Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business welcomed a smaller, but still diverse and strong, group of candidates for the Daytime MBA Class of 2028. While Fuqua usually sees class sizes upwards of 400 students, this year landed at 359 new ones. Nearly half, 44 percent, are women. The school also posted impressive representation of U.S. minorities, with 50 percent students of color and 35 percent underrepresented students of color.
Robert Swinney, senior associate dean for programs, says, “This was a demanding year across the industry, with a smaller applicant pool, a difficult visa environment, and intense competition for the best candidates. What I want people to see is that we brought an amazing class to Fuqua. We held the same standards we always have, and the 359 students who joined us in August are here because we believe in every one of them completely.
“These students are entering business at one of the most uncertain, and in my view, most exciting, moments in a generation. AI is transforming what analysis costs and who can do it, which means the durable advantage is shifting toward judgment: knowing which questions matter, weighing competing values, and leading people through ambiguity. That’s exactly what this class came here to build. They chose to invest in themselves at a moment when the ground is moving, and I think that says everything about who they are. We couldn’t be more excited to have them at Fuqua.”
Here are some key elements of the profile:
| Women | 44% |
| Countries & Territories Represented (by citizenship) | 46 |
| International Students* | 38% |
| U.S. Underrepresented Students of Color** | 35% |
| Average Work Experience | 6 years |
*By primary citizenship outside the U.S., does not include dual citizenship.
**U.S. domestic or permanent residents students who identify as African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and those who are multiracial or multiethnic.
| Average Undergraduate GPA (Middle 80%) | 3.15-3.90 |
| GRE Verbal/Quant Combined Range (Middle 80%) | 307-330 |
| GMAT Focus Score Range (Middle 80%) | 605-715 |
| Executive Assessment Range (Middle 80%) | 150-162 |
Women, Minority and International Representation
The Duke Fuqua MBA Class of 2028 retains high diversity, despite a few dips compared to last year’s class. Women make up 44 percent of the Duke Daytime MBA Class of 2028, only a three percent decline from last year. U.S. Students of Color—U.S. domestic or permanent resident students who identify as African American or Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, Hispanic American or Latinx, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and those who are multiracial or multiethnic—make up half the class, compared to 55 percent last year. Historically underrepresented U.S. minority students— U.S. domestic or permanent residents students who identify as African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and those who are multiracial or multiethnic—make up 35 percent of the class, which represents another slight dip from last year’s 39 percent. A closer look under Federal reporting guidelines shows 18 percent reporting as Hispanic or Latinx and 13 percent as African American or Black. Fifteen percent identify as Asian American and four percent as two or more races.
The new cohort represents 30 U.S. states, 46 countries & territories. The international student contingent went up, landing at 38 percent this year, up three percent from the Class of 2027.
Academic and Professional Background
During their undergraduate years, the middle 80 percent of their GPAs landed between 3.15 to 3.90–nearly identical to the prior year’s class. Business & accounting were the most popular majors at 34 percent. Engineering/natural sciences followed at 31 percent. Nineteen percent earned degrees in liberal arts and 11 percent in economics. Fourteen percent of students hold advanced degrees and 19 percent of Duke candidates reported being first-generation college students.
This year’s incoming class turned to GMAT (Focus) scores with the middle 80 percent range coming in at 605 to 715. For those who opted to take the GRE, the combined Quant and Verbal range came in at 307 to 330. Finally, the middle range (80 percent) of scores for students who took the Executive Assessment landed at 150 to 162. The program does not report the overall average GMAT, GRE or EA scores.
Prior to matriculating at Fuqua, the MBA Class of 2028 averaged six years of work experience. Twenty-one percent of the class comes from the financial services industry and another 15 percent from government roles. Thirteen percent had worked in health, followed by 10 percent each in consulting or tech. Seven percent hailed from non-profit/education fields. Twenty-four percent served in the military–more than double the representation the prior year.
