Rankings and accreditation
No. 1 in the world for International trade
For the fifth consecutive year, Thunderbird has been recognized as the world leader in international trade, a distinction awarded by Quacquarelli Symonds, the prestigious global authority on higher education rankings, in its 2027 International Trade Rankings. This esteemed recognition positions Thunderbird at ASU as the No. 1 school in the world, ranking ahead of renowned institutions such as Cambridge, Oxford, and Columbia.
No. 1 Master in Management
In their most recent analysis of master’s in management programs in 2019, THE and WSJ ranked Thunderbird’s Master of Global Management degree No. 1 in the world.
No. 1 Most Innovative School in the U.S.
ASU has topped U.S. News & World Report’s “Most Innovative Schools” list since the inception of the category in 2015. ASU again placed ahead of MIT and Stanford, based on data from peer surveys, institutional survey submissions and bibliometrics. College presidents, provosts and admissions deans around the country nominated colleges or universities that are making the most innovative improvements.
Financial Times Ranking for Custom Programs in Executive Education
In the 2026 Financial Times Executive Education rankings, Thunderbird's custom Executive Education programs were ranked No. 1 globally for international clients — ahead of prestigious peers such as the University of Oxford (Saïd), INSEAD and IMD. The rankings also placed Thunderbird's custom programs No. 3 among U.S.-based institutions.
No. 16 in the world and No. 7 in the U.S. for global reach and impact of case writing
Ranking ahead of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan Ross School of Business, and the HEC Paris Business School in France.
No. 1 in the U.S. for global impact
ASU is ranked No. 1 in the nation — ahead of MIT and Purdue — seven years in a row by the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings for advancing the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The ranking measures global impact through research, outreach, stewardship and teaching. ASU is the only U.S. university ranked in the top 50 worldwide out of 1,646 institutions.
No. 1 public university chosen by international students
ASU is ranked the top public university in the U.S. chosen by international students, for the fifth straight year, in the 2025 Institute of International Education Open Doors Report. Placing ahead of University of Illinois, Purdue and UC Berkeley, ASU hosted over 20,368 international students in the 2024–25 academic year.
ASU Rankings
Arizona State University is recognized globally as a top-ranked knowledge enterprise focused on solutions to society’s greatest challenges, advancing a better life for all.
Accreditation
Thunderbird has been recognized with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation for over 30 years. This accreditation is a recognition of Thunderbird's dedication to academic excellence, innovative research, and global impact. Achieving accreditation involves a rigorous evaluation process, emphasizing strategic management, innovation, and societal impact, with Thunderbird's success attributed to its transdisciplinary partnerships and global engagement. Additionally, all ASU graduate and undergraduate academic programs are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
