Top 10 executive MBA programs

2012 rank: 1

Total program cost: $171,360 in Philadelphia, $175,678 in San Francisco

Format: Alternating Friday-Saturday classes, with an initial week-long meeting and a week-long international study seminar

Length of program: 24 months

Class of 2014: 117 students in Philadelphia, 102 in San Francisco

Average age: 34-35

Average years of work experience: 10-11

Average GMAT: 700

Booth - Univ. of Chicago

Index: 97.4

2012 rank: 2

Total program cost: $154,000

Format: Alternate weekends with four week-long residencies, including London and Singapore

Length of program: 21 months

Class of 2014: 75 students

Average age: 36

Average years of work experience: 13

Northwestern Kellogg

Index: 96.1

2012 rank: 3

Total program cost: $166,500

Format: Alternating Friday-Sunday or Friday-Saturday classes in Evanston or monthly Thursday-Sunday classes in Miami

Length of program: 22 months

Class of 2014: 75 students

Average age: 37

Average years of work experience: 12

Columbia Business School

Index: 92.5

2012 rank: 4

Total program cost: $168,480

Format: Alternating Friday-Saturday classes for 22 months or Saturday only classes for 25 months

Class of 2014: 132 students (alternating Friday-Saturdays)

Average age: 33

Average years of work experience: 9

Stern - NYU

Index: 90.4

2012 rank: 5

Total program cost: $157,000

Format: Alternating Friday-Saturday classes, with two global study tours

Length of program: 22 months

Class of 2014: 60 students

Average age: 38

Average years of work experience: 14

UCLA - Anderson

Index: 88.8

2012 rank: 6

Total program cost: $129,500

Format: Alternating Friday-Saturday classes, with five residential sessions

Length of program: 22 months

Class of 2014: 75 students

Acceptance rate: 57%

Average age: 36

Average years of work experience: 13

Average undergraduate GPA: 3.33

Average GMAT: 668

Univ. of Michigan - Ross

Index: 88.6

2012 rank: 7

Total program cost: $131,000 (in-state residents), $136,000 (out-of-state)

Format: Once a month on Friday and Saturday in Ann Arbor and Los Angeles

Length of program: 21 months

Class of 2014: 39 students

Acceptance rate: 77%

Average age: 39

Average years of work experience: 15

Average undergraduate GPA: 3.20

Cornell - Johnson

Index: 82.6

2012 rank: 8

Total program cost: $157,416

Format: Alternating Saturdays and Sundays, with four one-week residencies in Ithaca

Length of program: 22 months

Class of 2014: 72 students

Average age: 35

Average years of work experience: 12

Univ. of Texas-Austin - McCombs

Index: 76.9

2012 rank: 9

Total program cost: $89,250

Format: Alternating Friday and Saturdays, starting with a week-long executive seminar

Class of 2014: 66 students

Acceptance rate: 64%

Average age: 39

Average undergraduate GPA: 3.23

USC - Marshall

Index: 72.7

2012 rank: 11

2012 tuition and fees: $114,000

Format: Classes in Los Angeles and San Diego meet bi-weekly on Fridays and Saturdays

Length of program: 21 months

Acceptance rate: 73%

Average age: 37