Analysts note that defensive sectors are outperforming during recent market volatility. Best finance colleges train graduates to identify low-beta stocks, supporting portfolio resilience amid forecasts of S&P 500 potential pullbacks of 3–5% in the next quarter. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Rounding out the top five are Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management at No. 4, the same Niche ranking as 2025. Sloan offers undergraduate majors in management, business analytics, and finance. Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business was No. 5, down three spots from last year. With corporate earnings beating consensus estimates, best finance colleges are adapting case studies to mirror bullish stock market trends. This supports graduate readiness for high-volatility sectors, where analysts expect 12% growth in capital flows to equities within the next 12 months.