Simon Business School – University of Rochester
The University of Rochester’s Simon Business School offers a flagship two-year MBA program on its main River Campus, just south of downtown Rochester. The city is New York state’s fourth-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, 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, domestic and international financial aid, and one-on-one employment guidance through the Career Management Center.
FAQ
What is the tuition for Simon's MBA program?
The tuition for Simon’s MBA program is $55,000 per year. The total cost of the Simon MBA program is $85,830 per year; 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 plus sign-on bonus for Simon MBA graduates is $177,741.
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, 2024. The Round 2 deadline is January 5, 2025. The Round 3 deadline is February 15, 2025. The Round 4 deadline is March 31, 2025. The Round 5 deadline is May 1, 2025.
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
Simon Business School offers applicants five admission rounds, taking place between October and May. The school encourages applicants to apply on or before the early January deadline to receive priority admission and scholarship consideration. The application requirements for Simon include completing the school’s online application form and submitting two essays, a current résumé and work history, contact information for two professional references, a $90 application fee (waived for some applicants), and scanned official transcripts for each college attended. Applicants also must report their GMAT, GRE, or EA test results (waivers available) and, where applicable, TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores. All MBA students are required to successfully demonstrate strong English communication skills. Simon recommends a TOEFL score of 100 or higher, with sub-scores in the mid-20s; or an IELTS score of 7.5 or higher with sub-scores of 7 or higher.
Admissions interviews are highly important for all applicants. 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 full-time MBA applicants who meet certain criteria (e.g., university or partner-university alumni, exceeding certain academic or professional milestones, etc.).
Application Checklist
- Online application
- Current résumé
- Work history
- Two required essays
- Scanned official transcripts
- GMAT, GRE, or EA scores
- TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores
- Contact information for two professional references
- $90 application fee
Essay Topic Analysis
Rochester / Simon Q&A's
Rochester / Simon LiveWire and DecisionWire
Academics
Faculty
The Simon Business School employs over 100 faculty members. They teach across 6 academic areas and concentrate their academic research in 10 fields of expertise. While Simon is an intentionally small top-ranked business schools, 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 quarters that last an average of 7 weeks. First-year full-time MBA students have an orientation and pre-Fall quarter that starts in late July. Fall-A Quarter classes generally begin in late August and end in late October, while Fall-B classes begin in late-October and end in mid-December, respectively. Classes resume for the Spring-A Quarter in mid-January and run through early March. Spring B begins in early March and ends in early May. Classes take places Monday through Friday and 68 credits are required for graduation.
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, a 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 specializations and minors to develop their own particular expertise. In addition to the coursework, students have the opportunity to study abroad, build leadership skills for 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.
Simon students learn to address business issues and find solutions through a three-step process called “FACt,” or “Frame, Analyze, Communicate,” which teaches them to apply classroom theories in practical situations. Simon considers the approach integral to all aspects of the curriculum and key to sound decision-making, insights, and empowerment in post-graduate, global business settings.
In addition, students can choose to pursue the STEM-designated MBA option, which shows recruiters that graduates arrive on the job with analytic tools and leadership skills that positively impact a company’s bottom line. In addition, the designation 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. Classes are flexible with in person and remote online options as needed. Finally, Simon offers two joint degrees. Firstly, the MD/MBA with the University Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry 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 has students complete nearly all of the Eastman School of Music coursework, complete the MBA program, and then finish the remaining MA credits with a summer internship or mentorship.
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
Part-Time Professional MBA
https://simon.rochester.edu/programs/pmba
MD/MBA Program
https://simon.rochester.edu/programs/full-time-mba/academics/md-mba-program
MA/MBA Program
https://simon.rochester.edu/programs/full-time-mba/academics/ma-mba-program
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 diversity and educational, social and athletic, and professional and corporate categories. Signature events include the West Coast Tech Trek, a venture capital investment competition, and the annual Women’s Conference.
The Graduate Business Council collaborates with administrators, faculty, and student organizations to host sociable, year-round events and activities. Organized group volunteer projects and programs like the Practicum in Urban Entrepreneurship invite students to work within local communities, while applying some of their core business tactics. Several more concentration-specific experiential programs are offered as well, such as the Simon Student Venture Fund, for which students collaborate with analysts, entrepreneurs, and alumni to make data-driven investment decisions and manage the fund.
The school makes a pointed effort to support diversity and inclusivity, with programs to support women in business, members of the military, and students representing 22 different countries. For example, five members of the MBA Class of 2018 founded the Simon Inclusion Ambassadors, one of Simon’s newest programs. Through it, ambassadors seek to foster dialogue and mutual respect in classrooms and across campus through greater individual and cultural awareness.
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. The Simon School of Business is located on the River Campus, as is the Warner School of Education.
MBA students and their families are welcome to apply for housing in three different 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.
MBA Careers
Career Services
Simon’s 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. A few of the on-campus events include career fairs, Experience Simon Weekend, recruiting events, and niche conferences like Women’s Conference and Diversity Conference. Additionally, the center offers specialized career assistance for international students, such as visa guidance for short- or long-term employment.
First-year students will find assistance through Career Management Center starting at pre-orientation and continuing through, and even beyond, the full-time MBA program. Simon’s “Day 1” process allows students to explore the major MBA career functions and ways to boost knowledge of various industries. The Day 1 steps are available at the center and online, encouraging incoming students to prepare in advance deliverables like market assessments, online profiles, and targeted employers lists.
Career Statistics
Simon’s Career Management Center reported that Simon students were especially successful, with 91% of the Class of 2023 accepting job offers within three months of graduation. The average base salary landed at $140,445 and average sign-on bonus at $38,941 for Simon MBA graduates, totaling $177,741.
Of the Class of 2023 graduates, 30% joined the tech industry. About 27% headed into financial services followed by roughly 20% into consulting. Seven percent entered healthcare and about 8% pursued CPG.
All of the Simon MBA Class of 2023 stayed in the U.S. for work. About twenty-nine percent settled in the Northeast U.S. region. 20% percent headed to the Midwest and roughly 27% settled in the West. The Mid-Atlantic took in 6% of grads. Nearly eleven percent settled in the Southwest and 7% in the South.
Financing
Simon Business School’s 2024-2025 tuition is $55,000 a year. With additional fees as living expenses, activity fees and books, however, the estimated cost of attendance is $85,830. The school awards nearly $5 million in scholarships and fellowships every year, and 90% of full-time MBA students receive significant merit-based awards. Financial aid and loans are also available to both domestic and international students, as are graduate fellowships, employer-tuition benefits, and outside scholarships. International MBA students may apply for loans; Simon suggests utilizing resources such as the Graduate Financial Aid office and Elmselect to discover loan options.
Estimated Cost of Attendance
- Tuition: $55,000
- International Student Programming Fee: $800 (one time)
- International Services Office Fee: $106
- Room, Board, Transportation: $20,440
- Mandatory Health Fee: $845
- Books: $1,310
- Personal Expenses: $2,716
- Activity Fee: $700
- Health Insurance (Optional): $3,913
- Total $85,830
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