The Darden School of Business is based in Charlottesville, Virginia at the University of Virginia. Darden provides its students with three paths toward earning an MBA—the full-time MBA as well as two executive MBA options—among its other academic offerings. A hallmark of the Darden MBA experience is the instructors’ use of the case method in the classroom, a technique that fosters discussion among students about real-world business problems. The school estimates that each student will examine more than 500 business cases over the course of the two-year MBA program.
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Tuition for the 2026-2027 academic year at Darden is set at $83,000 for residents of Virginia and $88,000 for non-residents, while international students pay $88,240. The total expected costs rise to $118,276 for residents, $123,276 for non-residents and $125,500 for international students when considering the living expenses associated with the MBA program.
The acceptance rate for Darden is 39.4%. 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 (10th edition) score is 725 and the average GMAT (Focus) score is 671.
The average GMAT (10th edition) score for the incoming class at Darden is 725.
Yes, the Darden MBA program accepts the GRE.
The average GRE score for the incoming class at Darden is 322.
Darden does not state a minimum requirement for years of work experience.
The incoming class at Darden had an average of 5.67 years work experience.
The average starting salary for Darden MBA graduates is $162,578 with an average signing bonus of $36,906. The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.
Darden offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.
The Early Action application deadline is September 9, 2026. The Round 1 MBA application deadline is October 7, 2026. The Round 2 application deadline is January 7, 2027. The Round 3 deadlines are March 1, April 1 and May 1, 2027.
The percentage of the class at Darden that are women is 35%.
Darden offers open interviews for Early Action applicants on a first-come first-serve basis. For other rounds, Darden offers interviews by invitation. The interviews are resume-based. This means the interviewer has not had access to the application materials.
361 students comprise Darden’s Class of 2027. Of these, 35% are women and 21% identify as a U.S. minority. Thirty percent are international, representing 28 countries. The mean GMAT (10th edition) score reported was 725 while the mean GMAT (Focus) edition score landed at 671. For those who took the GRE, the mean score is 322. The average undergraduate GPA was 3.54 and 13% reported being the first in their families to attend college.
Students averaged 5.67 years work experience at the time of matriculation. Twenty-two percent hailed from financial services. Fourteen percent had worked in tech and 13% in consulting. Eleven percent came from the government sector.
Those interested in pursuing the MBA must submit Darden’s online data form, GMAT, GRE, EA, MCAT, or LSAT results (waivers available), TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo/PTE scores if applicable, a résumé, short-answer essays, a recommendation, transcripts, residency verification for Virginia residents, and an application fee of $250. UVA Darden, as of the 2025-2026 admissions season, is no longer a member of the Consortium.
In admissions rounds 1, 2, or 3, interviews are given by invitation only, and all U.S. residents are required to interview either on Darden’s campus or virtually. Applicants who apply during the Early Action round may request an interview on a first come, first served basis.
Darden employs nearly 130 faculty members. Faculty specialize in courses across Darden’s nine subject areas, though the school encourages a very integrated curriculum. Darden’s faculty also help staff the school’s 15 research centers and initiatives, which examine topics ranging from corporate sustainability to asset management and innovation.
Darden offers a balanced management curriculum within the framework of the case method teaching style and active classroom engagement. Darden’s case-based program means that student discussions constitute a significant chunk of in-class time as the students work through practical scenarios to resolve different business challenges.
There is no selection of academic majors at Darden. Instead, students may opt to pursue concentrations in specific areas of business, though this is not required. The school classifies its concentrations by “career track” and “theme track” categories, and the former includes six tracks while the latter comprises just two. MBA students may pursue as many academic tracks as they would like during their tenure at Darden, provided they can satisfy the academic requirements of each.
The typical incoming class at Darden includes approximately 350 students, and each class is divided into five sections of around 70 students and then into learning teams of five to six students. Each section works with its own set of faculty members and competes together in various events throughout the year as part of the Darden Cup. The Darden Cup comprises sporting events, trivia contests and myriad charity efforts for which each section can earn points.
First-year students are afforded several pre-term and orientation options prior to the start of fall classes, which include optional courses in key quantitative areas and one-on-one meetings with Career Center experts. The Darden MBA program structures first- and second-year schedules differently, giving first-year students core coursework over three terms with some flexibility in the fourth term, while second-years have four quarters in which to take electives. In the first year, students all undertake the same required courses. In the final term of students’ first year, they may begin to take electives and complete Darden Consulting Projects in their areas of interest.
During the second year of the MBA, students take electives at Darden and can also complete courses at other schools within the University of Virginia. Students may also study abroad through Darden’s exchange programs; in total, the school offers MBA exchange programs with 14 international institutions. Students wishing to spend one to two weeks abroad may opt for Darden’s Immersion Courses, which are usually offered in March.
A Darden MBA can be earned in one of four ways: a traditional full-time MBA, the MBA for Executives option, the Global MBA for Executives program, or a part-time MBA program in Washington, D.C. Full-time and executive programs take 21 months to complete and chiefly employ the case method style of teaching, whereas the part-time MBA can take anywhere from 28-48 months and is completed in the evenings with a mix of virtual and in-person learning. Darden also provides students with the opportunity to undertake one of eight dual degree programs offered in cooperation with other schools at the University of Virginia, as well as the option to pursue a joint MBA/MAIR with Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Full-time MBA Program
www.darden.virginia.edu/MBA
Part-time MBA Program
https://www.darden.virginia.edu/part-time-mba
Executive MBA Programs
MBA for Executives, Global MBA for Executives
https://www.darden.virginia.edu/executive-mba-formats/
Dual Degrees
MBA/JD, MBA/SAIS MA, MBA/MD, MBA/MPH, MBA/MPP, MBA/MEd in Innovation in Education Reform, MBA/ME, MBA/MSN, MBA/PhD, MBA/MUEP
https://www.darden.virginia.edu/mba/admissions/dual-degrees
The close-knit community at Darden makes for a collection of over 60 active student clubs and organizations. These groups help MBA students pursue their professional, social, athletic and affinity-related interests and include such organizations as the Building Goodness in April Club, the Outdoors Club and the European Society. The Darden Student Association is the student governance body, and Darden’s Prize for Club Excellence rewards the organizations that best serve their members and the Darden community with cash prizes at the end of each year.
Student groups are also behind many of Darden’s conferences. The school plays host to a variety of professionally and affinity-focused conferences each year, including the annual Private Equity Speaker Series and the Darden Investing Conference. A unique conference the school co-hosts with a handful of other schools in the US, the UK, and Taiwan with the specific location selected on a rotating basis is the Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation Research Conference (GEIRC).
Darden’s elegant campus was designed to fit with the classical layout of UVA and Thomas Jefferson’s aesthetic for academic institutions. The UVA campus is often known as “the Grounds,” and Saunders Hall serves as the entry point to Darden. Darden’s campus boasts over 60 rooms for learning teams, seven conference rooms, 18 classrooms with theater seating, a fully equipped video production studio and conferencing platform, and Darden’s Innovation Laboratory. Three on-campus housing options are open to graduate students, with a separate option for those students living with families. As there are limited on-campus housing openings, the school reports that many students take up residence in apartments or homes located within easy walking distance of campus. Darden plans on opening new on-campus student housing in 2027, located adjacent to Saunders Hall. This housing option will include 216 apartment units, dining facilities, study spaces, and recreational areas.
The Career Development Center at Darden matches students with career coaches, thus affording them one-on-one counseling with trained planners. First-year students also benefit from the Second Year Coach program wherein second-years share recent job search experiences in the industries and functions of interest to the first-years. The center provides myriad other opportunities as well, which span from career fairs and job treks both in the U.S. and abroad to workshops, forums and specialized assessment tools. The first-year summer internship interviews begin in early January while second-year students begin on-campus interviews and recruiting for full-time positions in late September.
327 of the 352 graduates of the Darden MBA Class of 2025 were seeking full-time employment. Ninety percent had received job offers three months after graduation, and 89% of the class had accepted a position within three months of graduating. The average base salary of 2025 graduates was $162,578 with an average signing bonus of $36,906.
Consulting was the most popular industry among 2025 Darden graduates, as roughly 37% of the class entered this field, followed by financial services at 26%. The technology sector drew 16% of graduates, while nearly 4% entered consumer goods.
Geographically, most Darden MBAs relocated to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast U.S., each claiming 25%. A littler over 14% of the Class of 2025 settled in the South. Just over 13% headed to the West U.S.
Tuition for the 2026-2027 academic year at Darden is set at $83,000 for residents of Virginia and $88,000 for non-residents, while international students pay $88,240. The total expected costs rise to $118,276 for residents, $123,276 for non-residents and $125,500 for international students when considering the living expenses associated with the MBA program. First-year students should also reserve $2,000 for a computer. Students are automatically considered for Darden’s merit-based scholarships when they submit their applications.
Tuition & Fees
Case Fees $1,100
Health Insurance $4,300
Room $13,788
Board $7,140
Miscellaneous Personal $4,932
Computer $2,000
Federal Loan Fees (domestic students) $216
Totals
VA Residents $118,276
Non-VA Residents $123,276
International Students $125,500
