Simon Business School at the University of Rochester

MBA Program Stats

Academics And Programs

The Simon community is small by design, with an average class size of roughly 100 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. The curriculum has a reputation for quantitative work with 12 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 Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Career Management Center to develop behavioral 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 MBA concentrations, which benefits students by helping them stand out in the job market. Simon offers 10 concentrations 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 where they work 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.

Rankings Data For Simon Business School

Why Students Chose

“Since it was very important for me to develop my leadership skills during my MBA journey, I wanted to be involved in the Simon Clubs. In my first year I was part of the Simon Vision Consulting and Simon School Venture Club. In my second year, I will be the president of the Outdoor Adventure Club and the vice president of finance for the Simon Sports Club. The extracurricular activities at Simon are very complementary to the classroom. They are a great way to meet your classmates, get great experiences in professional or social clubs, and enrich your skillset.”
– Anna Lisa Gromann ’26S (MBA)

“It was important to me to be in a place where authenticity and ambition coexist. The option to pursue a STEM-designated curriculum told me I’d build the hard skills, but it was the people—students who lead with heart, staff who invest deeply, and a culture rooted in inclusion—that made me feel like this was a space where I could truly thrive. Simon isn’t just about becoming a better business leader—it’s about becoming a bolder, more values-aligned version of yourself. That’s what sold me.”
– Folake Obasanya ’26S (MBA)

Career Stats

Compensation Statistics of Simon MBAs

Where Rochester Simon MBAs Went to Work

From Simon Business School

Simon Business School develops analytical thinkers and adaptive problem-solvers who lead people, ideas, and industries into the future. Our programs are grounded in rigorous, economics-based thinking that brings clarity to complex business challenges and transforms insight into action.

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 concentrations. 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, expanding opportunities for transformational impact early in their careers.

This rigorous foundation supports adaptive approaches to problem-solving, equipping graduates to navigate evolving global markets with confidence.

Simon has a comprehensive AI initiative that reflects our commitment to adaptive approaches. In addition to offering a MS in AI in Business, we have integrated generative AI across all 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 2025 had 88% of job-seeking graduates accepted employment 3 months post graduation, earning an average total compensation of $162,175. Additionally, Simon was ranked #2 for salary growth in the US by Financial Times in 2026.

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 intentionally collaborative. A variety of perspectives are always close by, and students challenge one another to be inquisitive and think differently—turning differences into a competitive advantage.

Simon Distinctions:

• The first US business school to introduce a STEM-designated option for each of its MBA
• The first business school to offer a specialized pricing concentration within the MBA program
• Ranked 2nd for salary growth in the US by Financial Times, 2026
• Ranked 6th for ROI In the US by Bloomberg Businessweek, 2025
• Ranked 34th in the US by U.S. News & World Report, 2026
• Ranked 29th in the US by Financial Times, 2026

These outcomes reflect Simon’s transformational impact—preparing graduates to create measurable value for organizations and industries.

More about Rochester, New York

In its early years, Rochester became a prominent business city and birthplace of iconic companies such as Eastman Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch and Lomb, and more recently Wegmans, Constellation Brands, and Paychex, among others. Rochester also led many aspects of social reform, particularly in abolitionism and women’s suffrage. Both Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass lived in Rochester. Today, Rochester’s vibrant culture is celebrated through music and arts. The Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, the annual Jazz Festival, and Rochester Fringe Festival—as well as museums such as the George Eastman Museum and the Strong Museum of Play—are all central to the culture and experience of living in Rochester.

Rochester is consistently ranked as a highly desirable city in terms of livability due to its low cost of living, excellent schools, and access to many cultural events.

Full-Time MBA

Simon Business School’s full-time MBA program shapes agile, analytically driven leaders prepared to navigate complex business challenges and drive lasting impact in their careers, organizations, and industries.

The 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 our academic experience are twelve required courses, including nine core subject-area courses, a two-course Communicating Business Decisions sequence, and a Structured Problem-Solving course, along with a client project aligned with your future career interests. Together, these experiences build a foundation of rigorous problem-solving and adaptive thinking, equipping you to translate analytical insight into action.

You can sharpen your career goals and take a deep dive in an area of study by choosing a concentration. Arranged into three tracks—Marketing, Consulting, and Finance—Simon’s 10 concentrations allow you to customize your MBA experience by building a skill set tailored to the field you plan to pursue. Available concentrations 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. The Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Career Management Center will ensure you’re prepared for your next step. The dynamic connections forged between students, alumni, and employers support long-term career success. From résumé development to mock interviews and career counseling, the specialists at Benet Center will prepare you to be a top candidate. You’ll gain access to self-assessments, workshops, webinars, and more.

Essay Questions For Simon Business School

Simon applicants are asked to submit two essays between 250–500 words: one focused on their goals, and the other explaining how the applicants will contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and high-impact learning environment at Simon. Prospective MBAs can also submit an optional video essay.