in law with in-depth knowledge of management. Kellogg also offers a one-year MBA program perfect for the aspirants who have completed the required coursework by pursuing a UG course.

The two-year full-time MBA has nine core courses. The courses offer information in different fields, including marketing management, operational management, leadership, etc.

Kellogg’s course curriculum is more flexible than Booth’s. Students pursuing an MBA from here get course waivers on seven of its core courses if they have some prior work experience. Thus, students can benefit from it by getting more electives.

Chicago Booth needs at least 21 courses for completing graduation, while it takes 20.5 courses to complete a two-year full-time MBA in the USA at Kellogg.

Kellogg vs. Booth: Placement and Internship Opportunities

When it’s about the placement and internship opportunities, both of these schools offer incredible placement opportunities to their MBA graduates. By going through the table, aspirants planning to do an MBA in the USA can get detailed information about the placement statistics for these schools.

Kellogg vs. Booth Placement Statistics	Kellogg (2019)	Booth (2019)
Job Offers within three months of graduation	95%	97%
Average Base Salary	$160,000	$145,000
Average Sign-on Bonus Acceptance by Function	$33,500	$30,000
Placement Statistics by Major Functions	Percentage	Percentage
Consulting	34%	34.80%
Accounting/Finance	18.50%	36.20%
General Management	11.70%	7.50%
Business Development	2.30%	N/A
Information Technology	10.30%	6.40%
Marketing/Sales	13.80%	5.20%
Operations/Logistics	2.50%	1.70%
Others	2.10%	2.70%
Strategic Planning	N/A	5.65

Hopefully, through this article, we have provided enough details that will help students make the right decision if they have to choose any one university between them. No matter which of these B-Schools you are admitted to, pursuing an MBA in the USA can help you move a step forward towards your dream goal.