Finally, Stanford was able to reverse the declining application volume that began engulfing top schools since 2019. Although not by a big margin, the 6,190 applicants for the 2025 class is a marginal improvement to the 6,152 for the 2024 class.
In the first part of the Stanford MBA analysis, we cover the Full-time MBA Class profile, changing acceptance trends by pre-MBA industry, and pre-MBA education, and changing cost trends.
Stanford accepts both GMAT and GRE scores in addition to TOEFL and has no minimum requirement. The average scores of the 2025 entering class were - GMAT (738) and GRE (164 verbal, 164 quantitative).
The international mix in the class has been in the 35-40% range, while women in the class have remained in the 45-46% range. The 431 students were from diverse cities, backgrounds, and nationalities (55). While the average GMAT score is 738, close to 40% submitted their GRE score for admissions. A 164 in Quant and Verbal is a safe score for a Stanford MBA. There was no compromise on GPA. Stanford looks closely at this number to ensure that the applicant is ready to take on the academic rigor of the 2-year program. This year, it was no different with a 3.77 GPA.
| Stanford MBA | 2025 Class Profile |
| Application Volume | 6190 |
| Enrolled | 431 |
| Age (Average) | 5 years |
| GMAT Score (Median) | 738 |
| GRE Verbal (Average) (39% submitted GRE) | 164 |
| GRE Quant (Average) (39% submitted GRE) | 164 |
| GPA (Average) | 3.77 |
| % Women | 46% |
| % International Students | 36% |
Stanford MBA - Pre-MBA Education
Humanities and Social Science, which used to be the background of most candidates at Stanford have now reversed. Stanford is now prioritizing STEM and Business/Commerce/Economics to a 40-40% range while keeping the Humanities/Social Science in the 18-20% range. The new trend is a reflection of the larger demand for engineers and business/economics backgrounds for VC and PE roles.
Engineering is the #1 background of most Stanford MBA graduates, followed by Econ majors. Arts and Humanities were at the bottom of the list at 5%.
| Stanford Pre-MBA Education | 2025 Class Profile |
| Engineering | 26% |
| Business/Commerce | 20% |
| Social Sciences | 13% |
| Maths/Physical Sciences | 15% |
| Economics | 21% |
| Arts/Humanities | 5% |
Stanford MBA - Pre-MBA Industry
VC, PE, and Investment Management were the most represented for the Stanford MBA class, followed by Consulting (17%) and Technology (13%). Healthcare, consumer Products, and manufacturing completed the rest of the class – all in single-digit percentages.
| Stanford Pre-MBA Industry | 2025 Class Profile |
| Consulting | 17% |
| Consumer Products / Retail / E-Commerce | 9% |
| Financial Services | 5% |
| Health Care / Biotech | 7% |
| Manufacturing / Industrial / Energy | 9% |
| Technology | 13% |
| Investment Management/ Venture Capital / Private Equity | 19% |
| Nonprofit / Government / Education | 10% |
Stanford MBA Class Profile - Class of 2025 vs. 2024 vs 2023 vs 2022
The application volume has been declining since the pandemic. 2025 is the first sign of a reversal, primarily from the school's focus on increasing US minority representation in the class. The school's insistence on measuring values and emotional intelligence is inviting unconventional, diverse, and entrepreneurial applicants to the class. The school continues to keep GPA as its highest priority, with GPA not falling below 3.75 while GMAT has been in the 737-738 range. A large percentage (close to 40%) of applicants submitting the GRE is another reason for the school's success in attracting applicants with an international perspective. Applicants who have completed their Master's and undergraduate degrees in US universities find greater representation at Stanford.
| Stanford MBA Class Profile | Class of 2025 | Class of 2024 | Class of 2023 | Class of 2022 |
| Application Volume | 6190 | 6152 | 7367 | 7324 |
| Admitted Students | 431 | 424 | 426 | 436 |
| Acceptance Rate | 7% | 7% | 5.8% | 6% |
| Underrepresented Minorities (including dual citizens) | 50% | 51% | 48% | 47% (37% overall) |
| Women representation | 46% | 44% | 44% | 47% |
| International Students | 36% | 37% | 47% | 35% |
| Average GPA | 3.77 | 3.76 | 3.78 | - |
| Average Work Experience | 5 years | 4.9 years | 4.8 years | 4 years |
| GMAT Average | 738 | 737 | 738 | - |
| GRE Average (Verbal/Quant) | 164/164 | 164/163 | 165 / 165 | - |
| TOEFL | 113 | 113 | 113 | - |
Stanford Pre-MBA Industry - Class of 2025 vs. 2024 vs. 2023 vs. 2022
Even though on the surface it might seem that Stanford is prioritizing PE and VC and Technology applicants, the numbers are fluctuating, with PE/VC reaching a stable 19-20% of the class composition while Consulting and Technology has been varying for the past 3-5 years, reflecting the recent high and low demands in the two industries. Consumer Products and Services applicants have witnessed a surge in demand to streamline their skills with an MBA. Real Estate has been eliminated from the board, while Clean Tech has reached a 3-4% stable range.
| Stanford Pre-MBA Industry | Percent Hired (Class of 2025) | Percent Hired (Class of 2024) | Percent Hired (Class of 2023) | Percent Hired (Class of 2022) |
| Investment Management, PE & VC | 19% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| Consulting | 17% | 20% | 19% | 17% |
| Technology | 13% | 15% | 16% | 14% |
| Government, Education & Non-profit | 10% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| Health Care | 7% | 5% | 8% | 7% |
| Arts, Media & Entertainment | 4% | 5% | 6% | 7% |
| Consumer Products & Services | 9% | 7% | 5% | 7% |
| Military | 5% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% | 3% | 4% | 2% |
| CleanTech, Energy & Environmental | 4% | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Real Estate | - | 0.02 | - | |
| Financial Services | 5% | 4% | 1% | 5% |
| Other | 1% | 5% | 3% | 5% |
Stanford MBA Cost of Attendance
Tuition Fees and Housing are two of the largest cost components for Stanford MBA students. The high insurance cost and low connectivity in California are other contributing factors to the high cost of living. For married students, budgeting a 1/3rd higher cost than that of a single student is essential.
Tuition fee is at $79,860, living expenses - $18,453 for single students and $34,200 for married students, Housing ($20,271 for single and $30,216 for married students), Medical insurance ($7,128), and Health Fees ($753) add the total 1-year cost of a Stanford MBA single student at $126,465. Married students should budget $155,000.
Global experiential learning costs range from $3000 to $4500. The cost is not included in the tuition fees.
On summing up the cost components, the total cost for a Stanford MBA program is $2,55,930 - $2,57,430 for single students and $3,07,314 - $3,08,814 for married students.
Below, we have summarized the 1-year total fees for the Stanford MBA program for both single and married students.
| Stanford MBA Cost | Single Student | Married Student |
| Tuition | $79,860 | $79,860 |
| Living Expenses | $18,453 | $34,200 |
| Housing | $20,271 | $30,216 |
| Medical Insurance | $7,128 | $7,128 |
| Health Fee | $753 | $753 |
| Total | $126,465 | $152,157 |
Stanford MBA Cost - 2022-23 VS 2023-24
Stanford MBA tuition fee has been increased by 3%, whereas the entire cost has increased by 8.9%, from $120,639 to $126,465. Living expenses and housing, collectively, have increased by 4.8%.
Budget $125,000 each year to accommodate miscellaneous expenses at Stanford MBA.
| Cost (For Single Student) | Stanford MBA 2022-23 | Stanford MBA 2023-24 |
| Tuition | $76,950 | $79,860 |
| Living Expenses and Housing | $36,198 | $38,724 |
| Medical Insurance and Health Fee | $7491 | $7,881 |
| Total | $120,639 | $126,465 |
Related Service: F1GMAT's Stanford MBA Application Essay Editing Service
Related Book: F1GMAT’s Stanford MBA Essay Guide
Reference
Stanford MBA Analysis
- Stanford MBA - Curriculum Analysis (Part 2)
- Stanford MBA - Scholarships, Loans and Financial Aid (Part 3)
- Stanford MBA - Salary Trends (Part 4)