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The Tepper School of Business is located on Carnegie Mellon University’s campus in Pittsburgh while the Ross School of Business comes under the University of Michigan. Although they have similar ranks in the Financial Times MBA Rankings 2020, they are set apart due to multiple factors:
Overview Comparison
| Tepper School of Business | Ross School of Business | |
|---|---|---|
| ranking (overall) | # 49 Financial Times 2025 # 27 Financial Times 2021 # 31 Financial Times 2020 | # 29 Financial Times 2025 # 21 Financial Times 2021 # 30 Financial Times 2020 |
| Programs | UG Programs -12 PG Programs -2 Doctorate Programs -11 | UG Programs -1 PG Programs -3 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 45000 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 17944 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 111484 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 16502 Per Year |
Top Courses Comparison
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 18 for Business by US News 2025 # 26 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 56 for Business by QS World University 2025 | # 13 for Business by US News 2025 # 21 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 29 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| application | #1269 Applicants # 200 Admissions # 15 % Acceptance Rate | #2989 Applicants # 421 Admissions # 14 % Acceptance Rate |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 120/160IELTS - 7.5/9TOEFL - 5/6 | GMAT - 731/800GRE - 323/340IELTS - 7/9PTE - 70/90TOEFL - 100/120 |
| Admission Criteria/Better to Have | GPA of 3.32 average and preferably 680 GMAT Score. Average Work Experience required around 5.4 years. | |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) - | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -111484 |
| Return on Investment/Average Package | #Average Salary126250 | #Average Salary |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Dec 3, 2025 (Round 2 Decision Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Jan 8, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) Mar 3, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) Apr 21, 2026 (Round 2 Fees Deposit Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Apr 29, 2026 (Round 3 Decision Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) May 26, 2026 (Round 3 Fees Deposit Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) | Jan 5, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Mar 23, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Apr 20, 2026 (Round 4 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
Comparison Notes
Apart from the above-mentioned factors, here are certain more aspects to consider:
- The primary difference between the two is that Tepper is a private school and Ross is a public school, and Ross has a lot more value for money.
- Tepper has a smaller class size than Ross, which facilitates easier learning and formation of close-knit groups.
- However, there are more female students at Ross, that is, 43% of the total class, while at Tepper it is only 25%.
- The majority of students in the current MBA batch at Tepper had done their undergraduate in engineering while most students at Ross have a business background.
- The majority of the graduates from both colleges favored careers in Consulting and Technology.
- Tepper is renowned for its STEM-designated MBA course.
- Graduates from Tepper received a salary increase of 126% whereas graduates from Ross received only 115%, even though the employment rate of Ross was higher.
- Tepper has more international students - 28% compared to Ross’s 18%. International students at Tepper can also get an F-1 visa for full-time work through Optional Practical Training (OPT).
International students are more likely to fare better at Tepper because they can gain more exposure. However, doing an MBA from Ross might be cheaper and will bring similar returns like that from Tepper.
