Carnegie Mellon Tepper MBA Application Guide
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About Tepper School of Business
Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon pioneered a management curriculum that favors a “management science” model over the case method — an approach that’s now integrated within all the leading business schools.
Tepper’s analytical and data-informed curriculum of a STEM-designated MBA prepares students to harness the science of management by utilizing technology, data, and analytics to make better business decisions and to pursue business careers in fields related to technology and analytics.
TStudents have ample opportunity to apply what they are learning in the classroom in real time, and leadership and career development are at the heart of the program from day one.
Tepper’s central location within the Carnegie Mellon campus provides MBA candidates with access to the university’s most sought after assets and networks. In 2018, the sparkling Tepper Quad made its debut: a physical space that functions as an innovation hub for the entire seven-college campus, reinforcing the university’s focus on fertile cross-pollination of ideas across disciplines. This means Tepper MBAs are encouraged to collaborate with students from the six other schools including engineering, computer science, information technology and design.
Tepper is renowned for its focus on research and technology, so partnerships between other lauded centers on campus like AI, robotics and big data is at the center of its interdisciplinary approach. Over the years, Tepper has released many new course offerings that intersect business, technology, and analytics, interdisciplinary experiential learning opportunities and the adoption of more sophisticated analytical tools used throughout the program.
Strengths and Specializations
Management science, industry and operations, finance, IT
Graduating Class of 2026
Number of Applicants: 1786 (in 2023)
MBA Class Size: 156
Avg. Age: 29
Avg. Work Experience: 6.3
Avg. GPA: 3.26
Avg. GMAT: 697
International Students: 39%
Female Students: 31%
Tuition: $78,362/year
Post-MBA Careers (class of 2023)
Career Sectors: Consulting 42.2%; Tech 28.6%; Financial Services 13.5%; Healthcare 4.3%
Top Recruiters: Amazon, Deloitte, PwC, EY, McKinsey & Company, BM, Bain, Boston Consulting Group, Microsoft, Google, Capital One Financial
Avg. Base Salary: $156,291; Salary Increase: 142% (source: FT Rankings 2024)
Employment offered within 3 months of graduation: 94%
Tepper MBA Rankings
Admissions
Deadlines for 2025-2026: R1 Sept. 30, 2025; R2 Jan. 8, 2026; R3 March 3, 2026; R4 May 5, 2026
Essays:
Video Essay (on Post-MBA Goals): Please describe your post-MBA career goals. You have up to 2 minutes to respond to this question.
- Please be as specific as possible. If you have not yet identified specific companies, that is okay. Just tell us what interests you for your next role or company. What about the industry, company, or functional role is appealing to you?
- If you have any criteria you are using to evaluate career opportunities, please share those as well. We may have great opportunities to add to your list.
- How does this post-MBA career goal relate to your long-term career plan?
Written Essay: Choose one: (max 500 words)
At Tepper, we value leaders who can make confident decisions when facing complexity and uncertainty. Tell us about a time when you had to take action without having all of the answers. How did you navigate the situation and what was the outcome?
The Tepper School of Business is committed to helping students reach their full potential by supporting their professional and personal transformation. How do you hope to transform, both professionally and personally, during your time in the program? Please describe your development goals and steps you plan to achieve them.
Optional Essay: Is there anything else that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee as we evaluate your application? If you believe your credentials and essays represent you fairly, you should not feel obligated to answer this question. This essay is intended to provide a place for you to add information that you think is important but is not covered elsewhere in the application. This could include clarification of your employment or academic record, choice of recommenders or helpful context for the admissions committee in reviewing your application. (no word count, suggest not more than 500)
Fortuna Tips & Advice:
Read Fortuna’s Essay Tips & Strategy for Carnegie Mellon Tepper.