2024 OMBA RANKING: Average GMAT, GRE, GPAs & Work Experience For The Top Online MBA Programs
University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management was the only school in our online MBA ranking where more than 50% of students submitted test scores for admission. Courtesy photo
For top full-time, residential MBA programs, a strong test score is often still a marker of a strong application. That’s not the case for many online MBAs.
Online programs more and more offer generous test waivers, allowing students to forgo the GMAT or GRE in lieu of work experience or strong academic credentials – a trend that only accelerated during and after the pandemic. Many programs that do require an entrance exam score have lower thresholds for admission than their in-person counterparts.
In Poets&Quants’ seventh annual ranking of the best OMBAs, just one of 51 programs accepted GMAT or GRE scores from more than 50% of enrolled students: University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management, ranked No 3 overall. There, 33% of students submitted GMAT scores with an average of 635; 27% of students submitted GRE scores with an average of 314.
The next closest school was University of Washington Foster School of Business where 40% of students reported test scores, 21% reporting GMAT (average 620) and 19% reporting GRE (average 315).
In last year’s ranking, none of the then 50 ranked programs accepted test scores from at least half of their enrolled students. In the previous year’s ranking, five schools did.
HOW GMAT FIGURES IN OUR OMBA RANKING
Test scores do not play a major part in our methodology, but we do consider an adjusted GMAT score as part of the overall admission score which also includes the metrics of admission rate, undergraduate GPA, and years of work experience. The admission score accounts for 33% of the final score in our ranking.
Two years ago, we reduced the weight of the average adjusted GMAT score from 50% of the total admissions score down to 20%. Several schools have introduced generous test waivers for work experience and other attributes, and others have gone completely test optional. In fact, this year, 27 of 51 ranked schools did not report any GMAT scores at all. However, we still consider GMAT a robust measure of admission standards and so our methodology rewards schools that report GMAT stats.
To calculate our adjusted GMAT average, we multiply the school’s average GMAT score with the percentage of students who reported GMAT scores plus the percentage of students who had the test waived because of 10 or more years of work experience.
FEWER SCHOOLS REQUIRING TEST SCORES
There’s just no denying that test scores, particularly the GMAT, play less of a role in online MBA admissions than they used to. Just 4 of 51 schools had at least 10% of students who reported GMAT scores in the 2024 ranking, compared to 14 of 50 schools for 2023 and 13 of 52 schools for 2022.
It was similar for GRE scores. Just 4 of 51 schools reported GRE scores from at least 10% of students. That compares to 7 of 50 schools for the 2023 ranking and 8 of 52 for the 2022 ranking.
In the 2021 ranking – for which data was collected in the first year of the coronavirus pandemic – 17 of 47 schools had 10% GMAT reporting and 18 of 47 had the same amount in GRE reporting.
With fewer schools reporting, it makes it harder for meaningful comparisons. The chart below shows schools in our latest ranking with the highest combined percentage of students who reported either a GMAT or GRE score as part of their admission application.
2024 Rank | School | Average GMAT | GMAT, % Reporting | Average GRE | GRE, % Reporting | % Total |
3 | 635 | 33% | 314 | 27% | 60.00% | |
2 | 620 | 21% | 315 | 19% | 40.00% | |
26 | 594 | 19% | 316 | 13% | 32.00% | |
5 | 668 | 19% | 321 | 11% | 30.00% | |
4 | 670 | 17% | 314 | 10% | 27.00% | |
25 | 0 | 14.30% | 311.9 | 4.40% | 18.70% | |
14 | 512 | 6.50% | 297 | 9.10% | 15.60% | |
10 | 591 | 7% | 307 | 7.60% | 14.60% | |
50 | 388 | 5% | 303 | 9% | 14.00% | |
6 | 622 | 4% | 301 | 8.40% | 12.40% | |
17 | 645 | 5% | 307 | 7% | 12.00% | |
1 | 676 | 7% | 316 | 1% | 8.00% | |
23 | 570 | 3% | 304 | 5% | 8.00% | |
Continue to the next page to see all the average reported GMAT & GRE scores at the ranked online MBA programs.
Continue reading:
PAGE 2: All average reported GMAT & GRE scores at all our ranked schools
PAGE 3: Undergraduate GPA scores
PAGE 4: Average years of work experience
AVERAGE GMAT & GRE SCORES
Of the 51 ranked online MBA programs, 21 reported no GMAT or GRE scores at all, showing the tests’ diminishing value in OMBA program admissions.
2024 Rank | School | Average GMAT | % Reporting GMAT | Average GRE | % Reporting GRE |
1 | Indiana University (Kelley) | 676 | 7% | 316 | 1% |
2 | University of Washington (Foster) | 620 | 21% | 315 | 19% |
3 | University of Texas at Dallas (Naveen Jindal) | 635 | 33% | 314 | 27% |
4 | University of Michigan (Ross) | 670 | 17% | 314 | 10% |
5 | Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) | 668 | 19% | 321 | 11% |
6 | Rice University (Jones) | 622 | 4% | 301 | 8.40% |
7 | University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler) | 674 | 2.30% | 314 | 1.50% |
8 | Jack Welch Management Institute | – | – | 690 | 0.10% |
9 | University of Southern California (Marshall) | – | – | – | – |
10 | Auburn University (Harbert) | 591 | 7% | 307 | 7.60% |
11 | Santa Clara University (Leavey) | 545 | 2% | 316 | 4.49% |
12 | University of Massachusetts at Amherst (Isenberg) | 623.3 | 0.78% | 317 | 0.50% |
13 | Baylor University (Hankamer) | 350 | 1% | 295 | 1% |
14 | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | 512 | 6.50% | 297 | 9.10% |
15 | University of Florida (Warrington) | – | – | 309 | 5% |
16 | Lehigh University | – | – | – | – |
17 | University of Utah (Eccles) | 645 | 5% | 307 | 7% |
18 | Hofstra University (Zarb) | – | – | – | – |
19 | University of California, Davis | 700 | 2% | 313 | 5% |
20 | Southern Methodist University (Cox) | – | – | – | – |
21 | University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium | 620 | 3.10% | 326 | 0.08% |
22 | William & Mary (Mason) | – | – | – | – |
23 | University of South Florida (Muma) | 570 | 3% | 304 | 5% |
24 | Bryant University | – | – | – | – |
25 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 0 | 14.30% | 311.9 | 4.40% |
26 | Villanova University | 594 | 19% | 316 | 13% |
27 | North Carolina State University (Jenkins) | – | – | – | – |
28 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | 510 | 2% | 299 | 2% |
29 | Syracuse University (Whitman) | – | – | – | – |
30 | University of Denver (Daniels) | – | – | – | – |
31 | Washington State University | – | – | 157 | 1.40% |
32 | University of Maryland (Smith) | 563 | 4% | 314 | 2% |
33 | Bowling Green State University | – | 1% | – | – |
34 | University of Iowa (Tippie) | – | – | – | – |
35 | University of Cincinnati (Lindner) | 730 | 1% | 292 | 3% |
36 | Florida International University | – | 1% | 151 | 2.60% |
37 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | – | – | – | – |
38 | Ohio University | – | – | – | – |
39 | Pepperdine University (Graziadio) | – | – | – | – |
40 | Creighton University | – | – | – | – |
41 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | – | – | – | – |
42 | Rogers State University | – | – | – | – |
43 | Drexel University (LeBow) | – | – | – | – |
44 | San Jose State University (Lucas) | – | – | 306 | 8% |
45 | SUNY Oswego | 640 | 1% | – | – |
46 | University of Delaware (Lerner) | – | – | 317 | 2% |
47 | Kennesaw State University | – | – | – | – |
48 | American University (Kogod) | – | – | – | – |
49 | Louisiana State University (Ourso) | 450 | 1% | 301 | 2% |
50 | University of North Texas (Ryan) | 388 | 5% | 303 | 9% |
51 | Clemson University | – | – | – | – |
Continue reading:
PAGE 3: Undergraduate GPA scores
PAGE 4: Average years of work experience
UNDERGRAD GPAs UP SLIGHTLY
Along with adjusted GMAT, we also consider average undergraduate GPA (weighted 30%) and average years of students’ work experience (also 30%) to calculate our admission standards score. (Our fourth metric, acceptance rate, is weighted 20% and you can read more about that metric our support article on acceptance rates.)
Across all schools, the average undergrad GPA has increased slightly in the last three years. The average GPA was 3.31 for the 2024 ranking, up just a tad from the 3.28 the last two rankings.
At the individual school level, University of Maryland (Smith) had the highest GPA of 3.8, up from an average 3.4 the previous two years. Rogers State University, new to the ranking this year, had the next highest average at 3.57 followed by University of North Texas (Ryan) at 3.55.
The table below shows all the average GPAs for the 51 schools ranked in 2024, along with the averages from the previous two rankings.
2024 Rank | School | 2024 Ugrad GPA | 2023 Ugrad GPA | 2022 Ugrad GPA |
32 | University of Maryland (Smith) | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
42 | Rogers State University | 3.57 | NR | NR |
50 | University of North Texas (Ryan) | 3.55 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
14 | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | 3.53 | 3.44 | 3.44 |
28 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | 3.51 | 3.45 | 3.45 |
35 | University of Cincinnati (Lindner) | 3.5 | 3.53 | 3.53 |
44 | San Jose State University (Lucas) | 3.5 | NR | NR |
2 | University of Washington (Foster) | 3.47 | 3.43 | 3.43 |
1 | Indiana University (Kelley) | 3.44 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
3 | University of Texas at Dallas (Naveen Jindal) | 3.44 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
5 | Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) | 3.43 | 3.43 | 3.43 |
21 | University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium | 3.43 | 3.39 | 3.39 |
37 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 3.41 | 3.41 | 3.41 |
40 | Creighton University | 3.41 | 3.09 | 3.09 |
25 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 3.4 | 3.37 | 3.37 |
33 | Bowling Green State University | 3.4 | NR | NR |
10 | Auburn University (Harbert) | 3.39 | 3.39 | 3.39 |
4 | University of Michigan (Ross) | 3.36 | 3.46 | 3.46 |
15 | University of Florida (Warrington) | 3.36 | 3.21 | 3.21 |
18 | Hofstra University (Zarb) | 3.35 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
36 | Florida International University | 3.35 | 3.32 | 3.318 |
41 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 3.34 | 3.37 | 3.37 |
6 | Rice University (Jones) | 3.33 | 3.32 | 3.32 |
46 | University of Delaware (Lerner) | 3.33 | 3.33 | 3.331 |
23 | University of South Florida (Muma) | 3.32 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
27 | North Carolina State University (Jenkins) | 3.32 | 3.23 | 3.23 |
31 | Washington State University | 3.32 | 3.44 | 3.44 |
12 | University of Massachusetts at Amherst (Isenberg) | 3.31 | 3.32 | 3.32 |
34 | University of Iowa | 3.31 | NR | NR |
26 | Villanova University | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
16 | Lehigh University | 3.28 | 3.36 | 3.36 |
17 | University of Utah (Eccles) | 3.28 | 3.38 | 3.38 |
7 | University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler) | 3.26 | 3.03 | 3.03 |
45 | SUNY Oswego | 3.25 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
47 | Kennesaw State University | 3.24 | 3.25 | 3.25 |
8 | Jack Welch Management Institute | 3.23 | 3.17 | 3.17 |
13 | Baylor University (Hankamer) | 3.21 | 3.13 | 3.13 |
22 | William & Mary (Mason) | 3.2 | 3.24 | 3.24 |
24 | Bryant University | 3.2 | 3.15 | 3.15 |
43 | Drexel University (LeBow) | 3.18 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
30 | University of Denver (Daniels) | 3.178 | 3.08 | 3.08 |
9 | University of Southern California (Marshall) | 3.17 | 3.27 | 3.27 |
11 | Santa Clara University | 3.15 | 3.11 | 3.11 |
51 | Clemson University | 3.14 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
39 | Pepperdine University (Graziadio) | 3.13 | 3.04 | 3.04 |
19 | University of California, Davis | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
49 | Louisiana State University (Ourso) | 3.1 | 3.13 | 3.13 |
29 | Syracuse University (Whitman) | 3.08 | 3.14 | 3.14 |
38 | Ohio University | 3.08 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
20 | Southern Methodist University (Cox) | 3.05 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
48 | American University (Kogod) | 2.68 | 2.99 | 2.99 |
Continue reading:
PAGE 4: Average years of work experience
AVERAGE YEARS OF WORK EXPERIENCE
Experience in the workforce can be an advantage in any MBA classroom where discussions and class projects invite students to learn from each other as well as the content. The OMBA classroom is no different.
Two schools this year reported average work experience for its 2023 alumni of 15 years: Bryant University and Jack Welch Management Institute. Two more schools had an average of 12 or more years in the workforce while five others posted 10 or more years.
For all schools, the average work experience was 8.5 years and the average age was 32.6. You can see the average age and average years of work experience for all 51 ranked schools in the table below.
2024 Rank | Name of school: | Avg. Age | Avg. Years of Work Experience |
24 | Bryant University | 38 | 15 |
8 | Jack Welch Management Institute | 40 | 15 |
37 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 34 | 12.6 |
41 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 34 | 12 |
12 | University of Massachusetts at Amherst (Isenberg) | 37 | 11.3 |
18 | Hofstra University (Zarb) | — | 10.9 |
7 | University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler) | 35 | 10.5 |
29 | Syracuse University (Whitman) | 34 | 10 |
21 | University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium | 34 | 10 |
9 | University of Southern California (Marshall) | 33 | 9.8 |
25 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 34 | 9.5 |
47 | Kennesaw State University | 35 | 9.25 |
13 | Baylor University (Hankamer) | 34 | 9 |
1 | Indiana University (Kelley) | 32 | 9 |
35 | University of Cincinnati (Lindner) | 31 | 9 |
30 | University of Denver (Daniels) | 33 | 9 |
17 | University of Utah (Eccles) | 33 | 9 |
31 | Washington State University | 33 | 9 |
43 | Drexel University (LeBow) | 34 | 8.86 |
6 | Rice University (Jones) | 35.4 | 8.7 |
20 | Southern Methodist University (Cox) | 34 | 8.7 |
34 | University of Iowa (Tippie) | 33 | 8.66 |
23 | University of South Florida (Muma) | 32 | 8.6 |
10 | Auburn University (Harbert) | 33 | 8.3 |
3 | University of Texas at Dallas (Naveen Jindal) | 30 | 8.22 |
27 | North Carolina State University (Jenkins) | 32 | 8.19 |
2 | University of Washington (Foster) | 33 | 8.1 |
16 | Lehigh University | 32 | 8.09 |
49 | Louisiana State University (Ourso) | 33 | 8 |
38 | Ohio University | 34 | 8 |
39 | Pepperdine University (Graziadio) | 32 | 8 |
42 | Rogers State University | 30 | 8 |
11 | Santa Clara University (Leavey) | 32 | 8 |
45 | SUNY Oswego | 30 | 8 |
19 | University of California, Davis | 40 | 8 |
14 | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | 30 | 8 |
26 | Villanova University | 30 | 8 |
4 | University of Michigan (Ross) | 31 | 7.8 |
15 | University of Florida (Warrington) | 30 | 7.6 |
46 | University of Delaware (Lerner) | 32 | 7.5 |
33 | Bowling Green State University | 32 | 7 |
51 | Clemson University | 32 | 7 |
28 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | 32 | 7 |
22 | William & Mary (Mason) | 34 | 7 |
40 | Creighton University | 30.54 | 6.97 |
5 | Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) | 31 | 6.9 |
36 | Florida International University | 28.5 | 6.4 |
32 | University of Maryland (Smith) | 30 | 5.2 |
44 | San Jose State University (Lucas) | 26 | 5 |
48 | American University (Kogod) | 30 | 4.76 |
50 | University of North Texas (Ryan) | 30 | 3 |
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES IN OUR 2024 OMBA RANKING PACKAGE:
The post 2024 OMBA RANKING: Average GMAT, GRE, GPAs & Work Experience For The Top Online MBA Programs appeared first on Poets&Quants.
