The UCLA Anderson School of Management has released its class profile for their incoming MBA Class of 2026. This year, UCLA Anderson has assembled a high-performing class of 305 out of the 3,079 applications received, a significant increase over last year’s 2,180 applicants.
Academic and Professional History
The class’s mean undergraduate GPA is 3.5, in the same middle-80 percent range as last year (3.1 – 3.8). The two most common undergraduate majors are unchanged: business, in which 34 percent hold a degree, and engineering, which 22 percent pursued. Fourteen percent majored in humanities/social sciences, 11 percent in economics, and 8 percent in sciences.
| Mean Undergraduate GPA | 3.5 |
| Percent majoring in business | 34% |
| Percent majoring in engineering | 22% |
| Percent majoring in humanities/social sciences | 14% |
| Percent majoring in economics | 11% |
| Percent majoring in biology/physical sciences | 8% |
The mean GMAT score this year came in at 714, a four point jump from last year. Meanwhile, the GRE Verbal average landed at 162 and the GRE Quant average clocked in at 165.
| Average GMAT Score | 714 |
| GMAT Score Range (Middle 80%) | 670 – 750 |
| Average GRE Quant Score | 165 |
| Average GMAT Verbal Score | 162 |
Before matriculating at Anderson, the class averaged 5.4 years of work experience. Finance was the most popular pre-MBA industry, as 21 percent of the Class of 2026 came from the field. Those with a tech background make up 16 percent, representing an 8 percent drop from last year’s class. Those with a consulting background comprise 12 percent of the class, while 10 percent worked in healthcare and 8 percent were in marketing and consumer packaged goods.
In a nod to the unprecedented economic circumstances of the last few years, the school notes that 87 percent of its MBA class are on board to switch careers.
Class Demographics
This year’s UCLA Anderson class is 43 percent women, a 6 percent jump over last year. Eight percent of the incoming class identify as LGBTQ+ and 4 percent are veterans or active military. International students from 41 countries and regions make up 41 percent of the class.
Under federal guidelines, 57 percent of the U.S. citizens and permanent residents in the UCLA Anderson MBA Class of 2026 identify as a minority. Thirty-two percent identify as Asian American. Thirteen percent identify as Black/African American and another 11 percent as Hispanic.
| Women | 43% |
| International Students | 41% |
| Countries Represented | 41 |
| U.S. Minorities (federal) | 57% |
| Average Work Experience | 5.4 years |
