Tepper School of Business – Carnegie Mellon University
Located in Pittsburgh, PA, The Tepper School of Business thrives at the heart of Carnegie Mellon University and embodies its forward-thinking culture and spirit of innovation; from artificial intelligence to intelligent systems; the Tepper School is the birthplace of the data-informed and emotionally intelligent approach to business: The Intelligent Future. Ranked among the world’s top business schools by leading international business publications, the school offers a STEM-certified MBA program in four formats: Full-Time, Part-Time Online Hybrid, Part-Time Flex, and Part-Time Accelerated.
Additional programs include MS degrees in Product Management, Business Analytics and Computational Finance; undergraduate business and economics, a doctorate program for Ph.D. candidates; and Tepper Executive Education. With the ability to leverage technology and analyze data, and by imparting behavioral skills that focus on emotional intelligence, the Tepper School fosters an innovative approach: a future fueled by data, powered by technology, and reimagined by human intelligence.
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FAQ
What is the tuition for Tepper’s MBA program?
Tuition for the 2025-2026 academic year is $81,340 for first-year students. With additional living expenses, however, Tepper estimates that first-years will spend around $116,428 as well as an additional $1,500 for a laptop purchase.
How hard is it to get into Tepper’s MBA program?
The acceptance rate for Tepper is 28.5%. 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 (10th Edition) is 707.
What is the average GMAT score for admission to Tepper’s MBA program?
The average GMAT score (10th Edition) for the incoming class at Tepper is 707. On the GMAT Focus, the new class averaged 659.
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?
The average GRE score for the incoming class at Tepper was 322.
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 an average 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 5.2.
What is the average starting salary for graduates of the Tepper MBA program?
The average starting salary for Tepper MBA graduates is $154,846. 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 September 30, 2025. The Round 2 application deadline is January 8, 2026. The Round 3 deadline is March 3, 2026. The Round 4 deadline (domestic students only) is May 5, 2026.
What percent of Tepper MBA students are women?
Tepper did not report the percentage of women for the latest MBA class.
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.
Admissions
The Class Profile
Tepper welcomed a full-time class of 144 students in the fall of 2025. The average GMAT scores for the Class of 2027 were 707 (10th Edition) and 659 (Focus edition). For those who took the GRE, the average score landed at 322. The average GPA of first-year students was 3.33, with 42% of the class majoring in engineering as undergraduates, 24% in business/commerce, and 11% in economics. Prior to matriculating at Tepper, students had amassed an average of 5.2 years of work experience. Thirty-seven percent of the Class of 2027 are international. By race, 28% of U.S. citizens identify as Asian and 11% as Black/African American. By ethnicity, 19% of U.S. citizens identify as Hispanic/Latino.
Application Procedures
Applicants can apply to Tepper’s full-time MBA program in one of four rounds, which typically occur in early October, early January, early March, and early May. Hybrid candidates can apply in one of the same four rounds for the full-time program, in addition to one other deadline for the Online Hybrid program in early June. To apply, candidates must submit their application form, one written and one video essay, GMAT, GRE, or EA scores, a résumé, one recommendation letter, and transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. Tepper also requires applicants to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo 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 in-person or virtual interview with a member of the admissions committee. Applicants who have shown dedication to promoting diversity in business may also apply to Tepper through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management.
Essay Topic Analysis
Recommendation Questions
Carnegie Mellon / Tepper Q&A's
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 over 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, entrepreneurship, and AI for business.
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.
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 strategy, 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 complete 192 credits to graduate. 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 14 concentrations in general academic areas like finance, accounting and marketing. While one concentration is required, 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.
Other MBA Degree Options
Along with its full-time MBA programs, Tepper also offers a part-time Online Hybrid MBA that includes on-site Access Weekends hosted by Carnegie Mellon locations across the U.S. Studies are rounded out with live, online courses and independent work. The Online Hybrid MBA program is completed over the course of 32 months. Additionally, students that have experience with undergraduate business coursework may be eligible for the Accelerated MBA program at Tepper. Accelerated full-time MBA students can complete their degree in 12-16 months, while Accelerated Online Hybrid MBA students can complete their degree in 24 months.
There are currently four 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, Public Policy, or a JD/MBA option with the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Tracks & Concentrations at Tepper
Tracks
- Business Analytics
- Energy and Sustainability
- Entrepreneurship
- Management of Innovation & Product Development
- Technology Strategy & Product Management
Concentrations
- Accounting
- AI in Business
- 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/online-hybrid/index.html
Accelerated MBA Programs (Full-time and Online options)
https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/programs/mba/program-options/accelerated-mba/index.html
Executive Education
https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/executive-education/
Dual and Joint Degrees
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 Management
https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/programs/master-science-management/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 more than 40 clubs spread across professional, educational and social interests. The popular Consulting Club, for instance, offers members access to mentors, along with hosting lectures, discussion panels and guest speakers. The club also helps members prepare for post-MBA careers in consulting by conducting mock interviews and industry education, as well as 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 three or so times a year to discuss strategies and current events related to global business.
Campus Spaces
Located in the heart of Carnegie Mellon’s campus, east of downtown Pittsburgh, the Tepper Building is the main building of the Tepper School of Business. Among other amenities, the Tepper Building is home to classrooms, the Masters Career Center, the admissions office, and multiple conference rooms and auditoriums. Since graduate housing is unavailable, Tepper students rent or buy housing in nearby neighborhoods. Many Tepper students live in Shadyside, an upscale residential neighborhood only a mile or so from campus.
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
The 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
156 students comprise the Tepper MBA Class of 2025 and 83% of those seeking employment reported received a job offer within three months of graduation. The average starting salary for Tepper graduates was $154,846; their average signing bonus was $38,610. Likely due to its affiliation with the science- and engineering-focused Carnegie Mellon, Tepper sent 25% of the Class of 2025 into post-MBA jobs in the technology industry. Meanwhile, 35.7% of graduates entered into consulting, and about 10% chose to work in finance. Roughly 6% of the class found jobs in the healthcare sector, and just over 5% of graduates went into manufacturing.
Nearly 22% of graduates settled in the Mid-Atlantic post-MBA. The Midwest and Northeast each claimed 20.9% of Tepper MBA alumni. 16.4% found work out West while just over 8% headed to the Southwest U.S.
Financing
Tuition for the 2025-2026 academic year is $81,340 for first-year students. With additional living expenses, however, Tepper estimates that first-years will spend around $116,428 as well as an additional $1,500 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, some of which do not require a US co-signer.
Cost of Attendance
Tuition $81,340
Living Expenses
- Housing $10,260
- Food $5,130
Books, Supplies, etc. $1.450
Travel $2,984
Misc. Personal $9,500
Activity Fee $244
Transportation $282
Technology Fee $480
Health Insurance $3,258
Loan Fees $1.500
Total $116,428
Recent News
Contact
Mailing Address:
Tepper School of Business
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: 412-268-2268
Email: [email protected]
Web: https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/
X (Twitter): @teppercmu