Foster School of Business – University of Washington
The Michael G. Foster School of Business University of Washington is based in Seattle, Washington. The school offers full-time, evening, and executive MBA options, as well as a Technology Management MBA and a Global Executive MBA. They also feature a Hybrid MBA, which is primarily completed online. The campus is close to a variety of neighborhoods as well as the headquarters of major companies such as Microsoft, Amazon and Starbucks.
LiveWire Data Dashboard
FAQ
What is the tuition for Foster's MBA program?
For the 2024-2025 academic year, the tuition is $42,405 per year for Washington residents and $59,574 for non-residents.
What is the mean GMAT score for admission to Foster's MBA program?
The mean GMAT score for the incoming class at Foster is 700.
Does the Foster MBA program accept the GRE?
Yes. The Foster MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now. The Foster full-time MBA program also accepts a completed Test Optional Summary of Qualifications in place of the GMAT/GRE.
What is the mean GRE score for admission to Foster's MBA program?
The Foster MBA mean GRE scores are 159 Verbal and 160 Quantitative.
What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to Foster's MBA program?
Foster does not state a minimum requirement for years of work experience. However, it is important for candidates to be aware that they are being considered against other candidates with an average of 6 years of experience.
What is the average number of years of work experience for admission to Foster's MBA program? (or, What is the average age of a Foster student?)
The average number of years of work experience among students in Foster's MBA program is 6. The average age of a Foster MBA student is 28 years.
What is the average starting salary for graduates of the Foster MBA program?
The average starting salary for Foster MBA graduates is $151,116. The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.
How long is Foster's full-time MBA program?
Foster offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.
What are the application deadlines for Foster's full-time MBA program?
The Round 1 MBA application deadline is October 1, 2025. The Round 2 application deadline is January 6, 2026. The Round 3 deadline is March 24, 2026.
What percent of Foster MBA students are women?
The percentage of the class at Foster that are women is 32%.
What type of interview does Foster use for MBA admissions?
All applicants to the full-time MBA program must submit a video interview after submitting the application for their application to remain under review. Select applicants will be invited to a one-on-one interview on Zoom with a staff member of Foster MBA admissions.
Admissions
Class Profile
The full-time MBA Class for 2026 numbers 118 students. On average, students have six years of work experience. The class is 32% women, and international students also make up 46% of the student population. Fifty-nine percent of U.S. students identify as students of color. Twenty-nine percent hail from a military background. The mean GMAT for this class was 700 with undergraduate GPAs at a mean of 3.4. For those who took the GRE, their mean scores landed at 160 Quant and 159 Verbal.
Twenty-eight percent of the class had majored in engineering during their undergraduate years. Nineteen percent had majored in business. Ten percent earned degrees in economics and 13% in math/computer science. Sixteen percent of candidates reported being the first in their family to attend college. Thirteen percent of the new class already hold advanced degrees.
Application Procedures
Applicants are required to hold a U.S. bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent). Applicants need to have completed the GMAT, GRE, “Test Optional Summary of Qualifications.” If the GMAT is taken multiple times, the Foster admissions committee will accept the highest score; however, GMAT scores are only valid for five years, and the test must be taken by the admissions deadline. If necessary, students should submit evidence of English language proficiency via TOEFL scores.
The completed application includes an online application, two required essays, a résumé, two letters of recommendation, all prior transcripts, an official GMAT or GRE score report, a video interview, and an $90 application fee. Foster does not specify a required amount of work experience, but it’s worth noting that the current class holds an average of 6 years. Once a student’s application is received, the candidate may be invited to complete an admissions interview (in addition to the video interview already submitted). .
a Zoom.
Application Checklist
- Online Application Profile
- Two Required Essays
- Résumé
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Official GMAT or GRE Scores or Completed Test Optional Summary of Qualifications
- Transcripts
- Proof of English Language Proficiency
- Video Interview Submission (instructions are emailed to applicants 1-3 days after the application round deadline)
- Application Fee ($90)
Essay Topic Analysis
Recommendation Questions
Washington / Foster Q&A's
Washington / Foster LiveWire and DecisionWire
Academics
Faculty
Foster has 83 faculty members, and 45% of the professors and lecturers participate in the review process at top academic journals. Their work has been included in publications such as the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology or Social Psychology and Personality Science, and many of the faculty serve as editors on publications such as Journal of Marketing and Management Science. Professors are spread across five academic departments: accounting, finance & business economics, information systems & operations management, management & organization, and marketing & international business.
Curriculum
Over the course of 20 months, the full-time MBA students at the Foster School of Business take both core and elective coursework to complete their degree. The courses are offered on campus during the day. In the first year, students take three core courses, which are comprised of in-depth modules across a variety of topics. The Autumn Quarter includes topics ranging from financial reporting and analysis to marketing strategy. The Winter Quarter includes a business consulting project, statistics, leadership and strategy coursework. The first year concludes in the Spring Quarter, which covers decision making and operations management. Second-year students take two core courses covering ethics and global economic conditions as well as a variety of electives. Forty elective credits are required for the completion of the program, and they may cover topics in business economics, entrepreneurship, and operations management.
In addition, students must participate in experiential learning. They can do so by joining a range of activities that include community board of directors, taking part in an interdisciplinary consulting project, or acting as a mentor for a first year MBA student. Students can compete in the MBA Core Case Competition or a business plan competition to test their skills against other top competitors. Lastly, students may take on a full-time, paid internship during the summer between the first and second years of classes.
Other MBA Degree Options
In addition to the full-time MBA, Foster offers part-time and executive options. The Evening MBA takes three years to complete and students take courses on a part-time basis in the evenings. Core courses take place on Mondays and Wednesdays, whereas electives are offered once a week from Mondays through Thursdays. The Evening MBA enrolls around 90 students per year, while around 45 professionals matriculate in the executive MBA. The Foster Executive MBA program takes 21 months and 68 credits to complete. Two schedule options are available to compensate students’ professional lives and geographic placement. The North America classes meet once per month for four consecutive days (Wednesday through Saturday). Online academic sessions, as well as virtual study team meetings, support these meetings. The regional program meets once per week on alternating Fridays and Saturdays (occasionally consecutive Fridays and Saturdays) and offers weekly study team meetings and on-campus tutoring sessions.
The Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) at the Foster School of Business takes 12 months to complete. The cohort-based program is geared toward professionals looking to continue or to start working internationally. Meanwhile, the Technology Management MBA (TTMBA) is designed for technology professionals and entrepreneurs to learn relevant business management techniques. Courses cover topics such as negotiations, microeconomics, and decision modeling. With evening and weekend classes, the TTMBA is geared toward students who are also working full time. Finally, the Foster Hybrid MBA is mostly completed online with quarterly in-person sessions. This two-year program is designed for working parents, traveling or young professionals and is taught by the full-time MBA faculty.
Core Courses at Foster
Year One
- Financial Reporting and Analysis
- Managerial Finance
- Leadership Development
- Building Effective Teams
- Marketing Strategy
- Micro-Economics of Competition and Strategy
- Applied Strategy: Business Consulting Project
- Statistics for Business Decisions
- Leading Teams and Organizations
- Competitive & Corporate Strategy
- Information for Decision Making and Performance Evaluation
- Operation and Supply Chain Management
- Decision Support Models
Year Two
- Ethical Leadership & Decision Making
- Analysis of Global Economic Conditions
Degree Offerings at Foster
Full-time MBA
http://foster.uw.edu/academics/degree-programs/full-time-mba/
Evening MBA
http://foster.uw.edu/academics/degree-programs/evening-mba/
Executive MBA
http://foster.uw.edu/academics/degree-programs/executive-mba/
Technology Executive MBA
http://foster.uw.edu/academics/degree-programs/technology-management-mba/
Global Executive MBA
http://foster.uw.edu/academics/degree-programs/global-executive-mba/
Hybrid MBA (Online)
http://foster.uw.edu/academics/degree-programs/hybrid-mba/
Joint Degree Programs
MBA/JD, MBA/MHA, MBA/MPAcc, MBA/MAIS (International, Japan or Korean Studies)
https://foster.uw.edu/academics/degree-programs/full-time-mba/curriculum/certificates-concurrent-degrees/
Campus Life
Clubs and Competitions
Foster MBA students may choose among the school’s 26 student clubs as a member of the MBA Association. Clubs are broken into groups including professional, diversity, affinity and extracurricular. There are a handful of professional clubs that support such disciplines as consulting, marketing, operations, finance and strategy, as well as entrepreneurship, technology, and healthcare, among other areas. Diversity in Business and Foster Veterans Association are among the handful of diversity clubs. The MBA Challenge for Charity, which is in its 33rd year, along with Net Impact, give Foster students the opportunity to give back to their community and affect transformational change. Finally, students’ partners can socialize through the Blue Dot club, while other extracurricular clubs center around Husky football and creativity.
On campus, Foster offers several business competitions in which its MBA students may participate, including the Environmental Innovation Challenge and the Dempsey Startup Competition. The latter provides student entrepreneurs with a real-world experience, encouraging them to develop and present an idea to investors. Through the competition, many students have transformed their ideas into startups. The Dempsey Startup Competition is hosted by the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, and teams compete for close to $90,000 in prize funds.
Campus Spaces
Five of the school’s buildings are located in Seattle, Washington: Dempsey Hall, PACCAR Hall, the Bank of America Executive Center, the Foster Business Library, and the newly built Founders Hall. The Eastside Executive Center is located in Kirkland, Washington, and houses the Technology Management MBA. Founder’s Hall is the newest addition to the campus and houses the MBA and undergraduate offices, the Center for Entrepreneurship and several classrooms. PACCAR Hall is the largest of the buildings at 135,000 square feet. PACCAR Hall is home to several classrooms, meeting spaces, a large auditorium and faculty offices.
MBA Careers
Career Services
The MBA Career Management provides many ways for students to develop professionally during their time at the school. Offerings include career coaching, career treks, workshops, networking events, a mentor program, and group coaching. In addition, students can participate in mock interviews and internships.
Career Statistics
Ninety-one of the 97 graduates of the Washington Foster MBA Class of 2024 were seeking employment. Nearly 75% of the class reported receiving a job offer by graduation and that number jumped to 89% within three months of graduation. Their average salary landed at $$151,322 and average signing bonus at $44,537.
Technology remained the most popular industry choice for the latest class, as 47% of 2024 graduates entered the field. Consulting was second, claiming a third of 2024 graduates. Manufacturing and retail each saw 5% of Foster MBAs.
Financing
For the 2025-2026 academic year, tuition and fees total $42,405 for Washington residents, and $59,574 for non-residents. For the 20 months and six quarters it would take to complete the full-time MBA, this translates to $84,810 for residents and $119,148 for non-residents in tuition and fees. Expenses, such as room and board, books, transportation and miscellaneous personal items, add to the cost of attendance each year. Foster estimates approximately $29,688 for room and board for a one bedroom, solo occupied apartment over the course of 12 months. The MBA Association Membership Dues and estimated MBA Club Dues are covered with one-time payments of $450 and $200, respectively.
Program Tuition (first year)
Tuition and Fees
- Resident $42,405
- Non-resident $59,574
Room & Board (assuming 1 bedroom, solo occupancy, 12-month est.) $29,668
Books $1,100
Local Transportation $2,108
Personal Expenses $3,344
MBA Association Memb. Dues (paid once for two years) $450
Estimated MBA Club Dues (paid once for two years) $200
Health $3,600
Totals
Resident $84,810
Non-resident $119,148
Recent News
Contact
Mailing Address:
Michael G. Foster School of Business
330 Founders Hall
4215 E Stevens Way NE
Box 353200
Seattle, WA 98195-3200
Phone: (206) 543-4661
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://foster.uw.edu/
X (Twitter): @UWFosterSchool