Top Masters in Management Programs in the U.S.

The top masters in management (MiM) programs in the U.S. include the following programs, listed in alphabetical order:

• Chicago Booth Master in Management (MiM)
• Cornell Johnson MPS in Management
• Duke Fuqua Master of Management Studies (MMS)
• Emory Goizueta Master in Management (MiM)
• Georgetown McDonough MS in Management (MiM)
• Indiana Kelley Master of Science in Management (MSM)
• Maryland Smith MS in Management Studies (MiM)
• Michigan Ross Master of Management (MM)
• Northwestern Kellogg Master in Management (MiM)
• Notre Dame Mendoza MS in Management (MSM)

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Masters in Management Degree Overview

The Masters in Management is designed for college seniors or recent college graduates who are seeking to launch a business career. While Masters in Management degree programs are well established at European universities, a number of top U.S. business schools have recently launched Masters in Management programs to complement their two-year full-time MBA Programs.

In contrast to a traditional two-year full-time MBA, the Masters in Management degree is a one-year program and doesn’t require any work experience. Masters in Management is growing in popularity as a one-year lower cost alternative to the traditional two-year degree. If you are a college senior or a recent college graduate interested in a one-year master’s degree to help you launch a business career, the Masters in Management degree is worth considering.

These Masters in Management programs all follow a similar structure. They are typically full time, on campus programs that run for 10 months from August to June. In addition, these programs are almost universally pre-work experience masters programs, targeting recent college graduates with little to no work experience. Many MiM programs are designed for recent college graduates with liberal arts or STEM majors who are seeking to use the pursue management studies to transition into a business career.

Other key distinctions can be found in the application process. While most MBA programs require either the GMAT or GRE standardized tests, most MiM programs will grant test waivers for applicants who can demonstrate solid college grades.

Comparing Masters in Management Programs by Key Metrics.

• MiM 2025 – 26 Application Deadlines
• MiM 2025 – 26 Tuition Expenses
• Work experience requirements
• STEM program designations
• Undergraduate business major restriction
• Admissions Requirements

Inside the Top Masters in Management Programs at Leading U.S. Business Schools

Here are key details regarding ten leading Masters in Management programs in the U.S.

Chicago Booth Master in Management (MiM) 

Chicago Booth’s Masters in Management (MiM) program is a ten-month, full-time, in-person program located on the University of Chicago campus in Chicago, Illinois. Booth’s MiM program seeks recent college graduates with liberal arts and STEM majors who are pursuing a management degree to help them launch their business career. Given this focus, Booth is not seeking applicants with undergraduate business degrees or graduates with more than two years of post-college work experience upon matriculation. For international students seeking a U.S. work visa, Booth’s MiM program is designated as a STEM degree program.

Regarding admissions requirements, Booth MiM applicants are asked to submit an application that includes college transcripts, a test score, two recommendations and two essays. International students may also be required to submit a TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score. The Chicago Booth MiM program application deadlines are October 9, 2025, January 8, 2026, March 5, 2026 and April 30, 2026.

Chicago Booth MiM Program Application Requirements

1. 1. College transcripts from accredited College or University
   2. GMAT or GRE test score (waiver option)
   3. International students whose native language is not English must submit a TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score (waiver option available)
   4. Two recommendations
   5. Two essays
   6. Video essay
   7. Quantitative course requirement

Cornell Johnson MPS in Management 

Cornell Johnson’s MPS in Management program is a ten-month, full-time, in-person program located at Cornell University’s campus in Ithaca, New York. Johnson is seeking recent college graduates who are interested in a management degree to help them launch a business career. Johnson is not seeking applicants with undergraduate business degrees. For international students seeking a U.S. work visa, Johnson’s MPS in management degree is a STEM-designated degree program.

Regarding admissions requirements, Johnson MPS in Management applicants are asked to submit an application that includes college transcripts, a GMAT or GRE test score, two recommendations, four essays, a video interview, a one-page resume, a $105 application fee, and an English proficiency test for international applicants. The Johnson MPS in Management application deadlines are December 1, 2025, January 15, 2026, March 1, 2026, and April 15, 2026.

Cornell Johnson MPS in Management Program Application Requirements

1. College transcripts
2. GMAT/GRE
3. Two Letters of Recommendation (one academic and one from an advisor, mentor, coach, or supervisor)
4. Four Essays
5. Video Interview
6. $105 Application Fee
7. Resume
8. TOEFL Duolingo English Test, or IELTS required for international students

Duke Fuqua Master of Management Studies (MMS) 

Duke Fuqua’s Master of Management Studies (MMS) program is a ten-month, full-time, in-person program located at Duke University’s campus in Durham, North Carolina. Fuqua’s MMS program is seeking recent college graduates with up to two years of work experience who are pursuing a management degree to launch a business career. For international students seeking a U.S. work visa, Fuqua’s MMS program is a STEM-designated degree program.

Regarding Fuqua’s MMS admissions requirements, applicants are asked to submit an application that includes college transcripts, a GMAT or GRE test score, one recommendation, two essays, three short answers, an interview, a $125 application fee, and a one-page resume. Fuqua’s MMS application deadlines are October 1, 2025, January 14, 2026, March 4, 2026 and April 14, 2026.

Duke Fuqua MMS Program Application Requirements

1. College Transcripts
2. Two Essays and Three Short Answers
3. One-page resume
4. One recommendation letter (from work or internship)
5. Test score: Either GMAT.GRE or SAT/ACT if unable to take GMAT/GRE
6. Interview by invitation
7. $125 Application Fee

Emory Goizueta Master in Management (MiM) 

Emory Goizueta’s Masters in Management (MiM) program is a ten-month full time in person program located at Emory University’s campus in Atlanta, Georgia. The MiM program is seeking recent college graduates who are pursuing a management degree to launch a business career.

Regarding Goizueta’s MiM admissions requirements, candidates are asked to submit an application that includes college transcripts, two recommendation letters, two essays, and a one-page resume. Candidates also have the option of submitting a GMAT or GRE test score. Goizueta’s MiM application deadlines are October 15, 2025, January 21, 2026, March 4, 2026 and April 8, 2026.

Goizueta MiM Program Application Requirements

1. College transcripts
2. GMAT/GRE (optional)
3. Resume
4. $150 application fee
5. Two recommendation letters
6. Two essays

Georgetown McDonough MS In Management (MiM) 

McDonough’s MS in Management (MiM) program is a ten-month, full-time, in-person program located at Georgetown University’s campus in Washington, D.C. McDonough’s MiM program is seeking recent college graduates with up to three years of work experience who are pursuing a management degree to launch a business career. For international students seeking a U.S. work visa, McDonough’s MiM program is a STEM-designated degree program.

Regarding McDonough’s MiM admissions requirements, applicants are asked to submit an application that includes college transcripts, a GMAT or GRE test score, one recommendation, one personal essay, and a one-page resume. McDonough’s MiM application deadlines are October 17, 2025, November 14, 2025, January 9, 2026, March 20, 2026, May 15, 2026 and June 22, 2026.

McDonough MiM Program Application Requirements

1. Online Application Form
2. Resume
3. Video Essay
4. Personal Essay
5. One Recommendation – either academic or professional
6. College Transcripts
7. GMAT or GRE Scores (waived if you have a 3.2+ college GPA)
8. Demonstrate English Proficiency
9. $175 Application Fee

Indiana Kelley Master of Science in Management (MSM) 

Indiana Kelley’s Master of Science in Management (MSM) program is designed for recent college graduates seeking a management education in order to launch a business career. Spanning a year in length, this full-time MSM program is offered on Indiana University’s campus in Bloomington, Indiana. In terms of admissions requirements, MSM applicants are asked to submit college transcripts, a GMAT or GRE test score, two recommendations, two essays, a $75 application fee, and a one-page resume. Work experience is not required for admission to the program. For international applicants, a TOEFL or IELTS test score may also be required. Following application submission, Kelley offers interviews to prospective students by invitation only. The application deadlines to Kelley’s MSM program are October 7, 2024; December 2, 2024; February 3, 2025; and April 30, 2025.

Kelley MSM Program Application Requirements

1. Two Essays
2. One-page resume
3. Two recommendation letters
4. College transcripts
5. GMAT/GRE test score (waiver option)
6. TOEFL or IELTS if college degree from non-English speaking country
7. $75 Application Fee

Maryland Smith MS in Management Studies (MiM)

Maryland’s Smith MS in Management Studies (MiM) program is a ten-month, full-time, in-person program located at the University of Maryland’s campus in College Park, Maryland just outside of Washington, D.C. Smith’s MiM program is seeking recent college graduates with up to three years of work experience who are pursuing a management degree to launch a business career. For international students seeking a U.S. work visa, Smith’s MiM program is a STEM-designated degree program.

Regarding Smith’s MiM admissions requirements, candidates are asked to submit an application that includes college transcripts, a GMAT or GRE test score (waiver option), one recommendation, one essay, and a one-page resume. Smith MiM program application deadlines are October 15, 2025; November 15, 2025; January 15, 2026 (priority deadline for international candidates); February 15, 2026; March 13, 2026 (Final deadline for international candidates); April 1, 2026.

Smith MiM Program Application Requirements

1. One Essay
2. One-page resume
3. One recommendation letter
4. College transcripts
5. GMAT/GRE test score (optional)
6. TOEFL or IELTS if college degree is from a non-English speaking country
7. $75 Application Fee

NOTE: An additional essay is recommended if a candidate has less than a 3.0 GPA, gaps in their work experience or issues with the Office of Student Conduct

Michigan Ross Master of Management (MM)

Michigan’s Ross Master of Management (MM) program is a ten-month, full-time, in-person program located at University of Michigan’s campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ross’ MM program is seeking recent college graduates with up to two years of work experience who are pursuing a management degree to launch a business career. Given this focus, Ross’ MM program is not seeking applicants with undergraduate business degrees. For international students seeking a U.S. work visa, Ross’ MM program is not a STEM-designated degree program.

Regarding Ross’ MM admissions requirements, candidates are asked to submit an application that includes college transcripts, a GMAT or GRE test score, one recommendation, two essays, a one-page resume, a $100 application fee, and an English proficiency test score if applicable. Ross also extends interviews by invitation. MM application deadlines are September 12, 2025, October 24, 2025, January 5, 2026, February 20, 2026, April 3, 2026, and May 15, 2026.

Ross MM Program Application Requirements

1. College transcripts
2. GMAT or GRE (waived if applicant has a 3.3+ college GPA)
3. One-page resume
4. Two Essays
5. One Recommendation Letter – either academic or professional
6. Interview by Invitation
7. TOEFL/IELTS test scores (may apply for international students)
8. $100 Application Fee

Northwestern Kellogg Master in Management (MiM)

Kellogg’s Master in Management (MiM) program is a ten-month, full-time, in-person program located in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Kellogg’s MiM program is seeking recent college graduates with up to two years of work experience who are pursuing a management degree to launch a business career. While Kellogg’s MiM program is catered towards non-business majors, they consider applicants regardless of undergraduate major. For international students seeking a U.S. work visa, Kellogg’s MiM program is a STEM-designated degree program.

Regarding Kellogg’s MiM admissions requirements, candidates are asked to submit an application that includes college transcripts, a GMAT or GRE test score, two recommendations, two essays, video essays, and a one-page resume. Kellogg also extends interviews by invitation. Kellogg’s MiM application deadlines are October 29, 2025, January 14, 2026, April 15, 2026, and May 27, 2026.

Kellogg MiM Program Application Requirements

1. College transcripts
2. GMAT/GRE Score (can be waived if you have a college GPA of 3.4 or higher)
3. One-page resume
4. Two recommendations (one from a professor)
5. Two essays
6. Video essay
7. Interview by invitation
8. TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo English score (if applicable)
9. $125 application fee

Notre Dame Mendoza MS in Management (MSM) 

Notre Dame’s Mendoza MS in Management (MSM) program is an eleven-month, full-time, in-person program located at University of Notre Dame’s campus in South Bend, Indiana. Mendoza’s MSM program is seeking recent college graduates with up to two years of work experience who are pursuing a management degree to launch a business career. Mendoza’s MSM program is not seeking applicants with undergraduate business degrees. For international students seeking a U.S. work visa, Mendoza’s MSM program is a STEM -designated degree program.

Regarding Mendoza’s MSM admissions requirements, candidates are asked to submit an application that includes college transcripts, a GMAT or GRE test score, two recommendations, three essays, a slide presentation and a one-page resume. Mendoza’s MSM application deadlines are September 4, 2025, October 14, 2025, January 8, 2026, and March 17, 2026.

Mendoza MSM Program Application Requirements

1. GMAT/GRE (not required for those with a U.S. undergraduate degree)
2. Official academic transcripts
3. One recommendation (professional or academic)
4. Resume
5. TOEFL, PTE or IELTS report unless student has a degree from English speaking college program
6. Statement of purpose
7. One slide presentation (up to four slides)
8. Video assessment
9. $50 Application Fee

Comparing the Ten Masters in Management Programs

In this section, we compare ten of the leading Masters in Management programs offered by U.S. business schools by key metrics.

Full-Time, On-Campus, 10-Month MiM Programs
Below is a list of ten U.S.-based business schools that are offering full-time, on-campus Masters in Management Programs:

As you can see in the table above, all ten of these MiM programs offer a full-time, one-year (10 months) Masters in Management degree on campus. This allows for a fully immersive experience with a cohort of classmates.

While there are a lot of similarities across these programs, below we will review how they differ in terms of some key attributes. Let’s dive in.

MiM Program Application Deadlines 

Below is a list of the application deadlines for the ten MiM programs.

The ten MIM programs offer deadlines throughout the fall and spring, with most programs offering admissions deadlines in October, January, and March, and some MiM programs offering deadlines in April, May and June. This gives applicants a number of opportunities to apply to the MiM programs. Having said this, it is generally a good idea to apply as soon as you are ready to submit a quality application because spaces do fill up.

MiM STEM Degree Designation for U.S. Work Visas

An MiM program with a STEM designation means that international students enrolled in the MiM program are eligible to work in the U.S. for up to three years after graduation. Of these ten U.S. MiM programs, six currently have a STEM designation. The MiM programs at Emory Goizueta, Indiana Kelley, Michigan Ross and Maryland Smith are not STEM designated.

Note on STEM: ‘STEM’ stands for ‘Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.’ A graduate program that is designated as ‘STEM’ means that the curriculum of the program is deemed to offer a STEM education. Starting during the Obama Administration, the U.S. government created policies to encourage more college graduates to receive a STEM-related education. One of the favorable policies enacted was a STEM work visa, which allows international students to work up to 3 years in the U.S. after completing a STEM designated degree. Thus, U.S.-based universities responded to these incentives by creating STEM-accredited graduate programs to meet this demand from international students seeking to work in the U.S.

Pre-Work Experience MiM Programs

All ten of these MiM programs are pre-work experience programs. Meaning, they do not require applicants to have formal post-college work experience before applying. In addition, the MiM programs actually limit the amount of post-college work experience to a maximum of three years. This is because business schools seek to have applicants with several years of work experience to apply to the two-year full-time MBA program instead.

Here is a list of the MiM programs based on their rules around work experience:

While all ten MiM programs are open to recent college graduates, there is some variation about the amount of full-time work experience they require. Some MiM programs accept up to two years of work experience while other MiM programs are open to applicants with up to three years of work experience.

MiM Tuition (2025-2026)

For applicants considering a MiM program, it is helpful to note the cost of attending one of these programs.

Below is a summary showing the 2025 – 2026 tuition rates for the ten MiM programs. This tuition ranges from $55,488 at Indiana Kelley to $71,266 at Cornell Johnson:

Note 1: Maryland Smith and Michigan Ross have not yet released their 2025-26 MiM program tuition.   The tuition numbers listed for these two programs are the 2024-25 MIM tuition.

Note 2: In addition to tuition, MiM applicants should also expect to pay about $30,000 – $35,000 in order to cover other MiM-related expenses such as room, board, travel, and other school fees. Thus, the total cost of attending an MiM program is often about $95,000 – $100,000.

MiM Programs: Are They Open to Undergraduate Business Majors?

While all ten of these MiM programs require applicants to have recently completed college, the schools differ on whether or not they encourage applicants with an undergraduate business degree to apply. Since the pre-work experience MiM programs are primarily designed for recent college graduates to use the MiM degree to launch a business career, some MiM programs discourage graduates with undergraduate business degrees from applying. Here is a list of the ten MiM programs based on whether they accept or restrict applicants based on an undergraduate business degree.

Eligible Undergraduate Majors

Of the ten MiM programs listed, five of these programs (Duke Fuqua, Georgetown McDonough, Indiana Kelley, Maryland Smith and Northwestern Kellogg) are open to recent college graduates of all majors including undergraduate business majors. The other five MiM programs discourage undergraduate business majors from applying.

MiM Programs: Comparing Admissions Requirements

All nine MiM programs have similar admissions requirements. For example, they all ask for college transcripts, a resume, recommendation letters and essays. While they do ask for test score, they also provide options to waive this requirement. Here is a list of the key admissions requirements by MiM program:

Master in Management Program Admissions Requirements

* Test Waiver Option Available
** Test exemption if your undergraduate degree was taught in English
Note 1: Cornell Johnson MPS in Management program requires that applicants complete 5 business classes
Note 2: Duke Fuqua MMS program also asks for 3 short answers
Note 3: Notre Dame Mendoza MSM program also asks for a slide presentation
Note 4: Fuqua MMS, Kelley MSM, Kellogg MiM and Mendoza MSM programs offer interviews by invitation

There are some application requirement variations by program. For example, four of the ten programs ask for a video essay and four programs offer interviews by invitation. In addition, some schools have very individual requirements. For example, Cornell Johnson requires applicants to have completed 5 introductory business courses before admission and Notre Dame Mendoza asks for a slide presentation.