With Stanford GSB accepting less than 7% of applicants and some top programs offering median starting salaries hitting $175,000, securing an MBA spot is a high-stakes investment requiring a clear-eyed view of your odds and payoff.
Key Takeaways
- Harvard Business School MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 11.2%
- Stanford GSB MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 6.8%
- Wharton MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 11.8%
- Harvard Business School average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 740
- Stanford GSB average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 738
- Wharton average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 733
- Harvard Business School average age for Class of 2026 is 27
- Stanford GSB average age for Class of 2026 is 28
- Wharton average age for Class of 2026 is 28
- Harvard Business School full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $76,410
- Stanford GSB full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $82,455
- Wharton full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $84,830
- Harvard Business School median base salary for Class of 2023 is $175,000
- Stanford GSB median base salary for Class of 2023 is $175,000
- Wharton median base salary for Class of 2023 is $175,000
Top MBA programs are highly competitive with significant costs but offer high post-graduation salaries.
Acceptance Rates
1Harvard Business School MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 11.2%
Verified2Stanford GSB MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 6.8%
Verified3Wharton MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 11.8%
Verified4Chicago Booth MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 23.1%
Directional5Northwestern Kellogg MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 28.6%
Single source6MIT Sloan MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 17.6%
Verified7Columbia Business School MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 15.3%
Verified8Berkeley Haas MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 20.2%
Verified9Yale SOM MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 25.4%
Directional10NYU Stern MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 25.7%
Single source11Dartmouth Tuck MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 22.9%
Verified12Duke Fuqua MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 19.3%
Verified13Michigan Ross MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 27.1%
Verified14Cornell Johnson MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 29.8%
Directional15UVA Darden MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 26.4%
Single source16Carnegie Mellon Tepper MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 31.2%
Verified17Emory Goizueta MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 33.5%
Verified18USC Marshall MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 28.9%
Verified19Georgetown McDonough MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 30.1%
Directional20UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 32.7%
Single source21Vanderbilt Owen MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 29.4%
Verified22Texas McCombs MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 28.5%
Verified23Indiana Kelley MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 31.6%
Verified24Ohio State Fisher MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 34.2%
Directional25Washington Olin MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 35.8%
Single source26Wisconsin MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 33.9%
Verified27Minnesota Carlson MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 36.1%
Verified28Boston University Questrom MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 37.4%
Verified29SMU Cox MBA acceptance rate for Class of 2026 is 34.7%
DirectionalAcceptance Rates Interpretation
While Stanford GSB is statistically the most exclusive club, the real story is that even the "safest" top MBA programs reject roughly two-thirds of their applicants, proving that the admissions gauntlet is less about finding an open door and more about surviving a gauntlet of politely worded "no's."
Applicant Demographics
1Harvard Business School average age for Class of 2026 is 27
Verified2Stanford GSB average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified3Wharton average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified4Chicago Booth average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Directional5Northwestern Kellogg average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Single source6MIT Sloan average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified7Columbia Business School average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified8Berkeley Haas average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified9Yale SOM average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Directional10NYU Stern average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Single source11Dartmouth Tuck average age for Class of 2026 is 29
Verified12Duke Fuqua average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified13Michigan Ross average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified14Cornell Johnson average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Directional15UVA Darden average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Single source16Carnegie Mellon Tepper average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified17Emory Goizueta average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified18USC Marshall average age for Class of 2026 is 29
Verified19Georgetown McDonough average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Directional20UNC Kenan-Flagler average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Single source21Vanderbilt Owen average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified22Texas McCombs average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified23Indiana Kelley average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified24Ohio State Fisher average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Directional25Washington Olin average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Single source26Wisconsin average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified27Minnesota Carlson average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified28Boston University Questrom average age for Class of 2026 is 28
Verified29SMU Cox average age for Class of 2026 is 29
DirectionalApplicant Demographics Interpretation
It appears the top MBA programs have firmly decided that the ideal student is precisely 28 years old, except for Harvard, which prefers a slightly more youthful 27, and a few outliers like Tuck and Marshall, who bravely allow their students an extra year of life experience.
Post-MBA Outcomes
1Harvard Business School median base salary for Class of 2023 is $175,000
Verified2Stanford GSB median base salary for Class of 2023 is $175,000
Verified3Wharton median base salary for Class of 2023 is $175,000
Verified4Chicago Booth median base salary for Class of 2023 is $175,000
Directional5Northwestern Kellogg median base salary for Class of 2023 is $175,000
Single source6MIT Sloan median base salary for Class of 2023 is $165,000
Verified7Columbia Business School median base salary for Class of 2023 is $175,000
Verified8Berkeley Haas median base salary for Class of 2023 is $155,000
Verified9Yale SOM median base salary for Class of 2023 is $165,000
Directional10NYU Stern median base salary for Class of 2023 is $175,000
Single source11Dartmouth Tuck median base salary for Class of 2023 is $165,000
Verified12Duke Fuqua median base salary for Class of 2023 is $155,000
Verified13Michigan Ross median base salary for Class of 2023 is $155,000
Verified14Cornell Johnson median base salary for Class of 2023 is $155,000
Directional15UVA Darden median base salary for Class of 2023 is $165,000
Single source16Carnegie Mellon Tepper median base salary for Class of 2023 is $150,000
Verified17Emory Goizueta median base salary for Class of 2023 is $150,000
Verified18USC Marshall median base salary for Class of 2023 is $150,000
Verified19Georgetown McDonough median base salary for Class of 2023 is $145,000
Directional20UNC Kenan-Flagler median base salary for Class of 2023 is $145,000
Single source21Vanderbilt Owen median base salary for Class of 2023 is $145,000
Verified22Texas McCombs median base salary for Class of 2023 is $145,000
Verified23Indiana Kelley median base salary for Class of 2023 is $140,000
Verified24Ohio State Fisher median base salary for Class of 2023 is $140,000
Directional25Washington Olin median base salary for Class of 2023 is $140,000
Single source26Wisconsin median base salary for Class of 2023 is $135,000
Verified27Minnesota Carlson median base salary for Class of 2023 is $135,000
Verified28Boston University Questrom median base salary for Class of 2023 is $135,000
Verified29SMU Cox median base salary for Class of 2023 is $130,000
DirectionalPost-MBA Outcomes Interpretation
In the world of elite MBAs, everyone's selling the same golden ticket for roughly the same eye-watering price, with a few notable exceptions politely pretending that the sun also rises a bit further west.
Program Costs
1Harvard Business School full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $76,410
Verified2Stanford GSB full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $82,455
Verified3Wharton full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $84,830
Verified4Chicago Booth full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $80,961
Directional5Northwestern Kellogg full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $80,964
Single source6MIT Sloan full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $82,000
Verified7Columbia Business School full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $84,496
Verified8Berkeley Haas full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $72,269 (in-state)
Verified9Yale SOM full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $80,800
Directional10NYU Stern full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $84,180
Single source11Dartmouth Tuck full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $77,520
Verified12Duke Fuqua full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $72,900
Verified13Michigan Ross full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $73,000 (in-state)
Verified14Cornell Johnson full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $77,040
Directional15UVA Darden full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $74,240 (in-state)
Single source16Carnegie Mellon Tepper full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $74,900
Verified17Emory Goizueta full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $72,900
Verified18USC Marshall full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $68,802
Verified19Georgetown McDonough full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $73,060
Directional20UNC Kenan-Flagler full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $70,640 (in-state)
Single source21Vanderbilt Owen full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $69,150
Verified22Texas McCombs full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $50,000 (in-state)
Verified23Indiana Kelley full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $54,770 (in-state)
Verified24Ohio State Fisher full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $56,664 (in-state)
Directional25Washington Olin full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $68,300
Single source26Wisconsin full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $52,942 (in-state)
Verified27Minnesota Carlson full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $55,500 (in-state)
Verified28Boston University Questrom full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $64,712
Verified29SMU Cox full-time tuition for 2023-2024 is $64,800
DirectionalProgram Costs Interpretation
At these prices, the first and most valuable lesson of business school is learning to write a check for a small house.
Test Scores
1Harvard Business School average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 740
Verified2Stanford GSB average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 738
Verified3Wharton average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 733
Verified4Chicago Booth average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 729
Directional5Northwestern Kellogg average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 729
Single source6MIT Sloan average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 730
Verified7Columbia Business School average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 732
Verified8Berkeley Haas average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 729
Verified9Yale SOM average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 720
Directional10NYU Stern average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 732
Single source11Dartmouth Tuck average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 728
Verified12Duke Fuqua average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 710
Verified13Michigan Ross average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 722
Verified14Cornell Johnson average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 717
Directional15UVA Darden average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 718
Single source16Carnegie Mellon Tepper average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 709
Verified17Emory Goizueta average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 705
Verified18USC Marshall average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 716
Verified19Georgetown McDonough average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 710
Directional20UNC Kenan-Flagler average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 707
Single source21Vanderbilt Owen average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 708
Verified22Texas McCombs average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 704
Verified23Indiana Kelley average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 698
Verified24Ohio State Fisher average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 695
Directional25Washington Olin average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 694
Single source26Wisconsin average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 693
Verified27Minnesota Carlson average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 692
Verified28Boston University Questrom average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 691
Verified29SMU Cox average GMAT for Class of 2026 is 690
DirectionalTest Scores Interpretation
It seems the primary takeaway from these MBA admission statistics is that while the top schools are locked in a high-stakes arms race separated by mere points, the rest of the ranking is a far more forgiving and varied landscape where a compelling story can often bridge a modest score gap.
Sources & References
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