MBA In USA: Eligibility, Top Universities, Scholarships, And Entrance Exams
- MBA In USA Key: Overview
- Top 10 Universities For MBA In USA For Indian Students
- High-Paying Scholarships For MBA In USA
- GMAT Score Required By Top US Universities For MBA
- MBA In USA Without GMAT
- Most-Affordable MBA Colleges in USA (Updated List 2025)
- Types of MBA Programmes In USA
- Eligibility Criteria For An MBA in The USA
- Documents Required To Pursue MBA In USA
- Work Permit After An MBA In The USA
- Job Opportunities And Salaries After Completing MBA From USA
- Cost Of Living In USA For Indian Students
- Most Affordable Cities To Pursue MBA In USA For Indian
- Pursuing An MBA From The USA? Final Verdict
- FAQs Related to MBA in USA
Why MBA in USA? The USA has over 650+ high-ranking business schools, offering over 50+ MBA specializations. According to the GMAC Application Trends Survey 2025, 46% of MBA students are international, representing over 150+ countries worldwide.
Keep reading with The Student Helpline to know more about the requirements for MBA in USA for international students.
MBA In USA: Overview
According to Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange 2024, over 3 lakh Indian students are studying in USA, where 30% are enrolled in MBA programme. There are majorly three intake to pursue MBA from USA: Fall (August), Spring (January) and Summer (May). With the most programs and grants available, Fall Intake is the most competitive.To plan your career easily, we have provided an overview of pursuing MBA in USA.
- Finance
- Project Management
- Marketing
- Supply Chain
- Business Analytics
| Duration | 2 years |
| MBA Tuition Fees in USA (annually) | INR 20L-50L |
| No. of Indian Students | 85,000-90,000 |
| MBA in USA acceptance rate | 30% (calculated from 60,593 applications received in 2024) |
| Average Annual Salary after MBA in USA | INR 98,00,000 |
| Cost Of Living During MBA in USA | INR 15L-40L per year |
| MBA in USA placement rate | 94% |
| Standardised Tests | GMAT/GRE scores (680 minimum) |
| Top US Business Schools |
|
| Types Of MBA In USA |
|
| Top MBA Specializations in USA |
Table 1: MBA in USA overview for Indian Students (Data from US News & World Report)
Top 10 Universities For MBA In USA For Indian Students
As a hub of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship, the top-ranked MBA schools in the United States have long been on the wish list of prospective students. Deciding on which college to choose based on fees is a challenging decision. The Student Helpline has curated a list of top universities for MBA in USA based on their global ranking.List of Top 10 MBA Universities in USA
| QS Global MBA Ranking 2025 | 10 Top B-Schools For MBA In USA | Tuition Fees (In INR) |
| #1 | Stanford Graduate School of Business | INR 63L per year |
| #2 | University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) | INR 70L per year |
| #3 | Harvard Business School | INR 63L per year |
| #4 | MIT (Sloan) | INR 68L per year |
| #5 | Columbia Business School | INR 6.6Lper year |
| #6 | Northwestern (Kellogg) | INR 5.4L per year |
| #7 | UC Berkeley (Haas) | INR 6.4L per year |
| #8 | UCLA (Anderson) | INR 5.5L per year |
| #9 | Chicago (Booth) | INR 5.5 per year |
| #10 | Yale School of Management | INR 6.1 per year |
Table 2: 10 Premium B-Schools in the USA along with their QS Rankings and Annual Tuition (Source: QS Quacquarelli Symonds)
Read Also: Masters in USA
High-Paying Scholarships For MBA In USA
Scholarships for MBA in USA are merit and need-based. Here are some scholarships offered by the Top universities for MBA in USA for International students:List of Scholarships For Students To Do MBA in USA
| S.No. | Top Scholarships For MBA in USA | Coverage | Eligibility |
| 1 | Fulbright Program | Tuition and Living Expenses | International students from the selected country |
| 2 | Forte Foundation Scholarships | Partial tuition and access to networking events. | Women pursuing MBA in USA from Forte partner school. |
| 3 | The National Black MBA Association Scholarships | Partial to full tuition | African American students |
| 4 | AICPA John L. Carey Scholarships | Up to INR 4,25,606 per academic year | Graduated in Accounting |
| 5 | Diversity MBA Scholarship Program | Financial support based on merit | Diverse, underrepresented groups |
| 6 | Business School- Specific Scholarships | Full or partial tuition, fellowships, or stipends | Based on merit |
Table 3: Top Scholarships for International Students pursuing MBA in USA
GMAT Score Required By Top US Universities For MBA
List of Top 5 Universities accepting MBA with GMAT:
| MBA in USA Universities Accepting GMAT Scores | GMAT Score Requirement | Annual Tuition Fees (In INR) |
| Stanford Graduate School of Business | 733 | ₹63,08,000 per year |
| University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) | 732 | ₹70,55,000 per year |
| Harvard Business School | 727 | ₹63,91,000 per year |
| Yale School of Management | 721 | ₹6,142,000 per year |
| UCLA (Anderson) | 711 | ₹6,308,000 |
Table 4: Top US Universities Accepting GMAT for MBA (Data collected from e-GMAT.com)
MBA In USA Without GMAT
Did you know that the GMAT is no longer a prerequisite for many prestigious US institutions' MBA programs? Professionals with solid academic records or job experience will find it easy More than 30% of MBA schools in the United States admit students without the GMAT, emphasizing other factors including leadership abilities, professional accomplishments, and CV.List of universities offering MBA in USA Without GMAT
|
S.No. |
Name of MBA in USA Universities |
GMAT Waiver Documents |
MBA Tuition Fees (Annually) (In INR) |
|
1 |
New York Institute Of Technology |
|
3,663,300 |
|
2 |
Columbia Business School |
|
7,328,900 |
|
3 |
Rutgers Business School |
|
2,798,526 |
|
4 |
Kellog School Of Management |
|
4,666,944 |
|
5 |
Sawyer Business School |
|
4,484,220 |
Table 5: Top 5 US universities for MBA without GMAT scores (Data from Fortune.com)
Most-Affordable MBA Colleges in USA (Updated List 2025)
MBA in the USA can cost a fortune for some students, and to provide some financial relief, here are the top 5 affordable US Business Schools, take a look:List of 5 most affordable MBA colleges in USA and their tuition fees.
- Worcester State University (INR 6.8L/year)
- Polytechnic University Of Puerto Rico(INR 7.3L/year)
- Cameron University (INR 10.5L/year)
- Southeast Missouri State University (INR 12L/year)
- Northeastern State University (INR 11.5L/year)
Useful Article: Top 10 Affordable And Cheapest Universities In USA
Types of MBA Programmes In USA
Each type of MBA programme offers a holistic approach and flexibility. One can choose based on their interest and time.List of types of MBA programmes and colleges in the USA
| Type of MBA Program | Description | Top MBA Colleges in USA |
| Full-Time MBA |
|
|
| Executive MBA (EMBA) |
|
|
| Online MBA |
|
|
| Accelerated MBA |
|
|
| Dual/Joint MBA Programs |
|
|
Table 6: Overview of various types of MBA programmes in USA, their duration and top universities offering them.
Eligibility Criteria For An MBA in The USA
To pursue an MBA in the US, students must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Min of 16 years of education (10th,12th, and UG)
- 0 or above GPA out of 4.0
- Standard Test Scores: GRE: 320 or above; GMAT: 600 or above
- English Language Proficiency test score: IELTS: 6.0 or above; TOEFL: 80 or above
- Work Experience (required for certain MBA specializations)
- English language proficiency proof
Documents Required To Pursue MBA In USA
Here is the checklist of the required documents to pursue an MBA in the USA, take a look:
- Previous Academic Transcripts (10th, 12th, and Bachelor’s)
- Standard Test Scorecard (GRE/GMAT)
- English Language Proficiency test scorecard (IELTS/TOEFL/GRE)
- Updated CV
- 1 Admission SOP
- 2-3 LORs
- Admission Essays
- Portfolio (if required by the University)
- Research Profile (for Research-based MBA)
- Proof of sufficient funds
- A valid Passport
- Recent passport-size photographs
Work Permit After An MBA In The USA
Students with F1 Visa or H1B Visa can stay in the USA after completing their MBA. With a valid F1 Visa, students can opt for:
- Optional Practical Training under which one can stay and work in the US for up to 12 months after completing their program. Students can even stay back for up to 3 years if they enroll in a STEM-certified MBA program.
- H1B Visas, a work visa for skilled migrants in the US. Students can apply for an H1B visa during their OPT. Note that to apply for an H1B visa, students must have a sponsor employer.
Recommended: STEM Courses In The USA For International Students
Job Opportunities And Salaries After Completing MBA From USA
As per data given by Glassdoor, the average annual salary after completing an MBA in USA is around INR 98,00,000.
| Average Salary (yearly) | |
| Project Manager | INR 66,04,570 |
| Senior Financial Analyst | INR 67,71,081 |
| Marketing Director | INR 84,66,431 |
| Operations Manager | INR 69,61,017 |
| Finance Manager | INR 87,15,340 |
| Director Of Operations | INR 82,67,634 |
Table 7: Highest-paying job role after completing an MBA in the USA.(Source: Glassdoor)
Cost Of Living In USA For Indian Students
Around INR 85,000 to INR 1.5L (USD 1000-2000) is the average cost of living for Indian students in the USA while pursuing an MBA degree. An overview of the cost of living in USA for Indian student is presented in Fig 1.
Fig 1: Living Cost in the US for Indian Students to pursue an MBA (Source: US Department of State.gov)
Most Affordable Cities To Pursue MBA In USA For Indian
On your resume, an MBA from a US university carries an extra weight. A lot of foreign students wish to get an MBA in the US at a reasonable cost. The cost of studying MBA in USA is INR 20-50 Lakhs.
List of most affordable cities in USA
| City | Estimated Monthly Living Expenses (INR) | Top Universities for MBA |
| San Diego, California | INR 1,15,000 - INR 1,98,000 |
|
| Baltimore, Maryland | INR 85,000 - INR 1,50,000 |
|
| Atlanta, Georgia | INR 95,000 - INR 1,70,000 |
|
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | INR 60,000 - INR 1,00,000 |
|
| Houston, Texas | INR 80,000 - INR 1,50,000 |
|
Table 8: Most affordable cities in the USA for Indian students(Source: QS Quacquarelli Symonds)
Pursuing An MBA From The USA? Final Verdict
An MBA from the USA offers a lot of opportunities including world-class institutions, diverse networking, and valuable hands-on experience. The Student Helpline acts like a trusted navigator in ensuring that this journey is pursued in the best possible way by tailoring your program selection, application processes, and scholarship opportunities. Connect with our overseas education consultants today!
FAQs Related to MBA in USA
Which exams are required for an MBA in the USA?
GMAT is the main entrance exam for MBA in the USA. Top business schools prefer GMAT scores above 700.
Why MBA in the US?
Top reasons to pursue MBA from USA:
- World-Class Institutions
- Diverse Specializations
- Networking Opportunities
- High ROI and Global Career Prospects
- Cultural Exposure and International Experience
What is the duration of the MBA course in the USA?
1-2 years is a regular MBA course duration in the USA, considering the availability of full-time and part-time programs. There are even accelerated MBA programs that can be completed within six months.
What is the age limit for an MBA in the US?
There is no age group limit to pursue an MBA in the USA. However, based on data the average age of MBA students in the USA lies at 27.
How many intakes are there in the USA for an MBA?
There are 3 intakes in the US Universities for MBA admissions. The 3 intakes are: Fall (starts in August), Spring (starts in January), and Summer (starts in May).
What is the difference between a STEM MBA and a Regular MBA?
STEM MBA covers technical and scientific aspects like an MBA in Management Science, whereas, a regular MBA covers the foundation of business and management like an MBA in Marketing.
How many semesters are there in an MBA from the US?
4 semesters are there in a full-time MBA program. The number of semesters varies based on duration of the MBA degree.
Can I pursue an MBA online?
Yes, many US universities offer MBA degrees online. Some of the universities are Indiana University, University of North Carolina, University of Southern California, etc.
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