Fisher College of Business – The Ohio State University
The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business’s MBA program is located on the main campus in Columbus, OH. Fisher offers a Full-Time MBA (on-campus), a Working Professional MBA (on-campus, online or both), and an Executive MBA program. Hallmarks of their MBA programs include:
- Personalized, hands-on curriculum
- Premier faculty and industry experts
- Wide-ranging electives, optional pathways
- One-on-one career coaching, mentorship and development
- Unforgettable experiential learning
- Intentionally small class sizes
- One of the largest alumni networks
- Career placement success
FAQ
What is the tuition for Fisher's full-time MBA program?
The tuition for Fisher's MBA program is $31,285 for Ohio residents and $60,124 for non-Ohio residents and international students per year.
What is the average GMAT score for admission to Fisher's full-time MBA program?
The average GMAT score for the incoming class at Fisher is 690. The GMAT middle 80% range is 659 to 710.
Does the Fisher full-time MBA program accept the GRE?
Yes. The Fisher MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now.
What is the average GRE score for admission to the Fisher full-time MBA program?
The average composite GRE score for the incoming class at Fisher is 317. The GRE middle 80% range is 307 to 327.
What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission the Fisher full-time MBA program?
Fisher 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 5.4 years of experience.
What is the average number of years of work experience for admission to the Fisher full-time MBA program? (or, What is the average age of a Fisher full-time MBA student?)
The average number of years of work experience among students in Fisher's MBA program is 5.4.
What is the average starting salary for graduates of the Fisher full-time MBA program?
The average starting salary for Fisher MBA graduates is $129,409.
How long is Fisher's full-time MBA program?
Fisher offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.
What are the application deadlines for the Fisher full-time MBA program?
The Early MBA application deadline is October 13, 2024. The Round 1 deadline is December 1, 2024. The Round 2 deadline is January 5, 2025. The Round 3 deadline is February 23, 2025. The final deadline is April 25, 2025. Rolling admissions begin after the last deadline.
Admissions
Class Profile
Forty-seven new MBA students joined Fisher in the Fall of 2024. Thirty-eight percent of them pursued undergraduate degrees in business. Another 26% had studied engineering and 21% arts & sciences. Fifteen percent had majored in social sciences. Their average GPA was 3.54.
Upon matriculation at Ohio State Fisher, students averaged 5.4 years of full-time work experience. The average GMAT score of incoming students clocked in at 690 while the average GRE composite score was 317. In total, 45% of students in the Class of 2026 are international, 36% are women and 31% identify as a member of a domestic minority group.
Application Procedures
Ohio State Fisher conducts admissions on a rolling basis, with a strong preference that applications are submitted by April 11th for international students and May 30th for domestic students. Applications submitted after those dates are only considered if there is room left in the program. Given the availability of merit-based scholarships, applicants are encouraged to apply early.
The application requirements for Ohio State Fisher include: all academic transcripts, an essay, a video interview, a GMAT or GRE score, résumé or LinkedIn profile, application fee ($60 for domestic students; $70 for international students), two references (preferably professional contacts), and TOEFL or IELTS scores for international applicants (exemptions available). Alternatively, the Duolingo English Test is accepted as an alternative English proficiency test, but the school notes that this option may not be available in future terms. Interviews are required and offered by invitation only. In-person interviews are available on campus. Candidates who cannot make it to campus have the option of scheduling a live, web-based interview.
Application Checklist
- Academic transcripts
- Essays
- Video interview
- GMAT or GRE (learn more)
- Two references (professional)
- Résumé or LinkedIn profile
- Application fee
- TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test for international applicants (exemptions available)
- Interview (invitation only)
Full-Time MBA Deadlines
- Early Round: October 13, 2024, Decision Date: November 15th
- Round One: December 1, 2024, Decision Date: January 17 – Fellowship Consideration Deadline
- Round Two: January 5, 2025, Decision Date: March 7 – Red Carpet Weekend Deadline
- Round Three: February 23, 2025, Decision Date: April 11 – Priority funding/scholarship consideration & international deadline
- Final Round: April 25, 2025, Decision Date: May 30 – Final domestic application deadline
- Rolling after May 12th
Essay Topic Analysis
Recommendation Questions
Ohio State / Fisher Q&A's
Ohio State / Fisher LiveWire and DecisionWire
Academics
Faculty
Ohio State Fisher employs over 230 faculty members, who teach across ten academic areas and contribute to Fisher’s eight research centers. The professors bring both academic research and real-world business knowledge to the classroom, as many also serve as high-level professionals in addition to their teaching roles.
Curriculum
In addition to a theoretical base in business administration, Fisher prides itself in its action-based learning opportunities, such as field-based courses and business plan competitions, among other offerings. The full-time MBA program begins with a required Pre-Term Experience, during which new students are introduced to the college and MBA core and participate in coaching and career development, among other forms of development. Core courses and experiential learning make up the entire first year to establish a foundation for electives and major courses in the second year. Each academic year is broken down into two semesters, and there are two seven-week sessions per semester. Some courses will span the entire semester, while others will be either the first or last seven-week session of the semester. During the spring semester, students can participate in a Global Applied Project (GAP), a three-credit consulting project for an institution outside of the United States. The summer between the first and second years may be spent in an internship.
Full-time MBA students need 60 credits to graduate; 27 of these credits come from core courses, while 6 hours come from experiential learning and 27 are dedicated to electives, which allow students to focus their MBA. Instead of majors, Fisher MBA students may pursue optional pathways in topics such as finance, marketing, as well as strategy, leadership, and consulting to support their career interests.
Other MBA Degree Options
In addition to the full-time program, Fisher also offers an MBA for working professionals and an executive MBA. The MBA for working professionals requires 48 credit hours to complete and classes are held in the evenings and weekends to enable students to maintain their jobs during the day. The MBA for working professionals usually takes just under three years to complete; however, this is flexible as students may enroll in as few as 1.5 credit hours per semester or as many as 9 credit hours per semester, allowing students to finish in as little as two years. Working professional MBA students must complete 27 credits of core classes and 21 elective credits. The Executive MBA is geared towards high-potential professionals recommended by their employers. Classes take place three days a month over 17 months. This program also includes domestic and international immersion trips.
Fisher College of Business also partners with other colleges of Ohio State University to offer seven dual degree options. Applicants must be admitted to each program separately and the options include the following: MBA/JD, MBA/MD, MBA/Master of Environment and Natural Resources, MBA/Master of Public Administration, MBA/PharmD, MBA/Specialized Master in Business-Analytics, and MBA/Master in Health Administration.
ces, MBA/Master of Public Administration, MBA/PharmD, and MBA/Master of Health Administration.
Core Classes at Fisher
- Accounting
- Data Analysis
- Finance
- Economics
- Global Business
- Leadership
- Marketing
- Operations
- Organizational Behavior
- Strategy
Sample Optional Pathways at Fisher
- Asset Management
- Brand Management
- Product Management
- Marketing Management and Analytics
- Analytics
- Operations
- Consulting and Project Management
- Corporate Finance
- Leadership
- Logistics
- Real Estate
- Risk Management
- Strategy
- Supply Chain
Degree Offerings at Fisher
Full-Time MBA
https://fisher.osu.edu/graduate/ftmba
MBA for Working Professionals (Part-time MBA)
https://fisher.osu.edu/graduate/wpmba
Executive MBA
https://fisher.osu.edu/graduate/executive-mba
Dual Degree Programs
MBA/JD, MBA/MD, MBA/Master of Environment and Natural Resources, MBA/Specialized Master in Business-Analytics, MBA/Master of Public Administration, MBA/PharmD, MBA/Master in Health Administration
https://fisher.osu.edu/graduate/ftmba/academics/dual-degree-programs
Campus Life
Clubs, Conferences and Competitions
Fisher students benefit from many organizations within the college itself and across the Ohio State University campus. Fisher offers over 20 student clubs, which span professional, cultural, athletic and social interests. Students are also encouraged to launch clubs based on common interests. Of note, Fisher Board Fellows has, since 2004, linked MBA Fisher students with the broader Columbus community. Selected MBA students are placed on the Boards of area nonprofits as nonvoting fellows. Fisher students may also engage the Columbus community through FisherServes, which promotes awareness of civic and social responsibilities through service-based initiatives. Students may also let loose and showcase their talents in the annual production of Fisher Follies.
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion Student Services and Corporate and Community Outreach sponsors the activities of 15 student organizations, each of which host or attend conventions or conferences. For example, the National Black MBA Association Annual Conference and Exposition boasts attendance of 9,000 and is one of the largest professional development and job recruitment events nationwide. Additionally, students from the Fisher Graduate Women in Business attend The National Association of Women MBAs conference, which seeks to empower female MBA students, female business professionals, and employers.
Because of Fisher’s partnerships with many organizations, including some of the 20 Fortune 1000 companies located in Columbus, there are various opportunities to compete in case competitions and “mini” case competitions. While Fisher sends teams of students to other schools for national competitions, they also host several on campus. For example, the KeyBank Foundation MBA Student Case Competition, hosted in Cleveland at KeyBank headquarters, gives students the opportunity to address complex business issues in front of judges with business executive backgrounds. Universities send student representatives to compete in analyzing a business case topic selected by the KeyBank Foundation.
Campus Spaces
Most classes are taught in Gerlach Hall, one of five buildings comprising the Fisher College of Business campus at Ohio State University. The Fisher campus features 370,000 square feet of space, a state-of-the-art computer network, satellite up-link capabilities, video-on-demand, and nearly 3,000 computer ports. The campus also includes a full-service hotel and restaurant as well as a café with indoor and outdoor seating.
Most students live off-campus. There are numerous options within a short walk or drive to campus. Students may also live in on-campus graduate housing as well as Fisher Commons, an apartment property located on the West side of campus. All students also have access to CABS, the Campus Area Bus Service, which offers multiple stops at or near the Fisher campus.
MBA Careers
Career Services
The Fisher Office of Career Management provides many ways for students to develop professionally during their time at the school. Located in Gerlach Hall, one-on-one attention is provided from day 1. The office provides résumé guidance, basic and advanced interviewing techniques, negotiation skills, and more. Career Foundation Seminars, which include high-level executives from major companies, provide students with overviews of industry opportunities. The career-specific workshops, known as the Career Success Series, also support students’ job searches. On-campus recruiting runs from September to December in the fall, and January through April in the spring. The Office of Career Management also hosts an annual career fair in September, as well as an internship and job fair in February. Fisher students also have access to career fairs held across Ohio State University.
Career Statistics
Within three months of graduation, 92% of the Class of 2023 had job offers. Their average starting salary landed at $129,409 and the average signing bonus came in at $34,453. Financial services topped the list of industry choice at 29%. Technology and consulting followed at 22% each. Healthcare and manufacturing each saw 7% of graduates.
Seventy percent of the Class of 2023 settled in the Midwest, with 45% staying in Columbus, OH. The next most popular destination was the Western U.S., which took in 14% of graduates. The Southwest took in 7% of MBA graduates while the Mid-Atlantic and South each took in two percent. Five percent headed to the Northeast U.S.
Financing
For the 2023-24 school year, tuition and fees for Ohio residents is $31,285 per year. Non-residents and international students can expect to pay $60,124 in tuition and fees. Students are encouraged to use loans, a semester payment plan, or military benefits for financing.
All applications are considered for merit-based scholarships, which cover $1,500 to the full cost of tuition. About 75% of Fisher students receive some form of merit-based funding. Some rely on past academic performance and work experience; however, most are simply based on a candidate’s potential to contribute to the student community. Ohio State also offers a program called “Forever Buckeye,” which allows for in-state tuition for past residents of Ohio. Applicants to Forever Buckeye must have graduated from a public or private Ohio high school and must reside in Ohio during the MBA program.
Scholarships are also available to cover the cost of living. Graduate assistantships can also be a source of help with tuition and other expenses. The admissions committee selects 10-20 incoming students per year based on their skills and interests; in exchange for 10 hours of work per week, selected students receive a 50% tuition waiver and an additional stipend. The admissions committee may also nominate selected candidates for Fisher MBA Leadership Fellows and merit-based cash awards to aid in the cost of attendance. U.S. citizens and permanent residents can also avail themselves of different loan programs, including the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program and Federal Direct PLUS Loan program.
Estimated Cost of Attendance
Tuition
- Ohio Resident $31,285
- Non-resident/Int’l $60,124
Room & Board $12,096
Books and Supplies $1,082
Miscellaneous/Personal $5,922
Health Insurance $3,366
Total
- Resident $53,751
- Non-resident/Int’l $82,590
Recent News
Contact
Mailing Address:
2100 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210
Phone: (614) 292-8511
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://fisher.osu.edu/graduate/ftmba
Blog: https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/gradlife/category/full-time-mba/
X (Twitter): @FisherOSU_MBA