List of MBA Programs by GMAT Score Requirement

<h2 id="section---ColumbiaBusinessSchool"> Columbia Business School</h2> <p>The Columbia Business School located in New York has the highest average GMAT score of 736. This average score was calculated based on a total of 552 incoming students for the fall semester of 2018. Most of the candidates in this school come from the financial and consulting industries, and more than half of the 2018 class was employed directly in such industries, according to <i>Forbes</i>. </p> <h2 id="section---KelloggSchoolOfManagement"> Kellogg School of Management</h2> <p>Students in the MBA program in Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University typically have about 5 years of work experience, and more than 500 employers in the country hire graduates from this school, according to <i>Forbes</i> in 2019. Located in Elgin, Illinois, Kellogg has an average GMAT score of 732 based on the 478 incoming students. </p> <h2 id="section---WhartonSchool"> Wharton School</h2> <p>The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is ranked as the top business school by <i>U.S. News &amp; World Report</i> (<i>USN&amp;WR</i>) in 2018 and has an average GMAT score of 732 based on the 862 incoming students. Aside from MBA degrees, Wharton also offers dual-degree programs with other Penn Schools as well as joint programs with Harvard's Kennedy School and Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies. </p> <h2 id="section---StanfordUniversity"> Stanford University</h2> <p>Stanford University in California has an average GMAT score of 732 based on 419 incoming students. Ranked as the second-best business school in the country by <i>USN&amp;WR</i>, Stanford University has the lowest acceptance rate in the world, at only 6%. As a requirement, students have to go abroad either during summer or on short trips together with other students. </p> <h2 id="section---BoothSchoolOfBusiness"> Booth School of Business</h2> <p>The University of Chicago's Booth School of Business is one of the country's oldest schools. It has an average GMAT score of 731 based on 591 incoming students. The school's evaluation criteria for its MBA program include curriculum or the academic aspect of the candidate, community or candidate's personal or professional experience, and career or the candidate's track record of success. One required class in the curriculum is Leadership Effectiveness and Development, where students explore how to be effective leaders through teamwork, interpersonal communication and conflict management. </p> <h2 id="section---HarvardBusinessSchool"> Harvard Business School</h2> <p>Harvard Business School in Massachusetts is known as one of the most prestigious schools in the world. The school's average GMAT score is at 731 based on a class size of 930. Harvard Business School also offers dual degrees with several other Harvard schools such as its medical school, law school and the Kennedy School of Government. </p> <h2 id="section---MITSloan"> MIT Sloan</h2> <p>Massachusetts Institute of Technology's business school has an average GMAT of 728 based on a class size of only 409. Freshman students of MIT Sloan are required to participate in Career Core that would test their interests, values, and strengths, and help them choose their career path. The school's program focuses on finance, enterprise management, and entrepreneurship/innovation. The students also participate in annual entrepreneurship competitions where they can win large cash prizes. </p> <h2 id="section---TheUniversityOfCaliforniaBerkeley"> The University of California-Berkeley</h2> <p>The Berkeley Haas program of the University of California has an average GMAT of 726 in a class of only 291. Students in the MBA program are required to take the Applied Innovation elective where they work together as a team on different projects ranging from global consulting work to major corporate initiatives. Students are also encouraged to take study trips abroad and work as consultants through their International Business Development Program. </p> <h2 id="section---YaleSchoolOfManagement"> Yale School of Management</h2> <p>Located in Connecticut, Yale School of Management has an average GMAT score of 724 based on 347 incoming students. The MBA program developed a teaching method that creates real-world information access. Yale School of Management encourages students to work in public and nonprofit sectors rather than private firms. </p> <h2 id="section---TuckSchoolOfBusiness"> Tuck School of Business</h2> <p>The Tuck School of Business of Dartmouth College, in New Hampshire, has an average GMAT score of 722 based on a class size of 287. The school is known as one of the top schools in the country in terms of consulting. Students are required to take the First-Year Project where teams apply what they have learned in real-world issues for multinational companies, SMEs and nonprofit organizations. They can also enroll in the OnSite Global Consulting elective where they work abroad as consultants. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th></th><th>*Average GMAT Score (2018)</th><th>*Class Size </th><th>**Acceptance Rate </th><th>**Employed After Graduation </th><th>**Median Base Salary</th></tr> <tr><td>Columbia Business School</td><td>736</td><td>552</td><td>17%</td><td>90%</td><td>$130,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Kellogg School of Management</td><td>732</td><td>478</td><td>22%</td><td>92%</td><td>$130,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Wharton School</td><td>732</td><td>862</td><td>21%</td><td>95%</td><td>$135,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Stanford University</td><td>732</td><td>419</td><td>6%</td><td>88%</td><td>$142,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Booth School of Business</td><td>731</td><td>591</td><td>23%</td><td>96%</td><td>$130,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Harvard Business School</td><td>731</td><td>930</td><td>11%</td><td>89%</td><td>$140,000</td></tr> <tr><td>MIT Sloan</td><td>728</td><td>409</td><td>13%</td><td>94%</td><td>$135,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Berkeley Haas</td><td>726</td><td>291</td><td>15%</td><td>93%</td><td>$125,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Yale School of Management</td><td>724</td><td>347</td><td>20%</td><td>90%</td><td>$127,100</td></tr> <tr><td>Tuck School of Business</td><td>722</td><td>287</td><td>23%</td><td>92%</td><td>$130,000</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *U.S. News &amp; World Report; **Forbes</i> </p> <h2 id="section---AdmittanceRequirementsForBusinessSchools"> Admittance Requirements for Business Schools</h2> <p>Candidates are often given the option to take a Graduate Record Examination or GRE instead of GMAT to enter business school. No exact score is required for GMAT or GRE for these business schools. Other necessary requirements needed for an MBA application include academic transcripts, essays, and letters of recommendation. Many business schools also require candidates with work experiences. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) are required in most business schools for non-English speakers. </p> <p>Having a high GMAT score does not guarantee entry to these business schools where the average ranges from 722 to 736; however, it can be an important factor in pursuing an MBA degree. Most of the schools with the highest GMAT scores in 2018 are located on the West and East coasts of the United States.</p>