MBA in USA, considered the highest standard of business education, can help launch students careers with some of the worlds top companies. US business schools, such as Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton, are consistently ranked in the top MBA global rankings. In 2022, the Financial Times MBA Rankings featured 14 US B-schools in the top 20.
From helping MBA graduates stand out on their resumes to establishing links with top companies around the world, MBA from the US pays off years after graduation. The duration of an MBA program in the US is two years, which enables students to explore different industries while engaging in internships.
MBA in USA continues to be competitive in terms of keeping up with the fast-paced business world which demands a blend of theoretical knowledge and real-life experiences. An MBA from US exposes students to the latest industry insight from a broad faculty base.
According to US News & World Report, the top jobs for MBA graduates in the USA include business operations manager, financial manager, human resources manager, IT manager, to name a few. The median base starting salary for US MBA grads at American companies is USD 115,000, as per GMAC.
The MBA programs in the USA are highly popular and globally acknowledged. Let us have a look at the key highlights of studying MBA in USA for Indian students:
Components |
Details |
Course Duration |
1 to 2 years |
Number of MBA Universities in USA |
500+ |
Standardised Tests for MBA in US |
GMAT, GRE |
English Proficiency Tests |
IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo |
Admission Intakes |
Fall, Spring, Summer |
Average Tuition Fees |
USD 67,031 per year |
Eligibility |
Valid bachelors degree GRE or GMAT scores Language proficiency test scores Work experience of 2-5 years is preferred |
Documents Required |
SOPs, LORs, Essays, Test Scores, Transcripts, Resume |
Types of MBA Courses |
Executive MBA, Online MBA, Part-time MBA, One year MBA |
Top MBA Specialisations |
MBA in Marketing, MBA in finance, MBA in Consulting |
Top Business Schools |
Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Michigan, Columbia University |
Top Recruiters |
Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Tesla, Mckinsey, etc. |
Average Salary |
USD 1,00,000 |
The top MBA specialisations in USA universities according to the US News and World Report that play a pivotal role in the MBA students careers are:
Marketing: The MBA in marketing teaches all the facets of marketing tactics including sales, advertising, promotion, consumer behaviour, big data analysis, web-based marketing and social media marketing. Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University are the top universities for studying MBA in marketing.
Finance: The curriculum of MBA in finance includes business statistics, management information systems, financial management, decision making and others. The top universities where MBA in finance is taught are University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago and New York University.
Supply Chain: Supply chain management deals with the coordination and integration of goods and services and the flow of information and finances in and among organisations. Michigan State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Arizona State University are best for MBA in supply chain.
Entrepreneurship: MBA in entrepreneurship provides skills, tools. Experiences and perspectives to entrepreneurs or would-be entrepreneurs. The course combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills. Babson College, Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)rank top at MBA in entrepreneurship.
Business Analytics: This course teaches how to apply analytics to real world business problems. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University and Georgia Institute of Technology fare best in MBA business analytics.
There are several types of MBA in USA that international students can pursue according to their needs, current profile, career goals and the duration of time one is willing to spend on the course. The different types of MBA in USA have been listed below:
Full-time MBA Programs: Full-time MBA programs last for one to two years when the general and core skills are taught. In the second year of a two-year MBA program, students get to delve deep into the course of their choice. They also get internship opportunities that strengthen their experiential learning. A one-year MBA in USA is suited for those who want to gain quick knowledge and utilise it in the advancement of their career.
Executive MBA: An executive MBA is generally suited for professionals and executives who want to take a leap in their careers. In order to strengthen the management and leadership skills of executives, this MBA is designed for a duration that is less than the traditional full-time MBA.
Part-time MBA: Those who do not want to put a break in their career and like flexible learning can opt for a part-time MBA. The classes are held outside business hours, giving students the right to choose the number of classes they wish to attend in a semester.
Online MBA: Online MBA programs are effective for those who cannot step out for educational purposes due to time and commitment constraints. They are cost-effective and can be juggled without compromising on the job.
The top 10 MBA colleges in USA according to the QS Rankings and THE are given below:
Rankings |
QS MBA in USA Ranking 2022 |
THE MBA in USA Ranking 2022 |
1 |
Stanford Graduate School of Business |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
2 |
Harvard Business School |
Stanford University |
3 |
Penn (Wharton) |
Harvard University |
4 |
MIT (Sloan) |
University of California, Berkeley |
5 |
Columbia Business School |
The University of Chicago |
6 |
UC Berkeley (Haas) |
Yale University |
7 |
Chicago (Booth) |
Duke University |
8 |
UCLA (Anderson) |
University of Pennsylvania |
9 |
Northwestern (Kellogg) |
Northwestern University |
10 |
Yale School of Management |
Columbia University |
The cost of MBA in USA not only includes tuition fees charged by the business school but also living expenses and pre-arrival and post-arrival expenses. Let us see the various costs that students have to bear to study MBA in USA:
The tuition fees for MBA in US business schools are given below:
Universities |
Average Annual Fees (in USD) |
Harvard Business School |
USD 73,440 |
Sloan School of Management |
USD 78,954 |
Stanford Graduate School of Business |
USD 74,706 |
Yale School of Management |
USD 75,500 |
Booth School of Business |
USD 74,919 |
International students have specific expenses before they start studying MBA in USA. The cost includes visa expenses, the cost of standardised tests and application fees. Given below is a break-up of expected pre-arrival costs:
Expenses |
Cost |
Cost of Application for MBA Programs |
USD 70-275 ( per business school) |
Cost of Standardised Tests |
GMAT: USD 275 , GRE: USD 213 |
Cost of English Language Proficiency Tests |
IELTS:USD 200, TOEFL:USD 190, PTE:189, Duolingo: USD 49 |
Cost of Visa Application |
USD 160 |
USA is an expensive country to live in. However, proper budgeting can help students meet their expenses in the country. The cost of living in USA includes daily costs, rent, necessities and other bills for facilities. Here are the costs that international students need to bear while studying MBA in US:
Expenses |
Average Cost (in USD) |
Room and Board |
9,000-11,000 annual |
Utility Costs |
250-500 monthly |
Food costs |
500-600 monthly |
Transportation |
45-50 per month for public transport |
Additional Costs |
2,000 annual |
Note: The costs may vary depending upon the lifestyle of the student.
The eligibility for MBA in USA varies from one college to another. However, some of the common eligibility criteria that should be met to get into most of the US business schools for MBA admissions are:
Must have completed 15 to 16 years of education.
Must have a Bachelors degree in any relevant or equivalent discipline
from a recognised university
Must have a good GPA in the previously acquired degree.
Must have standardised test scores of GMAT or GRE.
Must qualify in one of the accepted English proficiency tests such as IELTS/ TOEFL/PTE/Duolingo.
Should have work experience, if applicable.
The admission process for MBA in USA universities may differ slightly for each university but the common steps are given below:
Step 1: Fill up the application form.
Step 2: Submit the supporting documents.
Step 3: Submit the test scores.
Step 4: Provide Information about activities and awards.
Step 5: Give Information about professional experience.
Step 6: Pay the application fees using your credit card/ debit card/ net banking.
Step 7: Wait for the offer letter.
International students have to submit some supporting documents for getting admitted to MBA in USA universities. These are some common documents required for MBA in USA:
All academic transcripts
2-3 letters of recommendation (LORs)
MBA Essays/SOPs
Academic Resume
Cover letter
Visa documents
Photographs
Test scores of GMAT or GRE and English language proficiency test
Proof of Work Experience (if required)
The high educational expenses for MBA in USA can be combatted with the help of scholarships. International students should not shy away from their dream to study at a reputed US university for the fear of expenses. MBA scholarships in USA for Indian students are mostly sponsored by the universities. Here are some of the international scholarships for MBA in USA:
University |
Scholarship |
Amount (in USD) |
Arizona State University |
Arizona State University W. P. Carey Forward Focus MBA Scholarship |
NA |
Northwestern University |
David Himmelblau Scholarship |
NA |
Tuck School of Business |
Tuck Scholarship |
10,000 to 30,000 per year |
University of Florida |
University of Florida Warrington College of Business |
NA |
Sloan School of Management |
McKinsey Award |
10,000 in first year |
University of Chicago |
Global Innovator Fellowships |
NA |
University of Houston |
The MBA Bauer Excellence Initiative |
Upto 10,000 |
Tuck School of Business |
Tuck Scholarship |
10,000 to 30,000 per year |
After studying MBA in USA, graduates have a high chance of getting good job roles with high packages. There is a great demand for MBA graduates from USA. According to records, MBA salary is quite high and students get offers from top companies like Apple, Facebook, Mckinsey, Oracle, Dell, Tesla and other multinational companies.
Some of the popular job roles and their average salary are given below:
Job Role |
Annual Average Salary (in USD) |
Top Paying Companies |
Project Manager |
76,703 |
Worley, Apple, Cisco |
Operations Manager |
67,015 |
Tesla, Kindra, Hulu |
Financial Analyst |
70,900 |
Apple, EY, DC Water |
Senior Accountant |
73,801 |
Buckeye Partners, Exelon, Baker Tilly |
HR Manager |
70,201 |
USAA, AbbVie, Amazon |
Marketing Manager |
63,216 |
PwC, Google, Wells Fargo |
Product Manager |
89,908 |
Meta, Oracle, Accenture |
HR Director |
88,308 |
Citizens, Career Group Companies, Cheetah Technologies |
Business Development Director |
97,425 |
Liedos, Northrop Grumman, Inmar |
Data Analyst |
65,471 |
USAA, Meta, Intel Corporation |
Source: Indeed.com
According to the recently published news by US News and World Report, MBA graduates from top US universities have 190% return on investment (ROI). The top US business schools and the average salary and signing bonus are given below:
University |
Average Annual Salary and Signing Bonus (in USD) |
168,041 |
|
122,823 |
|
108,095 |
|
149,261 |
|
131,409 |
Source: US News and World Report
International students willing to study MBA in USA need to apply for an F1 visa. With this visa, students can stay up to 2 months after their graduation. They can extend their stay back period after MBA in USA by applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Students will have to apply for OPT within 60 days of their course completion. OPT allows MBA graduates to stay for 1 year after the completion of their degree and engage in part-time or full-time employment.
If an employer sponsors the student, they can transfer their F1 student visa to an H-1B visa and live and work in the USA for up to six years.
A. Yes, doing MBA in USA is worth it if you wish to pursue a career in the field of business and management. Doing MBA in USA can enhance and better your career goals, receive a high salary and help you get promotions. It gives you an edge over the other candidates if you have an MBA degree from the top business schools in the USA.
A. You can take either take GMAT or GRE to study MBA in USA. The GMAT exam is specially designed for MBA programs, whereas, the GRE can be taken for any graduate program including MBA. Numerous US universities have started accepting GRE scores for MBA admissions. Notably, both the exams equally evaluate the compatibility of students for MBA degrees. You can take the one that you find easier or the one that the university accepts and prefers.
A. There are US universities that give GMAT/GRE waivers for MBA. These universities are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Kelley School of Business, Owen Graduate School of Management, Boston University and others. Here, the applicants are judged on the basis of other criteria such as GPA, work experience, MBA essays and extracurricular activities.
A. No, work experience is not mandatory for MBA in USA. You can study MBA based on other criteria that determine your eligibility. Most US MBA programs do require a work experience of at least two years as MBA is done to refine the understanding and skills required in the business world. Though most candidates applying for MBA have a work experience of three to five years, that should not deter you from applying for MBA without work experience.
A. Yes, scholarships are available to study MBA in USA. Students can get various governmental and private scholarships that can help them to study MBA in USA. Apart from that, US universities also provide scholarships for MBA that cater to some portion of the tuition fees. Check the universities that give scholarships and apply to them.
A. Yes, MBA graduates can get jobs in USA. It is an attractive career prospect for them. Through Optional Practical Training, students can stay back in USA for 12 months and get engaged in competitive jobs. Later, they can also apply for an H-1B visa. Graduates from STEM-certified MBA programs can stay and work in the US for a total of 36 months.
A. The English proficiency tests that are accepted for MBA in USA are IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, CPE PTE, ECCE, Trinitys ISE and Duolingo. All the US universities require some proof of English proficiency which is an important eligibility criterion for selection for an MBA program. Sometimes, good scores on GMAT can also be considered proof of English knowledge.
A. It is very difficult to find an opportunity to study MBA for free in USA. An MBA is a professional course and universities do not offer tuition fee waivers. Still, international students can get financial grants and scholarships to study MBA in USA that can cover some portion of the huge cost of MBA in USA.
A. There is no minimum GPA requirement for MBA in USA. Most of the top business schools do not mention any GPA requirement but on average, the GPA score is between 3.2 to 3.73. Other universities can accept students with lower GPAs. One way to compensate for a low GPA is a good GMAT/GRE score.
A. The most affordable MBA universities in USA are the University of South Dakota, Central Michigan University, University of Tampa, Cameroon University and Southeast Missouri State University. The MBA tuition fees in these universities are between USD 10,000 and USD 25,000 per year.
Connect with us and kickstart your learning journey for a rewarding experience!
By proceeding ahead you expressly agree to the CollegeDekhoAbroad Terms of Use & Privacy Policy.