MBA Program Stats

Annual Tuition: $81,015

Annual Tuition Non-Resident: $81,015

Acceptance Rate: 31.4%

Full-Time Enrollment: 503

Average GPA: 3.7

Median GMAT: 729

Median GRE: 325

International: 38%

Minority: 19%

Female: 48%

Male: 52%

Average Age: 27

What You Need To Know

Founded in 1908, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management is a global business school with a mission to educate, equip, and inspire leaders to wisely leverage the power of markets to create lasting value. Kellogg offers a top-notch business education where students in cohorts of 493 on average will grow personally and professionally, in expected and unexpected ways. The B-School is in Evanston, Illinois –a charming suburb of Chicago and a city with beautiful lakefront views of Lake Michigan.

“Kellogg students get the best of both worlds between Evanston and Chicago. Chicago offers a world-class food scene, major sports teams, venues that attract major performers, and two major airports that can take you anywhere in the world. Evanston, on the other hand, offers the small, college town feel that serves as a retreat away from the faster-paced city. I love that Kellogg students are able to take advantage of both by going into the city on weekends for Cub games or to try hot restaurants. At the same time, I get to bump into friends unexpectedly at the grocery store or on the walk home while in Evanston during the week,” says MBA Hays Bynum.

Academics And Programs

The traditional two-year program kicks off with the B-School’s signature experience: KWEST – otherwise known as the Kellogg Worldwide Exploration Student Trips. In essence, 20 incoming students – all strangers – join 5 second-year organizers for a week-long excursion. In some cases, these groups take “mystery trips” – where they don’t know where they’re going or what they’re doing until departure. At the same time, no one can reveal their identities or backgrounds, which forces students to focus on who their classmates are rather than what they do.

Kellogg MBAs choose a major, such as Accounting, Finance, and Marketing, and a “pathway” designed to give MBAs the chance to focus on a particular skill set or industry. Recently added pathways include Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Technology Management, and Energy and Sustainability.

At Kellogg, being a team player is crucial. Over the course of two years, it is estimated that MBAs participate in over 200 team meetings. In the process, they absorb different work styles and problem-solving approaches, preparing them to tap into individual talents and backgrounds to build consensus and craft lasting solutions.

Kellogg has plenty of experiential learning opportunities such as the Private Equity Lab which offers internships with firms, the Growth Strategy Practicum which allows students to explore the challenges that growth-stage companies encounter, and the NUvention program and NUvention Medical program gives students innovation and entrepreneurial experience.

Throughout their educational experience, students can take advantage of Kellogg’s world-renowned Career Management Center with one-on-one coaching, workshops, a job board with more than 5,000 annual listings, as well as extensive alumni connections.

Kellogg values students who are fully engaged and “all in” with their student experience: specifically, people who will be high impact, low ego leaders who always look to elevate everyone in the room.  Along with GRE/GMAT scores, prospective students applying are expected to complete an interview, and video essays designed to get to know the personalities, values, and qualities of students that don’t come across on paper.

There are a number of global opportunities for students to immerse themselves in a culture outside of the U.S. and broaden their network significantly. Kellogg boasts one of the largest exchange programs, with 25 partner schools. Kellogg Worldwide Exploration Student Trips is one of the most popular global opportunities where incoming students, prior to beginning classes, travel abroad under the leadership of second-year students. There are also more than 120 student-led clubs and sends graduates to more than 500 companies worldwide.

Around one fifth of Kellogg’s grad students typically accept tech jobs after graduating, and graduates of the MBA have a good shot at working with the three largest employers of the program – Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey & Company, and Bain & Company.

Rankings Data For Kellogg SOM

Kellogg MBA Ranking

Rankings	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
Poets&Quants	4	4	5	5	5
US News	3	4	3	6	6
Forbes	3	3	4	3	4
Business Week	4	5	10	10	8
Financial Times	4	3	7	9	8
The Economist	3	NR	2	3	2

MBA Program Consideration Set

If you believe you’re a close match to this school–based on your scores, age and work experience, you could look at these other competitive full-time MBA programs as well. We list them by stretch, match, and more to consider. These options are presented on the basis of brand image and ranking status as a general guideline. These are meant to be a starting point for further exploration.

Stretch Schools

Match Schools

More Schools to Consider

Partners who enable Poets&Quants to provide, free to our readers, information, inspiration, and greater access to graduate education opportunities.

Northwestern Kellogg vs. Chicago Booth: The Ultimate Smackdown

Kellogg vs. Booth: The Ultimate Smackdown

How the two Chicago-area giants of business education compare

Chicago’s Booth vs. Northwestern’s Kellogg School

Considering Booth or Kellogg? It would be easy to see this as a classic battle between a quant school and a poet school. Not quite. Here's our candid assessment of these prestige business schools in Metro Chicago and how one stacks up against the other.

Rankings, Rates, ROI & More: The M7 By The Numbers

All the 2021 school employment report & class profile data — and much more — for the Magnificent Seven B-schools

This Is What It Costs To Get An MBA From A Top Business School

All the data on tuition, expenses & total cost when you study for an MBA from a leading business school in the United States or Europe

GMAT Versus GRE: Which Top-50 MBA Programs Prefer Which Test?

Where a GMAT or GRE score is a must for admission — and where you don't have to worry about sitting for an entrance exam

Average GMAT Scores At The Top U.S. MBA Programs

All the score averages for the Class of 2024 at 27 of the leading business schools

Acceptance Rates & Yield At The Top 50 U.S. MBA Programs

Acceptance rates rose at elite U.S. B-schools in 2022, but across all 50 P&Q-ranked schools the average rate was similar to 2021 — and some schools got much more selective

2023-2024 MBA Admissions Events By School

A school-by-school listing of MBA events for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle

Why Students Chose

“The caliber of Kellogg’s professors and the breadth of classes on leadership development ultimately sold me on Kellogg. When I came to Day at Kellogg (Kellogg’s Admitted Students’ Weekend), many of the top professors, including Suzanne Muchin and Harry Kraemer, led Master Classes that blew me away. I called my parents from the Chicago airport on the way home and was telling them that I wanted to buy the books those professors had written, when they asked ‘Why wouldn’t you just go to Kellogg and sit in their classes instead?’ In that moment it really clicked that Kellogg was where I needed to be.” Hays Bynum (‘24)

“Kellogg is a leader in pioneering MBA programs that are hyper-relevant to prospective students. With long-term aspirations to be an enterprise finance leader, I was looking for a program that would accelerate my career trajectory. A principal reason why I decided to attend Kellogg was the one-year program, also known as 1Y, which has a prerequisite of required courses. It provided the desired fast pace with the rigor of a top business school without sacrificing traditional two-year MBA benefits such as internships through the experiential learning courses. The immediate access to electives through the 1Y program allows me to build on my professional background in business and customize my experience to develop new skills to propel my career forward in a way that no other programs could.” April Chung (‘24)

“For me, it was Kellogg’s culture and values: leaders who are passionate about helping others and deliver high impact with low ego. Every person I met during the application process— alumni, faculty, or students — embodied this value and the collaborative culture. It was important to me because I wanted to learn from the best and be surrounded by people I admire, ultimately becoming the leader I aspire to be. Also, I wanted to be in a school where people truly connect, and Kellogg’s community, with its values and culture, sets it apart.” Maria Elisa Simas Donato (‘24)

“Kellogg’s team-driven environment. For me, a culture driven by collaboration was the best way for me to develop the leadership skills I needed to attain my long-term goals. A Kellogg education is not just focused on helping you be successful right after your MBA but setting you up for success for the rest of your career. The faculty we have around leadership, management, and organizations are inspiring and help us become better leaders for the changing and diverse workforce of the future.” Alfredo Zanatti Lizier (‘24)

“For me, a huge differentiator for Kellogg was the focus on experiential learning. I have an undergrad business degree, so in my MBA program I was really looking for lots of opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. Kellogg has an unparalleled variety of opportunities to be paired with companies and nonprofits to tackle real business problems through courses such as the Growth Strategy Practicum and the PE and VC Labs – just to name a few. I think by gaining more hands-on experience now, I’ll greatly accelerate my learning curve for my post-MBA role.” Max Schwein (‘24)

Student Features For Kellogg SOM

Meet Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA Class Of 2024

Another class of impressive team players

Meet Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA Class Of 2023

Team-driven class enjoys the best of both worlds in Evanston

Meet Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA Class Of 2022

A team-driven class that isn't afraid to say 'yes'

The M7 B-Schools: Everything You Need To Know

All the data on the U.S. B-schools that consistently lead the rankings & spark the imagination of applicants everywhere

High & Low MBA Salaries And Bonuses At The Top 100 B-Schools

All the most important numbers from the top business schools in the United States

MBA Pay By Region: Here’s How Much You’re Worth

A school-by-school look at how much MBAs can expect to earn by region

MBA Pay By Occupation & Industry: Here’s How Much You’re Worth

A school-by-school pay comparison for MBAs in Consulting, Finance, Technology, and more

Which M7 School Parties The Hardest? This Survey Found Out

In new report, 84% say grades are secondary to the social side of school

10 Movies Every Business Student Must Watch

From Wall Street to Norma Rae, a movie marathon for admits to business school, current MBAs and anyone interested in life's great truths

Career Stats

Compensation Of Kellogg’s Graduate MBAs

Salary Statistics	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
Median Base Salary	$ 165,000	$ 150,000	$ 144,000	$ 140,000	$ 130,000
Median Signing Bonus	$ 30,000	$ 30,000	$ 30,000	$ 29,000	$ 25,000

Industry Choices of Kellogg MBAs

Industry	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
Consulting	40%	33%	36%	30%	33%
Consumer Packaged Goods	10%	8%	7%	7%	12%
Energy				1%	1%
Financial Services	16%	14%	15%	14%	13%
Health Care Products and Services	4%	7%	5%	7%	6%
Manufacturing				4%	4%
Media/Entertainment				1%
Nonprofit				1%
Other	9%	8%	9%	1%	1%
Real Estate				3%	2%
Retail				3%	3%
Technology	21%	30%	28%	28%	25%
Transportation & Logistics Services				1%

Kellogg Career Statistics

Career Statistics	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
% of MBAs with Job Offer 3 months post Graduation	99%	97%	94%	97.5%	95%

Top Hirers of Kellogg MBA Graduates

Employer	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
McKinsey & Co.	68	56	36	28	33
Bain & Co.	51	21	28	21	24
Boston Consulting Group	64	33	44	52	33
Deloitte Consulting LLP	4	8	9	15	12
PwC Strategy&	10	11	9	8
Amazon	48	28	33	12	21
Microsoft Corp.	4	8	8		9
Apple Inc.	4		9	10
Accenture Strategy	6		8
Adobe Systems	8			9	8
Google	13	20	8	13	9
J.P. Morgan	6			9

Admissions For Kellogg SOM

Essay Questions For Kellogg SOM

Written Essays

The following two essays are required of all applicants:

Question 1 (450 words)

Kellogg Leaders are primed to tackle today’s pressing concerns everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Tell us about a time in your life where you’ve needed a combination of skills to solve a problem or overcome a challenge. Which skills did you use? What did you accomplish?

Question 2 (450 words)

At Kellogg, our values are based on research that concludes organizations comprised of leaders with varied backgrounds and perspectives outperform homogeneous ones. How do you believe your personal and professional experiences to date will help to enrich the Kellogg community?

Certain applicants will respond to an additional question about their interest in our specialty programs.

Reapplicants will receive a prompt about their growth since their last application: How have you grown or changed personally and professionally since you previously applied and what steps have you taken to become the strongest candidate you can be? (250 words)

Video Essays

We’ve read your essays, we’ve read your resume — now we want you to bring all that to life in a video. Show us the person behind all those carefully crafted words. The video will be comprised of three questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you here today.

We find these videos to be a great opportunity for you to tell us more about your story, experiences and why Kellogg is the right place for you.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you prepare to complete this section:

Video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline.
A video essay link will appear on your application status page after you submit your application and payment.
You will need an internet-connected computer with a webcam and microphone
The video should take about 20-25 minutes to complete, which includes time for setup.

After submitting your application and payment, you will be able to access the video essay through your application status page.

Here are some additional tips:

There are practice questions that you may complete as many times as you like to get comfortable with the format and technology. The practice questions and experience will simulate the actual video essay experience, so this is meant to be a useful tool to help you feel prepared.
We encourage you to practice so you are comfortable with the format once it is time to complete the official questions. You will not have an opportunity to re-do the answer to the official video essay questions.
You will have 20 seconds to think about the question and up to one minute to give your response.

School Features And Admissions Analysis

Kellogg MBA Class Of 2025: Near-Records For GMAT & International, Women’s Enrollment

Kellogg stays at near-parity with 48% women & reports a near-record GMAT average of 731

Kellogg MBA Class Of 2024 Profile: GPA, GMAT & Internationals All Up

Kellogg is the third M7 school to announce a new class: What's missing from the data, and what it means

Kellogg Reveals MBAs’ Median Salary Saw Another Big Jump In 2023

Median salary for two-year MBA graduates of Northwestern's B-school grew to $175K in 2023, up $10,000 from last year

In Kellogg’s MBA Class Of 2023, A Return To Normal — And Big Strides Forward

49% of new full-time class is women, a school record

Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management

Kellogg 2022 MBA Jobs Report: Median Salary Jumps 10% To $165K

99% of 2022 Kellogg MBAs had job offers 3 months after graduation & 97% accepted

Massive 54% Jump In MBA Apps At Northwestern Kellogg

After waiving GMAT & GRE and revisiting rejected apps, school sets app & class size records

Historic: Why 2021 Was The Best Year Ever For Women’s MBA Enrollment

Forté Foundation reports women’s MBA enrollment leaped to an all-time high of 41%

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Personal MBA Coach Busts Top MBA Application Myths

Work Authorization Considerations For The International MBA Applicant

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Matt Symonds, Co-Founder and Director at Fortuna Admissions

When To Start Your MBA Application

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what it costs to hire an MBA admissions consultant

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The Most Favorably Reviewed MBA Admission Consulting Firms

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How To Choose An MBA Admissions Coach

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MBA Watch For Kellogg SOM

MBA Watch is where thousands of MBA applicants not only get to tell their story but have John A. Byrne, MBA admissions coaches and our audience, assess their odds of admission and get help to improve their chances of getting in!

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