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.
The Tepper MBA Class of 2022 average salary was $156,291, and 93.6% of students received job offers within three months of graduation.

2024-2025 CMU Tepper MBA Essay Questions
- Essay 1 – The Tepper School community is committed to helping students reach their full potential. Explain your philosophy on helping others achieve their full potential. How have you implemented this philosophy in your professional life, and what impact has it had on those around you? How will this philosophy influence your approach to leadership in the Tepper MBA program and beyond? (maximum 500 words)
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.
2026 CMU Tepper MBA Class Profile
The CMU Tepper class of 2026 is made up of 156 students, 31% of whom identify as women and 52% of whom identify as a U.S. minority. Furthermore, 39% of the students are international, 27% percent of the class identify as underrepresented minorities, and 11% identify as LGBTQ+.
On average, the CMU Tepper class of 2026 has 6.3 years of pre-MBA work experience. Top industries at admission include tech and new media, financial services, and consulting.
Top academic backgrounds for Tepper MBA students include engineering and business/commerce.
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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.
2024-2025 CMU Tepper MBA Application Deadlines and Timeline
- Application Deadline: October 1, 2024
- Application Deadline: January 6, 2025
- Application Deadline: March 3, 2025
- Application Deadline: May 5, 2025
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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 looking for is extremely thorough. We started out by shortlisting the schools that would be best aligned with my goals and experience. We then worked on my goal statement and CV, before moving on to the recommendations and essays.
The process was very detailed yet we moved fast. We did several iterations on each element till we were satisfied. The platform used to collaborate on these materials was very streamlined. I would always receive feedback within a day. In fact with the time difference, I would put in my drafts late-night IST and receive feedback by the time I woke up!
Overall, I had a great experience and would highly recommend Personal MBA Coach.