Poets&Quants Top Business Schools

#5

Contact our general manager with any questions. Profile updated: July 12, 2023.

Yale School of Management

MBA Program Stats

Annual Tuition: $74,500

Annual Tuition Non-Resident: $74,500

Acceptance Rate: 28%

Full-Time Enrollment: 738

Average GPA: 3.65

Median GMAT: 725

Median GRE: 164 V, 166 Q

International: 44%

Minority: 24%

Female: 43%

Male: 57%

Average Age: 27

What You Need To Know

Yale’s motto is “Educating leaders for business and society,” and its ever-growing focus on changing the world for the better through ethical and sustainable business practices is evident. A fundamental belief at Yale is the need to leverage connections across boundaries of function, industry, and region, which is quite feasible considering Yale SOM’s internationalism. 

Yale’s campus in New Haven, Connecticut is a picturesque blend of historic architecture and lush greenery, with iconic buildings like the Sterling Memorial Library and Harkness Tower. 

“Two relatively recent developments at the school are the launch of a one-year master’s degree in Asset Management and Yale SOM becoming the new home for the Broad Center. Both of these developments stem from our multi-sector mission to educate leaders for business and society and are greatly expanding the opportunities available to incoming MBA students. The MMS in Asset Management leverages Yale SOM’s top-tier finance faculty and engages the Yale Investments Office to provide an unparalleled education to students who wish to go into the field of asset management—including pensions, hedge funds, and endowments. The late, legendary Yale CIO was an integral part of planning and designing the MMS in Asset Management, and his legacy and values will continue to guide and shape the program,” says Assistant Dean Bruce DelMonico.

Academics And Programs

This year, the B-School has an enrollment of 738 MBA students. Yale has moved well beyond the conventional case-based style of teaching, employing a whole team of people both in their 21-month MBA and in the wider Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM) network of over 30 international schools to put together its unique “raw” cases. Rather than tidy, paper-based cases, students are presented with a mass of information in several media channels like videos, news reports, interviews, and data. There is by design too much for any individual to absorb, meaning that students are forced to work in teams to create a coherent analysis all completed in 72 credit units or 624 instruction hours. The point, of course, is to mimic the way information presents itself, and the way people make decisions, in the real world.

When it comes to electives, Yale SOM students have the amazing opportunity — rare, even in business schools that are embedded in world-class universities — to take as many as they like from other university schools and departments. MBA candidates have taken perspective-broadening courses such as Native American Art & Architecture and Faith & Globalization. DelMonico says roughly 15% of SOM students are pursuing a joint degree with another Yale school.

Of course, leadership is also central to this MBA. At Yale SOM, they look at developing leadership in four dimensions: individual, which involves developing skills and knowledge, but also understanding your own strengths and limitations and ways to persuade and influence others; working in, and leading, teams; seeing an organization, rather than broken down by geography or function; and being aware of global challenges such as inequality and climate change.

Yale founded the Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM), a network of 31 leading business schools from diverse regions and countries, and MBA candidates are encouraged to develop global perspectives by traveling to these partner schools for courses. Students have visited IE Business School in Madrid for a course on the euro crisis, and Renmin University Business School in China to learn about entrepreneurship in emerging markets. If they like, they can take courses in languages or international relations.

Students are required to complete a summer internship between their first and second year. As for co-curricular activities, the SOM hosts student-led conferences and case competitions at the school annually. The SOM also houses multiple research and learning centers where students can get involved, such as the Center for Customer Insights, the Program on Social Enterprise, the International Center for Finance, the Center for Business and the Environment, the Program on Entrepreneurship, and many more.

Why Students Chose

“Yale is so much more than the sum of its parts. The interdisciplinary collaboration occurring at Yale SOM with other graduate schools is what makes this program so special. I was attracted to SOM because its program is consistently breaking down barriers to allow students to fully explore their scholarly interests so that we are best equipped to solve the world’s most pressing challenges.” Hana Ezaldein (‘24)

“A key draw of Yale SOM’s MBA curriculum was the flexibility to take elective courses across Yale’s various academic programs. This is especially true for someone like me, who is interested in exploring the intersection of sustainability and well-being. The ability to attend classes at Yale School of Environment, Yale School of Public Health, and Yale Center on Climate Change and Health will broaden my understanding of the health impacts of sustainability. Classes at these schools in addition to my MBA education will also allow me to naturally expand my network across Yale’s other graduate schools and hear the thoughts of my peers at the respective schools on how the private sector can support and advance public health and climate justice efforts.” Eunjee Koh (‘24)

“I was attracted to the integrated curriculum that pushes you to look at a problem or decision point from multiple perspectives and underscores the importance of breaking down silos. In all my conversations with students, faculty, and alumni, it was clear to me that through this approach, and throughout the program as a whole, Yale SOM trains empathic leaders ready to tackle real world problems.” Joe Califiore (‘24).

“A major factor that led me to choose Yale SOM was the Organizational Perspectives Courses within the core courses. The courses are organized around the different stakeholders and perspectives within a business, for example, ‘Investor’ and ‘Customer.’ I believe organizing the classes in this way helps students to understand the real-world applications of knowledge and skills gained in prior topic-specific courses like statistics and economics.” Katya Wendt (‘24)

“I chose SOM because it allowed me to pursue a joint-degree public policy masters with Yale’s Jackson School of Global Affairs. I made pursuing a dual degree program my bullseye shortly after I first began thinking seriously about grad school. Yale became my target because of both SOM’s and Jackson’s missions, open curricula, and potential financial aid. But even if I hadn’t gotten into any policy dual degree programs, I likely would have still picked SOM for the opportunity to easily bolster my management education with classes from other professional schools.” Alvaro Morales (‘24)

Career Stats

Compensation of Yale MBAs

Reported income of MBA graduates over 5 years

Compensation Statistics 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Median Base Salary $ 160,110 $ 140,000 $ 140,000 $ 130,000 $ 127,000
Median Signing Bonus $ 30,000 $ 30,000 $ 30,000 $ 30,000 $ 30,000

Industry Choices of Yale MBAs

Recent graduates employed by industry sector over recent years

Industry 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Consulting 46% 34% 37% 37% 35%
Consumer Packaged Goods 5% 6% 3% 3% 4%
Energy 2% 3% 2% 2% 2%
Finance 22% 25% 23% 24% 23%
Government 1% 2% 1% 2%
Healthcare/Pharma 4% 3% 4% 5% 4%
Law 1% 2% 2%
Manufacturing 1% 0% 2% 2% 2%
Media/Entertainment 1% 4% 1% 2% 2%
Nonprofit 2% 1% 3% 3% 1%
Other 2% 2% 1%
Real Estate 2% 1% 2% 1%
Retail 7% 10% 9% 5% 6%
Technology 8% 10% 13% 13% 15%
Transportation 1% 1% 1%

Yale Employment Statistics

Employment   Statistics 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
% of MBAs with offer 3 months   post-graduation 96.1% 95.7% 90.2% 92.4% 91.9%
% of MBAs accepting offer 3 months   post-graduation 93.3% 94.1% 85.9% 91.4% 89.8%

Admissions For Yale

From The Yale School of Management

At the Yale School of Management, our mission is to educate leaders for business and society.

We view those two components—business and society—as inseparable; the health of one depends on the vitality of the other. The most effective leaders in any arena comprehend the interconnectedness of their organizations with their communities. The scope of the challenges we face today—including the climate crisis, the global pandemic response, and the imperative to root out injustice and racism in all our institutions—calls for leaders who can advance organizational goals while also facilitating progress on major societal challenges.

Curriculum

Yale’s integrated MBA curriculum is unique in how it ties together the pieces of a business school education into a meaningful whole. Built around a series of stakeholder perspectives, courses traverse traditional business functions to explore the distinct points of view of multiple stakeholders across private and public realms. Examples of core courses include: Customer, Competitor, Innovator, Workforce, Investor, and State & Society.

The core curriculum is carefully planned to cover all the business fundamentals, while expanding your understanding of the whole organization, eventually building to complex decisions at an organizational level.

Learn more about the Yale MBA core curriculum.

Inside a core course: Modeling Managerial Decisions

Student Experience

At Yale SOM, students advance their aspirations by being part of a community of people who help each other reach their goals. We assemble students who bring a strong set of values to our community, and the Yale SOM experience is designed to help each of them hone and strengthen their sense of individual purpose. Being part of a community with this orientation serves as training for cultivating healthy communities in organizations of all sorts and scales.

View student profiles

Read the MBA blog

Visit Edward P. Evans Hall

Careers

At Yale SOM, there are a variety of resources to help students define and pursue their professional goals. The Career Development Office provides a professional development curriculum that includes self-assessments, explorations of possible career paths, and workshops on career search strategies, résumé and cover letter writing, networking, interviewing, and negotiation. Student clubs offer training to help prepare first-year students for internship interviews in particular industries, and classmates are eager to help with support and networking. Students also benefit from the support of the close-knit SOM alumni network.

View employment data for the Classes of 2022 and 2023

Admissions

View demographic and career data about the Class of 2024.

Find an Admissions Event

Visit the Yale SOM website to learn about the school’s MBA for ExecutivesMaster of Advanced ManagementMaster’s in Systemic Risk, Master’s in Global Business & SocietyMaster’s in Asset Management, and doctoral programs.

Additional Links

MBA Admissions Events

Campus Visits

Stay in Touch

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Essay Questions For Yale

Yale has just one essay question: Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made.

The B-School wants to hear about something that is genuinely meaningful and distinctive to prospective students in their own voice. The commitment can be personal, specific or expansive and can cover a wide range of topics.

Yale says regardless of the commitment that is chosen, the most effective essays do a great job of describing how a student approached their commitment. They want to hear about the specific actions that a prospective student has taken over time to bolster their commitment. This is especially important if a broad topic is chosen like an ideal or a belief.

Student Features For Yale

Meet Yale SOM’s MBA Class Of 2024

A class committed to improving business and society

Meet Yale SOM’s MBA Class Of 2023

A purpose-driven class packs Evans Hall

Meet Yale SOM’s MBA Class Of 2022

MBA students in Yale's newest Class of 2022 shares their life journeys, dreams and goals

Meet the MBA Class of 2025: Nick Callegari, Yale School of Management

“Intensely passionate about making an impact on the world through engineering and empathy”

2023 Best & Brightest MBA: Caitlin Piccirillo-Stosser, Yale School of Management

Mission-driven and deeply passionate about solving education problems

2023 Best & Brightest MBA: Allison Lyons, Yale School of Management

“Pivoter to strategy consultant, avid Jets fan, high school coach, and budding chef”

2022 Best & Brightest MBA: Kelechi Umoga, Yale School of Management

“Born and raised in Abuja Nigeria, I am a Christian called to love and serve people”

2023 MBA To Watch: Raafeh Shahid, Yale School of Management

“With professional experiences in Pakistan, China and the US, Raafeh is an avid hiker and tech enthusiast”

2022 MBA To Watch: Alice Yuan, Yale School of Management

“A leader who creates environments that empower people and communities to build each other up”

2023 MBA To Watch: Victoria Bush, Yale School of Management

“MBA Student making the world a happier place through behavioral science”

2022 MBA To Watch: Melanie Zook, Yale School of Management

“Mission-driven former educator passionate about social impact, responsible business practices, and Tex-Mex food”

2022 MBA To Watch: Alganesh Tamyalew, USC (Marshall)

“I am a calm, punctual, organized, big picture thinker and dreamer”

School Features

Yale SOM Students. Photo Credit: Tony Rinaldo

Yale SOM Had Its Highest MBA Acceptance Rate Ever In 2023

Top-10 B-school reports 5% drop in applications last cycle; Yale admitted more & shrunk its class size, inflating its acceptance rate

MBA Class of 2024: Yale SOM Gets A Lot More Diverse

Yale's new MBA class is 48% international & 24% under-represented students

Yale SOM MBAs Report 12.5% Jump In Median Pay In 2022

SOM grads set new records in job offers received, median salary & median total pay

MBA Class Of 2023: Yale SOM Apps Up 12% & GMAT Jumps 6 Points

SOM joins the 40% women enrollment club, up 4 percentage points in a year

Why Yale SOM Is Opening Its Doors To More International Students

Applicants to 1-year MAM program will be required to submit a GMAT or GRE score

Work Authorization Considerations For The International MBA Applicant

A guide to help you understand what you’re up against, and how to succeed

2021 Best 40-Under-40 Professors: Song Ma, Yale School of Management

'Went way above and beyond to make optimal use of new technologies'

2021 Best 40-Under-40: Saed Alizamir, Yale School of Management

'He creates positive learning environments filled with jokes, laughter, interactive and relevant examples'

2020 Best 40 Under 40 Professors: Tristan Botelho, Yale School of Management

'I first got interested in academia as a kid. I would read a lot of history and wonder, ‘Who writes these books?’'

2017 Best 40 Under 40 Professors: Florian Ederer, Yale SOM

Yale prof uses examples from The Wire to illustrate business principles

MBA Watch For Yale

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!

Mr. Marine Corps

I have served in the United States Marine Corps for the past 11 years, and have achieved the rank of Gunnery Sergeant.

Mr. Unilever To MBB

- Four years of experience in CPG (P&G and Unilever).

Ms. General Motors

For the past five years, I've worked at General Motors in sales, marketing IT; started as a developer, promoted to requirements analyst and then systems analyst.

Ms. Impact Investing

I’ve spent the past three years in Washington DC working for an International Development consulting firm.

Mr. Project Management

Project management professional interested in furthering my business education.

Mr. Army Infantry Officer

6 Years of Active Duty Army Infantry Officer Experience.

Mr. Stock Up

Two years as a consultant at a Big 4, functional lead in a $3M implementation project and another requirement project.

Ms. Social Impact

I moved internally from the PM office to the Bus.

Mr. Digi-Transformer

I may be the youngest candidate having the highest experience.

Rankings Data For Yale

Yale MBA Rankings

Ranking Poets&Quants
2023-2024 5
2022-2023 8
2021-2022 10
2020-2021 10
2019-2020 10

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.

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

News Coverage For Yale

Building The Future: Inside Yale’s Unique Large Language Model AI Course

Explore Yale SOM's groundbreaking Large Language MBA course on generative AI, where theory is combined with hands-on application

Yale SOM

Yale MBAs Joined The $200K Pay Club In 2023

Big jump in median starting salary boosts overall pay for SOM grads, but offers & acceptances drop dramatically

Harvard & Wharton Slump In New 2023 Businessweek MBA Ranking

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

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

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

Yale SOM Ranks Ahead Of Kellogg, Columbia, Booth & MIT In Fortune’s MBA Ranking

Harvard Business School tops the list for the third consecutive year, followed by Stanford and Wharton

Yale SOM Students. Photo Credit: Tony Rinaldo

Rave Reviews & High Expectations For This New Joint MS-MBA Degree

Why Yale SOM paired its MBA and its Asset Management Master's — and why employers & others are thrilled

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

With Anonymous $20M Gift, Yale SOM Launches New Asset Management Institute

Plus: Florida university system imposes 5-year tenure review; profs, others criticize the change 

‘Russia Has No Chance Of Winning This War’: Zelenskyy Talks With Yale MBAs

'In the rebuilding of our nation, we need to do everything to see students like you, to have an opportunity, and also the desire, to come back and chip in, to participate in this recovery.'

Want A GMAT Score Over 700? Read This

Plus lessons from a Harvard MBA and advice on Yale SOM essays

Masters At Yale: Preparing For MBA ‘Surprises’

From applications to recruiting, here's how one Yale MBA handled surprises along the way

Masters At Yale: Being The Change You Want To See

3 ways to make an impact in business school

Masters At Yale: My Journey To The Yale School Of Management

How one student landed a spot at Yale SOM

How I Found A Great Finance School At Yale SOM

A look at an Ivy League 'hidden gem'