MBA at Darden School of Business vs Stern School of Business

MBA at Darden School of Business vs Stern School of Business

The Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, is located in Charlottesville, East of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and offers one of the best, if not the best, public MBA programs in the United States. The Stern School of Business is also a top business school in the US, coming under New York University which is a private university.

Overview Comparison
Darden School of BusinessStern School of Business
ranking (overall)# 11 Financial Times 2021
# 18 Financial Times 2020
# 23 Financial Times 2019
# 13 Financial Times 2021
# 22 Financial Times 2020
# 25 Financial Times 2019
ProgramsPG Programs -2
UG Programs -3
PG Programs -10
Cost to StudyAverage Tuition Fees  72800
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 18176 Per Year
Average Tuition Fees   54896
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  44200
[For PG Program]
CollegeDunia Reviews-7.7/10 Read 1 reviews

Top Courses Comparison

Top Courses Comparison

ranking-# 24 for Business by Times Higher Education 2023
# 32 for Business by Academy Ranking of World Universities 2021
application-#3652 Applicants
# 1059 Admissions
# 29 % Acceptance Rate
exam scores-Duolingo - 120/160GMAT - 700/800IELTS - 7/9PTE - 70/90TOEFL - 100/120
cost to studyTotal Cost (Tuition + Living) -Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -78700
Return on Investment/Average Package#Average Salary#Average Salary150000
documents required#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose
application dates-Jan 15, 2023 (Fall 2023 Application Deadline 1)
Mar 15, 2023 (Fall 2023 Application Deadline 2)
Apr 1, 2023 (Notification Deadline for Round 1)
Jun 1, 2023 (Notification Deadline for Round 2)
Comparison Notes

Let’s dig into the detailed comparisons of MBA at the top business schools in the USA:

  • Financial Times MBA Rankings 2020 listed Darden at #18 and Stern at #22, while US News ranks them at #11 and #10 respectively.
  • The percentage of graduates who received employment opportunities within three months of graduation was 96% for Darden while it was 94% for Stern.
  • Majority (35.5%) of graduates from Darden found employment in the consulting sector while the majority (33.5%) of those from Stern found employment in the financial services sector.
  • The top hiring companies for Darden were Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey & Company, Amazon, Bain & Company, and Accenture.
  • The top hiring companies for Stern were McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Amazon, Strategy&, and Deloitte.
  • MBA graduates from Darden got a salary increase of 128% whereas those from Stern only got 122%. 
  • Both of these colleges have a mediocre number of international students, with 24% of the total class at Darden, and 32% at Stern.
  • However, Darden offers international students on F-1 status Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) that enables them to do summer internships and one year of full-time work in the United States.
  • 45.8% of international students at Stern found full-time employment in the United States.

Although both colleges provide similar employment opportunities, NYU: Stern is rated as having much better value for money than UVA: Darden. Moreover, New York city being a business hub will also work to your advantage.