UVA Darden MBA Program

UVA Darden Program Overview

Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, UVA Darden provides access to an idyllic, vibrant town. The school is known for its customized, collaborative learning environment and strong community. 

At the start of the MBA program, first-year students are grouped into learning teams. These teams allow them to dive into case discussions, enhance their communication skills, and form lasting relationships with their classmates.

In their second year, Darden students build upon these learnings to target specific skill sets and professional goals.  

Through hands-on learning opportunities, students gain real-world experience with companies both globally and domestically.

The average salary for the UVA Darden full-time class of 2023 was $167,899, and 95.8% of students received job offers within three months of graduation.

Comprehensive UVA Darden Application Support

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What Sets UVA Darden Apart

• Case Method Learning: UVA Darden is distinguished by its case-based learning experience. In contrast to lecture-based learning, the case method pushes students to sharpen their leadership and communication skills by engaging in challenging, collaborative discussions. Students will sort through cases to detect the issues, develop a solution, and propose how to implement it. 
• Academic Rigor: UVA Darden is one of the most challenging programs. The school’s core curriculum gives students exposure to business fundamentals, covering essential business topics that are key to becoming a successful global leader.
• McKinsey Connection: Darden’s dean of students is a former McKinsey partner. Due to this connection, the school sends a lot of graduates to McKinsey. Other top hiring companies include Amazon, American Express, Goldman Sachs, and Microsoft.
• Location: Downtown Charlottesville is known for providing a great learning and living environment. From historical sites to a thriving arts and music scene to outdoor recreation opportunities, there’s something for everyone. With Washington D.C. just a two-hour drive away, Darden students have easy access to a larger metropolitan area as well.

UVA Darden 2026 Class Profile

The UVA Darden class of 2026 is made up of 355 students.

Of these students, 38% identify as women and 23% identify as U.S. minorities. Darden’s class profile also reports that 30% of the class was born outside of the U.S. and students represent 30 countries collectively. Additionally, 14% are military service members.

On average, the class of 2026 had 5.7 years of pre-MBA professional experience.

While there is no minimum GMAT or GRE score required to apply to UVA Darden, students in the class of 2026 scored as follows:

Joint/Dual Degrees Offered at UVA Darden

UVA Darden also offers joint and dual degrees for those interested in pursuing more than one academic discipline or area of expertise. These include:

• MBA/MD: This MBA/MD program is offered between the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine and Darden School of Business. The dual-degree program is designed to prepare students for leadership positions in the health care sector. 
• MBA/MPP: This dual-degree program between Darden and UVA’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy takes three years to complete. Of the joint/dual degrees that Darden offers, the MBA/MPP program is particularly rigorous.
• MBA/MPH: Those looking to earn an MBA/MPH dual degree have the opportunity to study at Darden and UVA’s Department of Public Health Sciences. The program prepares students to apply management skills to health-care-related businesses.
• JD/MBA: This dual-degree program with the University of Virginia School of Law allows students to earn a Juris Doctor and an MBA over the course of four years. Students can choose whether they want to begin their studies at the law school or the business school.

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