UCLA Anderson is ranked as one of the best business schools in the US. Its MBA program is among the top 20 in the world, according to the Financial Times.
The UCLA Anderson Employment Report details the school's connections with top recruiters like Google, Goldman Sachs, and Boston Consulting Group. According to recent data, 86% of graduates are employed three months after graduation and earn a 121% salary increase.
The UCLA Anderson MBA program is also STEM-designated. This is great news for international students on the program hoping to stay in the US and work after graduating, as they can apply for the Optional Practical Training visa. This allows students to remain in the US for up to 12 months on an F-1 visa and then apply for a 24-month extension.
When applying to a top program, reading class and student profile data can give you a better understanding of what your cohort may look like and how competitive your application should be. Here’s everything you need to know about the UCLA Anderson MBA class profile.
Who is in the UCLA Anderson Class of 2026?
A typical MBA cohort at UCLA Anderson consists of 300 students.
In the class of 2026, almost half of the 305-strong cohort (41%) are international students from 39 countries around the world, with UCLA "making a conscious effort to diversify the school's global perspective".
The class is also 43% women which is in line with the average of 40% among US schools ranked in the Financial Times top 100. However, UCLA Anderson still has a way to go before reaching gender parity on its MBA.
What was the acceptance rate for UCLA Anderson Class of 2026?
Insights into MBA acceptance are a good way to know how competitive the application process will be.
UCLA Anderson’s MBA acceptance rate for the class of 2026 is 40.4% of 3,079 applications with 305 enrolled.
Compared to the acceptance rates at the world’s top business schools, UCLA Anderson is among the less competitive schools. The average acceptance rate in M7 schools, for example, is 21.8% with some in single digits.
However, while acceptance rates indicate program demand and value, they don’t tell you about the quality of candidates applying. For this, applicants should look to average GMAT scores and score ranges.
What is the UCLA Anderson average GMAT and GMAT score range?
The middle 80% of the UCLA Anderson MBA class scored between 650-750 on their GMAT exam (using GMAT 10th Edition scores), which puts admitted applicants in the top 40% of GMAT takers.
The average GMAT score among the entire class is 714, which is the top 7% of applicants. For the latest version of the GMAT, taken later than February 2024, then this is the equivalent to a score of around 665.
Earning a score above around 645 from the current GMAT will hugely strengthen your MBA application, particularly if there are gaps in your work experience. Or if you don’t have a background in a quantitative academic subject. If your score is not as strong as you’d hoped, make sure to place extra emphasis on your leadership capabilities and values that align with the program.
What is the work experience of UCLA Anderson’s MBA cohort?
The average work experience of students on the UCLA Anderson MBA program is 5.4 years. The majority of the class of 2026 (57%) have between three to six years’ experience.
However, 17% of the class have up to three years and 26% more than six years in the workplace.
This is useful info for MBA candidates as it illustrates that UCLA Anderson looks at applications holistically. Students with less work experience can still earn a place on the program by highlighting other relevant experiences or earning an impressive GMAT score.
Class profile data also reveals that the top industry pre-enrollment backgrounds among the cohort are finance (21%) and tech (16%). However, students also join the program from consulting (12%), healthcare(10%), government (9%), marketing/CPG (8%), media (5%), manufacturing (5%) retail and other backgrounds (5%), and real estate (4%).
Over a third of undergraduate majors (34%) join the program with a business degree. They are joined by 22% engineering undergrads,14% from humanities and Social Sciences, 11% from economics, and 8% from physics and biological science degrees.
A professionally diverse cohort can enhance your MBA experience by enriching classroom discussions with differing perspectives.
Read: How To Get Accepted Into UCLA Anderson's MBA
What are UCLA Anderson’s admission requirements?
Applications for the UCLA Anderson MBA program are entirely online, and the school has already started accepting submissions for its Fall 2025 cohort. Candidates must have a four-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent. International students will have slightly different requirements, so give yourself enough time to apply. All international applicants must submit a TOEFL or IELTS score.
UCLA Anderson MBA application requirements include:
– Academic transcripts
– A GMAT, GRE, or EA test are optional but recommended for applicants without a quantitative background
– Resume
– Two recommendation letters
– One short essay (250 words)
– One optional essay (250 words)
– A 30-minute interview
– $200 application fee
For the 2024-2025 application year the essay question is:
At Anderson, our mission is to prepare transformative leaders by developing students to think innovatively, problem-solve, and adapt to others – all with a driven and purposeful mindset. How do you plan to achieve your goals and develop into a transformative leader during your time at UCLA Anderson?
Like the majority of MBA programs, there are several application rounds at UCLA Anderson.
However, it is recommended to apply as early as possible to avoid the cohort filling up.
The upcoming application deadlines are:
Round 2: January 6, 2025
Round 3: April 7, 2025
If you want to apply to the UCLA Anderson or any MBA program, download our BusinessBecause Application Guide 2025 for more information and advice to support your application. average GMAT scores of the top business schools in the world
