What You Need to Know about UCLA Anderson’s MBA Program

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UCLA Anderson is the leading business school in Los Angeles, and it has excellent placement in the LA offices of McKinsey, BCG, and Bain, as well as top investment banks. The LA location also has an advantage if you’re considering a career in tech post-MBA. LA ranks #3 in the tech job market in the country, after the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City, and this advantage is visible from the 30% placement of graduates into the tech industry.

We’ve also heard excellent things about the career development opportunities at Anderson. The Parker Career Center has received stunningly positive reviews from former Menlo Coaching clients. The center is also consistently ranked highly by The Economist and Bloomberg Businessweek.

You would be a good fit at Anderson if the business school’s personal values of “share success”, “think fearlessly”, and “drive change” resonate with you. Anderson believes in a value-based approach to leadership and a collective approach to success. Moreover, Anderson is committed to fostering diversity in their program, which is bolstered by the variety of cultures present in Los Angeles, and UCLA’s support for the Riordan Programs Alumni Association’s Saturday Business Academy, which brings business education to inner city youth.

UCLA Anderson MBA Class Profile

Class Size300
Acceptance Rate38%
GMAT Average710
GPA Minimum3.1
GPA Maximum3.8
Average AgeDoes not disclose
Avg. Years Work Experience5.7
Diversity Women37%
Diversity Intl.48%
Pre-MBA IndustriesHigh Tech: 24%
Finance: 22%
Consulting: 14%
Health / Biotech: 10%
Marketing: 9%
Public / Nonprofit: 9%
Entertainment / Media: 7%
Real Estate: 5%
Undergraduate MajorsBusiness: 26%
Engineering: 19%
Economics: 15%
Humanities / Social Sciences: 15%
Math / Computer Science: 9%
Physics / Biology Sciences: 5%
Other: 11%

The data above is from 2023 and represents the UCLA Anderson class of 2025.
See the full report: UCLA Anderson MBA Class Profile

Student Experiences

UCLA Anderson MBA Employment Report & Careers

Salary Average$181,000.00
Offers Upon GraduationDoes not disclose
Offers At 3 Mos.Does not disclose
Post-MBA IndustriesConsulting: 27.7%
Technology: 25.4%
Financial Services: 13.3%
Consumer Products: 9%
Entertainment/Media: 7.8%
Healthcare: 6.6%
Real Estate: 3.9%
Energy / Utilities: 1.6%
Retail: 1.6%
Other: 3.1%
Post-MBA LocationsDoes not disclose
Post-MBA Companies

UCLA Anderson Top Hiring Companies

Career Development Resources

UCLA Anderson Career Impact

The data above is from 2023 and represents the career statistics of the UCLA Anderson class of 2023.
See the full report: UCLA Anderson MBA Employment Report

UCLA Anderson MBA Academic Programs

MBA Curriculum

UCLA Anderson’s MBA curriculum is spread out across seven quarters over two years. Students take classes for four quarters in the first year and for the fall, winter, and spring quarters of the second year. The core curriculum at Anderson comprises nine foundation courses. Some of these courses include Data and Decisions, Business Strategy, Financial Accounting, and Operations Technology Management. Students begin taking elective courses starting the winter quarter of their first year. Some of the program’s more popular classes are Technology Analytics, FinTech, and Digital Marketing Strategy.

See the full offering of courses: UCLA Anderson MBA Course Catalog

Majors

Students are not required to select a major as part of their MBA at UCLA Anderson. Instead, the program offers the option of specializing in one of the 15 available business areas. These areas cover aspects of business such as accounting, consulting, social impact, and real estate.

Experiential Learning Programs

As part of their degree requirement, students must complete a capstone project, which focuses on real world business challenges. Students can fulfil this requirement through Applied Management Research, the Business Creation Option, the Student Investment Fund, the Anderson Strategy Group, or the NAIOP Real Estate Case Competition.

Research Centers

Anderson is home to eight academic centers. These centers provide students with a community around their research interests in areas ranging from Finance and Investments to Marketing Studies and Data Analytics.

MBA International Study Programs

Students enrolled in UCLA Anderson all participate in international study programs in order to complete a global degree requirement. This requirement can be met in one of three ways. Students can complete a global immersion course, an international Applied Management Research Field Study Project, or an on-campus global management elective course.

Video Resources on UCLA Anderson Academics

UCLA Anderson MBA Application

The latest application requirements set by the UCLA Anderson admissions office are described below.

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Essays

Here are the prompts for Anderson’s most recent application:

Impact Essay

  • UCLA Anderson seeks to develop transformative leaders who think fearlessly, drive change, and share success. We believe the ability to persevere is an essential component of effective leadership. Please share an example from your personal or professional life where you demonstrated perseverance to accomplish a significant goal or milestone. (text box, 250 words maximum)

    Strong essays describe the impact of your achievement and clarify its connection to your future MBA plans in the short- and long-term. We look forward to learning about the specific ways your achievement helped set you up for future success.

Career Goals Essays

  • Describe your short-term and long-term post-MBA career goals. (text box, 600 characters)
  • How can UCLA Anderson help you achieve your career and/or personal goals? (text box, 1000 characters)

Optional Essays

  • Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions committee should be aware? (text box, 250 words)
  • “More About You” Section. If you wish to provide additional information about academic or personal circumstances not included in your Optional Essay or elsewhere in this application, please do so here. (text box, maximum 1000 characters)

Read more: UCLA Anderson MBA Essays: Tips and Prompts

Video Resources on UCLA Anderson Admissions

UCLA Anderson MBA Admissions Interviews

UCLA Anderson’s interviews are typically 30 mins long, and take place either in person or via Skype. All interviews are conducted by second year MBA students, who receive your resume before the interview, but not your application. 

For more on this, see our UCLA Anderson MBA Interview Guide.

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What Makes UCLA Anderson Unique?

  • Parker Career Management Center: The career center is consistently top-ranked for student satisfaction. There is a 100% placement rate among students seeking an internship.
  • Fully Employed MBA: This three-year program boasts a strong ROI, with a reported 137% increase is salary 6-8 years post-MBA and a 23% — 34% salary increase during the MBA. The program also has three flexible schedule options, with classes all day on Saturdays, Tuesday and Thursday evening classes, and a hybrid schedule between the two.

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*All data retrieved from the UCLA Anderson MBA Program webpages, unless otherwise stated.