Tepper School of Business – Carnegie Mellon University

FAQ

What is the tuition for Tepper’s MBA program?

The tuition for Tepper’s MBA program is $70,000 per year.

How hard is it to get into Tepper’s MBA program?

The acceptance rate for Tepper is 27.7%. It is important to consider the acceptance rate in the context of the student profile of those who are admitted. For example the average GMAT score is 702.

What is the average GMAT score for admission to Tepper’s MBA program?

The average GMAT score for the incoming class at Tepper is 702.

Does the Tepper MBA program accept the GRE?

Yes. The Tepper MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now.

What is the average GRE score for admission to Tepper's MBA program?

Tepper does not publish an average GRE score for its incoming class, but does accept the GRE for admissions.

What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to Tepper's MBA program?

Tepper 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 a median of 5.2 years of experience.

What is the average number of years of work experience for admission to Tepper's MBA program?

The average number of years of work experience among students in Tepper's MBA program is 5.4.

What is the median starting salary for graduates of the Tepper MBA program?

The median starting salary for Tepper MBA graduates is $134,847. The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.

How long is Tepper’s full-time MBA program?

Tepper offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.

What are the application deadlines for Tepper’s MBA program?

The Round 1 MBA application deadline is October 2, 2022. The Round 2 application deadline is January 5, 2023. The Round 3 deadline is March 12, 2022. The Round 4 deadline (part-time only) is May 31, 2023.

What percent of Tepper MBA students are women?

31% percent of the MBA class at Tepper are women.

What type of interview does Tepper use for MBA admissions?

Tepper offers interviews by invitation. The interviews are resume-based. This means the interviewer has not had access to the application materials.

VIDEOS

Admissions

The Class Profile

Tepper welcomed a full-time class of 192 students in the fall of 2022. The average GMAT score for the Class of 2024 was 702. The average GPA of first-year students was 3.3, with 48% of the class majoring in engineering as undergraduates, 21% in business, and 16% in economics. Prior to matriculating at Tepper, students had amassed a median of 5.2 years of work experience. Thirty-one percent of the Class of 2024 are women, and 56% of students are international.

Application Procedures

Applicants can apply to Tepper’s full-time MBA program in one of three rounds, which typically occur in early October, early January and mid-March. Part-time and Part-time Online Hybrid candidates can apply in one of three rounds that coincide with the full-time program’s latter two rounds, in addition to one other deadline in late April. International students are encouraged to apply by the January deadline.  To apply, candidates must submit their application form, an essay, GMAT or GRE scores, a résumé, one recommendation letter, and transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. Tepper also requires applicants to submit TOEFL scores, if applicable, and a $200 application fee.

After submitting an application, interviews are conducted on an invitation-only basis. Candidates invited to interview may schedule an on- or off-campus interview or a telephone interview with a member of the admissions committee, though Tepper notes that on-campus interviews are preferred. Applicants who have shown dedication to promoting diversity in business may also apply to Tepper through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management.

Interview Reports

Carnegie Mellon Tepper MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Zoom

My interviewer was extremly friendly and nice, she laid out the structure of the interview and told me that they have read my whole application so it was not a blind interview. 1. Give me your 1min elevator pitch (then she introduced herself). 2. What criteria did you look for when searching b-schools? (I incorporated […]

CMU Tepper MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Zoom

The adcom had reviewed my entire application before our interview. Give me a one-minute introduction to who you are. Why an MBA? Why now? What is your criteria in selecting a business school? What are your post-MBA goals? Give an example when you accomplished something to bring better results to your team. What’s your definition […]

CMU Tepper Interview Questions & Report: Round 3 / Adcom / Zoom

I had a resume based interview for R3 with Anthony Gomez. He was so easy to talk to. During the interview my WiFi went out for like 5 min and he was kind enough to call my cell until my WiFi came back on! Questions were very typical mostly TMAT questions. The only one I […]

CMU Tepper MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Director of Admissions / Zoom

I interviewed at the end of January with JR McGrath. It was very conversational and took about 30 minutes. This was a partially blind interview; he only had a copy of my resume, but no information from my application. JR was extremely easy to talk to, he introduced himself and was very responsive throughout the […]

CMU Tepper Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom

I interviewed in mid-October. It was conversational and she was easy to talk to and put me at ease. She started off letting me know this was to get to know my professional background better and that it was a blind interview, she only had my resume. The questions were similar to what I had […]

CMU Tepper Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom

Interview with Jackson Otto. She was really friendly and very engaged throughout the discussion. We started with a casual talk about her experience in the city I am living in. She also emphasized that it is a blind interview, that she has only read my resume, not my essay. Questions in the interview: – Walk […]

Carnegie Mellon Tepper Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Zoom

The interview lasted about 25 min rather than the allotted 30. My interviewer was Tiffany Jackson, she was extremely nice. The interview mostly consisted of me answering her questions, but left about 10-15 min at the end for my questions at the end. 1. Tell me about your current work position. 2. Why do you […]

Carnegie Mellon Tepper Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Zoom

30-minute interview over Zoom with Adcom (blind/resume only) The interview was very conversational. The questions asked were all questions that have shown up on here before. Describe your current role to me. (I had recently gotten promoted so the adcom asked how my new role was different from my prior role) Career goal? Why MBA? […]

CMU Tepper Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / On-Campus

Very friendly! Are there any updates on your candidacy since you submitted your application? What do you do in your current role? Why are you pursuing an MBA? Tell me about a time when you were successful in helping a co-worker. Tell me about a time when you were unsuccessful. Tell me about a time […]

CMU Tepper Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Skype

The following CMU Tepper interview questions & report were submitted to Clear Admit by a Round 1 applicant. I had applied for Round 1 and I got the interview call almost on the next day of the deadline. It was a Skype interview with an Admissions Officer. The interview lasted for 30 minutes as was the plan. The […]

Carnegie-mellontepper Q&As

Admission Director Q&A: J.R. McGrath of Carnegie Mellon Tepper

The new Executive Director of Masters Admissions at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business joins us for this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A. J.R. has been at Tepper for the past 19 months as Director of Masters Recruiting and just accepted the role of Executive Director at the beginning of October. He has […]

Admissions Director Q&A: Kelly Wilson of Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business

We continue our Admissions Director Q&A series with the newly STEM-designated Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business.  Hear all about their MBA admissions, the exciting campus scene, life in Pittsburgh and lots more from Kelly R. Wilson, Executive Director of Masters Admissions, below. Clear Admit: Can you tell us a little about your background? […]

Carnegie Mellon / Tepper LiveWire and DecisionWire

Academics

Faculty

Tepper’s full-time MBA boasts a student-to-teacher ratio of 13:1, and overall employs nearly 160 faculty members. Aside from teaching classes, these faculty members contribute to Tepper’s seven research centers, whose research and resources cover topics like leadership, green design and entrepreneurship.

Curriculum

A pioneer in management science, which takes an analytical approach to examining organizational issues, Tepper prides itself on offering a wide range of teaching methods in its classrooms.  Professors employ lectures, business cases, group projects and in-class presentations, among other methods.  First-year students are not divided into cohorts or assigned to sections but instead take their core courses with a variety of classmates and professors.

Tepper’s academic year begins at the end of August and ends in early May, with graduation taking place later that month.  The academic year is divided into four mini-semesters of 6.5 weeks each.  Full-time students typically take four to five classes per mini-semester during the fall and spring and then use the summer to complete internships.  Tepper also offers an early graduation option, which allows students to take courses during the summer in between their first and second year so that they finish by December of their second year.

Prior to the start of classes, the majority of first-year students elect to participate in BaseCamp, a pre-term program that runs throughout August and offers operations, finance, entrepreneurship, strategy, and marketing modules as well as career development programming.  During the first year, students at Tepper complete required courses, covering business fundamentals in analytics, managerial economics, accounting, finance, and operations management, among others.

Students may take an optional elective in their second mini-semester, but officially begin taking elective courses in their third mini-semester alongside three other required courses.  Full-time students must maintain a minimum course load of 36 units, or six courses, per full semester.  While the second year is fairly flexible in terms of course selection, students must complete one elective in each of four disciplines: organizational behavior, strategy, quantitative analysis and information systems. To tailor their education to their career goals, students can specialize in one of five tracks in a particular career path or functional area such as Business Analytics or Technology Strategy and Product Management by taking specified elective courses.  Students who do not wish to follow a track pursue the General Management curriculum, through which they can further their studies through 12 concentrations in general academic areas like finance, accounting and marketing.  Tepper reports that most students complete three to four concentrations.

Tepper students interested in gaining international experience can participate in global treks or a semester abroad.  Global treks are international trips to places like Dubai, China, India and South Africa that occur during winter and spring breaks and include company visits and networking events.  Tepper has also partnered with the Otto Beisheim School of Management to offer a study abroad program located in Koblenz, Germany; as well as The Chinese University of Hong Kong Business School in Hong Kong, China.

Other MBA Degree Options

Along with its Full-Time MBA program, Tepper also offers a Part-Time Online Hybrid program, a program for Pittsburgh-area professionals called Part-Time Flex, and a new Part-Time Accelerated MBA program for individuals who have completed undergraduate core coursework within the past seven years. The part-time programs include immersive Access Weekends throughout the year, rounded out with live, online courses and independent work.  Most students finish their degree within three years.  There are currently six options for students interested in obtaining a dual or joint degree. Students may pursue an MBA from Tepper concurrently with a master’s in Engineering, Software Engineering, Healthcare Policy, Public Policy, or Engineering at other schools within Carnegie Mellon University. There is also a JD/MBA option with the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Tracks & Concentrations at Tepper

Tracks

• Business Analytics
• Energy Business
• Entrepreneurship
• Management of Innovation & Product Development
• Technology Leadership

Concentrations

• Accounting
• Business Technologies
• Communications
• Economics
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Health Care Analytics
• Marketing
• Operations Management
• Operations Research
• Organizational Behavior
• Strategy
• Sustainability

Degree Offerings at Tepper

Full-time MBA Program
https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/programs/mba/program-options/full-time.html

Part-time Online Hybrid Program
https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/programs/mba/program-options/part-time-online-hybrid/

Part-time Flex MBA Program
https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/programs/mba/program-options/part-time-flex-pittsburgh/index.html

Part-time Accelerated MBA Program
https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/programs/mba/program-options/part-time-accelerated/index.html

Executive Education
https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/executive-education/

Dual and Joint Degrees
MBA/Biomedical Entrepreneurship, MBA/Software Engineering, MBA/Healthcare Policy, MBA/JD, MBA/Public Policy, MBA/Engineering
https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/programs/mba/curriculum/dual-and-joint-degrees/

Master of Science in Business Analytics
https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/programs/master-business-analytics/index.html

Master of Science in Product Management
https://ms-product-management.cmu.edu/

Master of Science in Computational Finance
https://www.cmu.edu/mscf/

Campus Life

Clubs, Conferences & Competitions

Despite a relatively small class, Tepper students still have many extracurricular activities to explore. There are a total of 40 clubs spread across professional, educational and social interests. The popular Consulting Club, for instance, offers members access to its case database and hosts lectures, discussion panels and guest speakers. The club also helps members prepare for post-MBA careers in consulting by conducting mock interviews and résumé reviews and organizing networking events. Tepper’s chapter of Net Impact, meanwhile, promotes corporate responsibility and business ethics through initiatives like working with local nonprofits on specific business issues and advocating for green initiatives on campus.

Tepper students also enter a number of case competitions each year. Members of the Alpha Club, the investment management club that oversees the Tepper Opportunity Fund, routinely participate in trading competitions each year. The Operations Management club holds an annual International Case Competition in which a dozen business school teams compete to present the best analysis of an operations case study. Tepper also hosts the W.L. Mellon Speaker Series that brings CEOs and other executives to campus six or so times a year to discuss strategies and current events related to global business.

Campus Spaces

The Tepper Quad is designed to maximize interconnectedness across the campus, the Tepper Quad mirrors today’s multidisciplinary marketplace.

At 315,500 sq ft. the Tepper Quad’s modern design emphasizes open spaces, an abundance of windows and natural light and space for “planned spontaneity” that energizes innovation and interconnected partnerships across campus. Smart and emerging technologies that promote LEED Gold standards of responsibility and sustainability. Tepper Quad materials and construction methodologies prioritize responsible environmental impact and sustainability.

Some features include:

Innovation Classrooms
Two innovation classrooms on the third floor feature a flexible layout to accommodate a variety of instruction styles.

Fitness Center
The center features locker and shower facilities, an exercise room, and an outdoor space encompassing a total of 7,500 square feet.

Breakout Spaces
There are six breakout spaces dedicated to undergraduate students and 12 dedicated to master’s students.

Simmons Auditorium
The Simmons Auditorium can accommodate up to 600 people and features a media wall and recording capabilities.

Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship
Our startup incubator is a global destination for entrepreneurs, investors and alumni. Campus-wide collaboration includes engineering, product development, computer science, robotics and design alongside Tepper School students and faculty.

MBA Careers

Career Services

The Masters Career Center (MCC) provides a range of resources and services to assist students and alumni with their job search. Students may work with a career counselor who has specific experience in their area of interest or attend MCC-sponsored workshops covering topics like résumé writing, interview preparation and cover letters. The COC also provides an on- and off-campus interview program, organizes corporate presentations and partners with clubs to create career treks to different cities.

Career Statistics

Ninety-seven percent of Tepper’s Class of 2022 seeking employment had received a job offer within three months of graduation. The median starting salary for Tepper graduates was $148,067.  Likely due to its affiliation with the science- and engineering-focused Carnegie Mellon, Tepper sent 28% of the Class of 2022 into post-MBA jobs in the technology industry. Meanwhile, another 39% of graduates entered into consulting, and about 16% chose to work in finance. About 6% of the class found jobs in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare sector, and roughly 3% of graduates went into consumer products.

Twenty-five percent of graduates headed West post-MBA. Another 33% settled in the Northeast. Eighteen percent stayed in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. while nearly 12% landed in the Midwest. Nearly two percent found employment outside the U.S.

Financing

Tuition for the 2021-2022 academic year is $70,000 for first-year students. With additional living expenses, however, Tepper estimates that first-years will spend around $97,929 as well as an additional $1,200 for a laptop purchase. Although Tepper does not offer any need-based scholarships, there are a number of merit-based scholarships available to all admitted students, and Tepper encourages students to pursue additional outside scholarships through organizations such as the Consortium for Graduate Management Studies and the Forté Foundation. For further financial aid, federal loan programs are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. International students, meanwhile, may reference Tepper’s list of recommended private lenders, all of which require a US co-signer.

Cost of Attendance

• Tuition $70,000
• University Fees $906
• Room, Board & Misc. $20,182
• Books/Supplies $1,450
• Transportation $2,370
• Health Insurance $3,021
• Total $97,929

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Carnegie Mellon Tepper MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Zoom

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