Ross School of Business – University of Michigan
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is located in the town of Ann Arbor and is part of the university’s undergraduate and graduate student body of over 50,000. In addition to its full-time MBA program, Ross also offers an Online and a Weekend part-time MBA, a 15-month Global MBA, and an Executive MBA. Ross is well regarded for its action-based learning approach—as evidenced by MAP, the consulting project that all first-year students must complete, and a wide range of student-led funds spanning multiple asset classes—as well as its extensive university resources, and career placement across a broad range of industries.
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FAQ
What is the tuition for Ross's MBA program?
The tuition for Ross’s MBA program is $73,030 for Michigan residents and $78,030 for non-residents.
How hard is it to get into Ross's MBA program?
The acceptance rate for Ross is 29% 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 score is 728.
What is the average GMAT score for admission to Ross's MBA program?
The average GMAT score for the incoming class at Ross is 728. The GMAT range is middle 80% 690 - 760.
Does the Ross MBA program accept the GRE?
Yes. The Ross MBA program has accepted the GRE for several years now.
What is the average GRE score for admission to Ross's MBA program?
The average GRE score for the incoming class at Ross is 159 for Verbal and 162 for Quant.
What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to Ross's MBA program?
Ross 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 6 years of experience.
What is the average number of years of work experience for admission to Ross's MBA program?
The average number of years of work experience among students in Ross's MBA program is 6.
What is the average starting salary for graduates of the Ross MBA program?
The average starting salary for Ross MBA graduates is $162,946. The median starting salary for Ross MBA graduates is $175,000. The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.
How long is Ross's full-time MBA program?
Ross offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.
What are the application deadlines for Ross's MBA program?
The Round 1 MBA application deadline is September 9, 2024. The Round 2 application deadline is January 6, 2025. The Round 3 deadline is March 24, 2025.
What percent of Ross MBA students are women?
The percentage of the class at Ross that are women is 40%.
What type of interview does Ross use for MBA admissions?
Ross offers interviews by invitation. The interviews are resume-based and conducted by an alum.
Admissions
The Class Profile
The average GMAT score among the 396 students in the Ross Class of 2026 was 728, with 80% of the class scoring between 690 and 760. The average GRE was 159 in Verbal and 162 in Quant.
During their undergraduate years, the latest Ross MBA class had earned an average 3.42 GPA. Thirty-nine percent had earned undergraduate degrees in business. Thirty-eight percent entered with a degree in STEM fields (science, engineering, mathematics, or technology) and 23% in the humanities. Students in the Class of 2026 entered the MBA program with an average of 6 years of work experience. International students comprise 44% of the class, representing 40 countries. Women constitute 40% of the Class of 2026, and 53% identify as U.S. students of color.
Application Procedures
Prospective students can apply to Ross in one of three admissions periods, which typically occur in early September, early January, and late March. To be considered for admission to the MBA program, applicants must submit a current résumé, application form, essays, undergraduate and postgraduate transcripts, one letter of recommendation and a nonrefundable $250 application fee. The admissions committee also requires that applicants submit GMAT, GRE, MCAT, LSAT, PCAT, or DAT scores or a Statement of Academic Readiness and, if applicable, scores from the TOEFL, PTE, or IELTS exams. Interviews are required for admission to the program and are conducted on an invitation-only basis, typically by a member of the admissions staff or an alumnus.
Application Checklist
- Data Forms
- GMAT/GRE/MCAT/LSAT/PCAT/DAT or Statement of Academic Readiness
- TOEFL/PTE/IELTS Score(s) (if applicable)
- Résumé
- Application Fee $250
- Recommendation
- Academic transcripts
- Essays
Essay Topic Analysis
Recommendation Questions
Michigan / Ross Q&A's
Michigan / Ross LiveWire and DecisionWire
Academics
Faculty
There are almost 250 faculty members at Ross, made up of both full-time and adjunct or visiting professors, whose classes span 13 areas as well as the undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. programs. Ross’s professors also contribute to the school’s more than 20 research centers, institutes, and initiatives, which range in focus from entrepreneurship to tax policy research.
Curriculum
Professors at Ross teach using a mix of case studies, classroom discussion and lectures with an emphasis on experiential learning. This emphasis is particularly notable in the school’s Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP), in which teams of students spend a term completing consulting projects for real companies. Ross also offers a variety of courses, extracurricular opportunities and competitions for students looking for further practical experience. First-year students are typically divided into sections of ~80 students each, and each cohort takes the same required first-year courses together.
The academic year for the full-time MBA program begins in late August and ends in late April. The first year is divided into four seven-week terms, with students taking three to four classes for the first three terms and concluding with MAP for the last term in late spring. Students at Ross may also pursue a term-long independent study project if they are in good academic standing. In the second year, students take elective courses that can be worth 1.5 to 3 credits. There are short breaks between the fall, winter and spring terms.
Ross requires each full-time student to complete 57 credits worth of classes in two years in order to graduate with an MBA degree. Approximately 30 of those credits are core course credits, most of which are completed through the 10 core courses first-year students take. These courses span from accounting to marketing and are almost all eligible to be waived. To waive core courses or other degree requirements, students may opt for an exam, demonstrate prior academic or professional experience in the material or cite a professional designation such as a CPA. Along with the core courses, students must also complete the required course “Competing in the Global Business Environment” and fulfill requirements in communication and Business Law by choosing from a list of eligible courses or securing a waiver. Ross students are required to complete at least 25 credits worth of electives, 10 of which can be graduate coursework in other University of Michigan departments. While Ross does not offer any majors, the school does break down its courses by department and offers career path guides to aid students in selecting elective courses. Students looking to gain further exposure to international business may also spend a semester studying abroad at one of Ross’s 25 exchange partner schools.
Other MBA Degree Options
In addition to its two-year full-time MBA program, Ross offers an online and weekend part-time MBA programs, a 21-month Executive MBA program, and a 16-month Global MBA in which students enroll in three different global leadership experiences. Ross has established more than 20 dual degrees with other University of Michigan – Ann Arbor departments in areas such as law, engineering, education and more regionally based studies. Students also have the option to create their own dual degree programs within the University.
Academic Departments at Ross
- Accounting
- Business Communication
- Business Economics and Public Policy
- Business Law
- Finance
- Management and Organizations
- Marketing
- Strategy
- Technology and Operations
Degree Offerings at Ross
Full-time MBA
https://michiganross.umich.edu/graduate/full-time-mba
Online/Weekend (Part-Time) MBA Program
https://michiganross.umich.edu/graduate/evening-mba
Global MBA Education
https://michiganross.umich.edu/graduate/global-mba
Weekend MBA
https://michiganross.umich.edu/graduate/weekend-mba
Executive MBA
https://michiganross.umich.edu/graduate/executive-mba
Campus Life
Clubs, Conferences & Competitions
Students at Ross contribute to an extensive range of clubs and other extracurricular activities. Currently, there are nearly 70 clubs open to full-time MBA students, covering professional, community, diversity and social interests. Ross students can participate in more traditional career-based clubs such as the Investment Banking Club and the General Management Club or in more casual, socially oriented clubs like the Ice Hockey Club and Risky Business, the rock band at Ross. The largest professional club at Ross is the Consulting Club. This club supports members in developing the skills required for successful consulting careers with training, interview workshops, social opportunities with alumni, case competitions, and more. Ross’s clubs and research centers work to host a number of conferences and events each year on topics including business in Asia, and energy-efficient markets, among others.
In line with its emphasis on experiential learning, Ross students are offered multiple opportunities to compete in business-related competitions. For instance, the Crisis Challenge puts student teams in the position of senior executives facing a crisis scenario at a major company as they compete for a scholarship and other prizes. Meanwhile, the Ross Energy Club offers an annual renewable energy case competition each February in which teams of MBA students from top business schools travel to Ross to present solutions to cases written by the club.
Campus Spaces
The Ross School of Business building lies at the southern end of the University of Michigan’s central campus and encompasses most of the business school’s classrooms, faculty offices and informal meeting areas. The building also includes a large auditorium, a fitness center and a café, in addition to a reception hall and a full-service hotel. Meanwhile, the Davidson Winter Garden—a glass-enclosed lounge area—serves as a common meeting place for students, faculty and guests.
Both on- and off-campus housing is available to full-time MBA students. Munger Graduate Residencies are one of Michigan’s on-campus housing facilities for graduate students, students with families, and faculty, though demand for the apartments runs high. Off-campus, a majority of students rent apartments within a 15-minute walk of Ross.
MBA Careers
Career Services
The Office of Career Development (OCD) takes a two-pronged approach to assisting students’ career search efforts. The career counseling staff individually counsels students on their job searches and offers regular career workshops. Meanwhile, the recruiter relations staff oversees the on-campus interview process, job postings and recruiter events. The OCD provides students with a variety of means to meet recruiters, including networking hours, on-campus presentations and off-campus site visits. Interviewing for full-time positions begin in the middle of September, and interviewing for internships begins in early January.
Career Statistics
Ninety-six percent of the Ross Class of 2023 seeking employment had received a job offer within three months of graduation. The mean base salary for a Ross graduate was $162,946 with a median signing bonus of $30,000.
The most popular industry for the Class of 2023 was consulting, as 45% of students entered that industry. Roughly 16% percent of the class entered the technology industry, while financial services accounted for 14% of the class and roughly 6% entered the healthcare field. Consumer packaged goods took in about five percent of graduates.
Following a common trend among business schools, the most popular place to accept employment was in the same region as the school: the Midwestern U.S. Thirty-one percent settled there while another 28% headed to the U.S. Northeast. Roughly 19% settled in the U.S. West. The Southwest took in 10.5% of graduates. Two percent opted to work outside of the U.S.
Financing
Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is $73,030 for Michigan residents and $78,030 for non-residents. With the addition of textbooks, housing expenses and other personal expenditures, Ross estimates that the total cost of attending is $102,142.19 for in-state students and $107,142.19 for those from out of state. International students studying under J or F visa status can expect to pay $500 extra per term.
To help finance their education, students are automatically considered for scholarships when they are granted admission, and no additional application is necessary. These scholarships are awarded based on academic, professional and personal accomplishments and potential value to the community, with awards ranging from $10,000 to full tuition. Ross also offers scholarships through the Tauber Institute for Global Operations and the Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise. In addition, students are encouraged to apply for other scholarships offered by the University of Michigan, as well as private scholarships. Students seeking further financial support may apply for a federal loan through the Federal Direct Lending Program if they are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. International students may secure loans through private lenders, although the school notes that some of these loans will require a U.S. co-signer.
Cost of Attendance (per year)
Tuition
- MI State Resident $73,030
- Non-MI State Resident $78,939
Food & Housing $19,826
Books $1,896
Loan Fees $224
Other/Personal $7,000
Registration Fees $166.19 (per term)
Total
- MI State Resident: $102,142.19
- Non-MI State Resident $107,142.19
Recent News
Contact
Mailing Address:
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
University of Michigan
701 Tappan Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Admission Phone: 734-763-5796
Admissions Email: [email protected]
Web: http://michiganross.umich.edu/
Blog: https://michiganross.umich.edu/admissions-blog
X (Twitter): @MichiganRoss