Columbia Business School is the business school of Columbia University. Located in Manhattan in New York City, it is one of the oldest business schools (Established in 1916). It is also one of the six Ivy League business schools and one of the most selective top MBA programs. In this article, we take an in-depth look at the Columbia Business School MBA Program, its profile of the incoming class of 2025, career outcomes, and employment report 2023.
Take a quick glimpse of the MBA Class Profile 2025. Click on the slider to view the next screen.
Getting into the Columbia MBA program requires an envious 685+ GMAT score. We can help you with a personalized study plan and give you access to quality online content to prepare. Write to us at acethegmat@e-gmat.com. We are the most reviewed GMAT prep company on GMAT Club with more than 2700+ reviews. Why don’t you take a free trial and judge it for yourself?
- Columbia Business School MBA by the numbers
- Columbia Business School MBA application deadlines 2023 intake
- Columbia Business School MBA Philosophy and Strength
- Columbia Business School MBA- Incoming Class 2025
- Columbia Business School Employment Reports and Salaries
- Columbia Business School: Top Employers
- Columbia Business School Notable Alumni
- Other MBA Programs you should consider
- FAQs – Columbia MBA Program
Columbia Business School MBA by the numbers
With its location in uptown Manhattan, Columbia Business School (CBS) MBA epitomizes what an urban school can offer to students who seek such an environment. Situated in New York city which is itself a melting pot of cultures with 40% of its population born outside the United States.
Columbia Business School MBA taps into this melting pot spirit, where 48% of the incoming class is from overseas, and another 40% is composed of U.S. minorities. It rightly prides itself on being “At the very center of business.”
Here is a look at the statistics of the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School:
| Sr. No | Columbia Business School | Numbers |
| 1 | Average GMAT | 730 (GMAT Focus Edition – 685) |
| 2 | Average GPA | 3.5 |
| 3 | Class Size | 900, divided into 12 clusters |
| 4 | GMAT Range | 610–790 |
| 5 | Work Experience Average | 5 Years |
| 6 | Tuition Cost (per year) 2023-2024 | $84,496 |
| 7 | Average Age | 28 |
| 8 | % of students that accepted the offer after 3 months of graduation | 92% |
| 9 | Median Base Salary | $190,000 |
| 10 | median Signing Bonus | $30,000 |
Getting into the Columbia MBA program requires an envious 685+ GMAT score. We can help you with a personalized study plan and give you access to quality online content to prepare. Write to us at acethegmat@e-gmat.com. We are the most reviewed GMAT prep company on GMAT Club with more than 2700+ reviews. Why don’t you take a free trial and judge it for yourself?
Columbia Business School is a part of the M7 group of business schools. The other business schools in the M7 group of business schools include Stanford GSB, HBS, Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, and MIT Sloan.
Columbia Business School MBA application deadlines 2025 intake
Columbia Business school MBA follows a rolling admissions process. This means application decisions are given out as soon as an application is completed and submitted by a prospective applicant.
There are two intakes – January and August. For January intake, the MBA application deadline is on April 1, 2025.
The following are the MBA application deadlines for 2025 at Columbia Business School:
| Application Deadline | Interview Invites | Final Deadline | |
| Round 1 | Sep 10, 2024 | By November 15 | By December 20 |
| Round 2 | Jan 7, 2025 | By February 20 | By March 26 |
| Round 3 | April 1, 2025 | By May 1 | By May 15 |
Take a look at the Columbia MBA Essay tips for 2024 intake.
Difference between the August and January intakes
CBS has 2 intakes for its flagship 2-year MBA program, one in August and the other one in January. Both these intakes merge in the fall term of the second year to complete electives as a single class.
The only difference between these 2 intakes is timing and the opportunity to complete a summer internship (January intake does not offer the option of a summer internship).
The following deadlines are based on the application process for the class of 2023, for up-to-date information, please visit the programs page of Columbia Business School.
Deferred Enrollment Option
Apart from the two different intakes, CBS also offers a deferred enrollment program. This program offers current undergraduate students the opportunity to gain a few years of work experience with a guarantee of admission to Columbia’s highly selective MBA program.
Additionally, the deferred enrollment program affords such students the flexibility to begin a full-time program 2-5 years after college graduation.
Many of the top business schools offer differed enrollment programs; our experts have written in-depth articles about the deferred enrollment programs at the following business schools: ISB YLP Program: Admissions Guide and HBS 2+2 Program.
Columbia Business School MBA Philosophy and Strength
A Strong Reputation for Finance
Long known as the ‘Finance School,’ CBS has defied that moniker in recent years with consulting rising as the leading employer of its graduates. McKinsey itself hired 55 graduates which is more than the hires made by Goldman, JP Morgan, Citi, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America combined.
It’s a reflection of the strength and diversity of the MBA program. Besides its consistently high-ranked program in finance, CBS offers world-renowned programs in management, marketing, and international business.
If a career in Finance is your Post-MBA career goal, do not miss our article on Best Business Schools for Finance.
Core Curriculum and Electives
CBS has a comprehensive core curriculum that helps students build strong foundations in traditional areas of business. And it also offers a lot of electives for students to specialize in an area of their choosing.
To further this, CBS offers various career-focused pathways in the areas of Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Leadership, and Ethics. A full list of the different career-focused paths offered can be viewed here.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
Besides the core curriculum and a large number of electives, CBS also offers a lot of experiential learning opportunities.
From internships and extracurricular projects to organizing and hosting events with high-profile speakers and consulting projects, there is something for everyone.
Add to that its location in New York City ensures that you have unparalleled access to business leaders from influential practitioners that teach as adjunct faculty to business icons and heads of state who visit campus to speak mentor and network with students.
Previous speakers include:
- Warren Buffett
- Bill Gates
- Henry Paulson
- Ratan Tata
Columbia Business School Cluster Learning System
The cluster learning system of the MBA program at CBS further ensures that you learn with and from people having different skills and ideas, leadership styles, and backgrounds.
Sharing so much of the academic experience invites a more vibrant learning environment. One where students are more comfortable challenging ideas and each other while working together.
Outside the classroom, the 46,000-member strong alumni network of CBS ensures that you can find a Columbia connection anywhere in the world.
Columbia Business School MBA- Incoming Class 2025
Following are some statistics related to the latest incoming MBA class profile at Columbia Business School (incoming students Aug + Jan 2023):
| Applications received | 5895 |
| Enrolled | 900, divided into 12 clusters |
| GMAT Scores Range | 610 – 790 |
| Undergraduate GPA (middle 80%) | 3.2 – 3.9 |
| Average Work Experience | 5 years |
| Average age | 28 (21 – 44) |
| % of women in the class | 44% |
| % of international citizens | 51% |
Columbia Business School attracts a diverse and accomplished student body from around the world. With 51% of the class coming from other countries, it truly offers a global classroom environment.
Add to this the high representation of women in the class is another advantage for students who wish to learn not only from faculty but also from each other.
5-year Trends Columbia MBA Class Profile
| S.No | Columbia School of Business | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| 1 | Average GMAT | 730 | 727 | 726 |
| 2 | Average GPA | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
| 3 | Class Size | 755 | 762 | 729 |
| 4 | Work Experience (Average) | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years |
| 5 | Tuition Cost (per year/Single student) | $ 77,376 | $80,472 | |
| 6 | % of students reported job received after 90 days | 90% | 94% | |
| 7 | Median Base Salary | $150,000 | $150,000 | |
| 8 | Median Signing Bonus | $30,300 | $30,000 |
Pre-MBA Industry of the incoming Class of 2025
Following is a breakdown by pre-MBA industry of the latest incoming class of 2025:
| Pre-MBA Industry – Columbia Class of 2023 | Percentage |
| Financial services | 29% |
| Consulting | 21% |
| Marketing/Media | 12% |
| Technology | 11% |
| Others | 6% |
| Non-Profit | 3% |
| Real Estate | 5% |
| Healthcare | 5% |
| Military/ Government | 5% |
| Energy | 2% |
Pre-MBA Undergraduate Major
Following is a breakdown by the undergraduate major of the latest incoming class:
| Pre-MBA Undergraduate | Percentage |
| Business | 35% |
| Economics | 20% |
| Engineering | 17% |
| Social Science | 11% |
| Humanities | 6% |
| Sciences | 8% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Others | 1% |
Columbia Business School Employment Reports and Salaries
As mentioned earlier, CBS was long known as the “Finance School”. However, now it sends its graduates to a multitude of industries such as consulting, financial services, media/technology, and manufacturing.
This speaks not only of the strength of the program but also of the career management center as it has been able to successfully diversify the portfolio of companies and organizations that recruit from the campus after the 2008 financial crisis which saw the demise of Lehman Brother (a major CBS recruiter). Credit should also be given for this to the class of students who have increasingly diversified their career choices.
92% of all students accepted the job offers within 3 months of graduation. The median salary offered to CBS graduates was $150,000 with a median signing bonus of $30,000. It is important to note that this figure can vary according to industry and function. However, they are solid numbers any way you slice or dice them. The following are some more statistics from the CBS 2021 employment report.
Employment by Industry
Financial Services and Consulting are the two largest employers of Columbia graduates of the class of 2022, with a third of the class choosing careers in either.
| Industry | Percentage | Median Base Salary | Median Signing Bonus |
| Consulting | 33.6% | 175,000 | 30,000 |
| Financial Services | 36.9% | ||
| Consumer Finance & Analytics | 2.1% | 125,000 | 40,000 |
| Investment Banking | 16.7% | 175,000 | 50,000 |
| Investment Management | 8.2% | 162,500 | 56,000 |
| Private Equity | 4.7% | 162,500 | 30,000 |
| Venture Capital | 3.3% | 180,000 | 40,000 |
| Other | 1.9% | 145,000 | 35,000 |
| Manufacturing | 3.2% | ||
| Consumer Products - Beverages | 1.8% | 120,000 | 39,000 |
| Consumer Products - Luxury Goods | 0.3% | - | - |
| Consumer Products - Other | 0.8% | 123,750 | 17,500 |
| Manufacturing - Other | 0.3% | - | - |
| Media/Technology | 16.0% | ||
| Entertainment (Film / Music / TV | 1.9% | 127,500 | 12,000 |
| Fintech | 2.2% | 165,000 | - |
| Hardware / Software / Telecom | 2.5% | 140,000 | 35,000 |
| Internet Services / E-Commerce | 9.0% | 145,000 | 45,000 |
| Other | 0.4% | - | - |
| Other | 10.3% | ||
| Education / Government / Nonprofit | 1.4% | 90,000 | 15,000 |
| Healthcare - Pharma / Biotech | 1.5% | 125,000 | 30,000 |
| Healthcare - Providers & Services | 1.1% | 62,745 | 6,500 |
| Real Estate | 3.6% | 150,000 | 30,000 |
| Retail | 0.6% | 130,000 | 27,500 |
| Other | 2.1% | 203,750 | 20,000 |
Getting into the Columbia MBA program requires an envious 685+ GMAT score. We can help you with a personalized study plan and give you access to quality online content to prepare. Write to us at acethegmat@e-gmat.com. We are the most reviewed GMAT prep company on GMAT Club with more than 2700+ reviews. Why don’t you take a free trial and judge it for yourself?
Employment by Function
| Employment By Function | Percentage | Median Salary $ |
| Consulting | 36% | |
| Management Consulting | 33% | 1,65,000 |
| Internal Consulting/Strategic Planning | 3% | 1,37,500 |
| Finance ( Internal) | 3% | |
| Business/Corporate Development | 2% | 1,47,500 |
| Corporate Finance | 1% | 1,24,000 |
| Financial Services | 33% | |
| Investment Banking/M&A | 16% | 1,50,000 |
| Sell Side Research | 1% | 1,45,000 |
| Investment Management | 8% | 1,40,000 |
| Private Client Services/Wealth Mgmt | 1,50,000 | |
| Private Equity/LBO's | 5% | 1,50,000 |
| Venture Capital | 3% | 1,50,000 |
| Other | ||
| Management | 13% | |
| Leadership Development/Rotational Program | 5% | 1,26,000 |
| General Management | 3% | 1,16,000 |
| Operations/Production | 4% | 1,35,500 |
| Other | 2% | 1,44,500 |
| Marketing | 8% | |
| Brand/Product Management | 7% | 1,30,000 |
| Business Development/Product Development | 1,45,000 | |
| Other | 1,30,000 | |
| Real Estate | 3.50% | |
| Development/Construction | 1% | 1,35,000 |
| Finance | 2% | 1,42,500 |
| Other | 1,20,000 | |
| Other Functions | 3% | |
| Other | 3% | 1,38,000 |
Columbia Business School: Top Employers
Top recruiters of graduates from Columbia Business School from different industries include:
- McKinsey & Company
- Bain & Co.
- The Boston Consulting Group
- Amazon
- Deloitte Consulting
- Goldman, Sachs & Co.
- PwC Strategy&
- A.T Kearney
- J.P. Morgan
- KPMG
- Microsoft
- Adobe
- Citi
- IBM
- Lazard
- Morgan Stanley
- Apple
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch
- The Estee Lauder Companies
- L.E.K Consulting
- Moelis & Company
- Oliver Wyman
- Samsung
- Accenture Strategy
- Mastercard
- Uber
Columbia Business School Notable Alumni
The following business leaders are a few of the notable alumni of the Columbia Business School
| Name | Accomplishment of Note |
| Warren Buffett | CEO of Berkshire Hathaway |
| Henry Kravis | Co-Founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. |
| Vikram Pandit | Former CEO of Citigroup |
| James P. Gorman | CEO of Morgan Stanley |
| Rochelle Lazarus | Chairman Emeritus of Ogilvy & Mather |
| Michael Gould | CEO of Bloomingdale |
| Lionel Pincus | Founder Warburg Pincus |
Other MBA Programs you should consider
The following are some other schools that are a close match to Columbia Business School in terms of GMAT and GPA, age, and work experience. We have listed the programs by stretch, match, and safety. Note that these options are presented on the basis of the schools’ brand image and ranking status as a general yardstick.
Stretch Schools: Harvard, Stanford
Match Schools: Chicago Booth, Wharton, Dartmouth Tuck, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management
Safety Schools: MIT Sloan, Berkeley Haas, Duke Fuqua, Virginia Darden
Getting into the Columbia MBA program requires an envious 685+ GMAT score. We can help you with a personalized study plan and give you access to quality online content to prepare. Write to us at acethegmat@e-gmat.com. We are the most reviewed GMAT prep company on GMAT Club with more than 2700+ reviews. Why don’t you take a free trial and judge it for yourself?
FAQs - Columbia MBA Program
The Columbia full-time MBA program is to be completed across two years of study.
The average GPA for the incoming class of 2025 is 3.6.
For the incoming Columbia MBA batch, 2021-2022 is $77,376. However, there are other costs such as accommodation and the cost of living that you incur. Learn how to reduce your MBA cost here.
You need at least a 700+ GMAT Score for top business schools like MIT Sloan. The average GMAT score for Columbia MBA incoming class of 2023 is 729, with a GMAT range of 540-780.
Some of the top MBA programs in the USA are:
1. Stanford GSB
2. Wharton School of Business
3. Kellogg School of Management
4. Harvard Business School
5. UC Berkeley
Planning to pursue an MBA in the USA? Here is a guide for MBA in USA
