Lipscomb University College of Business undergraduate program named among the top in nation for eighth year
Lipscomb program consistently ranked among top in state, nation by Poets&Quants
Kim Chaudoin |
Lipscomb University’s College of Business has once again been ranked among the top 50 undergraduate programs in the nation by Poets&Quants for Undergrads in its annual Best Undergrad Business Schools 2024 rankings. This is the eighth consecutive year for Lipscomb’s College of Business to be ranked among the top nationally.
Today the organization unveiled its 2024 Best Undergraduate Business Schools ranking, which is considered the most comprehensive assessment of undergraduate business programs. Lipscomb was ranked No. 43 in the nation, is the only undergraduate business program in Nashville included in the ranking and is ranked No. 2 in Tennessee. Lipscomb is one of only two universities in Tennessee, out of 46 four-year business programs in the state, included in the entire ranking. Lipscomb also ranked No. 1 in Tennessee and No. 47 in the country in the career outcomes category and nationally placed No. 31 in the academic experience category and No. 52 in the admissions experience category in the report.
“Lipscomb’s College of Business has had a longstanding reputation as being a leader in business education in Tennessee and across the nation for decades. Recognition in a national ranking — especially one that is a data-driven, comprehensive review — is always reaffirming on what we are trying to do in the College of Business,” said Ray Eldridge, dean of the College of Business at Lipscomb University. “This is an honor and reflection of the hard work of the entire College of Business faculty and staff. It also reflects the outstanding career opportunities Lipscomb business students have and the quality of our graduates who are leaders in their fields in organizations around the world.”
College of Business Dean Ray Eldridge meets with students prior to a recent career fair.
Also included with Lipscomb on the top 50 list were the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia, New York University Stern School of Business, Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame, Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University and the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon among others. Lipscomb’s undergraduate business program ranked above those at such institutions as William & Mary College, Michigan State University, Hofstra University, the University of Georgia, Rutgers Business School- Newark, the University of Kentucky and Texas Tech University.
“This tremendous recognition is another example that Lipscomb is a top-tier, nationally recognized institution that excels in teaching and in preparing learners for lives of purpose that is driven by a desire for continuous improvement,” said Jennifer Shewmaker, Lipscomb University provost. “This ranking is the reflection of the leadership of Dean Eldridge and his entire team, and I am thankful for their dedication and hard work. More importantly, this is a significant indicator of the quality education our students receive, which sets them up for success after they leave our campus.”
Poets&Quants for Undergrads, a leading news website dedicated to the coverage of undergraduate business education, compiled the 2024 rankings based on a representative survey of over 5,400 alumni and school-reported data. Recent graduates across the 91 schools were surveyed on aspects of faculty availability, extracurricular opportunities and accessibility of the alumni network.
The College of Business hosts several career fairs and networking events for students each year.
A leader in career preparedness
In this year’s ranking, Lipscomb ranked No. 1 in Tennessee and in the Career Outcomes category. The Career Outcomes category is based on three metrics: the percentage of the latest graduating class to gain jobs within 90 days of graduating, the average salary and bonus for the latest graduating classes and the percentage of the previous two graduating classes that had internships before their senior year. Lipscomb’s tremendous success in this metric is a reflection of the College of Business’s strong emphasis on career preparedness. Freshmen in the college’s Introduction to Business course get hands-on careers experience running micro-businesses in their first year of study and students also have the opportunity to participate in the annual Business Mission Trip focused on working with underserved entrepreneurs. The college includes a Career Connection Center, which is focused on professional development and engagement for business students and alumni. The center offers robust programs and services including workshops, hosts networking events and works with students on resume preparation and interviewing skills. The center’s career readiness program also includes offering students the Gallup’s CliftonStrengths Assessment to help students discover their talents and align them with a career. In addition, all undergraduate students complete at least one internship and take a professional development course as part of their degree requirements. In addition, the college has added eight executives-in residence who each bring their expertise and contribute to the student's professional development and has a strong emphasis on national collegiate business team competitions to provide realistic hands-on experience. The College of Business has a 96% placement rate for graduates within 90 days of completing their degrees.
“I am most pleased with this recognition as one of our primary goals is to prepare students to successfully fulfill their career goals and to produce highly qualified graduates who will meet workforce needs,” said Eldridge. “At Lipscomb we are very intentional about career preparedness and it is a very important component of our business education program. This ranking is evidence of the dedicated team in our Career Connection Center and to our faculty advisors who are devoted to providing valuable guidance, insight and coaching to our students to set them up for success after graduation.”
A national leader in business education
This is the latest recognition for Lipscomb’s College of Business. It is consistently recognized nationally as a leader in business education. In 2020 Poets&Quants selected the College of Business as one of ten undergraduate business schools in the nation to watch for seven consecutive years and ranked Lipscomb as the top undergraduate business program in Tennessee. Last spring, the publication named two students among the top 100 students in the Best & Brightest Class of 2023. Also last year, the undergraduate business program obtained the U.S. News Best Business School status, listed as third in Tennessee behind only Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. In addition, Lipscomb’s MBA program acquired its first U.S.News ranking, placing among the top five business schools in Tennessee.
In February 2022, the College of Business earned accreditation from AACSB International (AACSB), following a rigorous review process. With this accreditation, Lipscomb is part of an elite group of business schools internationally with less than six percent — only 926 institutions across 60 countries — earning this prestigious accreditation. Founded in 1916, AACSB is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools, and the largest business education network connecting learners, educators and businesses worldwide. Lipscomb is also accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
Lipscomb University’s College of Business is recognized nationally as a leader in business education and offers undergraduate degrees in accounting, business as mission, data analytics, data science, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, general business, general finance, management and marketing. Through the College of Business’s Pfeffer Graduate School of Business, graduate programs include the Master of Accountancy and Certificate in Accountancy, the Professional Master of Business Administration (MBA), the Fast Track MBA and the Master of Health Administration. Learn more at www.lipscomb.edu/business.