CMU Tepper Program Overview

With the motto “Where human intelligence unlocks the power of data” and “a business school for the intelligent future,” the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University positions itself as a place where business and technology are indissolubly intertwined, working together for a smarter, better world.

The Tepper MBA program sets forth to create business leaders who are interdisciplinary and well-versed in the use of data and technology to transform business. Tepper MBA students will gain the ability to harness and analyze data and technology to find the best solution to problems in a world driven by innovation.

Established by the Carnegie Institute of Technology as the Graduate School of Industrial Administration, the Tepper School came about as a leading research institution integrating the social sciences and introducing an analytic, scientific approach.

The Tepper School is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and students share the city with those of 10 other colleges and universities, making it a vibrant, young community. Pittsburgh is home to the National Aviary, the Andy Warhol Museum, a burgeoning family of tech start-ups and small-business accelerators, a great network of parks, and a textured food scene colored by the grit of America’s great immigrant traditions.

According to the 2022 Tepper MBA Employment Report, the full-time employment of Tepper graduates breaks down by the following fields: 39.1% consulting, 28.1% technology, 16.4% financial services, 6.2% biotech/health, 3.1% consumer products.

The Tepper MBA Class of 2022 average salary was $148,067, and 97% of students received job offers within three months of graduation.

2023-2024 CMU Tepper MBA Essay Questions

 

  • Essay 1: The Tepper community is dynamic and unique with students who strive to be collaborative, supportive and inclusive. Please provide an example of when you experienced or created an inclusive environment and how you will use that experience to help members of the community reach their full potential. (500 words)
  • Video Essay: We know this is an important component of your decision to attend business school. We take it seriously as well. Please describe your post-MBA career goals.

Comprehensive CMU Tepper Application Support

If you are ready to take the plunge and begin the CMU Tepper application process, Personal MBA Coach is here to guide you via our comprehensive packages.

What Sets CMU Tepper Apart

  • Core Principles: The Tepper School is guided by a brand-new strategic plan seeking to root the MBA candidate in a set of core principles: integrity, rigor, inclusion, collaboration, mental agility, and entrepreneurial spirit.
  • STEM-Designated: The intensely interdisciplinary nature of the Carnegie Mellon business school program blends together foundational business disciplines and incorporates expertise in technology, engineering, and science from across the Carnegie Mellon campus, creating a STEM-designated MBA. At the center of it all is analytics. (The STEM MBA designation has added benefits for international students as students graduating from STEM MBA programs may apply for a 24-month extension to their post-completion OPT, providing up to 36 months of temporary employment in the U.S.)
  • Concentrations: The Tepper MBA requires one concentration but you can choose more: among the rich array are accounting, sustainability, operations management, healthcare analytics, strategy, and operations management. Optional tracks such as Energy Business or Management of Innovation allow for the exploration of certain careers or fields of study.
  • Research Institutes: Set against the backdrop of CMU’s general research excellence (the world-renowned National Robotics Engineering Center and the Software Engineering Institute, among others), Tepper features a variety of vibrant research institutes and initiatives that often connect to and collaborate with other schools across campus: the Center for Behavioral & Decision Research, the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Center, the Green Design Institute, and the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, which works to bring great ideas to market.
  • Advanced Technological Initiatives: Tepper is also home to several important cutting-edge technological initiatives—among them the Blockchain Initiative and the Healthcare Initiative, promoting innovation and problem solving in those areas.
  • Program Choices: In addition to the full-time MBA, a part-time online hybrid MBA, a part-time accelerated MBA, and a part-time flex MBA, Tepper offers an MS in Business Analytics, an MS in Product Management, a Master of Integrated Innovation for Products and Services, an MS in Computational Science, and a Ph.D.

2025 CMU Tepper MBA Class Profile

The CMU Tepper class of 2025 is made up of 171 students, 36% of whom identify as women and 49% of whom identify as a U.S. minority. Furthermore, more than half (53%) of the students are international, 26% percent of the class identify as underrepresented minorities, and 7% identify as LGBTQ+.

On average, the CMU Tepper class of 2025 has 5.8 years of pre-MBA work experience. Top industries at admission include tech and new media (20%), financial services (18%), and consulting (15%).

Top academic backgrounds for Tepper MBA students include engineering (42%), business/commerce (24%), and economics (8%).

Average GMAT:
  • 705
Average GPA:
  • 3.26

Joint/Dual Degrees Offered at Tepper

Tepper offers a number of dual/double-degree programs. Among them:

  • MBA/MSCEE (Civil and Environmental Engineering): A 3-year program offering the opportunity to develop technical and managerial skills in managing and leading civil and environmental engineering organizations, projects and systems.
  • JD/MBA: A 4-year program combining law and business, training for careers in the private or public business sectors and the legal profession.
  • MBA/MSHCPM (Master of Science in Health Care Policy and Management): A 2.5-year program designed to educate MBA students about the economic, political, and financial environment in which healthcare is delivered as well as provide an understanding of how to manage and lead organizations across healthcare delivery channels.
  • MBA/MSPPM (Master of Science in Public Policy and Management): A 2.5-year program that educates professionals on the interface between the private and public sectors as well as issues that span management of business enterprises and public or not-for-profit organizations. This program is offered by the Tepper School of Business and the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy.
  • MBA/MS Software Engineering: A 3-year program that provides access to Carnegie Mellon’s top-ranked School of Computer Science, preparing MBAs with advanced engineering, managerial, decision-making and communication skills necessary to advance to senior levels of technology strategy.

2023-2024 CMU Tepper MBA Application Deadlines and Timeline

  • Application Deadline: October 2, 2023
  • Application Deadline: January 8, 2024
  • Application Deadline: March 4, 2024

CMU Tepper Client Testimonials

4 School Admit
I had an all-around great experience working with Scott and the entire Personal MBA Coach team and highly recommend them to anyone else. To start, Scott and his team really took the time to understand why I wanted an MBA and helped me narrow down schools to the ones that fit well with my short... Read More
4 School Admit
I worked with Scott and his team for my MBA applications this year. I had a great experience and have received offers from the Kellogg MBAi program, and full-time MBA programs at Haas, Ross, and Tepper (with $40K). It was great working with the team. I felt that their understanding of what different schools are... Read More
3 School Admit
I had an excellent experience working with Scott, MJ and Nicole. From my initial phone call, Scott was direct, informed and honest. He helped me craft a target list of schools to suit my ability and background. Though he is at every step supportive, he’s unusual in that his feedback is consistently candid. He does... Read More

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