Germany is a small country with a population of only 83 million people, but it has one of the world's largest economies. A big part of Germany’s dominance in Europe and the world is its Manufacturing industry, which has an 18.17% share of its GDP in value-added. The trends are reflective of German manufacturing’s strong correlation with global trade and the supply chain. The share dropped to 18% in 2009 and 2020 as well, while in the rest of the years since 1996, the share of value-added as a percentage of GDP has hovered around 21%.

The staying power of a European powerhouse amidst competition from China, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, and Indonesia is a puzzle for many. The mystery intensifies when you realize that the hourly rates are 20% higher than the rates a worker enjoys in the US. Additionally, on average, a German worker works 400 fewer hours a year than a US worker.

The high productivity could be attributed to the unconventional education system. While 42% of Americans have a traditional 4-year college degree, only 28% have a similar degree in Germany. The culture favors an apprentice system balanced by formal training only in super-specialized functions. The grassroots level pride among Small and Medium Businesses to dominating a niche over taking over an entire category is in contrast to the American approach of dominating all adjacent niches as well. Germans are apathetic to the distraction. The share of R&D invested (20% higher than the US) in manufacturing also contributes directly to productivity.

The Business Schools in Germany are therefore unlikely to offer a replacement to Schools operating under the umbrella of well-endowed US universities as America continues to dominate as the most favored destination for international graduates. The Software, Pharma, and Technology industries outside manufacturing continue to put the US on a strong foothold, with the research ecosystem clearly favoring the American ethos of measuring success on patents.

German brands - BMW, SAP, Mercedes-Benz, Bosch, and Siemens, turning into global brands is an indication of Germany’s acceptance of balancing discipline and productivity with an expansive mindset of the American counterparts.

Despite the pressure, German education maintains its core principle of individual attention through small class size and an excellent MBA pay package (by European standards) of over $117,000 in 2021.

We have chosen 5 top MBA programs in Germany based on post-MBA salary, the depth and breadth of the curriculum, and financial aid offered in the program. Although these courses are taught in English, German classes are suggested for a holistic integration with the culture and people in Germany. Also, many of these Schools offer a German Language Module in their Program Structure.

1. Mannheim Business School

Mannheim Business School is a prestigious University and Germany’s #1 Business School (International MBA Rankings, Financial Times, The Economists, Forbes). The internationally renowned faculty members and participants from more than 20 countries add to the diverse perspective required for peer-to-peer learning in an MBA program.

Class Profile: Only 25% of the 50-60 class MBA programs are from Europe.

Post-MBA Salary: Compared to US schools, the class is older – average age of 31 and professional experience at 7 while the median base salary is $107,790. Considering the average per capita income of a German family is $57,530, the program has the potential to offer a 40-70% return in just 1-3 years.

Curriculum: The Mannheim Full-Time MBA is a 12-month program divided into four terms and one optional term of three months to gain an additional title of ‘Management Analyst’ in the certificate.

In each term, participants are engaged in personal events, cultural events, company visits, and business speaker series. Core Courses, specialization courses, Social Class projects, Language courses, International Study trips, and Business Master projects are the major elements of the entire Full-Time MBA Program Structure. With ten core courses, Mannheim also provides specializations in 12 niches.

Career Development and Personal Development are two of the major features of the Mannheim Full-Time MBA.

Under the Career Development program, a career development team is assigned from Day 1. The one-on-one coaching helps participants explore a variety of career options and set suitable goals. The Career Development at Mannheim is managed in four stages: Orientation, Strategy Development, Positioning, and Implementation.

Personal Development Program includes a broad Spectrum of Soft Skills courses and workshops, which are adapted from time to time. Most of the courses covered under the Personal Development program have themes around Intercultural Management, Presentation Training, Team Building, Creativity and Innovation, Case-Study-Training, and Crisis Management.

Scholarships and Loans: Mannheim School offers partial scholarships to outstanding students. MBS Network Scholarship and Prodigy Finance Loan Program for International students are two major Loans and Scholarships of Mannheim Business School.

Apart from this, scholarships for the most outstanding student, scholarships for excellent candidates, and Scholarship for Women in Business are the three major categories.

2. European School of Management and Technology in Berlin (ESMT)

ESMT is situated in the heart of Germany’s capital. It is a private and international business school founded by 25 multinational corporations. The school's specialty is in creating responsible leaders, with an emphasis on innovative management, analytics, and technology. The alumnus from the school has a broad reach of over 40 countries.

International and Entrepreneurial: All programs (5 programs including MBA and Master’s) benefit from close ties to ESMT's business network, founders, and the school's closeness to Berlin's thriving entrepreneurial scene. Over 80% of ESMT's faculty members are from outside Germany (17 countries), making it Germany's most international business school.

Post-MBA Salary: 72% of ESMT MBA graduates seeking employment had received jobs within six months of their graduation with an average salary package of €87,475, including a bonus.

Curriculum: The ESMT Full-Time MBA is a 15 months face-to-face program that focuses on General Management plus specialization in Strategic leadership, Managerial Analysis, or Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The MBA syllabus is divided into five modules. Each module builds up knowledge from the previous course and helps the candidate strategically, initiate creative solutions, and work in dynamic, international teams.

The first module focuses on building the foundation and developing a holistic perspective on management. The rest of the four modules are sequenced into Specialize, Summer Terms: Boost employability, Personalization, and Practice. After completing the Full-Time MBA program, students can continue to seek the services of the Career Services team and work towards building their leadership skills.

Students are offered three different programs at ESMT Full Time MBA - Specialization Tracks, Summer Term, and Winter Term.

Specialization Tracks include Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Managerial Analysis, and Strategic Leadership.

Summer Term begins with the Industrial and Social Innovation Challenge, followed by Internship and Intensive German Summer School.

Winter Term includes electives at ESMT focused on innovation, technology, analytics, sustainable business development, entrepreneurship, global strategic management, and international exchange.

ESMT MBA Program is one of the most diverse MBA Programs, with 90-95% of the students from outside Germany represented by over 30 countries.

International teamwork is a significant portion of the ESMT MBA Program. Under the International Experience option, students can opt for seven programs: Study German before and during the program, Internship, Short Internship Exchange, Long International Exchange, The Responsible Leaders Fellowship, Dual Degree at Yale, and Dual Degree at MIT Sloan.

ESMT offers the participants four major career services: Career Support and Guidance, ESMT Career Fair and MBA Talent Forum, Company Visits and Presentations, and Additional Networking Opportunities.

3. WHU - Otto Beisheim GSM

WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management is routinely recognized among Germany's best business schools and Europe's top 20 international business schools.

WHU, which is an EQUIS, AACSB, and FIBAA accredited school, offers academic programs and executive education based on four key values: community, cosmopolites, entrepreneurship, and excellence.

Class Profile: WHU Full-Time MBA Class of 2022 has 85 students in total with an average age of 30 years and professional work experience of 6 years.

Post-MBA Salary: 87% of the class is comprised of international students, with the latest employment report showing MBA candidates earning offers with an average base salary of €77,897. 60% of MBA students were placed within three months of graduation.

Curriculum: The 12-month Full-Time MBA Program at WHU offers both September and April Intakes comprising of four modules, one workshop on personal growth and Leadership development, and a final MBA Project.

The four modules are Core Modules, Elective Module, International Modules, and optional German Language Module, whereby international students are taught the German language as a beginner.

Core Module, covered in the first five months, provides a solid foundation in management concepts and organizational functions. Through the Elective Modules, students get a chance to study advanced courses that provide deeper insight into Strategy and Organization, Marketing & Sales, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Advanced Finance.

Along with the electives, a variety of engaging Management Practice Workshops supplements the program. A Final MBA Project is mandatory that includes submitting a business plan, research paper, or a report written in cooperation with a company while completing an internship.

Scholarships and Loans: The available Financing option in WHU for Full-Time MBA are Prodigy Finance, WHU Brain Capital GmbH, Lendwise, Student Loans, and WHU Scholarships.

4. HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management

The Handelshochschule Leipzig or HHL is the first German commercial college founded on April 25, 1898. Considered an equivalent to Stanford in the US, HHL has been the ground zero for 350+ start-ups that created more than 40,000 jobs. The school also holds the fifth rank in FT Ranking for graduate Salaries.
International Network: With a partnership that stretches over 140 universities around the globe, the school is ideal for those who want to build a diverse and robust international network.

Class Profile and High Women Percentage: The 2021 Full-Time MBA class has just 50 students. Among these students, 90% are from outside of Germany. The class also has a record female representation (65%) by any international Business School standards. The average age of the class participants is 30 years, with a professional work experience in the range of 5 to 7 years.

Post-MBA Salary: As per the 2021 HHL employment report, the average base salary of the graduates from HHL was EUR 64,322. Also, 86% of the HHL students seeking jobs got placed within three months of graduation.

Curriculum and Format: The HHL Full-Time MBA Program is divided into two formats.

The first one is the Fast Track program for 12 months plus three months of Master Thesis. Candidates earn 90 ECTS from this program, but they must have 210 ECTS in previous studies to be eligible for the Fast Track MBA course.

The second category is Advanced Track which is for 21 months, where candidates acquire more learning, more experienced, and more time to network. In this program, students have a wider spectrum of elective courses and a broader choice of options, including internship, term abroad, Student Consulting Project, Lean Start-up Seminar, and an international study trip.

The entire MBA program is divided into four stages. The first stage is the welcome program followed by the General Management Essentials that cover three cores - Management Fundamentals, Leadership and Reflection, and Entrepreneurship & Disruption. The third stage is General Management Electives, where the Fast Track students need to opt for two electives, and Advanced Track will opt for three electives.

The last stage is the customization module to gain practical and international experience.

Apart from the scheduled program structures, students can also choose German Language Courses, Term Abroad, and a Double Degree.

German Language Courses are specifically designed for international students with limited proficiency in the German Language with career goals of settling in Germany.

Under the Global Term, HHL has maintained successful relationships with 140 global partner universities. Students interested in expanding their network choose the Term Abroad program. Under the Double Degree option, HHL offers its students an option for an additional degree from one of the partner universities.

Scholarships and Flexible Tuition Payments: HHL allows the students to submit the tuition fee in installments. The scholarships include HHL Middle East Scholarship, HHL Africa Scholarship, HHL Asia Pacific Scholarship, HHL Latin America Scholarship, HHL Eastern Europe Scholarship, HHL Women in business Scholarship, HHL Future Entrepreneur HHL Young Leader Scholarship, and HHL Dean’s List Scholarship.

5. Frankfurt School of Finance and Management

Frankfurt School of Finance and Management offers a 12-month Full-Time MBA Program.

Class Profile: The 2021 entering class had 41 students with an average age of 30, while the average years of professional experience reached seven years. 93% of the class intake comes from outside of Germany.

Post-MBA Salary: Frankfurt Full Time MBA students earned an average salary of 67,000 Euro with 7000 Euro as a bonus that included 74% of the class who were able to get a job within three months of graduation.

Curriculum: The curriculum for Frankfurt Full-Time MBA programs is divided into module lectures, elective courses, and a thesis period.

Pre-Courses, which have four options: Finance, Accounting, Statistics, and Economics, brush up on the foundational concepts before the full-time MBA begins.
The MBA program officially begins with a Leadership Camp. Seven core courses follow. The seventh core course is taught outside Germany. After completing the seven core courses, participants can choose from a broad range of Electives - Finance, Advanced management, Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability & ESG. After electives, two optional programs are provided: Skill Courses and Thesis Prep Courses.

Career and Personal Development, one of the crucial parts of the Frankfurt MBA Program, has four substantial steps, starting off with the MBA Career Interview: With Rosa Hamburg. The next is “Your Career development,” which includes MBA Leadership Camp and KODE coaching. Following the soft skill and leadership development program, candidates build a network with corporates. German Classes are the concluding step.

Scholarships and Loans: Frankfurt School’s scholarships for MBA students included Frankfurt School Scholarships, Frankfurt Alumni Benefits, Klaus-Peter Muller Scholarship, and External Scholarships and Loans such as German Academic Exchange Service, Bildungsfonds, Deutsche Bildung AG, Generation Contract, Students Loan, and Private Loans.

Business School	GMAT Score	Tuition Fee	Post-MBA Salary	Average Experience	Accreditation	Financial Aid
Mannheim Business School	650	EUR 39,900	€102,242 (Median Base)	7 years	AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, evalag	Yes
European School of Management and Technology in Berlin (ESMT)	640	EUR 48,500	€87,475 (Total Average)	7 years	AACSB, AMBA, FIBAA, EQUIS	Yes
WHU - Otto Beisheim GSM	600	EUR 40,500	€77,897 (Average base salary)	6 Years	AACSB, EQUIS, FIBAA	Yes
HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management	640	EUR 39,500	€ 64,322 (Average base salary)	5 to 7 Years	AACSB, ACQUIN,	Yes
Frankfurt School of Finance and Management	550-650	EUR 39,000	€74,000 (Total Average)	7 years	AACSB, FIBAA, AMBA, EQUIS	Yes