University of Virginia Darden School of Business

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business delivers the world’s best business education experience to prepare entrepreneurial, global and responsible leaders through its MBA, Ph.D. MSBA and Executive Education programs. Darden’s top-ranked faculty is renowned for teaching excellence and advances practical business knowledge through research. Darden was established in 1955 at the University of Virginia, a top public university founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

• 1) Spontaneous yet deliberate learning experience
  The thoughtfully orchestrated classroom promotes deep engagement and develops leadership voices. The experience contrasts starkly with lecture-based learning. At Darden, the student is a participant rather than a recipient.
• 2) Intensity of experience
  Darden’s concentrated experience is purposefully intense and simulates the performance pressures and analytical rigor required by modern business, preparing students for high-performance careers as global leaders.
• 3) Culture of mutual respect and positive intent
  Building on the shared intensity of the experience, students have unprecedented access and exposure to faculty. This combination results in the high intellectual and emotional engagement and creates a culture of mutual respect and positive intent.
• 4) Proximity to business practice
  Darden’s commitment to business practice and scholarly research means our teaching and ideas make a near-term impact for people and organizations, addressing leadership concerns now — in sharp contrast with conceptual, ivory tower theorizing.
• 5) Honor and purpose
  Darden’s diverse community of trust and inclusion in anchored by a dedication to leading lives of honor and purpose while actively participating in UVA’s Honor System. Here, the bright-minded converge to channel their purpose for business and social transformation.

Most recent class profile

Class of 2024 https://www.darden.virginia.edu/mba/admissions/class-profile

Class size: 348

Countries represented: 48

International students: 43%

Domestic minority: 20%

Average age: 27

Average work experience: 5 years

Program duration

Two academic years – the Class of 2025 will enroll in August 2023 and graduate in May 2025.

Percentage of students employed (within 3 months of graduation)

97.5% https://www.darden.virginia.edu/mba/career-support/employment-report

Tuition fees

Fall 2023 Tuition and Fees, with case fees (International students): $39,950

Spring 2024 Tuition and Fees, with case fees (International students): $39,950

https://www.darden.virginia.edu/mba/tuition-financial-aid/tuition-fees-billing

3 Unique selling points (USP)

No. 1 Rankings:

No. 1: U.S. Public MBA program (Bloomberg Businessweek, 2019, 2022)

No. 1: Best education experience in the U.S. (The Economist, 2011–19, 2022)

No. 1: Faculty (The Economist, 2017–19, 2022; The Princeton Review, 2017–21)

No. 1: U.S. Public MBA Program for Average Starting Salary and Bonus (U.S. News & World Report, 2017-22)

https://www.darden.virginia.edu/about/why-darden/20-reasons

Career Outcomes:

Graduates of the Class of 2022 (the largest class in the School’s history) received a record mean base salary of $157,090 and consulting remained the top career choice – while technology and finance careers continue to be popular industries for graduates. Class of 2022: Almost 98% of students received a job offer by 3-months post-graduation, and 132 unique employers hired students from the class https://www.darden.virginia.edu/mba/career-support/employment-report