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University of Pennsylvania MBA/PGDM Highlights 2026
International students can go for MBA/PGDM program which is offered at University of Pennsylvania for the international students. There can be many reasons as to why Indian students choose this university which are strong academic research, experienced faculty and innovation focus. The MBA/PGDM program lasts for 20 months. At University of Pennsylvania there are 3 courses available for international students. Some of the most popular ones among international students are specializations like Entrepreneurship and Finance. The factors like transportation, housing and miscellaneous expenses are very important to be considered as they may add to the total fee. International students are required to pay first-year tuition fee to study at University of Pennsylvania for these MBA/PGDM programs which is USD 84,830 - 87,970.
University of Pennsylvania MBA/PGDM Admission Requirements and Eligibility
Getting admission to University of Pennsylvania MBA/PGDM courses could be challenging without knowing the eligibility requirements. As an Indian applicant, you should meet the eligibility criteria which includes submission of scores of qualifying exams and also, submission of important documents. Exam accepted by the university include
Commonly asked questions On Highlights
International students willing to apply for an MBA programme can apply through the university portal. They must fulfill the basic eligibility and submit the required documents along with the application fee. The student must complete their college-level education equivalent to a four-year American undergraduate or baccalaureate degree before applying. Then submit documents such as background information, essay, GMAT/GRE score, resume, LOR, transcripts, and English language proficiency score and pay USD 90 (INR 7.5K) as the application fee to apply at the university.
Harvard Business School of Harvard University as well as the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania are one of the top three business schools in the world and thus getting a degree from either of these is equally prestigious. In terms of rankings, the Wharton Business School has an upper hand. However, Harvard Business School offers more affordable education.
We have given below a comprehensive comparison of both the business schools below-
| Particulars | Harvard Business School | The Wharton School |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance Rate | 3.4% | 6% |
| Average Package | Median Base Salary: USD 175,000 (INR 1.45 Cr) Median Signing Bonus: USD 30,000 (INR 25 L) | Annual Base Salary: USD 175,000 (INR 1.45 Cr) Signing Bonus: USD 30,000 (INR 25 L) Guaranteed Bonus: USD 30,000 (INR 25 L) |
| First-year Tuition Fees | INR 18 L - 62 L | INR 35 L - 73 L |
Conversion Rate: 1 USD = INR 83.17
Master of Business Administration (MBA) is one of the best courses offered in the University of Pennsylvania. With the help of this course, students get to develop communication skills, analytical and strategic thinking abilities, and leadership skills by getting to work in teams.
For international students, the university offers a major benefit for candidates pursuing the MBA programme in one of the following concentrations: Business Analytics; Business Economics & Public Policy; Business, Energy, Environment & Sustainability; Environmental, Social & Governance Factors for Business; Finance; Operations, Information & Decisions; Quantitative Finance; Social & Governance Factors for Business; and Statistics. All of these specializations are STEM focused and they make an overseas student eligible for 36 months of post-completion OPT, as compared to 12 months for a non-STEM major.
Given below are the details of the UPenn University MBA:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 - 2 years |
| Annual Fee | INR 35 L - 73 L |
| Course Types | Full-time MBA Evening MBA Hybrid MBA Executive MBA |
Accreditation | Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
Specializations | Accounting Business Analytics Business Economics & Public Policy Business, Energy, Environment & Sustainability Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Entrepreneurship & Innovation Environmental, Social & Governance Factors for Business (ESGB) Finance Healthcare Management Management Marketing Marketing & Operations Multinational Management Operations, Information & Decisions Organizational Effectiveness Quantitative Finance Real Estate Social & Governance Factors for Business Statistics Strategic Management |
Median Annual Base Salary | USD 175,000 (INR 1.46 Cr) |
Median Signing Bonus | USD 30,000 (INR 25 L) |
Median Guaranteed Bonus | USD 30,000 (INR 25 L) |
Conversion Rate: 1 USD = INR 83.49
Wharton is popular school among international students although living expense along with high tuition fee can feel little expensive. According to Wharton's official site, international student has to spend amount of USD 33,804 for one year to pursue MBA at this B-School from which big chunk will go in paying rent. 80% of Wharton MBA students live near Rittenhouse Square which is located in centre city. Centre City is known for its best restaurants, shopping outlets and nightlife.
Commute to Wharton campus is 25 minutes' walk or 10 to 15 minutes through bike or public transportation. Students say on various platforms such as Quora, that they are able to enjoy luxury high rises with beautiful views of park and brownstone homes. Average rent among students who live in Rittenhouse Square for various kinds of apartments in mentioned below=
Apartment type | Rent Per month |
|---|---|
Studio Apartment | USD 1,600 (INR 1.45 L) |
1 Bedroom Apartment | USD 1,900 (INR 1.72 L) |
2 Bedroom Apartment | USD 2,600 (INR 2.36 L) |
Below mentioned are buildings most Wharton MBA students live in Rittenhouse Square-
· AQ Rittenhouse
· 2040 Market
· 1919 Market
· The Dorchester
· 2400 Chestnut
· 2116 Chestnut
· The Republic
· Rittenhouse Claridge
· Wanamaker House
· 1700 Chestnut
· The Beacon
· Locust on the Park
· Aria
· The Carlyle
· The Sterling
University of Pennsylvania MBA/PGDMPopular courses
University of Pennsylvania MBA/PGDM Rankings
The MBA/PGDM course at the university is ranked among various ranking bodies. As per the Shiksha World Ranking, MBA/PGDM ranked #1 in 2025. International students can check the University of Pennsylvania rankings below:
| Shiksha Popularity Ranking | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Ranking | #6 | #1 | #1 |
| Country Ranking | #3 | #2 | #2 |
University of Pennsylvania MBA/PGDMExplore Other Courses
University of Pennsylvania MBA 2024 FAQs
Wharton's MBA application cost is $275 and is non-refundable. With your application, you can pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express). MBA at Wharton for Indian students is quite expensive. The table below highlights the total cost of pursuing MBA at Wharton:
1st year tuition fees
Fees components | Amount |
Tuition & fees | INR 70,06,349 |
Other expenses in 1st Year
Fees components | Amount |
Hostel & Meals | INR 14,28,445 |
Insurance | INR 3,32,594 |
Transportation | INR 73,470 |
Books and Supplies | INR 5,59,524 |
Personal Expenses | INR 3,40,106 |
Total | INR 27,34,139 |
Interviews are conducted at the Wharton School as a part of the Wharton MBA application process. Although these interviews are conducted via an interview only. They are one-on-one interviews focusing on the professional experience, career goals, candidate's leadership skills, and the fundamental answer to question of 'why Wharton'?
The interview is also equipped to test one's fit for the programme by checking aptitude, by posing behavioral and situational questions.
Interviewees are advised to prepare specific examples of leadership, challenges, failures, and teamwork.
Wharton MBA is great asset and addition to professional life of student. Median annual base salary was highest for industry of Legal and Professional Services, which was whopping compensation of USD 235,000 (INR 2.13 Cr), followed by Private Equity/Buyouts/Other industry, with compensation of USD 200,000 (INR 1.81 Cr). Wharton School of Business MBA class 2025 was placed in industries such as Consulting, Finance, Technology, Real Estate, etc.
The table below shows the average salary given by various industries to a Wharton MBA graduate:
Industry | Accepted Median Salary (Annual) |
|---|---|
Consulting | USD 190,000.00 |
Financial Services | USD 175,000.00 |
Legal & Professional Services | USD 235,000.00 |
Manufacturing | USD 155,000 |
Real Estate | USD 150,000.00 |
Technology | USD 164,250.00 |
(USD 1 = INR 90.77)
This Busniess School is famous among international students because research opportunities, good curriculum, career opportunities and supportive community. Due to all these factors, Business and Management students apply to this School from all around the world, which makes it competitive and ambitious B-School to get into. Wharton School acceptance rate is 20.5 % for MBA Class of 2026, which makes this B-School hard to get into. This low acceptance rate suggests that out of every 100 applications, only 11 to 12 students get offer.
Although it is not impossible to get into MBA program at Wharton from India. It is expected of Indian student to achieve these scores mentioned in table to put their best foot forward in Wharton application process.
Based on the recent Wharton employment report 2025, The Wharton School placement rate stands at 87% within the three months of graduation from this B-School.
The table below shows the top companies hiring the MBA graduates from Wharton:
Top Companies Hiring Wharton MBA Graduates |
|---|
· Ab Bernstein |
· Activision Blizzard |
· Adobe Inc. |
· Alixpartners |
· Alpine Investors |
· Alvarez & Marsal |
· Amazon |
· Apple |
· Arctos Sports Partners |
· Bain & Company |
Some of the top employers of UPenn MBA graduates of 2024 were Amazon, Google, Bank of America, American Express, Microsoft, JP Morgan, etc. Check the table given below to know more about more hiring companies:
Top Employers | |
|---|---|
Estee Lauder Companies | Morgan Stanley |
Thrive Capital | Goldman Sachs & Company |
Deloitte Consulting LLP | McKinsey & Company |
Uber | UBS |
The Walt Disney Company | TikTok |
Apollo Global Management | Citi |
Lincoln International | Evercore |
Moelis & Company | NextEra Energy |
A total of 98.7% of the University of Pennsylvania MBA Class of 2025 students accept internships. The median salary as per all industries is USD 10,400 (Around INR 9 lakh). Industries in which these students are working are Consulting, Energy, Financial Services, FinTech, etc. Most of the MBA students are hired in Consulting / Strategy function. Other job functions where these graduates were hired include Private Equity, Product Management, Investment Banking, etc.
UPenn MBA graduates of the Class of 2024 were hired in varied industries such as Consulting, Energy, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Technology, Real Estate, Retail, etc. The UPenn MBA average salary for all the industries was INR 1.52 Cr.
Industry | MBA Average Salary |
|---|---|
Consulting | INR 1.65 Cr. |
Consumer Products | INR 1.19 Cr. |
Energy | INR 1.43 Cr. |
Financial Services | INR 1.52 Cr. |
FinTech | INR 1.36 Cr. |
Healthcare | INR 1.41 Cr. |
Legal & Professional Services | INR 1.95 Cr. |
Manufacturing | INR 1.43 Cr. |
UPenn MBA average salary for international students was USD 134,826 (Around INR 1.17 Cr.). The placement rate for the MBA Class of 2024 was 93.1 (receiving job offers). The placement rate for the students who accepted job offers was 88.2%. A few of the top employers of these graduates were Amazon, Google, Bain & Company, Bank of America, American Express, JP Morgan, Microsoft, etc.
Wharton's MBA application cost is $275 and is non-refundable. With your application, you can pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express). MBA at Wharton for Indian students is quite expensive. The table below highlights the total cost of pursuing MBA at Wharton:
1st year tuition fees
Fees components | Amount |
|---|---|
Tuition & fees | INR 70,06,349 |
Other expenses in 1st Year
Fees components | Amount |
Hostel & Meals | INR 14,28,445 |
Insurance | INR 3,32,594 |
Transportation | INR 73,470 |
Books and Supplies | INR 5,59,524 |
Personal Expenses | INR 3,40,106 |
Total | INR 27,34,139 |
University of Pennsylvania
Student Forum
Answered a week ago
The Wharton School MBA acceptance rate for 2026 was 11-15%, meaning out of every 100 applications, only 11 to 15 students were given offer letter, which makes it bit difficult to get admission at this B-School.
Although, student can get admission to this Business School by fulfilling below mentioned
K
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Wharton receives applications from all around the world and most of the MBA applications received demonstrate certain level of experience. MBA Class 2026 had an average prior experience of 5+ years in various industries. Although, Wharton accepts applications of the students without or minimum work
K
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
UPenn accepts TOEFL iBT, IELTS and DET as proof of English language proficiency. The minimum score requirement is-
- TOEFL iBT- 100 or above
- IELTS Exam- 7 or above
- Duolingo English Test- 130 or above
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes students will be evaluated on a holistic basis including academic and non academic. Basically its the same for domestic and international applicants of UPenn and the university accepts only one of the following- Common App, the Coalition Application and the QuestBridge Application.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The UPenn provides over 200 UG and PG programs to international students. Some available fields are Business, Finance, Nursing, Engineering, Arts, Science, and more. Some popular programs are Computer Science, Data Science, Psychology, Accounting, and more.
J
Contributor-Level 9
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