Meet The Stanford GSB MBA Class Of 2026

A CLASS PROFILE

As a whole,  Stanford GSB reported an 18% increase in applications during the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, with 7,295 applications reflecting a norm set by the 2023 and 2022 classes. The school accepted just 6.8% of applicants, making it more selective than any Top 25 American MBA program. It is also the most attractive program, as 85.1% of accepted applicants ultimately enrolled in the program. Women account for 44% of the class (down two points from the previous year), while international students make up a 39% share (up three points).

As undergraduates, the class collectively averaged a 3.75 GPA. The first-year class also brings a 738 GMAT average to Palo Alto, a number equal to three of the four past classes (with 560 being the lowest GMAT score accepted by the school). Among students taking the GRE, the class averaged 164 Quant and 163 Verbal scores.

In terms of education, 16% of the class already holds advanced degrees, while another 12% are first-generation students. Engineering majors represent nearly a third of the class seats (31%), followed by Economics (20%), Business (18%), Social Sciences (16%), Math and Sciences (10%), and Arts (5%).

The largest share of the class – 20% — last worked in Consulting, edging out Investments (19%) and Technology (14%). The remainder of the class features representation from the Public Sector (9%), Consumer Products (7%), Healthcare (6%), Financial Services (6%), Manufacturing (4%), Arts and Entertainment (3%), and Energy (2%). Another 5% of the class boasts Military experience.

Taking a wider view, Fortuna Admissions recently reviewed the demographics behind the GSB’s MBA Classes of 2023 and 2024. One important note: half of Stanford MBAs came from 15 undergraduate higher education institutions, headed by Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Penn, and Dartmouth. Another eye-popping stat: Stanford GSB Has an affinity for the MBB – as McKinsey, Bain, and the Boston Consulting Group lead all employers. That said, there are 26 companies that dominate the list, as 63% of these recent classes had worked for or interned with these employers at some point in their careers. Even more, 40% of the 2023 and 2024 classes possess consulting experience. It also helps to attend an American university to get into the GSB, as 73%-75% of enrollees hold undergraduate degrees there.

A PERSONAL APPROACH TO TEACHING LEADERSHIP

Rankings-wise, Stanford GSB slipped to 2nd in both the P&Q and U.S. News MBA Rankings in 2025. However, you won’t find GSB administrators panicking in the Knight Center. After all, GSB outperforms its rivals where it counts: pay. For the Class of 2024, total median pay came in at $268,490, besting Harvard Business School by nearly $47,000. The school also lives up to its promise among students and alumni. In a 2025 Financial Times survey of MBA students, Stanford GSB boasted the highest average score for its Alumni Network and ranked 5th for Career Services. In the same survey, the school notched a near-perfect 9.975 score for Overall Satisfaction. In a 2024 Princeton Review survey of students and alumni, the GSB earned the highest mark worldwide for Classroom Experience, while ranking among the Top 5 for its Management, Marketing, and Non-Profit curriculum. And Stanford GSB’s rivals are equally wowed by the school’s academic prowess. In a 2025 U.S. News survey of business school deans and MBA directors, the GSB ranked Top 5 in five concentrations (Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Management, Nonprofits, and Production and Operations) and Top 10 in six others (Finance, Project Management, Accounting, Information Systems, Business Analytics, and Supply Chain and Logistics).

Stanford GSB is one of the few business schools that could draw JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon for a sit-down with students in February and a former UK Prime Minister (an alum) to deliver its commencement address. While Harvard Business School may be known as the “West Point of Leadership,” Stanford GSB’s leadership programming may be the equivalent to the U.S. Special Forces’ Robin Sage training. While GSB faculty sometime employ cases to teach leadership, the school leverages peer feedback, reflection, exercises, and one-on-one coaching. Here, students are expected to dig deep and examine all aspects of their personal makeup and leadership style. Notably, the school is famous for its Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) elective. Working in 12-member T-Groups for 3-5-hour sessions, students don’t hold back when it comes to addressing where they – and their classmates – fall short. And alumni get into the act too with the day-long-Executive Challenge, A role play simulation where student teams navigate various scenarios, alumni coach and evaluate the students on everything from managing relationships to making decisions.

The Executive Challenge is the culmination of the Leadership Labs, a required first-year course. Working in 5-6 member teams, MBAs are guided by an Arbuckle Fellow, a second-year who has undergone intensive training on coaching and mentoring. The course uses exercises like simulations and bi-weekly coaching sessions to help first-years see themselves through another’s eyes and apply what they learn in real time.

“We met weekly—without a formal instructor—to challenge ourselves, push past comfort zones, and exchange unfiltered, constructive feedback, explains Srishti Samadder. “The experience forced me to confront my blind spots, embrace discomfort, and rethink what it truly means to grow and inspire others. More than just a course, it was a space for deep self-reflection and real change—one that has reshaped the way I show up and connect with people.”

According to Makiko Shimada, students set a goal before each session. For Shimada, that included practicing how to say “I disagree” without being confrontational. Such efforts, says Lúcia Mees, gave her a template for what real leadership is.

“I’ve learned that great leaders are the ones who create an environment where others feel empowered to bring their best ideas forward, achieving outcomes together that surpass what could be done individually. This requires being vulnerable, authentic, showing genuine curiosity, and embracing our lows as much as our highs. It’s about listening deeply, asking the right questions, and knowing when to step back so others can step up. Here, I have learned to emphasize principled, innovative, and empathetic leadership to drive meaningful change in my communities, think globally, and lead in a way that is true to myself. In a way, this has also taught me to understand my areas for growth more clearly, embracing vulnerability without fear.”

Even more, Leadership Labs inspired the Class of 2026 to pass this wisdom along. “I loved the entire experience so much, I applied and got selected to become an Arbuckle Fellow,” adds Stephanie Yeh. “So excited to run it all back again from the other side next year!”

THE DOORSTEP TO SILICON VALLEY

Along with leadership, entrepreneurship is synonymous with the Stanford GSB. In 2024, for example, 3 of the 10-highest funded MBA startups originated at Stanford GSB. In addition, the school produces 5.7 unicorns per 1,000 MBA graduates, higher than any other business school. One reason, say alumni founders Joseph Kao & Yutong Zhu, is the culture of “GSB founders help GSB founders.”

“This network connected me to invaluable mentors, funding, and accelerator resources, all of which have helped me navigate the complexities of building a business,” explains Kao. “The continuous support from peers, faculty, and alumni provided real-time feedback that has been crucial in refining and strengthening my business model. In addition, courses like Startup Garage and Stanford Climate Ventures equipped me with essential design thinking skills—engaging customers, understanding their needs, developing prototypes, and even securing letters of support.”

Another advantage is Stanford’s locale in Palo Alto. The campus is just three miles from Sand Hill Road – the “Wall Street of the West” and home to the country’s largest concentration of private equity and venture capital firms. Behind their humble facades, you’ll find the centers for Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and Greylock Partners. As a whole, the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem is the largest in the world, carrying a $2.5 trillion dollar value according to Startup Genome. That translates to infrastructure, expertise, and funding according to Joseph Kao.

“The entrepreneurship ecosystem in the San Francisco Bay Area is unparalleled, playing a crucial role in my venture’s development. Climate entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate partners regularly host events that promote collaboration and support among innovators. These interactions have enabled me to connect with advisors and potential customers, improving Infinion’s operational and go-to-market strategies. This experience has underscored the power of networking and the importance of leveraging diverse resources, reinforcing the idea that building a company is a collective journey, not a solitary endeavor.”

A new dean and a 100-year anniversary: these two headlines have defined Stanford GSB thus far in 2025. What else can MBA applicants, students, and alumni expect in the coming year? This spring, P&Q reached out to Paul Oyer, Stanford GSB senior associate dean for academic affairs. From new developments to global treks to career services, here are some additional insights in Palo Alto.

AN INTERVIEW WITH PAUL OYER

P&Q: What have been the two most important developments in your MBA program over the past year? What type of impact will they have on current and future MBAs?

Oyer: “The Business, Government, and Society (BGS) Initiative conducted its second Views of Business Leadership survey to help students and faculty understand the diversity of opinion on a range of issues, including whether CEOs should speak out on social or political matters and if tax rates should be increased on long-term capital gains. The BGS Initiative is also hosting the Insights & Bites series, which is focused on faculty research.

We continue to expand our AI curriculum and capitalize on its wide range of impact, such as economic impacts on labor markets and democracy to industries that will be disrupted by automation and increased efficiencies. Students are very interested in learning about business opportunities in the AI market, learning how to use AI to manage organizations effectively, and applying AI tools in class. We have been adding new courses related to AI, infusing AI material into existing courses, and professors are incorporating AI tools in their classes. Our core statistics class, for example, historically taught statistics principles and how to program to apply these principles. The course still does both of those things but also teaches students how AI can help with statistical analysis and how to use AI tools to do the programming that they used to do themselves.”

P&Q: Every January, P&Q publishes a “10 Business Schools to Watch” feature that highlights how schools are raising the bar and enhancing the student experience through innovation or expansion in programming or resources. What is one innovation that sets your school apart from your peer programs and makes you a business school to watch? Why is it so groundbreaking?

Oyer: “Stanford’s Graduate School of Business is known for producing transformational leaders. The school prides itself on encouraging students to think critically, to challenge norms, and to be open to unexpected possibilities. In addition to traditional courses in leadership, Stanford challenges students to reflect upon their personal leadership capabilities and develop them, through a combination of structured curriculum, personal reflection, ongoing feedback, and organic experiences. First-year MBA students participate in an innovative Leadership Labs course and Executive Challenge where they put into practice what they’ve learned. Additional leadership development opportunities include the ever-popular Interpersonal Dynamics course, and the competitive Arbuckle Leadership Fellows program for second-year students.”

P&Q: What types of programs do you offer to sharpen your students’ soft skills? What areas do you emphasize and how do you instill these skills in your students?

Oyer: “Interpersonal Dynamics is one of our most popular and longest-running programs, having been offered for the last 45 years. This high-touch, intimate class encourages students to become comfortable with others, especially those who are different from one another, and how to improve upon their behaviors through communication and authentic experiences.”

P&Q: What types of programming – through classroom instruction, extracurriculars, and treks – does your school offer to expose students to country-specific and global business practices? What have students told you were the most educational and fun aspects of these activities?

Oyer: “Stanford GSB’s Global Experience Requirement ensures that every MBA student broadens their understanding of the global context of business during the course of the MBA Program through participation in and completion of a qualifying Global Experiences program. Each of these programs provides first-hand group learning and individual opportunities for students to explore and engage with global business issues. Global Experiences include the following:

Global Study Trips are designed by second-year MBA student leadership teams who carefully curate an itinerary of meetings, cultural activities, and reflection times to help participants gain a nuanced understanding of the trip’s central business question. Students spend nine days in the country fully immersed in experiential learning activities and discussions with a diverse array of leaders, stakeholders, and peers, gaining unique perspectives on the trip’s theme.

Global Management Immersion Experiences are four-week minimum individual summer projects where students work for a sponsoring organization (a corporate, government, or NGO) in a country new to them and gain new leadership perspectives while receiving guidance from a mentor on a significant work product.

The Stanford-Tsinghua University Exchange Program (STEP) is an academic course focused on cross-cultural experiential learning. GSB students have the opportunity to gain business perspectives and culturally nuanced insights into U.S.-Chinese business relations via faculty lectures, company meetings, and regular engagement with MBA students from Tsinghua School of Economics and Management.

Self-Directed Options (e.g., independent study, global internship, or global elective) are available for students who want to pursue specific niche interests, may prefer an individual learning experience, and/or desire a longer immersive experience that other Global Experiences provide.

Students have remarked about these experiences:

“The group culture on my trip was incredibly inclusive, fostering active participation from all members. It created a supportive environment where students could openly engage with one another, the trip leaders, and the faculty. I felt encouraged to contribute and ask questions freely, knowing it was a safe space where ideas were welcomed without fear of judgment.”

“Working outside the U.S. was a particularly enlightening experience, as it revealed just how deeply entrenched my perspectives were until I saw a different approach.”

“The highlights include the people – from my classmates to our faculty to our leaders, everyone contributed to an educational, inclusive, and fun environment.”

“Keep an open mind and embrace the uncertainties and challenges – that’s the best part of the learning!

Next Page: Profiles of 12 members of the Class of 2026.