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IIMA vs ISB

Updated: May 8, 2023

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) and Indian School of Business (ISB) are two of the most prestigious business schools in India. In this blog, we will analyze and compare the data provided by Financial Times (FT) Ranking 2023 to determine which school is better.


1. Ranking of IIMA vs ISB:

According to the FT Ranking 2023, IIMA is ranked 51 while ISB is ranked 39. ISB has a better rank than IIMA, which indicates that ISB might have performed better than IIMA in certain areas.


2. Sector Diversity of IIMA vs ISB:

IIMA has a higher sector diversity rank than ISB, with IIMA ranked at 35 and ISB at 51. Sector diversity rank measures the percentage of students enrolled in different sectors, and a higher rank indicates a more diverse student body. Therefore, IIMA has a more diverse student body than ISB.


3. Alumni Network of IIMA vs ISB:

ISB has a better alumni network rank than IIMA, with ISB ranked at 12 and IIM-A ranked at 28. Alumni network rank measures the number of alumni holding CEO positions in the top 500 companies. Therefore, ISB has a better alumni network than IIMA.


4. Location of IIMA vs ISB:

Both IIMA and ISB are located in India, and their primary campus is in India. ISB has 2 campuses. One (older one) is situated in Hyderabad and the other in Mohali, Punjab. (Chandigarh). Where as IIM A is located in Ahmedabad, which is very near to Gandhinagar, capital of Gujrat.


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5. International Mobility of IIMA vs ISB:

ISB has a higher international mobility rank than IIMA, with ISB ranked at 84 and IIMA ranked at 72. International mobility rank measures the number of students who have worked in different countries for at least three months. Therefore, ISB has a more globally mobile student body than IIMA.


6. International Students of IIMA vs ISB:

ISB has a slightly higher percentage of international students than IIMA, with ISB having 1% and IIM-A having 0%. Therefore, ISB has a slightly more diverse student body than IIMA.


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7. Carbon Footprint of IIMA vs ISB:

IIMA has a slightly better carbon footprint rank than ISB, with IIMA ranked at 72 and ISB ranked at 89. Carbon footprint rank measures the school's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Therefore, IIMA is more environmentally conscious than ISB.


8. Employment Rate of IIMA vs ISB:

Both IIMA and ISB have excellent employment rates, with IIMA having a rate of 98% and ISB having a rate of 100%. Therefore, both schools have a high employment rate, indicating that their students are highly valued in the job market.


9. Career Progress of IIMA vs ISB:

IIMA has a better career progress rank than ISB, with IIMA ranked at 1 and ISB ranked at 28. Career progress rank measures the career progress of alumni three years after graduation. Therefore, IIMA's alumni have better career progress than ISB's alumni.


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10. Weighted Salary of IIMA vs ISB:

IIMA has a higher weighted salary than ISB, with IIMA's weighted salary being US$186,420 and ISB's weighted salary being US$161,331. Weighted salary measures the average salary of alumni three years after graduation, adjusted for purchasing power parity. Therefore, IIMA's alumni earn a higher salary than ISB's alumni.


11. International Course Experience of IIMA vs ISB:

Both IIMA and ISB have the same international course experience rank of 72. International course experience rank measures the percentage of courses with international exposure. Therefore, both schools offer similar international course experience.


12. Salary Percentage Increase of IIMA vs ISB:

ISB has a better salary percentage increase than IIMA, with ISB having a percentage increase of 205% and IIMA having a percentage increase of 114%. Salary percentage increase measures the percentage increase in salary from before the MBA to three years after graduation.


Salary percentage increase is an important factor that most students consider while choosing a business school is the salary percentage increase. The salary percentage increase is the average salary increase of graduates compared to their salary before they joined the business school. According to the data, ISB has a higher salary percentage increase of 205%, while IIM Ahmedabad has a salary percentage increase of 114%. Hence, ISB has an edge over IIM Ahmedabad in terms of salary percentage increase.


13. Female students of IIMA vs ISB:

The percentage of female students in a business school is another crucial parameter that needs to be considered. According to the data, ISB has a higher percentage of female students at 37%, while IIM Ahmedabad has a percentage of 22%. Therefore, ISB is more diverse than IIM Ahmedabad in terms of gender diversity.


15. Value for money rank of IIMA vs ISB:

The value for money rank is a parameter that takes into account the cost of the business school and the salary of the graduates. According to the data, ISB has a better value for money rank than IIM Ahmedabad.


16. Career services rank of IIMA vs ISB:

The career services rank is another important parameter that most students consider while choosing a business school. According to the data, ISB has a better career services rank than IIM Ahmedabad.


17. ESG and net zero teaching rank of IIMA vs ISB:

The ESG and net zero teaching rank is a parameter that takes into account the emphasis of the business school on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and net zero teaching. According to the data, both business schools have a good emphasis on ESG and net zero teaching, but ISB has a slightly better rank than IIM Ahmedabad.


18. Aims achieved of IIMA vs ISB:

The parameter "Aims achieved" measures the extent to which the business school has achieved the goals set by its students. According to the data, both IIM Ahmedabad and ISB have a high percentage of aims achieved. Hence, there is not much difference between the two schools in this parameter.


19. Salary today of IIMA vs ISB:

The salary today parameter measures the average salary of graduates after completing their program. According to the data, the average salary of graduates from IIM Ahmedabad is higher than that of ISB graduates. IIM Ahmedabad has an average salary of $184,418, while ISB has an average salary of $163,022.


20. Faculty with doctorates of IIMA vs ISB:

The percentage of faculty members with doctorates is an important parameter as it indicates the level of expertise of the faculty members. According to the data, both IIM Ahmedabad and ISB have 100% of faculty members with doctorates. Hence, there is no significant difference between the two schools in this parameter.


21. International faculty of IIMA vs ISB:

The percentage of international faculty is another important parameter that indicates the level of diversity of the faculty members. According to the data, ISB has a higher percentage of international faculty members at 14%, while IIM Ahmedabad has only 3%. ISB has a more diverse faculty in terms of international representation.

22. Three-year average rank of IIMA vs ISB:

The three-year average rank takes into account the average ranking of the business school over the past three years. According to the data, ISB has a better three-year average rank than IIM Ahmedabad, indicating that ISB has been performing consistently well over the past few years.


23. Overall satisfaction of IIMA vs ISB:


The overall satisfaction parameter measures the level of satisfaction of the students with the business school. According to the data, both IIM Ahmedabad and ISB have high levels of overall satisfaction, with IIM Ahmedabad having a slightly higher rating of 9.33 compared to ISB's 9.31.


Overall, both IIM Ahmedabad and ISB are highly respected business schools in India, with each having its strengths and weaknesses. ISB has a higher FT Rank, a higher salary percentage increase, higher percentage of female students, better value for money rank, better career services rank, and more international faculty. On the other hand, IIM Ahmedabad has a higher salary today, a better ESG and net zero teaching rank, and a higher percentage of aims achieved. Both schools have highly qualified faculty members with doctorates, high levels of overall satisfaction, and a strong emphasis on ESG and net zero teaching.

Therefore, students must consider their individual priorities and goals while choosing between IIM Ahmedabad and ISB. If they prioritize factors such as salary percentage increase, gender diversity, international exposure, and career services, then ISB might be the better choice. However, if they prioritize factors such as salary today, ESG and net zero teaching, and a higher percentage of aims achieved, then IIM Ahmedabad might be the better choice.


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