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Contact Georgina Hannah with any questions. Profile updated: July 14, 2023.

Simon Business School at the University of Rochester

MBA Program Stats

Annual Tuition: $52,500

Annual Tuition Non-Resident: $52,500

Acceptance Rate: 17%

Full-Time Enrollment: 112

Average GPA: 3.37

Median GMAT: 680

Median GRE: 316

International: 46%

Minority: 35%

Female: 43%

Male: 57%

Average Age: 28

What You Need To Know

The Simon MBA: What You Need To Know

Ranked the most diverse full-time program among top business schools by U.S News & World Report, Simon Business School is dedicated to EDI (equity, diversity, and inclusion). The B-School is in Rochester, New York, on the University of Rochester’s River Campus with top companies like Accenture, American Express, Citigroup, Deloitte, and IBM nearby.

“Our dedication to equity and inclusion empowers our graduates to positively impact the companies where they work and the communities where they live,” says Rebekah Lewin, senior Assistant Dean of Admissions and Programs.

Academics And Programs

The Simon community is small by design, with an average class size of between 100–110 students. A smaller cohort allows for an array of perspectives and opinions, where students challenge each other in new ways that will prepare them for the challenges they will face entering the workforce. Simon offers the option to apply without a GMAT or GRE score.

Simon’s two-year MBA offers an economics-based approach to decision-making. 

“Our degree programs inspire a new level of clarity about how analytical frameworks drive success in business; about what it takes to collaborate and manage in the contemporary global workplace, and about professional growth and goals,” says Lewin.

The curriculum has a reputation for quantitative work with nine required courses, a Communicating Business Decisions sequence, and a client project aligned with future career interests. While there is a focus on quantitative thinking, students will also work closely with the Benet Center to develop soft skills that help them become competent and capable leaders.

Simon secures the title as the first business school in the U.S. to offer a STEM-designated option for each of its full-time specializations, which benefits students by helping them stand out in the job market. Simon offers 10 specializations under three tracks: Asset Management, Banking, Corporate Finance, Venture Capital & Private Equity under the Finance Track, Brand Management and Product Management under the Marketing Track, and Operations, Pricing, Strategy, and Technology under the Consulting Track.

With success in mind, Simon requires full-time students to complete a summer internship where they can practically exercise the skills they’ve learned in an actual business setting.

Students often participate in learning opportunities such as international immersions, working abroad with real businesses and stakeholders, case competitions where they craft and present solutions to real-world problems, and service/industry-focused clubs to enhance professional development and create a positive impact within the community.

Why Students Chose

“Simon is dedicated to building a strong, inclusive, and friendly environment for students. Most importantly, what sets it apart from other schools is its special attention and support to international students. Since the time I was accepted into the program, I did not have any trouble with the onboarding process. I always had someone to help me and direct me. Simon even has a separate orientation week for international students, which shows its strong commitment to creating an inclusive environment. In only two days of international orientation, I communicated with about 50 international students from 28 countries, and in one week’s time, I learned so much about them (like their pets’ names). Isn’t that amazing?!” Jasurbek Tursunov (‘24)

“Analysis, interpretation, and adaptation of data is becoming more important as the world gets more connected and digitalized – it is creating and changing industries (i.e., the emergence of data centers around the world or targeted advertisements that we could not have imagined years ago). I’m also drawn to Simon’s STEM-designated option. Simon’s focus on quantitative analysis will help improve my data analysis, interpretation, and decision-making skills.” Jeong Kim (‘24)

“I am eager to participate in experiential learning opportunities at Simon, where students learn by doing. I love being able to problem solve on the go and work with a team to come up with creative solutions. I am looking forward to participating in international immersions, case competitions, and the project elective class. I am particularly excited for the project elective class because it’s like a mini-internship—you’re given the opportunity to do a real-life project in the career field you’re interested in prior to diving into the summer internship to gain valuable first-hand work experience.” Chagan Sanathu (’24)

“The STEM designation was a major attraction. In particular, Simon being the first MBA program to earn the STEM designation for any MBA specialization showed that ‘unabashedly analytical’ isn’t just a clever quip. The most important takeaway was that Simon delivered on their promise, and they continue to do so in every aspect.” Connor Hutchison (’24)

“I chose Simon for the people. I wanted a diverse experience, and we are the #1 most diverse MBA program in the US. The cohort size is small for the full-time program (100-120 per year) and the staff and faculty are very present on campus and in students’ lives. Though I wasn’t initially planning to attend business school in a small city like Rochester, living here has defined my experience because the lack of big city distractions has made the community that much closer-knit.” Kelly O’Brien (’22)

Career Stats

Compensation Statistics of Simon MBAs

Compensation   Statistics 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Mean Base Salary $ 130,700 $ 123,000 $ 116,000 $ 117,000 $ 104,000
Mean Signing Bonus $ 34,900 $ 36,000 $ 33,000 $ 27,000 $ 25,000

 

Simon MBA Graduate Employment Offers

Employment Offers 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Accepted offer by 3 months   post-graduation 95% 93% 91% 91% 93%

 

Industry/Function Choices of Simon MBAs

Consulting 19% 17% 9% 28% 9%
Consumer Packaged Goods 6% 11% 12% 7%
Energy 1% 1%
Financial Services 22% 21% 31% 27%
Finance/Accounting 34%
General Management 6%
Government 1%
Healthcare 14% 6% 8% 7%
Manufacturing 6% 9%
Marketing/Sales 29%
Media/Entertainment 1% 0%
Operations/Logistics 12%
Other 8% 2% 11% 2%
Retail 4% 2% 4% 0% 0%
Technology 25% 34% 22% 20% 7%
Transport/Logistics 3% 1%

Where Rochester Simon MBAs Went to Work

2022 2019 2018 2017
Amazon Amazon Amazon 3M
Amgen Bank of America Barclays Amazon
AstraZeneca Citigroup Citigroup Bank of America
Colgate-Palmolive Deloitte Deloitte Citigroup
CoStar Group Facebook Fedex Cognizant
Dell FedEx Ford Motor Company Deloitte
EY Deloitte Gartner Intel EY
EY–Parthenon Google Merck & Co Ford Motor Company
FedEx Corporation McKinsey & Company Microsoft GSK Group
JPMorgan Chase & Co. Morgan Stanley PwC Nielson
Merck & Co., Inc. PwC The Hershey Company Verizon
Microsoft Corporation Tesla Zappos
PepsiCo
Procter & Gamble
Simon-Kucher & Partners
State Street Corporation
Syneos Health
Thermo Fischer Scientific
Truist Securities
United Airlines Holdings, Inc.
Walmart

Admissions For Simon Business School

From Simon Business School

Ranked by US News & World Report as the #1 Most Diverse Full-Time MBA Program (U.S. News & World Report, 2021), Simon offers a rigorously quantitative, economics-based approach to decision-making. Our degree programs inspire a new level of clarity: about how analytical frameworks drive success in business; about what it takes to collaborate and manage in the contemporary, global workplace; and about professional growth and goals.

A top-ranked b-school, Simon was the first business school in the US to introduce a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)-designated option for each of its Full-Time MBA specializations. In addition to helping graduates stand out in the job market, STEM-designated MBA and MS degrees also give international students the ability to extend their Optional Practical Training (OPT) for an additional 24 months, for a total of three years of US work eligibility without H1B sponsorship.

In the summer of 2023, Simon launched a comprehensive AI initiative, integrating generative AI across programs through training, curriculum, and workshops. Today, Simon continues to shape the future of business education with cutting-edge skills in generative AI, empowering our students to become leaders poised for success in today’s dynamic business world.  

Recruiters are consistently impressed with Simon students’ command of a variety of analytical tools and their ability to bring a strategic mindset to work. The Full-Time MBA Class of 2022 had 95 percent of students accept job offers within three months post-graduation. According to U.S. News & World Report calculations, the average overall compensation package (salary plus bonus) was $162,000 (rounded), up more than $7,000 from the previous year. Simon students were hired by leading employers including Accenture, Amazon, American Express, AstraZeneca, Citigroup, Cognizant, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Deloitte, Discover Financial Services, Eli Lilly and Company, EY-Parthenon, Gartner, Groupon, Inc., HP Inc., IBM, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Merck & Co., Microsoft, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, State Street Corporation, UBS, Walmart, Wayfair, and Wells Fargo.

One of the most cohesive, career-focused student experiences of any MBA program, Simon closely links coursework, co-curricular activities, and career search to ensure students are market-ready for their internship and full-time jobs.

The Simon student community is small by design and intentional in its inclusiveness. An extraordinary array of perspectives is always close by. Students push one another to listen in new ways and turn differences into a competitive edge; you’ll enter the workforce ready to lead the kind of cross-functional, multicultural teams that define today’s successful organizations.

Simon Distinctions:

  • The first business school to introduce a STEM-designated option for each of its MBA and MS specializations
  • The first business school to offer a specialized pricing track within the MBA program
  • 26th top MBA in the US (Financial Times, 2023)
  • Ranked 1st for ROI, based on percentage increase on pre-MBA salary (The Economist, 2022)
  • 14th among the nation’s top 25 graduate schools for entrepreneurial studies (The Princeton Review, 2021)


Academic Experience

Full-Time MBA

Simon is known for our strong reputation for quantitative work. Our Full-Time MBA program shows students how to use data to formulate better insights and get buy-in for their ideas, and our emphasis on analytical thinking and economics gives a new perspective on the role of data.

Simon’s Full-Time MBA curriculum allows students to take more electives in the first year and take them earlier in their program of study; travel through curricular experience with a cohort of students with similar career interests; and enrich studies by choosing breadth electives designed to bolster the professional skills employers desire. At the heart of Simon’s curriculum is the core: nine required courses, a Communicating Business Decisions sequence, and a client project aligned with your future career interests, which together act as the foundation for the rest of your education.

You can sharpen your career goals and take a deep dive in an area of study by choosing a specialization. Arranged into three tracks—Marketing, Consulting, and Finance—Simon’s 10 specializations allow you to customize your MBA experience by building a skill set tailored to the field you plan to pursue. Available specializations include:

  • Asset Management
  • Banking
  • Brand Management
  • Corporate Finance
  • Operations
  • Pricing
  • Product Management
  • Strategy
  • Technology
  • Venture Capital & Private Equity

You can broaden your studies by choosing one or more minors, designed to provide a deeper understanding of 10 key areas: Accounting, Analytics, Consulting—Operations and Technology, Consulting—Strategy and Pricing, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Global Business, Health Sciences Management, Leadership, and Marketing.

To ensure every Simon MBA enters the workforce positioned to make an immediate impact, students must take at least two breadth electives, courses focused on professional skills such as leadership, business ethics, negotiation, and organizational behavior. You can further hone your communication, teamwork, and leadership skills via the Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Career Management Center (Benet CMC), a dynamic organization committed to the success of our students. From résumé development to mock interviews and career counseling, the specialists at Benet CMC will prepare you to be a top candidate. You’ll gain access to self-assessments, workshops, webinars, and more.

Part-Time MBA Program Options

Professional MBA 

Simon’s Professional MBA (PMBA) is designed for professionals seeking a part-time, evening program, allowing for the flexibility to work while completing the degree. The program, which can be completed in as few as 2.5 years, includes nine core courses in a class cohort system, with a choice of 11 required electives to complete your desired specialization or minor(s). PMBA students can also choose from numerous areas of concentration to specialize their education. There are two matriculated entrance dates, January or August, and there is an opportunity for students to begin the program with non-matriculated courses each term.

Executive MBA Program  

The Executive MBA (EMBA) program offers candidates the same curriculum, resources, and faculty as the full-time program without career interruption. Classes meet each Wednesday and two Saturdays per month, and the program’s high-flex format allows students to complete the program online or with a combination of online and in-class learning—making going back to school more manageable. The program is completed in 21 months of coursework.

The Simon EMBA program also gives students hands-on, global experience. Simon Business School was the first accredited US business school to establish a European Executive MBA program. Simon’s EMBA in Bern, Switzerland is offered in collaboration with the Institut für Finanzmanagement at the Universität Bern. This partnership adds a global perspective to both the Rochester and European programs, as Rochester-based EMBA students take courses with Bern students during their four-week residency in Rochester.

In addition to Switzerland, Simon also offers international immersion elective course opportunities in India, Israel, Singapore, South Africa, and South Korea. 


Other Programs

MS Programs

Simon’s full-time Master of Science programs include MS in Accountancy, MS in Finance (ranked no. 2 in the US by Financial Times), MS in Marketing Analytics, and MS Business Analytics. Each of these MS programs is STEM-designated, and each offers the opportunity to extend the length of the program to include a summer internship.

Online MS in Business Analytics & Applied AI 

The Online MS in Business Analytics & Applied AI from Simon Business School is a STEM-designated degree from a top-25 business school that will distinguish you from other candidates in the job market. It will also equip you with a solid core of analytical frameworks and the technical, analytical, and applied AI skills needed to fast-track your career. Simon’s Online MSBA&AI will help you advance to the next level—without putting your current career on pause.

Part-Time MS in Medical Management 

Simon also offers a part-time MS in Medical Management designed for patient care providers and non-clinical staff to enhance their business acumen while working full-time—allowing them to put their classroom learning to work on the job the next day.

Combined Degree Programs   

Simon offers an MD/MBA in conjunction with the University of Rochester’s School of Medicine and dentistry, as well as an MB/MBA in conjunction with the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music.

Essay Questions For Simon Business School

Simon applicants are asked to submit two essays: one focused on goals, and the other explaining the applicant’s commitment to EDI between 250-500 words. Prospective MBAs can also submit an optional video essay.

Student Features For Simon Business School

Meet Rochester Simon’s MBA Class Of 2022

A look at some of the most promising first-year Simon MBAs

Meet Rochester Simon’s MBA Class Of 2021

Another "Simon Strong" class makes a strong impression

2023 MBA To Watch: Sophia Leung, University of Rochester (Simon)

“Impact-driven product manager, passionate about the intersection of innovation, equity, and sustainability”

2023 MBA To Watch: Alec T. Dietsch, University of Rochester (Simon)

“Loyal and driven teammate who overcomes challenges with thoughtfulness and integrity”

2022 MBA To Watch: Kelly O’Brien, University of Rochester (Simon)

“Extroverted strategist who is passionate about cities, technology, and social equity”

2021 MBAs To Watch: Keenan Heyward, University of Rochester (Simon)

“My goal in life is to create and empower others to create”

2021 MBAs To Watch: Andrea Bell, University of Rochester (Simon)

“Black, woman, Social Worker, travel enthusiast, Zumba lover, foodie, strategic thinker, and future business leader”

2023 Best & Brightest MBA: Dempsey J. Simonis, Wharton School

“Responsive, results-oriented, and open minded with a great sense of humor”

2023 Best & Brightest MBA: Tomilola Olotu, University of Rochester (Simon)

“An ambivert passionate about community building, leadership and giving the world’s best hugs”

2022 Best & Brightest MBA: Andrew Black, University of Rochester (Simon)

“Creative, analytical, and empathetic leader who believes teamwork is the catalyst for success”

2022 Best & Brightest MBA: Anika Wright, University of Rochester (Simon)

“Intelligent, driven, and ambitious leader with a service-led spirit”

2020 MBAs To Watch: Tady Chen, University of Rochester (Simon)

'A true global citizen, a passionate employee, and a supportive leader that helps to elevate those around him'

2020 MBAs To Watch: Jazmine Carter, University of Rochester (Simon)

'The Simon Business School is a better place having Jazmine as part of our student community'

School Features

Rochester Simon Becomes First B-School With STEM-Certified MBA

Gains STEM designation for its MBA program

Rankings Data For Simon Business School

Ranking 2023-2024 2022-2023 2021-2022 2020-2021 2019-2020
Poets&Quants 26 30 37 37 33

News Coverage For Simon Business School

Harvard & Wharton Slump In New 2023 Businessweek MBA Ranking

Stanford's MBA program claims first for the fifth consecutive year

MBA Scholarships At The Leading Business Schools

At most top business schools, dozens — and sometimes hundreds — of need- and merit-based awards are available

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

Rochester Simon Business School

Rochester Simon Dean Sevin Yeltekin On The MBA’s Value & More

In an interview, Sevin Yeltekin reflects on the future of Rochester Simon Business School

Why This Rochester Simon Student Left A Promising Law Career For An MBA

Husnah Khan pivoted away from the law, but not her desire to help those in need

Meet the MBA Class of 2024: Olga Ivanishchuk, University of Rochester (Simon)

“Resilient change-maker, fueled by a passion for adventure, storytelling, and serving others”

Meet the MBA Class of 2024: Terrell Smith, University of Rochester (Simon)

“Passionate catalyst for equitable change and justice, forever pursing historical and current knowledge and understanding”

2022 MBA To Watch: Kelly O’Brien, University of Rochester (Simon)

“Extroverted strategist who is passionate about cities, technology, and social equity”

Meet the MBA Class of 2024: Hannah Mathieu, University of Rochester (Simon)

“DEI champion, people-driven, technology and innovation enthusiast with a love for games”

2022 Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors: Simon Porcher, IAE Paris Sorbonne Business School

Simon Porcher of IAE Paris Sorbonne Business School who teaches data analytics for marketing and invests time with students on building meaningful experiments

Rochester Launches An Online Master’s In Business Analytics

Simon chooses business analytics for its entry Into the online degree space

Master’s in Accounting: Grace Cheng, University of Rochester (Simon)

Following her master's in accounting at University of Rochester Simon Business School, Cheng became a financial services office assurance staff at Ernst & Young. 

Master’s in Business Analytics: Guilherme (Gui) Plentz de Liz, University of Rochester (Simon)

Working as a technology consultant for Fortune 500 clients and moving to a new country are just a couple of Guilherme (Gui) Plentz de Liz's accomplishments following graduation from University of Rochester Simon Business School.

Meet Rochester Simon’s MBA Class Of 2021

Another "Simon Strong" class makes a strong impression