Which university graduates are most likely to become a CEO?
Tuesday 13th June 2023
While many students turn to traditional university ranking lists to pick where they want to study, there is one factor many of these lists don’t cover which thousands of students might be overlooking: how many graduates go on to lead or run their own businesses?
In June 2021, we analysed LinkedIn data from nearly 8.5 million students across 121 UK universities to find out which universities produce the most CEOs and managing directors, and which produce the most small business founders.
Although the top three might not come as the biggest surprise, the rest of the list threw up plenty of shocks which will provide much food for thought for many potential students wondering where to continue their education.
Which universities produce the most CEOs and MDs?
Despite being the fifth best university according to the Guardian’s list of best universities, LSE took the top spot on the list of universities that produce the most CEOs and Managing Directors. 16% of attendees at the university go on to hold one of these positions, meaning they beat Cambridge and Oxford to the top spot.
LSE is the highest of 12 London universities in the top 20, and is joined in the top 10 by SOAS University of London, London Metropolitan University, University of Westminster and Middlesex University. Interestingly none of the aforementioned London universities in the top 10 feature higher than 86 in the Guardians top university list, but that doesn’t stop their alumni from going on to become CEOs or MDs.
The University of Cumbria was the highest ranked northern university with 12% of its alumni going on to become a CEO or MD, however the vast majority of the higher ranking universities on our list are from the South, suggesting a clear North South divide.
The University of Bradford took the top spot in Yorkshire with 10% of its alumnus landing a CEO or MD role, while Herriott-Watt University was the highest ranking Scottish university (9%).
Aberystwyth University is the university that produces the largest number of CEOs and MDs (8%), however it only placed 76th on the overall list.
Index rank | University | Guardian university ranking | Total % |
1 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | 5 | 15.98 |
2 | University of Cambridge | 3 | 12.99 |
3 | University of Oxford | 1 | 12.75 |
4 | Soas University of London | 86 | 12.75 |
5 | University of Cumbria | 98 | 11.74 |
6 | London Metropolitan University | 118 | 11.49 |
7 | University of Westminster | 117 | 11.17 |
8 | Buckinghamshire New University | 92 | 11.16 |
9 | Oxford Brookes University | 43 | 10.98 |
10 | Middlesex University | 111 | 10.77 |
11 | University of Leicester | 77 | 10.44 |
12 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 105 | 10.19 |
13 | University of Bradford | 99 | 10.05 |
14 | Kingston University | 40 | 10.02 |
15 | University of West London | 34 | 9.98 |
16 | City, University of London | 95 | 9.95 |
17 | Kings College London | 42 | 9.87 |
18 | University of East London | 112 | 9.81 |
19 | University of Manchester | 25 | 9.73 |
20 | London South Bank University | 93 | 9.72 |
21 | Brunel University London | 110 | 9.65 |
22 | Bournemouth University | 56 | 9.39 |
23 | Royal Holloway, University of London | 32 | 9.38 |
24 | Heriot-Watt University | 35 | 9.37 |
25 | Lancaster University | 10 | 9.36 |
26 | University of St Andrews | 2 | 9.34 |
27 | University of the Arts London | 45 | 9.32 |
28 | University of Derby | 56 | 9.28 |
29 | Aston University | 30 | 9.23 |
30 | University of Salford | 103 | 9.20 |
31 | University of Gloucestershire | 88 | 9.19 |
32 | University of Liverpool | 59 | 9.11 |
33 | University of Roehampton | 116 | 9.01 |
34 | Solent University | 74 | 9.00 |
35 | University of Leeds | 18 | 8.96 |
36 | University of Loughborough | 7 | 8.87 |
37 | University College London (UCL) | 14 | 8.86 |
38 | Durham University | 4 | 8.85 |
39 | University of Surrey | 54 | 8.79 |
40 | University of Bolton | 50 | 8.77 |
41 | Imperial College London | 9 | 8.73 |
42 | University of Northampton | 90 | 8.69 |
43 | University of Warwick | 8 | 8.67 |
44 | University of Bath | 6 | 8.63 |
45 | University of Hull | 72 | 8.58 |
46 | University of Reading | 62 | 8.52 |
47 | Leeds Beckett University | 106 | 8.51 |
48 | University of Birmingham | 21 | 8.51 |
49 | University of Portsmouth | 66 | 8.50 |
50 | Nottingham Trent University | 41 | 8.48 |
51 | Anglia Ruskin University | 80 | 8.42 |
52 | University of Brighton | 102 | 8.41 |
53 | University of Greenwich | 95 | 8.37 |
54 | Staffordshire University | 55 | 8.34 |
55 | University of Bedfordshire | 121 | 8.33 |
56 | York St John's University | 91 | 8.32 |
57 | University of Sunderland | 100 | 8.28 |
58 | University of Strathclyde | 15 | 8.27 |
59 | Robert Gordon University | 62.3 | 8.24 |
60 | University of Sussex | 59 | 8.18 |
61 | University of South Wales | 66 | 8.15 |
62 | University of Nottingham | 38 | 8.09 |
63 | University of Hertfordshire | 63 | 8.03 |
64 | Manchester Metropolitan University | 70 | 8.02 |
65 | De Montfort University | 119 | 7.97 |
66 | Canterbury Christ Church University | 114 | 7.94 |
67 | University of Edinburgh | 13 | 7.91 |
68 | Edinburgh Napier University | 62 | 7.90 |
69 | University of the West of England | 21 | 7.84 |
70 | University of Wolverhampton | 112 | 7.80 |
71 | University of Lincoln | 52 | 7.77 |
72 | University of Stirling | 28 | 7.71 |
73 | University of Essex | 85 | 7.68 |
74 | University of Kent | 82 | 7.64 |
75 | Keele University | 36 | 7.62 |
76 | Aberystwyth University | 49 | 7.56 |
77 | University of Newcastle | 51 | 7.54 |
78 | University of Wales, Trinity Saint David | 56 | 7.46 |
79 | University of Exeter | 16 | 7.45 |
80 | Northumbria University | 27 | 7.44 |
81 | University of East Anglia | 38 | 7.42 |
82 | Cardiff Metropolitan University* | 72 | 7.28 |
83 | University of Huddersfield | 64 | 7.24 |
84 | Sheffield Hallam University | 47 | 7.19 |
85 | Birmingham City University | 83 | 7.18 |
86 | University of Southampton | 23 | 7.16 |
87 | University of Winchester | 94 | 7.16 |
88 | University of York | 16 | 7.13 |
89 | University of Sheffield | 31 | 7.12 |
90 | University for the creative arts | 33 | 7.09 |
91 | University of Bristol | 11 | 7.08 |
92 | Cardiff University | 37 | 7.08 |
93 | University of Worcester | 87 | 6.98 |
94 | University of Chester | 81 | 6.92 |
95 | Queen Margaret University | 65 | 6.92 |
96 | University of Central Lancashire | 79 | 6.89 |
97 | Falmouth University | 88 | 6.86 |
98 | Plymouth University | 53 | 6.80 |
99 | Coventry University | 26 | 6.78 |
100 | University of Chichester | 29 | 6.72 |
101 | Queen Mary University of London | 68 | 6.60 |
102 | Liverpool John Moores University | 70 | 6.59 |
103 | Bath Spa University | 109 | 6.52 |
104 | University of Aberdeen | 20 | 6.48 |
105 | Glasgow Caledonian University | 77 | 6.43 |
106 | Bangor University | 75 | 6.33 |
107 | Teesside University | 68 | 6.18 |
108 | St Mary's University, Twickenham | 101 | 6.13 |
109 | Abertay University | 48 | 5.98 |
110 | Glyndŵr University | 107 | 5.95 |
111 | Swansea University | 24 | 5.93 |
112 | University of Dundee | 19 | 5.80 |
113 | Liverpool Hope University | 84 | 5.74 |
114 | University of Suffolk | 97 | 5.67 |
115 | University of the West of Scotland | 120 | 5.65 |
116 | Leeds Trinity University | 115 | 5.63 |
117 | Ulster University | 61 | 5.60 |
118 | University of Glasgow | 12 | 5.40 |
119 | Newman University Birmingham | 108 | 5.24 |
120 | Queen's University Belfast | 46 | 5.04 |
121 | Edge Hill University | 75 | 4.27 |
Which university produces the most small business founders?
It may produce the highest number of CEOs and MDs, but LSE just misses out on the top spot on the list of universities producing the most small business founders. The University of Arts London has 16% of its students going on to start their own business, versus only 14% of students at LSE.
Goldsmiths University of London, ranked 105 by the Guardian, and Falmouth University, ranked 88, both finished above Oxford and Cambridge, who finished fifth and sixth respectively.
| Index Rank | University | Region | Guardian 2023 Rank | % of Alumni Founders (2020-2022) | Students Equivalents | ||||
| 1 | University of Cambridge | South East | 3 | 6.85 | 4,374 | ||||
| 2 | SOAS University of London | London | 86 | 6.64 | 662 | ||||
| 3 | London School of Economics and Political Science | London | 4 | 5.9 | 3,456 | ||||
| 4 | Goldsmiths, University of London | London | 106 | 5.76 | 757 | ||||
| 5 | University of Oxford | Midlands | 2 | 5.16 | 2,902 | ||||
| 6 | University of Cumbria | North West | 115 | 5.1 | 303 | ||||
| 7 | Imperial College | London | 5 | 4.98 | 1,682 |
Commenting on the findings, Andy Dodd, Managing Director at Hitachi Capital Invoice Finance, said:
“Our research proves that you don’t necessarily need to go to the top universities (according to the guides) to ensure you enjoy a highly successful business career. Many of the top universities for producing CEOs and business founders are among the lower ranked university guide schools, which should provide food for thought for many beginning the long process of applying for university.
“Hopefully some of our research helps to inspire the next generation of small business owners!”.
