Forbes bases its rankings, which are issued every two years, on graduates' return on investment, meaning compensation five years after graduation minus tuition and forgone salary during school.

"We're pleased that our considerable jump in the rankings reflects the overall trajectory of our business school," says Georgia Tech College of Management Dean Steve Salbu. "We're working hard on many fronts to take our College to the next level of prestige and educational achievement, becoming the world's preeminent business school for management and technology."

Earlier this year, Georgia Tech College of Management jumped nine spots in U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings of the nation's top full-time MBA programs, rising from 34th to 25th (10th among public universities).

U.S. News & World Report determined its rankings by surveying business school deans, MBA program directors, and corporate recruiters/contacts about the quality of each accredited program. The magazine also factored in the mean starting salaries, bonuses, and employment rates of 2006 graduates.

U.S. News & World Report includes lists of rankings in academic specialties. Georgia Tech College of Management is 14th in Production/Operations, 19th in Supply Chain/Logistics, and 24th in Information Systems.