Stanford Graduate School of Business

FAQ

What is the tuition for Stanford’s MBA program?

The tuition for Stanford’s MBA program is $74,706 per year. The total cost of the Stanford MBA program is $119,964 per year; this includes budgeted living expenses.

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

The acceptance rate for Stanford is slightly above 5%. 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 738.

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

The average GMAT score for the incoming class at Stanford is 737.

Does the Stanford MBA program accept the GRE?

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

What is the average GRE score for admission to Stanford’s MBA program?

The average GRE score for the incoming class at Stanford is 164 Verbal and 163 Quantitative.

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

Stanford 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 4.9 years of experience.

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

The average number of years of work experience among students in Stanford’s MBA program is 4.9.

What is the average starting salary for graduates of the Stanford MBA program?

The average starting salary for Stanford MBA graduates is $182,272 with an average signing bonus of $33,684. The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.

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

Stanford offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.

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

The Round 1 MBA application deadline is September 12, 2023. The Round 2 application deadline is January 4, 2024. The Round 3 deadline is April 9, 2024.

What percent of Stanford MBA students are women?

The percentage of the class at Stanford that are women is 44%.

What type of interview does Stanford use for MBA admissions?

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

Admissions

The Class Profile

Admission to Stanford GSB’s MBA program is highly competitive—6,152 MBA hopefuls applied to the Class of 2024, and 424 ultimately matriculated. The average GMAT score among the enrolled students in this class is 737. A third of the class opted to take the GRE instead of the GMAT, and they averaged 164 in the Verbal section and 163 in the Quant section. The average GPA for the new class was 3.76.

Twenty-four percent of students in the Class of 2024 hold undergraduate majors in engineering. Twenty-one percent majored in economics. A fifth studied social sciences and 19% majored in business. Nine percent earned degrees in math or science.

Students in this class have an average of 4.9 years of work experience. Prior to attending Stanford, a fifth of students worked in investment management, private equity/venture capital. Another 20% came from the consulting sector. Just five percent came from other financial services. Fifteen percent had worked in tech. Eight percent spent their pre-MBA careers in education/nonprofit/government. Another seven percent came from consumer products & services.

Thirty-seven percent of first-year students are international citizens, dual U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents. Finally, women comprise 44% of this class, and 51% identify as a member of a U.S. minority group.

Application Procedures

Stanford GSB offers three rounds of admission, which usually take place in late September, early January, and early April. Along with filling out an online application about their biographical information and career history, applicants must submit essays, a résumé, transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate academic institutions attended, and a $275 application fee. In addition, two letters of reference are required, one from a workplace supervisor and one from a peer.

Applicants must also submit GMAT or GRE scores and, if needed, a TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score. Interviews are conducted on an invitation-only basis and are required for admission to the MBA program. The bulk of interviews are executed by alumni located around the world; members of the MBA Admissions staff also conduct interviews.

Application Checklist

• Data Forms 
• GMAT/GRE and TOEFL/IELTS/PTE Score(s) 
• Academic Transcripts 
• Résumé 
• Essays 
• Recommendation Letters 
• Application fee

Interview Reports

Stanford GSB MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Zoom

Like another applicant said, this was my roughest and most stressful interview. It was an hourlong call with an alum and it was 100% behavioral questions (other than at the end – the typical why MBA / why now question). He interrupted me every time I started a story to dig deeper into what I […]

Stanford GSB Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumna / Zoom

Was sent interviewer name + email in advance, so was able to look her up on LinkedIn. She was great at making me feel comfortable and explained that Stanford was looking for very specific attributes in my answers, so she would likely interrupt and ask follow-ups. Interview ran about 65 mins, including time for questions. […]

Stanford GSB MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 Deferred / Alumnus / MS Teams

The interviewer was a GSB alum, Dragos Bucurenci. He only saw my resume beforehand. The atmosphere was extremely casual, felt more like a coffee chat with a friend than an admissions interview. Almost all questions he asked were behavior questions. The only exception was “Why Stanford.” He did not even ask about my non-traditional background […]

Stanford GSB MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Zoom

Interviewed with an alum and it was very friendly and conversational. Questions were behavioral in nature: Tell me about yourself. Describe a time when you were forward thinking. Describe a time when you lead a difficult team. Went really in depth with follow-up questions to try and get to know you on a personal level.

Stanford GSB MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumna / Zoom

Interviewer was friendly. Paired with alumna living in the same city as I am and with a similar background as I have. Told me about her background at the beginning. She told me about the interview structure and that she will interrupt for follow-up questions. • Tell me about an accomplishment you are proud of. […]

Stanford GSB Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Virtual

The interview was formal, but still casual. We had a minute or two of small talk before the interviewer jumped right into it, giving me background on himself, allowing me to ask him questions about his professional experiences. Then from there we jumped into my background and, through conversation, he asked me some probing questions. […]

Stanford GSB MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Zoom

It was a stressful interview, no introductions or friendly banter. Interviewer outlined the format of the interview (40 min behavioral Qs, 10 min for 1-2 questions) then started right away. Each question probed deeper into my decision making and he even asked about the thought processes of peers and subordinates under me. It was stressful […]

Stanford GSB Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Zoom

They seem to match interviewer based on region and industry. My interviewer has similar background with me and knows a lot about my industry. The interview is largely resume-based (the interviewer only has my resume). Interview questions include: Tell me about yourself. More details about the projects you were involved? How do you think about […]

Stanford GSB Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumna / Zoom

It seems like they run a pretty personal interview-matching process, where I got matched to an alumna who was female, was in the same pre-MBA industry (banking), and currently works in my target post-MBA industry (media). Interviewer only had my CV. Overall very relaxed, was more of a conversation rather than interview. Started quite naturally […]

Stanford GSB Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alum / Zoom

Got an interview invite last week of Oct asking me to schedule it with the alum they paired me with within 7-10 days. Had to follow up with the alum a couple of times to lock down a time and get the Zoom invite. Interview itself was 50 min, with 15 min of that being […]

Stanford Q&As

Admissions Director Q&A: Kirsten Moss of Stanford GSB

In our latest Admissions Director Q&A, we interview Kirsten Moss, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions & Financial Aid at Stanford GSB. She digs into everything you need to know about the leading business school, including what makes a strong application, what to expect in the interview and more. Prior to Stanford GSB, Kirsten held roles […]

Admissions Director Q&A: Kirsten Moss of Stanford GSB

Get the inside scoop on MBA admissions at Stanford GSB, as Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions & Financial Aid, Kirsten Moss, shares everything you need to know about getting into the leading business school in our latest Admissions Director Q&A. Prior to Stanford GSB, Kirsten held roles in leadership coaching, consulting, admissions and more. In […]

Admissions Director Q&A: Kirsten Moss of the Stanford Graduate School of Business

If Stanford GSB is on your list of target business schools, be sure to read this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A series with the Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, Kirsten Moss. Prior to her current role at Stanford, Kirsten developed tools to assess leadership potential as a consultant with Egon Zehnder. […]

Stanford GSB LiveWire and DecisionWire

Academics

Faculty

Across its seven academic areas, Stanford GSB employs 119 tenured and tenure-track professors resulting in a six-to-one student-faculty ratio. In addition to teaching classes, these scholars and practitioners also help staff the school’s 10 research centers and research programs, which cover topics from entrepreneurial studies to global supply chain management.

Curriculum

The full-time MBA program is designed to take place across six quarters of roughly 11 weeks apiece. Classes are held during the fall, winter, and spring, and students are encouraged to spend the summer between the first and second years completing an internship. Autumn Quarter of the first year of the MBA program typically begins in mid- September and ends in mid-December. Classes resume for Winter Quarter in early January and last until late March; Spring Quarter runs from early April through mid-June. The second year is structured very similarly, with the exception that Autumn Quarter courses begin a week later.

As at most MBA programs, professors at Stanford GSB use a mix of teaching methods, such as case studies, lecture and discussion, and team projects. Stanford GSB students spend the first year of their MBA studies completing both core and distribution requirements. The first quarter is devoted entirely to core requirements, with both Winter and Spring quarters dedicated to finishing the core as well as undertaking distribution requirements and electives. In addition, each first-year student must fulfill a Global Experience Requirement by contributing to a project abroad. Students can meet this requirement by working abroad over the summer through the Global Management Immersion Experience, completing an exchange program with Tsinghua University in Beijing, or participating in a student-initiated service or global study trip.

Throughout the second year, students can take up to 18 courses total and are free to choose from over 100 elective courses across 10 academic departments. Students may also cross-register for courses at other Stanford University graduate schools. Stanford GSB does not offer any formal MBA majors, but students can earn a Certificate in Public Management and Social Innovation.

Other MBA Degree Options

Along with its two-year MBA degree, Stanford GSB offers six joint degree programs with other schools within the university. The business school also has one dual degree program, the MD/MBA, that is offered in conjunction with the Stanford School of Medicine. Aspiring GSB students are free to design their own dual degree programs featuring an MBA and a degree in a different field from Stanford or another university. Beyond its MBA offerings, Stanford GSB is home to the Stanford Sloan Master’s Program, a one-year MS in Management program targeted at mid-career managers and executives.

Core Courses at Stanford GSB

Campus Life

Clubs, Conferences & Competitions

Stanford GSB students are given many opportunities for extracurricular involvement. The school has over 50 student-led clubs and organizations that vary in focus from professional to social interests. For instance, the Entrepreneurship Club, one of the largest and most active student clubs at the GSB, provides resources such as workshops, panels, and peer mentorship to its members, who range from aspiring to experienced entrepreneurs. Members of the Finance & Investment Club manage a $150,000 portfolio that is part of the business school’s endowment. Meanwhile, members of the Social Impact Club research how innovation across business, finance, policy, and nonprofit systems can support a better future.

Each year, Stanford GSB students and professors run a variety of events that bring scholars and practitioners to campus to discuss business-related issues. These include such conferences as the Sports Innovation Conference and the Africa Business Forum. GSB students also participate in several business competitions, such as the $100K Challenge run by the Business Association of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students.

Campus Space

The Knight Management Center, the home of the Stanford GSB, lies towards the eastern side of the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto, California. Officially opened in spring 2011, the Knight Management Center is made up of nine buildings featuring plentiful classrooms and study rooms, as well as an auditorium, event center, dining pavilion, and library. The Schwab Residential Center and Jack McDonald Hall make up the Stanford GSB Residences and are both are a short walk away. Additional on-campus housing is also available, each with different advantages. Meanwhile, students seeking to live off campus can find information about local housing through Stanford’s Community Housing Services.

MBA Careers

Career Services

Stanford GSB’s Career Management Center (CMC) provides students with a wide range of career counseling services, including networking events, mock interviews, résumé and cover letter reviews, and one-on-one meetings with CMC advisors. The CMC also organizes informational recruiting events such as Company Networking Nights, as well as the school’s on-campus recruiting schedule. In the 2022-2023 school year, the official On-Campus Recruiting periods runs from mid- to late October for second-year students and from mid-January to early February, with a break for midterms, for first- and second-year students.

Career Statistics

Three months after graduation, 93% of the Class of 2022 had received job offers and 84% of the class had accepted offers. The average starting salary for Stanford MBA graduates is $182,272 with an average signing bonus of $33,684.

Finance was the most chosen industry for the Class of 2022, with 33% of students joining it. Thirty percent went into technology and 15% into consulting. Five percent chose to work in healthcare, and media/entertainment rounds out the top five industries at five percent. Nineteen percent of the Stanford MBA Class of 2022 are now dedicating their time to the launch of their new ventures. In regards to sectors, 47% started businesses in technology followed by 13% in healthcare. Seven percent launched ventures in energy and six percent each in finance or consumer products.

As with many business schools, Stanford GSB placed a large proportion of its graduates, 58%, in the region where it is located: the Western U.S. Twenty-six percent found work in the Northeast, and 4% of the Class of 2022 took jobs outside of the U.S.

Financing

The tuition for the 2022-2023 academic year is $76,950. However, Stanford GSB estimates that single students living on campus will pay $124,389 total in that time given additional costs such as rent and textbooks. Meanwhile, married students should budget for $149,532. The Global Experience requirement can also add $3,000 to $4,500 to the total cost of attendance.

The school only offers need-based fellowships but encourages students to apply for both need- and merit-based outside fellowships. Stanford GSB students who are U.S. citizens can also finance their education through federal and private loan programs. International students, meanwhile, are encouraged to take advantage of the school’s partnership with Star One Credit Union that allows international students to take out loans without a U.S. co-signer. Upon being admitted to the MBA program, students receive detailed instructions regarding how to file for financial aid.

Program Cost (nine-month academic year)

Tuition $76,950

Books & Supplies $1,755
Materials & Program Fee $900
Medical Insurance $6,768
Health Fee $723

Living Allowance
Single Student $36,198
Married Student $60,084

Transportation
Single Student $1,095
Married Student $2,352

Total
Single Student $124,389
Married Student $149,532

Recent Stanford GSB News

The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions, May 22-26, 2023

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Decisions for Late Round Applicants Continue Late round news rolls out

Stanford MBA Students Host 3rd Annual Event to Demystify MBA Experience for Black Undergrads

Contributed by the DBLB leadership team. Stanford GSB students who are committed to increasing diversity in the MBA applicant pool and equity in the application process for business schools globally a

Real Humans of Bain: Seth Hoesman, Stanford GSB ’21, Consultant

In his quest to move to consulting on the business side of engineering, Seth Hoesman knew he needed to learn from real-world situations. The experiential learning process at Stanford GSB, together wit

The Week Ahead: MBA Deadlines & Interview Invites, April 10-14, 2023

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Round 3 application deadlines continue. Round 2 decisions have wrappe

Real Humans of MBA Students: Stanford GSB Class of 2024

We dip back into our Real Humans: MBA Students series for the Stanford GSB Class of 2024. 424 students matriculated to the California campus in the fall of 2022. Forty-four percent of the latest class

Real Humans of Google: Helen Zou, Stanford GSB MBA/M.Ed. ’18, Product Manager, Education on ChromeOS

Helen Zou was passionate about making education more accessible, personal, and equitable, and her dual MBA and Master of Education program at Stanford GSB enabled her to fuse tech, business, and educa

The Week Ahead: MBA Deadlines & Decisions, March 27-31, 2023

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Round 2 final decisions are coming. Round 2 decisions continue to rol

‘Big Tech’ Jobs & Careers Remain Popular with MBA Graduates

Take a closer look at MBA graduates’ tech industry jobs placement overall and at Big Tech firms for the full-time MBA Classes of 2018 to 2022. Despite a recent decline in tech industry hiring, t

Stanford GSB MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Zoom

Like another applicant said, this was my roughest and most stressful interview. It was an hourlong call with an alum and it was 100% behavioral questions (other than at the end – the typical why

Stanford GSB Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumna / Zoom

Was sent interviewer name + email in advance, so was able to look her up on LinkedIn. She was great at making me feel comfortable and explained that Stanford was looking for very specific attributes i