Freeman posts highest ROI increase in Bloomberg Businessweek survey

Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business recorded the largest increase in return on investment in Bloomberg Businessweek's 2025 survey of the nation’s top MBA programs.

The calculation, which was released on Sept. 16 as part of Bloomberg’s Best Business Schools report, shows Freeman's annual ROI more than doubled to 9.9%. 

The improvement was driven by a 27% increase in median post-MBA compensation combined with a nearly 10% reduction in program expenses. 

“We believe the rise in ROI is the result of a curriculum that’s responsive to market needs and an expanded career development ecosystem that connects students to high-impact internships and employers more effectively,” said Venkat Subramaniam, senior associate dean for academic programs. “The ranking validates what matters most to us — that our graduates leave with the skills, network and confidence to create value in their organizations and communities while quickly recouping their educational investment.” 

Bloomberg calculates ROI by determining the ratio between the total cost of the degree (including tuition, living expenses, interest on debt and forgone earnings) and expected additional earnings from the MBA over a 10-year period. The ROI data is based on a survey of more than 9,500 students and recent alumni from over 100 business schools worldwide.

“This year’s class was the first to complete our redesigned MBA curriculum, so it’s encouraging to see such a sizeable increase in ROI,” said Paulo Goes, Freeman School dean. “We’ve invested tremendous resources over the last several years to infuse our MBA with the skills and experience employers are demanding, with an emphasis on data-driven decision making, cross-functional experiential learning, and comprehensive AI literacy. It’s gratifying to see those investments starting to pay real dividends for graduates as we work to improve career outcomes, compensation and our overall ranking.”