The Catholic University of America’s undergraduate business program is 14th in the nation and top in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for academic experience according to the latest Poets&Quants’ ranking of Best Undergraduate Business Schools. The findings were released March 23, 2026.
“We are delighted with the results of our inaugural appearance in the rankings. They confirm what we believe, that the Busch School, with our virtues-based education, is doing something new and powerful that students and employers really value," said Andrew Abela, founding dean of the Busch School of Business.
This was Catholic University’s first appearance in the poll, having received accreditation last year from AACSB International, the world’s leading business accrediting organization.
Academic experience is determined by an alumni survey that includes 15 core experience questions regarding significant experience gained during school (82% of Busch undergraduates work at least one internship); alumni satisfaction with their first jobs after graduation, their company and industry; and their current salary.
Poets&Quants also reviewed schools in admission standards and career outcomes. The Busch School ranked in the top 100 on admissions, and 31st nationally on career outcomes.
The school’s success is shown in its graduates’ success: 97% of undergraduates secure full-time employment within six months of graduation.
The School’s specializations include entrepreneurship, accounting, finance, marketing, international business, business management, strategy management, operations, and economics.
The faculty, which includes academics and business leaders, encourages collaboration, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Students tap into the school’s Washington, D.C., location for competitive internships and developing professional networks.
Poets&Quants, a top online business school news site, launched its first undergraduate business school ranking in late 2016 (published as the 2017 ranking). The organization says its intent was to create a ranking that “reflected what actually matters to students: how selective a program is, what students experience once they arrive, and what outcomes they achieve after graduation.”
