Fewer Students, Higher Scores: Inside Michigan Ross’s New MBA Class

Michigan Ross

The Michigan Ross School of Business has released its Full-Time MBA Class of 2027 profile, and the numbers show a program steadying after last year’s record-breaking surge. Applications dipped slightly, the class size shrank, and some diversity numbers shifted – but academic credentials remain among the best in Ross history.

The Class of 2027 includes 379 students, down from 396 a year ago, drawn from 3,923 applications, compared to 4,036 last year. That gives Ross an acceptance rate of 30%, up marginally from 29% in 2024 but still well below pre-pandemic highs. Most notably, international representation slipped, declining to 40% from 44% last year, mirroring declines at many U.S. B-schools this fall.

The average GMAT score for those who submitted 10th edition scores increased to 731, continuing a steady upward climb over the past three years (728 in 2024, 719 in 2023). For test-takers using the new GMAT Focus Edition, the average was 681. The average GRE scores were 163 Quant and 160 Verbal, while the average GPA edged upward to 3.43, consistent with recent years.

DIVERSITY & CLASS COMPOSITION

The share of women slipped to 39%, down from 40% last year and 43% two years ago. Ross this year did not report an overall “U.S. students of color” percentage, which stood at 53% last year, instead citing only an underrepresented U.S. minority tally: 25%. The proportion of first-generation college students held steady at 22%, while international students account for 40% of the class, down from 44% last year. Military veterans make up 15%, continuing a strong presence. Ross also declined to report a percentage for LGBTQ students, which last year was 9%.

Professionally, the incoming class continues to span a wide range of industries, though the mix has shifted notably from last year. The top feeders are finance (17%) and consulting (16%), followed by education/nonprofit/government (9%), technology (8%), healthcare (7%), and the military (7%). The remaining students come from engineering and manufacturing (6%), energy and sustainability (6%), and media, hospitality, and sports (4%). A year ago, the top feeders were finance (21%) and consulting (17%), with technology and engineering together accounting for nearly 30% of the class – suggesting a modest move away from STEM-heavy backgrounds.

On the academic side, 37% of students studied business or economics, 22% social sciences and humanities, 20% engineering, 7% computer science, and 14% other disciplines. That represents a slightly broader spread than last year, when Ross grouped 38% of students under STEM fields.

HISTORICAL TRENDS & TUITION GROWTH

Tuition for 2025–2026 increased to $81,152, up from $76,152 last year – a $5,000 jump that mirrors broader tuition inflation across top MBA programs.

The latest numbers show Ross stabilizing after an intense few admissions cycles marked by pandemic volatility and surging international interest. Applications peaked above 4,000 in 2024 and 2023 before falling slightly this year. Average GMAT scores have climbed steadily since 2021, when the average was 719, and the school has kept class size mostly stable around the high 370s to 390s.

Diversity has fluctuated more sharply in recent years. The share of women peaked at 46% in the Class of 2023 and has since fallen by seven points. International representation declined to 40% from 44% last year, though it remains well above the pre-pandemic low of 23% in 2022.

MICHIGAN ROSS MBA CLASSES 2021-2027

Stats	Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2027	Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2026	Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2025	Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2024	Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2023	Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2022	Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2021
Applications	3,923	4,036	2,976	3,632	4,003	2,567	2,990
Class Size	379	396	379	380	398	358	422
Acceptance Rate	30%	29%	38%	28.1%	20.2%	37.0%	31.0%
Average GMAT 10th Edition	731	728	719	720	722	710	719
Average GMAT Focus	681	–	–	–	–	–	–
Average GRE Quant	163	–	–	–	–	–	–
Average GRE Verbal	160	–	–	–	–	–	–
Average GPA	3.43	3.42	3.43	3.50	3.53	3.50	3.50
Women	39%	40%	43%	42%	46%	43%	45%
U.S. Minorities	NA	53%	43%	42%	36%	36%	22%
URM	25%	29%	19%	NA	NA	NA	NA
First-Gen College	22%	22%	17%	14%	11%	NA	NA
LGBTQIA+	NA	9%	10%	9%	NA	NA	NA
U.S. Military	15%	–	–	–	–	–	–
International	40%	44%	43%	36%	28%	23%	27%
Countries	32	40	39	39	42	29	33
Backgrounds	Finance 17%, Consulting 16%, Education/Nonprofit/Government 9%, Tech 8%, Health 7%, Military 7%, Engineering/Manufacturing 6%, Energy/Sustainability 6%, Media/Hospitality/Sports 4%, Other 20%	Finance 21%, Consulting 17%, Tech 14%, Engineering/Manufacturing 14%, Health 8%, Other 8%, Military 5%, Media/Hospitality/Sports 5%, Energy/Sustainability 5%, Education/Nonprofit/Government 4%	Consulting 18%, Finance 17%, Tech 16%, Health 12%, Engineering/Manufacturing 10%, Other 8%, Education/Nonprofit/Government 6%, Military 6%, Media/Hospitality/Sports 4%, Energy/Sustainability 3%	Consulting 19%, Health 14%, Finance 14%, Ed/Nonprofit/Govt 11%, Tech 11%, Military 7%	Consulting 23%, Ed/Nonprofit/Govt 13%, Finance 11%	Consulting 22%, Finance 13%, Tech 10%	Consulting 26%, Finance 16%, Tech 11%
Undergrad Major	Business & Economics 37%, Social Sciences & Humanities 22%, Engineering 20%, Computer Science 7%, Other 14%	Business 39%, STEM 38%, Humanities 23%	STEM 44%, Business 34%, Humanities 22%	STEM 40%, Business 38%, Humanities 22%	Business 42%, STEM 32%, Humanities 28%	Business 42%, STEM 35%, Humanities 23%	Business 42%, STEM 30%, Humanities 28%

Source: Michigan Ross

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