NYU MBA – Acceptance Rate, Ranking, and More

With the humble establishment of NYU’s undergraduate school of commerce in 1900, the Stern School of Business has become one of the top programs in the nation. 

In the heart of the world’s financial center, New York City, NYU’s MBA programs offer an unrivaled approach to business in the modern era. 

As a university renowned for its arts, law, and business studies, the MBA programs reflect the intersection of these booming sectors. At Stern, prospective students will be able to find a program that’s tailored to their unique interests. 

The general MBA programs offer students the opportunity to study from the ten areas of interest, ranging from entrepreneurship to healthcare. As an evolving landscape, Stern prides itself as a university constantly iterating its academics to meet the curiosity of its students. 

With a debut in 2017, two specialized MBA programs were added to Stern, covering tech and fashion industries. Each program leads students to dive deeper into the exponentially growing sectors, assessing their impact on the business world. 

As part of its global reach, students have the unique chance to study abroad through the Doing Business in (DBi) program in cities worldwide. Gaining an international perspective in business is vital with increased globalization across industries. 

The MBA programs offer an incredibly long list of specializations that students can apply to almost any sector. With NYU’s world-class reputation, students can ensure they have access to a network featuring the top experts in their respective fields. 

Headquartered on the NYU campus, the Office of Student Engagement prioritizes hands-on experiences for students as part of the school’s commitment to experiential learning. 

Assessing the structure of the curriculum, MBA students have the utmost flexibility to design their program how they imagine it to be. The MBA program encourages students to shape their academic experience with the same vigor they would use to shape the business world. 

Today, we discuss NYU Stern’s acceptance rate, ranking, and other details about this prestigious business school.


NYU Stern School of Business Acceptance Rate

NYU Stern School of Business
Jess Hawsor, NYC, NYU Stern School of Business, CC BY-SA 4.0

NYU Stern’s acceptance rate is 19%, according to the most recent class profile for the graduating class of 2023. That’s a 10% decrease from last year, according to Fortune

While admissions can be competitive, NYU has a secret ingredient they look for in their applicants. 

The admissions process for Stern has remained at the balance between IQ + EQ. As part of the core Stern values, the school looks for both its applicants’ emotional and intellectual intelligence. 

Unique to the MBA admissions process, applicants are expected to submit two people as EQ endorsements, where they will be asked questions regarding the applicant’s potential for success; these are individuals from their professional or personal network who can speak to their interactions with other people.

A trending characteristic in the students granted admission to Stern is their well-rounded professional and academic careers. Stern seeks candidates who can demonstrate a holistic set of experiences that will enhance the university’s already glowing reputation. 

For standard application requirements, the most recent class profile shows how GMAT scores on average sat at 729. For GRE scores, applicants, on average, submitted a 162 for both quantitative and verbal. 

In the essay portion of the application, included are prompts asking students to assess the future of business as well as creatively describe who they are. In an effort to gauge how the applicant views the ever-changing business landscape, the prompt asks students how they view change by filling in a statement. 

The second prompt asks students to pick six images representing who they are. A caption is to be provided for each image that explains its significance and choice. 

From the graduating class of 2021, 95.2% of students had been hired within three months of graduating. With three areas of focus to choose from, general, fashion & luxury, & tech, students can apply to the program that piques their interest.


NYU Stern School of Business Notable Alumni

NYU is one of the most reputable universities in the world. The list of notable alumni can be quite long and reach across all industries. 

As the co-founder of a network that changed the music industry forever, MTV’s Tom Freston graduated from Stern’s MBA program in 1969. Shortly after the network launched in 1981, Freston became MTV’s CEO for some time. 

Currently, the sitting President and CEO of PayPal, Daniel Schulman, received his MBA from Stern in 1986. Prior to his time at PayPal, he was the CEO of Virgin Mobile. 

Robert Greifeld is the former CEO of Nasdaq, where he oversaw the stock exchange for 13 years. Greifeld graduated from the MBA program with the class of 1987. As a member of the Stern board, Griefeld continues to lend his leadership to shape the next generation of business leaders. 

Leading one of the world’s top producing pharmaceutical companies, Alan Levin was the CFO of Pfizer. Graduating with the MBA class of 1976, Levin continues to work in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Another network leader, Jack Abernathy, is a former President and CEO of Fox News Network. Receiving his MBA in 1980, Abernathy had the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame for Broadcasting and Cable. 

Guillaume Jesel received his MBA in 1998 from Stern before becoming the current Global President at Tom Ford. Prior to that, he served as a senior vice president at MAC Cosmetics in global marketing. 

As the first female to become CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Cathay Minehan devoted 13 years of her life to this position. As part of the graduating class of 1977, Minehan later became the dean of Simmons College School of Management. 

An MBA ‘68 graduate, Farooq Kathwari is the current CEO of the interior furniture brand Ethan Allen. In 2017, Kathwari was the NYU Stern Graduate Convocation keynote speaker. 


NYU Stern Ranking

NYU Stern
pundit, NYU Stern, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Stern School of Business is one of the most elite programs globally. Consistently being rated at the top in a variety of categories, Stern’s collegiate ranking explains its competitive acceptance rate. 

In 2022, Stern tied for 10th place as a top ten business school in the nation, according to US News. Considering the top part-time MBA programs, Stern received 4th place in the nation. 

The Executive MBA at NYU has earned the program a ranking of 41st in the world, according to Financial Times. 

NYU’s notable ranking is partly due to the wide range of programs made available to students, as well as the distinguished alumni. Graduates are equipped with hands-on experiences that prepare them to enter the workforce immediately. 

Listed as one of the best MBA programs of 2021, NYU Stern ranked number 7 according to Fortune.com. With a featured program such as the Executive MBA, students have the flexibility to pursue their education on their own schedule. 

As one of the best MBA programs specializing in business analytics, Stern took 6th place in 2021. 

Finance was yet another prominent category that Stern ranked well in. Securing 3rd in the country in 2021 is due to the program’s extensive financial concentrations. 

Stern was also recognized as the best MBA marketing program in 2021, coming in 9th place. 

With global partnerships and campuses in other countries, Stern’s MBA program was ranked as one of the best internationally. Ranking #6 in the world, the extensive global reach of the program is a result of being located in one of the most internationally iconic cities. 

The Stern School of Business continues to be a top institution in many business concentrations. As a school interested in innovation and adaptability, Stern will continue it’s notable ranking for years to come. 


Should You Attend NYU’S MBA Program at the Stern School of Business?

In recent years, Stern’s MBA programs adapted to the shift in the industry, and added two specializations: fashion and luxury, and tech. Stern’s ability to iterate its programs to reflect the market as it changes is a great feature of the program. 

Students will have the opportunity to not only attend such a prestigious institute but be a part of its evolving tapestry. 

With a creative application process, Stern encourages students to look at the constant of change, and measure the business world with such a perspective. Students will be inspired to bring their own viewpoints and explore how that intersects with their courses. 

Being located in New York City already provides students with a global perspective. With fortune 500 companies located in such a concentrated area, students have just as much to learn from their surroundings as they do their coursework. 

Students looking to pursue a dual degree with their MBA have the opportunity to do so. Whether it’s a JD, MD, MPA, or MFA accompanying their degree, Stern encourages students to bridge different areas of study together. 

As MBA candidates, students will have the chance to take courses from award-winning faculty. Working to become leaders in their own right, students will be able to learn from some of the most brilliant minds in the world of business.  

Graduates from the MBA program will join a rich global network of students and faculty to gain support and insights for a lifetime. If students need career support, they can trust that Stern has the resources to help them succeed. 

For students looking to be in the center of the business world and partake in its growth, this is among the best programs.