Simon Business School – University of Rochester
The University of Rochester’s Simon Business School offers a flagship two-year Full-Time MBA program on its main River Campus, just south of downtown Rochester. The city is New York state’s third-largest metropolitan area and was once known as “the city that George Eastman built,” thanks to his photographic innovations and world-famous Kodak brand.
Today, the city continues its history of corporate development, philanthropy, and technological advancements thanks to startup opportunities and the rich supply of university-educated talent. In addition to its Full-Time MBA, Simon offers professional and executive MBA programs, specialized master’s programs, and a Doctor of Business Administration led by industry-leading faculty whose research has helped advance their fields. The school helps with university-organized housing, year-round professional and social events, merit-based scholarships, and one-on-one employment guidance through the Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Career Management Center.
FAQ
What is the tuition for Simon's MBA program?
The tuition for Simon’s MBA program is $57,500 per year. The total cost of the Simon MBA program is $87,725 per year for domestic students and $88,361 for international students; this includes budgeted living expenses.
What is the average GMAT score for admission to Simon’s MBA program?
The GMAT 10th edition middle 80% score range is 620 to 730.
Does the Simon MBA program accept the GRE?
Yes. The Simon MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now.
What is the average GRE score for admission to Simon's MBA program?
In regards to the GRE, the middle 80% of Quant scores ranged from 151 to 169 and Verbal scores from 151 to 160.
What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to Simon's MBA program?
Simon 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 Simon's MBA program?
The average number of years of work experience among students in Simon's MBA program is 5.2.
What is the average starting salary for graduates of the Simon MBA program?
The average base salary for Simon MBA graduates is $129,093.
How long is Simon's full-time MBA program?
Simon offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.
What are the application deadlines for Simon's MBA program?
The Round 1 MBA application deadline is October 15, 2025. The Round 2 deadline is January 5, 2026. The Round 3 deadline is February 15, 2026. The Round 4 deadline is March 31, 2026. The Round 5 deadline is May 1, 2026.
Admissions
Class Profile
116 students enrolled in Rochester Simon’s full-time MBA Class of 2026. Forty-six percent of the class are women. Thirty-five percent of U.S. students are from historically underrepresented groups.
Twenty-seven percent had studied business and commerce during their undergraduate years. Twenty-two percent each had earned degrees in engineering or math/science. Another 17% had studied humanities and social science, followed by 12 percent majoring in economics. The middle 80% GPAs ranged from 2.7 to 3.8.
New Simon MBAs matriculated with an average of 5.2 years of work experience. For those who took the GMAT (10th edition), the middle 80% of scores ranged from 620 to 730. In regards to the GRE, the middle 80% of Quant scores ranged from 151 to 169 and Verbal scores from 151 to 160.
Application Procedures
For Full-Time MBA candidates, Simon Business School offers five admission rounds, taking place between October and May. The school encourages applicants to apply on or before the Second Round (early January) to receive priority admission and scholarship consideration. Simon offers rolling admissions, meaning that applications are processed and reviewed as they come in. The application requirements for Simon include completing the school’s online application form and submitting two essays, a current résumé and work history, and scanned transcripts for each college attended. Applicants have the option to submit without GMAT, GRE, or EA test results. All MBA students are required to successfully demonstrate strong English communication skills. Simon accepts TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo English Test scores, and waivers are available.
As well, all candidates considered for admission are invited to interview. Interviews are invitation-only, and they are conducted on-campus or virtually. A $90 application fee is required as part of the application, though the fee is waived for active-duty military and veterans as well as applicants who meet certain criteria (e.g., University of Rochester or partner-university alumni, attending a virtual event, etc.).
Application Checklist
- Online application
- Current résumé
- Work history
- Two required essays
- Scanned official transcripts
- TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores
- $90 application fee
- GMAT, GRE, or EA scores (optional)
Essay Topic Analysis
Rochester / Simon Q&A's
Rochester / Simon LiveWire and DecisionWire
Academics
Faculty
Simon Business School employs nearly 100 faculty members. They teach across six academic areas and concentrate their academic research in 10 fields of expertise. While Simon is an intentionally small top-ranked business school, its faculty is responsible for writing the most-cited business academia article of all time, The Theory of the Firm. The school’s smaller class sizes allow professors and students to work one-on-one and develop strong long-term professional relationships.
Curriculum
The school’s academic year is broken into mini-semesters that last an average of seven weeks. Classes take place Monday through Thursday, and 68 credits are required for graduation. First-year Full-Time MBA students have an orientation and Pre-Fall term that starts in late July.
The Full-Time MBA program consists of ten core classes (spanning finance, economics, marketing, management, communication, and analytics), a Communicating Business Decision sequence, a client project elective, and two breadth electives. Any other remaining credits are fulfilled with other elective courses, completed over 22 months. During that time, students focus on one or several optional concentrations and minors to develop their own particular expertise. In addition to the coursework, students have the opportunity to participate in international immersions, build leadership skills with class projects and corporate cases, participate in more than 30 academic and social clubs, and complete internships over summer break. Overall, the curriculum aims to integrate analytical skills with real-world opportunities tailored to each student’s concentration.
In addition, students can choose to pursue the STEM-designated MBA option, which shows recruiters that graduates will arrive on the job with analytic tools and leadership skills that positively impact a company’s bottom line. The designation also allows international students to work in the US for up to 36 months on a student visa, if hired in a STEM-eligible role.
Other MBA Degree Options
Along with its 22-month Full-Time MBA program, Simon offers a part-time MBA program for professionals. Students take classes that each meet one night per week. Students can start in either August or January. The Professional MBA program allows students to earn an MBA in as little as two academic years. The school also has an Executive MBA program for individuals at a more advanced stage in their careers, meeting every Wednesday and two Saturdays per month. Executive MBA classes are flexible with options to study in person, online, or a combination of both. Finally, Simon offers two joint degrees. Firstly, the MD/MBA with the University Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, which has students complete the MBA core courses in their first year, then return for electives after two years as a full-time medical student. Secondly, the MA/MBA option with the Eastman School of Music, which has students complete nearly all of the Eastman coursework, then complete the MBA program, and finally finish the remaining MA credits with a summer internship or mentorship.
Beyond its MBA offerings, Simon also has five full-time specialized master’s degrees, a part-time Online MS in Business Analytics & Applied AI, and a Doctor of Business Administration.
Specializations (Full-Time MBA only)
Asset Management
Banking
Corporate Finance
Venture Capital & Private Equity
Brand Management
Product Management
Operations
Pricing
Strategy
Technology
Minors (Full-Time MBA only)
Accounting
Consulting—Operations and Technology
Consulting—Strategy and Pricing
Finance
Marketing
Analytics
Entrepreneurship
Health Sciences Management
Global Business
Leadership
Degree Offerings
Full-Time MBA
https://www.simon.rochester.edu/programs/full-time-mba
Executive MBA
https://simon.rochester.edu/programs/emba
Professional MBA
https://simon.rochester.edu/programs/pmba
MD/MBA
https://simon.rochester.edu/programs/full-time-mba/academics/md-mba-program
MA/MBA
https://simon.rochester.edu/programs/full-time-mba/academics/ma-mba-program
Full-Time MS
https://simon.rochester.edu/programs/full-time-ms
Online MS in Business Analytics & Applied AI
https://simon.rochester.edu/programs/online-msba
Doctor of Business Administration
https://simon.rochester.edu/doctor-business-administration
Campus Life
Clubs, Conferences and Competitions
Simon Business School students have a variety of opportunities to get involved with the school community. There are more than 30 student-led groups that span industry and professional, community and enrichment, and social and athletic categories.
The Graduate Business Council—the official student government of Simon—serves as a liaison between administrators, faculty, and students to support the student experience, in and out of the classroom. Additional experiential opportunities are offered as well, such as the Simon School Venture Fund, for which students collaborate with analysts, entrepreneurs, and alumni to make data-driven investment decisions and manage the fund. Another example is the Ain Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, an interdisciplinary center that educates the University and Rochester communities on developing and applying an entrepreneurial mindset.
The School makes a pointed effort to foster an inclusive community. While some clubs and organizations focus on the experiences and perspectives of students from various identities and communities, Simon welcomes and encourages participation from individuals of all backgrounds—including those who may not identify with any particular group. Each student’s presence, support, and engagement helps foster richer dialogue and a more connected community.
Campus Spaces
Simon Business School is located in Schlegel and Gleason Halls on the 154-acre River Campus, just south of downtown Rochester on the Genesee River. At the center of campus is the Eastman Quadrangle, named for Eastman Kodak founder and benefactor George Eastman. The central “Quad” is home to the original 1930s River Campus buildings housing faculty of arts, sciences, and engineering, including the landmark Rush Rhees Library.
MBA students and their families are welcome to apply for housing in graduate student residential buildings on campus. Simon’s graduate communities find support with university directors and staff and are encouraged to get involved with their local communities through potluck dinners, group outings, recreational activities, and even community gardening.
More about Rochester, New York
In its early years, Rochester became a prominent business city and birthplace of iconic companies such as Eastman Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch and Lomb, and more recently Wegmans, Constellation Brands, and Paychex, among others. Rochester also led many aspects of social reform, particularly in abolitionism and women’s suffrage. Both Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass lived in Rochester. Today, Rochester’s vibrant culture is celebrated through music and arts. The Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, the annual Jazz Festival, and Rochester Fringe Festival—as well as museums such as the George Eastman Museum and the Strong Museum of Play—are all central to the culture and experience of living in Rochester.
Rochester is consistently ranked as a highly desirable city in terms of livability due to its low cost of living, excellent schools, and access to many cultural events.
MBA Careers
Career Services
Simon’s Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Career Management Center provides many ways for students to develop professionally during their time at the school. These services include one-on-one career coaching, assessing student interests, developing search action plans, generating leads and interviewing, and helping with internships or full-time positions. The center also invites “executives in residence” to consult with students about their particular fields, such as manufacturing, technology, real estate, health care, media, and banking.
The school hosts on- and off-campus events all year round both in Rochester and New York City, providing many opportunities for students to network with alumni, admissions counselors, faculty, and potential employers. Additionally, the center offers specialized career assistance for international students, such as visa guidance for short- or long-term employment.
First-year students will receive assistance from the Benet Career Management Center starting before they even arrive at Simon to begin classes and continuing through, and even beyond, the Full-Time MBA program. The Benet Center Onboarding Program begins in the spring before students enroll and includes a series of webcasts that lay a foundation and prepare students to engage with Benet Center staff throughout the duration of their time at Simon.
Career Statistics
Simon’s Career Management Center reported that 87% of the MBA Class of 2024 seeking employment accepted a job offer within three months of graduation. The average base salary landed at $129,093 and average sign-on bonus at $26,470 for Simon MBA graduates.
Of the Class of 2024 graduates, nearly 26% joined the tech industry. About 18% headed into financial services followed by roughly 14% into consulting. 15% entered healthcare and about 8% pursued manufacturing.
A significant portion of the Simon MBA Class of 2024, 44.7%, stayed in the Northeast U.S. for work. About 18% settled in the West U.S. region. Nearly 13% chose to work in the Midwest U.S. and nearly 11% in the Southwest. Learn more about MBA Class of 2024 career outcomes.
Financing
Simon Business School’s 2025–2026 tuition is $57,500 a year. The school awards nearly $5 million in scholarships and fellowships every year, and 90% of Full-Time MBA students receive merit-based awards. Merit-based scholarships are available, and students may also utilize their military tuition benefits and outside scholarships. Domestic MBA students may be eligible for federal and private loans while international MBA students can utilize private loans—including a no-cosigner loan that Simon has with College Ave for tuition less scholarship plus fees. Simon suggests utilizing resources such as the University of Rochester Financial Aid Office and ELMSelect to discover loan options. Learn more about cost of attendance on Simon’s website.
Estimated Cost of Attendance
- Tuition: $57,500
- International Student Programming Fee: $800 (one time)
- International Services Office Fee: $106
- Room, Board, Transportation: $20,440
- Mandatory Health Fee: $1,029
- Books: $1,310
- Personal Expenses: $2,716
- Activity Fee: $700
- Health Insurance (Optional): $4,030
Totals
- International: $88,631
- Domestic: $87,725
Recent News
Contact
Mailing Address:
University of Rochester
Simon Business School
245 Gleason Hall
Rochester, NY 14627
Phone: 585-275-3533
Email: [email protected]
Website: simon.rochester.edu
Admissions Blog: https://simon.rochester.edu/blogs/admissions-blog
X (Twitter): @SimonSchool