Designed for mid-career professionals typically with at least four to five years of experience, an MBA offers a range of personal growth and professional development opportunities such as leadership training and opportunities to develop a strong business network.
While each business school has different entry requirements, there is no fixed age to do an MBA. Given that business school can be a significant investment of both time and resources, it is crucial to give careful consideration to when exactly is the right time for you.
So, using data from US News & World Report, we’ve compiled a list of the average ages of MBA students at the top-ranked institutions, including the likes of The Wharton School and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management to help you make an informed decision.
Average age of MBA students in the US
1) The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Average age of new entrants: 28
The MBA program at Wharton now tops two major MBA rankings. It was already ranked the best program in the world by the Financial Times, but US News have also declared it the best MBA in the United States in 2025.
With an average starting salary exceeding $201k and a strong job placement rate of over 90% within three months of graduation, a Wharton MBA offers a compelling return on investment.
Read our Wharton MBA Jobs and Salary Review
2) Stanford School of Business
Average age of new entrants: 28
Stanford MBA graduates attract the highest average salaries of any school in the world, with the current figure standing at $206k. It’s ranked the second-best full-time MBA in the United States by US News, with the age across the cohort typically ranging from 25 to 30.
Read our Stanford MBA Class Profile
2) Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
Average age of new entrants: 28
In joint second place among the top business schools in the US, Kellogg School of Management offers several unique MBA programs, such as a specialized AI-focused MBAi program and an MD-MBA for those interested in management and medicine.
Almost 90% of Kellogg graduates land jobs within three months of completing their studies, securing an average starting salary just shy of $200k.
Read our Northwestern Kellogg MBA Class Profile
4) University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Average age of new entrants: 28
The 21-month MBA at Chicago Booth promotes a diverse learning environment, with 66 nationalities represented within the class of 2026.
Chicago Booth boasts a 89% job placement rate within three months, with graduates securing an average starting salary of $204k.
Check out our Chicago Booth MBA Application Insider
5) MIT Sloan School of Management
Average age of new entrants: 28
The two-year MIT Sloan MBA came closer than ever to achieving gender parity for the class of 2026, with a 51/49 split between male and female students.
The school has a track record of propelling graduates to leadership positions, with nearly a quarter of alumni becoming company presidents and CEOs. Some notable names include Carly Fiorina, former president and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co.; and John Reed, former chairman of Citicorp.
Read our breakdown of the MIT MBA Class Profile
6) Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College
Average age of new entrants: 28
Tuck School of Business is renowned for its close-knit learning environment and commitment to gender parity, with the MBA program ranking among the top schools for female representation.
Tuck MBAs also find strong salary prospects after their studies, with previous graduates averaging starting salaries of $202k.
6) Harvard Business School
Average age of new entrants: 28
Harvard is arguably the most famous business school in the world. Its MBA graduates earn an average starting salary of $194k, while an acceptance rate of 11% also makes it one of the most difficult schools in the world to get into.
Check out our Harvard MBA Class Profile breakdown
6) NYU Stern School of Business
Average age of new entrants: 28
NYU Stern is consistently recognized as one of the top schools for those aiming to break into the financial sector, offering specialized programs and helping students foster strong connections within the industry.
The school offers impressive career outcomes for MBAs, with graduates averaging a starting salary upwards of $200k.
Check out our NYU Stern MBA Class Profile breakdown
9) Columbia Business School
Average age of new entrants: 28
Ranked among the top three schools in the Financial Times Global MBA Ranking, Columbia offers strong career outcomes for MBA graduates.
The location in New York City provides students with close access to industry leaders, with more business leaders visiting the Columbia campus than any other top business school.
Read our Columbia MBA Jobs and Salary Review
10) Yale School of Management
Average age of new entrants: 28
Today, the Yale MBA demonstrates a solid track record in a difficult job market, with nearly 85% of students finding employment within three months of graduation.
Notable business school alumni include Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, and Gail Harrity, chief operating officer and president of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Read our Yale School of Management MBA Jobs and Salary Review
11) University of California Berkeley Haas School of Business
Average age of new entrants: 29
The Haas School of Business offers various funding opportunities across its programs, with 70% of all students receiving some form of financial aid assistance.
Some 86% of Berkeley Haas MBA graduates find employment within three months and land salaries averaging over $186k.
Read our Berkeley Haas MBA Class Profile
11) University of Virginia Darden School of Business
Average age of new entrants: 28
Graduates from the 21-month MBA program at Darden join a broad alumni network spanning over 90 countries and receive lifetime access to career services.
Over 92% of graduates are employed within three months of graduation, with an average starting salary of just under $200k.
Read our Darden MBA Class Profile
13) Duke University Fuqua School of Business
Average age of new entrants: 29
Within three months of completing the 21-month MBA program, 87% of Duke Fuqua MBA graduates receive a job offer, earning an average starting salary of over $193k.
Read our Duke Fuqua MBA Class Profile
13) University of Michigan Ross School of Business
Average age of new entrants: 28
The Ross School of Business boasts notable alumni including Stacey Stewart, US president of United Way Worldwide; and Roger Frock, former general manager of FedEx.
Among recent MBA graduates, 88% find employment within three months, earning an average starting salary of over $192k.
Read about one alum’s experience at Michigan Ross
15) Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
Average age of new entrants: 28
Cornell MBA applicants can choose between the two-year residential program in Ithaca, NY, and the one-year program in New York City. Among graduates of both programs, 87% receive a job offer within three months of graduation.
Check out our Cornell MBA Class Profile
16) McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin
Average age of new entrants: 29
Beyond core classes, more than 70% of coursework in the McCombs MBA is self-selected from over 100 elective courses. Students in the program can also choose a specific concentration to focus their coursework on.
Close to 88% of MBA graduates are employed within three months, earning starting salaries averaging over $180k.
17) Emory University Goizueta Business School
Average age of new entrants: 29
The people behind the Goizueta MBA pride themselves on fostering an intimate learning environment with five students per faculty member.
The campus is located in Atlanta, Georgia, home to 75% of the world’s Fortune 1000 companies, and 90% of MBAs are employed within three months of graduating.
Read our Emory Goizueta MBA Jobs & Salary Review
18) Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business
Average age of new entrants: 30
MBA students at the Tepper School of Business can elect to study the General Management curriculum or follow one of four specialized MBA tracks, such as Business Analytics and Technology Leadership.
Graduates can expect an average starting salary of over $188k.
Read about the notable alumni of Tepper School of Business
18) UCLA Anderson School of Management
Average age of new entrants: 29
As well as its full-time MBA, UCLA Anderson offers a Fully Employed MBA for working professionals looking to enhance their skills. The school also partners with the National University of Singapore to offer a Global Executive MBA program.
Read our UCLA Anderson MBA Class Profile
18) Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University
Average age of new entrants: 29
The two-year MBA at USC Marshall aims to shape leaders who prioritize positive impact in business, with courses in problem-solving and decision-making, and the global context of business.
Over 93% of graduates find employment within three months and they go on to earn average starting salaries upwards of $183k.
It's clear to see that the average incoming MBA student at top programs in the US often falls around 28. While this isn't a required age—most MBA classes will have students both above and below that age—it’s clear that this career stage, with a few years of experience, aligns well with the demands and focus of top US MBA programs.
All school data is sourced from the most recent employment report or class profile data published on business school websites. This article first appeared in April 2024 and was updated in April 2025.
