UCLA Anderson School of Management
The Anderson School of Management is situated amid the greater University of California, Los Angeles campus in the Westwood section of the city of Los Angeles. Students at UCLA Anderson enjoy a small student body and the school’s notable strengths in entrepreneurship and entertainment and media management, as well as the community-oriented atmosphere Anderson maintains even in such a large city. The school offers prospective management students four paths to an MBA, two of which are designed for executives.
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FAQ
What is the tuition for Anderson’s MBA program?
The tuition for Anderson’s MBA program is $78,268 per year. The total cost of the Anderson MBA program is $128,687 per year; this includes budgeted living expenses.
How hard is it to get into Anderson’s MBA program?
The acceptance rate for Anderson is 40.4 percent. 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 714.
What is the average GMAT score for admission to Anderson’s MBA program?
The average GMAT score for the incoming class at Anderson is 714. The GMAT middle 80% range is 670 to 750.
Does the Anderson MBA program accept the GRE?
Yes. The Anderson MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now.
What is the average GRE score for admission to Anderson’s MBA program?
The average GRE combined score for the incoming Anderson MBA class is 327. The average GRE Verbal score was 162 and the average GRE Quant score was 165.
What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to Anderson’s MBA program?
Anderson 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 Anderson’s MBA program? (or, What is the average age of a Anderson student?)
The average number of years of work experience among students in Anderson’s MBA program is 5.4.
What is the average starting salary for graduates of the Anderson MBA program?
The average starting salary for Anderson MBA graduates is $151,140. The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.
How long is Anderson’s full-time MBA program?
Anderson offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.
What are the application deadlines for Anderson’s MBA program?
The Round 1 MBA application deadline is October 1, 2024. The Round 2 application deadline is January 6, 2025. The Round 3 deadline is April 7, 2025.
What percent of Anderson MBA students are women?
The percentage of the class at Anderson that are women is 43%.
What type of interview does Anderson use for MBA admissions?
Anderson offers interviews by invitation. The interviews are resume-based. This means the interviewer has not had access to the application materials.
Admissions
The Class Profile
Anderson received 3,079 applications the Class of 2026 and 305 students matriculated. The middle 80% undergraduate GPA of students choosing to matriculate at Anderson ranged between 3.1 and 3.8, and their GMAT results averaged 714 with a middle 80% range of 670 to 750. Students entered Anderson with an average of 5.4 years of professional experience. Forty-one percent of the class is made up of international students. Women constitute 43% of students. Based on federal guidelines, 32% identify as Asian American, 13% as Black/African American and 11% as Hispanic.
As undergraduates, 34% of members of the Class of 2026 elected to major in business. Twenty-two percent had majored in engineering, followed by 14% in humanities/social sciences. Economics was pursued by 11% of the class. By industry, Anderson drew the highest percentage of its students from finance, 21%. The tech industry followed with 16%. Twelve percent had worked in consulting and 10 percent came from healthcare.
Application Procedures
Prospective MBA students wishing to apply to Anderson may submit their materials in one of three rounds that span from early October to early April. The school accepts applications via its online system only; the form includes questions regarding the applicant’s personal and professional background. Applicants should also be prepared to submit a $200 application fee, resume and employment experience, optional GMAT, GRE, or EA test results and TOEFL or IELTS scores if applicable, two letters of recommendation, three short answer questions, and copies of academic records.
Interviews are required for admittance and are conducted by invitation only. Those applicants invited to interview may do so via Zoom or in-person with a current Anderson student.
Application Checklist
- Online Application
- 4-Year Bachelor Degree/Equivalent
- GMAT, GRE, or EA test scores (optional)
- Work Experience
- Two Recommendations
- 3 Short Answer Questions
- Interviews by Invitation Only
- TOEFL/IELTS if applicable
- Application Fee
Essay Topic Analysis
Recommendation Questions
UCLA Anderson Q&A's
UCLA Anderson LiveWire and DecisionWire
Academics
Faculty
Over 120 professors and lecturers teach courses across Anderson’s eight academic areas and an interdisciplinary research group. They also contribute to Anderson’s seven research centers, which focus on topics ranging from entrepreneurial studies to global management.
Curriculum
The entering class of the full-time MBA program typically numbers about 300 students, and each class is divided into five sections designated A through E; first-year students take all core courses with their section mates. Each quarter, MBA students are further separated into learning teams of five individuals who work on homework and projects together. Anderson divides its calendar into seasonal quarters, and students attend classes during the fall, winter and spring quarters; and first-year students also attend a seven-week summer quarter prior to their first year. The curriculum is delivered through a combination of lectures, case- and project-based approaches.
First-year MBA students are required to attend approximately seven weeks of orientation prior to starting fall quarter classes. Academically, this orientation consists of three core courses: Foundations of Inclusive Leadership, Managerial Accounting, and Organizational Behavior. During the first quarter, first-year students also partake in the Parker Career Series course, during which they take part in workshops and training sessions to prepare for job searches and interviews. Lastly, the summer quarter is also a time of community building through social events within the Anderson class.
The fall quarter begins in mid-September and concludes in early December. The winter quarter commences in early January, and courses conclude in late March. Spring quarter courses start in late March and end in mid-June, with Commencement occurring soon after the weeklong exam period.
In total, students take 11 core courses and three electives in their first year; students may complete between 24 and 28 courses in total throughout the two years of the MBA program. The first-year schedule comprises a very structured curriculum, although students may determine the order in which they take marketing and finance courses. First-years will take three electives across the spring and winter quarters. In the second year, students may choose to pursue one of 15 optional specializations. The only academic requirement for second-years is the Capstone Project, which can be fulfilled in a variety of ways. One of the popular Capstone Projects is the Applied Management Research Program (AMR), a hallmark of the UCLA program that provides students with 20 weeks of team-based, experiential learning as they complete strategic studies for real business clients. A second popular choice is the Business Creation Option (BCO), in which students spend two academic quarters researching and ultimately launching a company while still in school. Second-year students may also take global immersion courses that conclude with a week-long trip studying abroad.
Other MBA Degree Options
While UCLA Anderson’s full-time MBA program spans two years, the school also offers three other degrees of varying duration. These include the Executive Global MBA and the Fully Employed MBA, which allows its students to remain in the workforce while taking classes on weekends and in the evenings. UCLA Anderson also offers a dual-degree executive MBA program in conjunction with NUS Business School in Singapore. Eight concurrent degree options are available for those in the full-time MBA program.
Specializations at Anderson
- Accounting
- Brand Management
- Consulting
- Corporate Finance
- Easton Technology Leadership
- Entertainment
- Entrepreneurship
- Leadership Development
- Global Management
- Healthcare Management
- Kayne Investment Management
- Leaders in Sustainability
- Marketing Analytics
- Real Estate
- Social Impact
Degree Offerings at Anderson
MBA
http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/full-time-mba
Fully Employed MBA
http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba
Executive Global MBA
http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/executive-mba
Global EMBA for Asia Pacific
http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/ucla-nus-executive-mba
Campus Life
Clubs, Conferences & Competitions
Students at Anderson find many opportunities to enrich their MBA experience through extracurricular activities. The school has nearly 50 student-run clubs that represent a broad range of professions, cultures, social interests and sports. For example, students looking to enter real estate can enjoy offerings from the Anderson Real Estate Association such as workshops, job site visits, a mentorship program and networking mixers. Meanwhile, the group Anderson Eats helps students and their family and friends get to know each other while exploring the various cuisines available in Los Angeles. On the athletic side, students can join clubs focused on soccer, tennis, surfing, and skiing and snowboarding, among others.
In addition to their regular meetings and smaller-scale events, Anderson’s clubs organize a variety of conferences each year. These include the PULSE Entertainment, Sports & Technology Conference hosted by the UCLA Anderson Sports Business Association, and the Greater China Business Association’s annual Greater China Business Series. Students can also put their business skills to the test through competitions such as the UCLA AnderTech APIC Case Competition and the Knapp Venture Competition.
Campus Spaces
The Anderson School of Management is located in the center of the northern end of UCLA’s campus in Los Angeles, California. Anderson’s campus is comprised of six buildings that are connected to each other. At the center of the complex lies the Marion Anderson Courtyard, which serves as a common meeting place for members of the school community. In addition to plentiful classrooms and meeting rooms, the school also boasts a café, a large library, an auditorium and an executive dining room.
Although on-campus housing is available through seven UCLA-owned apartment buildings, the school reports that two-thirds of students live within five miles of campus in nearby neighborhoods such as Westwood, Brentwood, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, and the South Bay Area. Students hoping to receive on-campus housing are advised to apply early, as space is limited.
MBA Careers
Career Services
All MBA students may work with the Parker Career Management Center for help in securing employment after graduating from Anderson. The Center offers students one-on-one career advising, myriad recruiting events organized by a dedicated recruiting staff, and a spring Career Fair hosted by UCLA Anderson. Recruiters are invited to host hour-long employer briefings Mondays through Thursdays on campus starting at 11:30 a.m. Corporations can also make more formal 90-minute presentations on campus starting at 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. One-on-one meetings and small group sessions between students and recruiters can be arranged either online or in-person, either as part of Coffee Chats or virtual office hours. Students may also avail themselves of resources such as job postings via the online Parker Postings.
Career Statistics
312 of the 365 graduates of the UCLA Anderson MBA Class of 2023 were seeking employment–or 85.5%. Nearly 86% of those seeking employment reported receiving job offers within three months after graduation; another roughly 4% were starting their own companies. Of those reporting salary data, students earned an average base salary of $151,140 and signing bonus of $36,174 in their post-MBA roles. The top industry pursued by 2023 graduates was consulting, which drew 27% of the class. Tech was a close second at nearly 26%. Financial services took nearly 14% of new graduates. Nine percent chose roles in CPG and entertainment/media saw roughly eight percent of the UCLA MBA class.
Just over three percent of 2023 Anderson graduates took on post-MBA roles outside the U.S. Of the students remaining in the U.S., approximately 71% entered positions in the state of California and nearly 57 percent of the total graduating class remained in southern California; western states excluding California attracted just five percent of students. The next most popular region was the Northeast, which hosts almost nine percent of graduates.
Financing
Anderson estimates a student budget for the 2024-2025 year to be $128,687. Of the budget total, tuition makes up $78,268 of the total cost. Students may receive financial assistance in the forms of fellowships, grants and loans, and last year approximately 40% of Anderson students received fellowships. Applicants are automatically considered for fellowships upon admission to the MBA program, and students selected for fellowships, grants, and loans receive their awards in three disbursements marked by the fall, winter and spring quarters. Domestic students may also receive federal loans and must file the FAFSA to do so, while international students may pursue private loans with or without a U.S. co-signer.
Estimated Student Budget 2024-2025, Class of 2026
- Tuition/Fees $78,268
- Health Insurance $7,488
- Food Housing $30,440
- Books Supplies $2,424
- Transportation $4,043
- Personal $3,406
- Loan Fees $2,618
- Total $128,687
Recent News
Contact
Mailing Address:
MBA Admissions & Financial Aid
110 Westwood Plaza
Gold Hall – Suite B201
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1481
Phone: 310-825-6944
Fax: 310-825-8582
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.anderson.ucla.edu
Blog: http://mbablogs.anderson.ucla.edu/
Twitter: @UCLAMBA