Preparing for business school requires careful consideration of various factors, with optimizing GRE and GMAT scores ranking high on the list. But what are the actual statistics behind the top business school programs today? To shed light on this, we’ve curated a list of the top 25 business schools for the 2023-2024 academic year, as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. Additionally, we’ve gathered data on the average and/or median GMAT scores of admitted students for each school.
Understanding these figures is crucial for prospective students aiming to navigate the competitive landscape of business school admissions effectively. By arming yourself with as much information as possible, you can better prepare for the challenges of the exam and increase your chances of securing acceptance letters from top-tier institutions. Scroll down to discover the average GMAT scores by school and start on your journey towards business school success.
Also read What are the secrets to succeeding in SAT Subject Test?
Role of the GMAT in admissions
The role of the GMAT in admissions is essential for prospective business school students. While many schools accept both GMAT and GRE scores, the GMAT is specifically tailored for business school admissions, making it a crucial component of your application, especially if you’re primarily applying to business programs.
Consider the approach taken by the top-ranked University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business as an example. Booth adopts a holistic evaluation process that considers various aspects of your application:
- Curriculum: This includes your academic performance, demonstrated through GPA, GMAT or GRE scores, and other relevant test scores. Additionally, academic recognition and merit-based scholarships are taken into account.
- Community: Booth seeks candidates who contribute to building a vibrant and supportive community. Attributes such as leadership, collaboration, teamwork, mutual respect, philanthropy, and diverse perspectives are valued.
- Career: Your letters of recommendation, resume, professional achievements, and communication skills during interviews are assessed to gauge your potential for future success.
The GMAT is just one piece of the larger puzzle in admissions evaluation, as is evident in the holistic approach adopted by Booth and many other institutions. For instance, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania emphasizes the importance of diverse experiences and professional maturity, with less emphasis placed on the GMAT compared to other aspects like work experience.
While the GMAT holds significant weight in the admissions process, it typically constitutes around 15 to 25 percent of your overall admissions profile. Therefore, it’s crucial to dedicate ample time and effort to prepare for the exam, treating it with the same level of importance as other components of your academic and professional profile. By doing so, you’ll position yourself for success in the competitive landscape of business school admissions.
What Makes the GMAT Difficult?
The challenges posed by the GMAT is essential for effective preparation. This standardized entrance exam assesses problem-solving and critical thinking skills, but its unique format and question types require specific preparation strategies to succeed.
The GMAT comprises four main sections:
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Verbal Reasoning
- Integrated Reasoning
- Analytical Writing Assessment
Each section presents its own set of challenges, from complex mathematical problem-solving to nuanced analysis of written passages. Success on the GMAT requires a comprehensive understanding of the test format and diligent practice across all sections.
Preparing for the GMAT involves identifying individual strengths and weaknesses and tailoring study plans accordingly. Practicing with GMAT-style questions and familiarizing oneself with test-taking strategies are crucial steps toward achieving a competitive score.
For high school students aspiring to pursue an MBA in the future, considering top MBA feeder universities can provide valuable academic preparation and skill development to excel on the GMAT. By starting early and leveraging resources from reputable institutions, students can position themselves for success on this challenging exam.
Also see US Universities without GRE and IELTS 2024
Average GMAT Score by School
Exploring average GMAT scores across the top 25 business schools provides valuable insights into the competitiveness of each program. By analyzing the most recent data available from each school’s admissions profile, we can observe trends in GMAT averages and distributions.
It’s important to note that the data may vary in presentation among schools. While some institutions report average GMAT scores, others provide a median. Additionally, the range of accepted scores may be presented differently, with some schools offering a full range and others providing a middle 80 percent range or no range at all.
Understanding these nuances is crucial for prospective applicants, as it helps them gauge their competitiveness and tailor their preparation accordingly. By paying attention to these distinctions, applicants can sharpen their integrated reasoning skills and strategically approach the admissions process for their desired business schools.
Harvard Business School
Harvard provides a detailed breakdown of GMAT scores, offering both ranges and median scores.
- Verbal Range: 25 – 51
- Quantitative Range: 31 – 51
- Total Range: 500 – 790
- Median Verbal: 42
- Median Quantitative: 49
- Median Total: 740
For the Class of 2025, 69 percent submitted GMAT scores, while 34 percent submitted GRE scores, with some students providing scores from both exams.
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University
Tuck’s 2025 class boasts 31 percent of students with partners and 5 percent with children.
- Average GMAT: 726
- Full Range: 630 – 800
Graduate School of Stanford Business
Stanford maintains its high competitiveness, admitting only 431 new students out of 6,190 applicants in 2025.
- Average GMAT: 738
- Full Range: 630 – 790
Ross School of Business
University of Michigan Ross embraces diversity, with 10 percent of students identifying as LGBTQIA2S+.
- Average GMAT: 719
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 670 – 760
Yale School of Management
Yale’s commitment to diversity is evident, with 48 percent of students being students of color and 18 percent being underrepresented students of color.
- Median GMAT: 720
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 680 – 760
Stern School of Business
New York University NYU’s 2025 class includes 13 percent LGBTQ+ students and 13 percent U.S. active military or veteran students.
- Average GMAT: 732
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 700 – 760
- Full range: 650 – 780
The University of Chicago Booth Full-Time MBA
Chicago Booth’s diverse student body comprises 64 percent from the United States, 17 percent from Asia, 11 percent from Central/South America and Mexico, 3 percent from Africa, 3 percent from Europe, 1 percent from Canada, and 1 percent from the Middle East.
- Average GMAT: 728
- Full Range: 600 – 780
- 66 percent of applicants applied with the GMAT instead of the GRE
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
Kellogg’s 2025 class is characterized by its 48 percent female composition and 13 percent first-generation students.
- Average GMAT: 731
- Full Range: 620 – 789
The Wharton School, The University of Pennsylvania
Wharton’s diverse community includes representation from 70 countries, with the 2025 class being 50 percent female.
- Average GMAT: 728
MIT Sloan School of Management
MIT Sloan’s 2025 class consists of 409 students, with 40 percent being international.
- Median GMAT: 730
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 700-760
Columbia School of Business
Columbia’s student body of 900 individuals is organized into 12 distinct clusters.
- Average GMAT: 730
- Full Range: 610 – 790
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 700 – 760
Duke Fuqua School of Business
Duke’s 2025 class, which is 45 percent women, provided a single range for GMAT scores.
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 670 – 760
Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley
The predominant pre-MBA employment sector for Berkeley’s 2025 class is “Consulting,” representing 24 percent of students.
- Average GMAT: 733
- Median GMAT: 740
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 680 – 770
University of Virginia Darden School of Business
Among UVA’s 2025 class, students speak a collective total of 67 languages.
- Average GMAT: 716
- Median GMAT: 710
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 680 – 750
Cornell University SC Johnson School of Business
For both the 2024 and 2025 incoming classes, Cornell maintained a consistent median GMAT score.
- Median GMAT: 710
University of Southern California Marshall School of Business
A significant 19 percent of students at Marshall hail from the financial services industry prior to joining the school.
- Average GMAT: 722
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 681 – 760
Emory University Goizueta Business School
For the 2025 incoming class, Emory provided only the average GMAT score.
- Average GMAT: 709
Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business
Carnegie Mellon, situated in Pittsburgh, PA, disclosed its average, median, and middle 80 percent range of GMAT scores.
- Average GMAT: 705
- Median GMAT: 710
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 650 – 750
UCLA Anderson School of Management
UCLA’s student body represents a diverse array of backgrounds, with students hailing from 41 different countries.
- Average GMAT: 710
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 640 – 760
University of Washington Foster School of Business
The 2025 class at the University of Washington comprises 53 percent students of color and 24 percent underrepresented students of color.
- Median GMAT: 710
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 660 – 740
Indiana University Kelley School of Business
Kelley’s 2025 class spans a wide age range, from 23 to 47 years old.
- Average GMAT: 685
- Percentage with 700+: 45%
- Percentage with 600-699: 53%
- Percentage with 500-599: 3%
University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School
A significant 53 percent of UNC’s 2025 class come from non-business backgrounds.
- Average GMAT: 696
Georgetown University McDonough School of Business
Before joining Georgetown, students typically bring an average of five and a half years of work experience.
- Average GMAT: 695
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 630 – 743
Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business
At Rice, the average undergraduate GPA stands at 3.46.
- Average GMAT: 702
- Middle 50 Percent Range: 680 – 730
Georgia Institute of Technology Tech Scheller College of Business
A significant 58 percent of students at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College pursue their business education after earning a STEM undergraduate degree.
- Average GMAT: 694
- Middle 80 Percent Range: 640 – 722
Conclusion
In the competitive landscape of business school admissions, GMAT scores play a crucial role in determining candidates’ suitability for top-tier programs. From the elite halls of Harvard to the innovative corridors of Georgia Tech, each institution boasts unique characteristics that attract a diverse array of students from around the globe. Aspiring business leaders should carefully consider not only their own academic and professional backgrounds but also the specific culture and ethos of each school. Armed with this comprehensive overview of GMAT scores across the top 25 business schools, candidates can better navigate the admissions process and position themselves for success in their academic and professional pursuits.