Chicago Booth MBA Class Profile and GMAT Scores

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Last Updated on May 11, 2025

Familiarizing yourself with the class profiles of the MBA programs you’re interested in is an important part of assessing your competitiveness for a program and, in particular, setting your GMAT score goal.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business MBA class profile. We’ll discuss average GMAT scores for the full-time class of 2026. We’ll also discuss how to use this information to set your target GMAT score.

Here are the topics we’ll cover:

Let’s take a look at some top-line facts about the competitiveness of Booth’s application process for its full-time MBA program.

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What Is the Chicago Booth Acceptance Rate?

There is no doubt that Chicago Booth has a top MBA program with a highly competitive application process. An M7 school, Booth is ranked #3 for full-time MBA programs on U.S. News’ 2024 list of the Best Business Schools.

According to data from recent years, the Chicago Booth School of Business acceptance rate has hovered in the 30% to 33% range.

Booth has seen an increase for the class of 2026, compared to its number of MBA applicants in the two previous years. In 2022 and 2023, (classes of 2024 and 2025), Booth reported receiving 4,352 and 4,184 applications, respectively. The following year, Booth saw a whopping 22% increase, reporting 5,125 applications received for the class of 2026. This was an all-time record for its full-time MBA applicant pool.

KEY FACT:

The number of Booth MBA applicants significantly increased for the class of 2026.

So then, you’re probably wondering, is Chicago Booth hard to get into?

Is Chicago Booth Hard to Get Into?

The MBA admissions process is no joke when you’re dealing with a top 3 school such as Chicago Booth. And compared to, say, top 30 MBA programs, a program such as Booth’s is generally considered “hard to get into.”

However, the question of whether Booth is hard to get into does not have an across-the-board answer. In other words, the answer is somewhat different for each applicant. For an applicant with a stellar GPA, great test scores, and glowing recommendations, Booth may not be as “hard to get into” as it is for an applicant whose profile is lacking in those areas.

That reality is the reason why it is essential to evaluate the Chicago Booth MBA class profile when you’re seeking to determine whether you’re a competitive candidate — and, importantly, what GMAT score will make you more competitive.

With that point in mind, let’s review the class of 2026 profile, as well as some data from previous years.

Chicago Booth MBA Class Profile

Undoubtedly, the University of Chicago MBA class profile is impressive. That said, it is in line with other M7 schools. Thus, the Chicago Booth class profile will give you a realistic idea of what to expect at top MBA programs.

Class of 2026: Key Demographic Data

Let’s take a look at some key stats in the Booth full-time MBA class of 2026 profile.

Average GPA	GPA Range	Average Years Work Experience	Average Age	Women	U.S. Minority	International
3.6	2.36-4	5	28	42%	52%	35%

Chicago Booth MBA Class of 2026 Profile: Key Demographic Data

Some other key stats for the class of 2026: about 10% of the class are U.S. veterans and about 9% identify as LGBTQ+. Incidentally, Booth reports that the number of U.S. veterans enrolled in its MBA program has increased 6-fold since 2006. (That increase would put the number, roughly, at a little under 1.5% of the class in 2006.)

Notably, some Chicago Booth class profile statistics at Booth have remained consistent for several years — a trend that is not unusual for MBA programs of Booth’s caliber. For example, the average age, GPA, and years of work experience of incoming students at Booth have been unchanged since at least the class of 2018. Generally, when you’re dealing with top MBA programs, stats such as those don’t change much from year to year.

An interesting side note is that one student in the class of 2026 was admitted with an undergraduate GPA of 2.36, one of the lowest ever admitted to an M7 school. Although no additional details about this student were provided, it is interesting to note that not all admitted students have perfect credentials.

KEY FACT:

Average age, GPA, and years of work experience of incoming students have remained unchanged at Booth from class years 2018 through 2026.

There have been some (mostly subtle) demographic shifts at Booth in recent years. Let’s take a look at how the make-up of Booth’s incoming classes has shifted since the class of 2022.

Demographic Changes: 2022-2026

The biggest change we can see in the make-up of the Booth incoming classes is the consistent growth in the percentage of students who identify as belonging to a U.S. minority group. The percentage climbed from 43% in the class of 2022 to 52% in the class of 2026. This continued an upward trend since 2018.

Has Booth been putting a greater emphasis on diversity, or has the number of applicants from minority groups simply increased over the years? Hard to say. But we do know that the proportion of women barely changed during the period 2023 to 2026. This was a time when many other top business schools were attaining gender parity. It’s also interesting to note that the percentage of international students has consistently fallen in the 5 years depicted in the graph.

KEY FACT:

The proportion of those identifying as belonging to a U.S. minority group has steadily risen in the past 9 classes.

Now, let’s delve a little deeper into the academic and professional backgrounds of Booth students in recent years.

Classes of 2024 – 2026: Academic Backgrounds

We know that the Booth class of 2026 has an impressive average GPA of 3.6, which is in line with GPA averages at other M7 schools. But in what disciplines have Booth students earned their impressive GPAs? Let’s have a look.

As we can see above, about 75% of the classes of 2024, 2025, and 2026 majored in either business, engineering, or economics in college, so a solid majority of incoming students. The fourth most common major, liberal arts, trailed behind at about 13% of each incoming class.

Incidentally, these top 3 majors have been the top 3 for Booth students since at least the class of 2018 (and likely longer). Business has been the most common major throughout that time.

KEY FACT:

About 3/4 of the Chicago Booth MBA classes of 2024 through 2026 majored in business, engineering, or economics.

Classes of 2024 to 2026: Work Experience

As with the Booth average GPA, the average of 5 years of work experience among incoming students at Booth is very much in line with average work experience of students at other top MBA programs. Let’s take a look at which industries in which Booth students gained their professional experience.

With one exception (2025) Consulting has been the top industry since the class of 2021. Prior to that, in the 2018 to 2020 classes, financial services was the top industry. Those are both typical most common industries at top MBA programs.

You’re probably starting to form an image of how you stack up next to the typical Chicago Booth MBA student. So, it’s time to take a look at Chicago Booth MBA GMAT scores.

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Chicago Booth MBA GMAT Scores

Chicago Booth GMAT scores are–you guessed it–nothing to sneeze at. Incoming classes have pretty consistently had average GMAT scores of around 730. You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that this average is on par with GMAT averages at other M7 schools.

Let’s take a look at the Chicago Booth MBA GMAT averages and GMAT ranges for the past 5 years.
(Note that all GMAT scores discussed here and throughout this article refer to “legacy” GMAT scores–those prior to November 2023. For comparison purposes, use this easy-to-use GMAT Concordance Table to convert to post-2023 GMAT scores.)

Chicago Booth GMAT Scores: A 5-Year View

Class of …	GMAT Average	GMAT Range
2026	729	590-780
2025	728	600-780
2024	729	600-780
2023	732	590-790
2022	724	600-780

*Booth also reported that the class of 2023 had a median GMAT score of 740. Median score information is not available for prior years.

The one anomaly we see in the average GMAT score data is the 724 average for the class of 2022. Although we can’t say for sure, that dip in the GMAT average may have been pandemic-related. After all, many of those students would have been putting their applications together in 2020, not long after the COVID-19 pandemic began. And as we can see, the GMAT average shot back up the next year, hitting a 5-year high of 732. So, I think we can look at the class of 2022 GMAT average as an outlier for Booth. Since then, the average GMAT score has hovered around 729.

Notice the 200-point or near-200-point GMAT range for these classes–that’s pretty significant. However, a wide GMAT range such as Booth’s is not unusual for top MBA programs. The fact is, MBA admissions committees weigh a whole host of factors along with test scores when considering applicants–GPA, work experience, personal background, application essays, etc. So, what is considered a competitive GMAT score for one applicant may not look so great for another.

Seeing How You Stack Up

This brings us back to the importance of seeing how you stack up against the typical admitted student at Booth before you set your GMAT score goal. Your task is to weigh your strengths and weaknesses in light of Booth’s class profile, including average Booth GMAT scores. Remember, though, that the average GMAT scores are just a starting point when setting your score goal. Depending on other aspects of your applicant profile, you may need to adjust your target for test day.

So, we can’t look at the Booth MBA class profile and say, well, I guess 730 is the “magic number.” There is no magic number! The real question to ask is this: what GMAT score do YOU need for Chicago Booth?

TTP PRO TIP:

Weigh all your strengths and weaknesses in light of the Booth class profile before setting a GMAT score goal.

What GMAT Score Do You Need for Chicago Booth?

Generally speaking, a good GMAT score for any MBA program will be equal to the average GMAT score of admitted students. However, as we’ve already discovered, no two applicants are exactly alike. So, the reality of MBA admissions is that the definition of “good” fluctuates from one applicant to the next.

That said, there are some simple rules of thumb that you can use to help determine where to set your sights when it comes to confidently submitting a GMAT score to Booth.

If you’re in an overrepresented group, shoot for a GMAT score that beats the average Booth GMAT score. The more overrepresented you are, the higher you may want to aim.
If you’re in an underrepresented group, shoot for a GMAT score that at least meets the average Booth GMAT score.
If your GPA, work experience, or other profile aspects are notably weak, shoot for a GMAT score that approaches the top end of the Booth GMAT range.

To illustrate how we can use these guidelines to set GMAT score goals, let’s discuss three hypothetical scenarios.

Scenario #1: You’re in an Overrepresented Group

The cold hard fact about MBA admissions is that people in groups that are overrepresented in applicant pools typically need to earn higher GMAT scores than applicants who are not overrepresented. This reality is not unique to any one MBA program. The thing is, if you’re in an overrepresented group, you have to do something to make your application stand out among a sea of similar ones.

Now, you could accomplish that task in any number of ways: sparkling application essays, top-notch recommendations, knocking your MBA interview out of the park. But even with all that, given the stiff competition for a seat at Booth, you may need the “gold star” of a really impressive GMAT score to make your application rise to the top of the stack.

For example, say you’re a white male who is a U.S. citizen with an undergraduate degree in engineering. You have a GPA of 3.6 and 4 years of work experience in the technology sector. In this case, you would be pretty “typical” or “average” in terms of Booth MBA students. You could bet that a high proportion of applicants in your class year will have profiles quite similar to yours.

So, a 730 GMAT score–perfectly acceptable at Booth–likely won’t do much to make your application stand out, right? Thus, to be more competitive, a smart play would be to shoot for a GMAT score that beats the average. Perhaps, then, you’d shoot for something in the 750+ range.

How High Should I Go?

How high above the average you want to aim is going to depend on how the other aspects of your application look. If you’re overrepresented in several respects, as our imaginary applicant above is, you may consider aiming for a GMAT score that approaches the top of the Booth GMAT range. In fact, another rule of thumb to use is that the more you’re overrepresented, the higher you should aim.

TTP PRO TIP:

The more overrepresented groups you fit into, the closer to the top end of the Booth GMAT range you may want to aim for.

Scenario #2: You’re in an Underrepresented Group

Let’s say you’re a Hispanic woman who is a U.S. citizen with an undergraduate degree in liberal arts. You have a GPA of 3.8 and about 6 years of work experience in the consumer products industry. In that case, your applicant profile will be fairly uncommon at Booth. Furthermore, your GPA and years of work experience both beat the class averages.

Since your applicant profile stands out in several respects, all else equal, hitting the 730 average could make you quite competitive at Booth. In fact, you may even be comfortable applying with a GMAT score below the average.

One thing to note, however, is that top MBA programs typically prefer to see GMAT Quant scores of 47+. Furthermore, they like to see fairly “balanced” section scores. So, once again, you’ll need to weigh every aspect of your application to get a sense of how a certain GMAT score may be perceived.

Regardless, if you’re in an underrepresented group, a safe bet would be to aim for the Booth GMAT average. And of course, if you can aim higher, there is no reason not to!

TTP PRO TIP:

If you’re in an underrepresented group, all else equal, a GMAT score that hits the Booth average will likely keep you in the running.

Scenario #3: You Have Weak Points in Your Profile

Does your GPA fall toward the lower end of the Booth MBA GPA range? Is your quant background lacking? Is your work experience limited? Are your recommendations not quite what you hoped they would be?

The GMAT is a great way to help “balance the scales” when there are weak points in your profile. For example, regardless of whether you fit into overrepresented or underrepresented groups, if your GPA is notably lower than the Booth average, a GMAT score that approaches the top end of the Booth GMAT range could go a long way in reassuring admissions that you have what it takes to succeed at Booth.

How close to the top you should aim depends on two things:

how far below the average your GPA is
what other strengths and weaknesses are in your profile

TTP PRO TIP:

The GMAT is a great way to help “balance the scales” when there are weak points in your profile that you need to compensate for.

In Conclusion

When setting your GMAT score goal for Chicago Booth, remember to ask yourself the following questions:

Am I in any overrepresented groups among Booth MBA applicants?
Am I underrepresented among Booth MBA students?
How do my GPA and work experience compare to the Booth averages?
Do I have any weak points in my application that I need to make up for?

The good news is, if you’re interested in applying to other M7 schools as well, the score goal you set for Booth is likely to be applicable to those other programs.

Of course, you should always check each individual program website for class profile and GMAT score information. It’s never a good idea to blindly assume anything about the MBA application process. Do your research!

Here are some fast facts about Chicago Booth GMAT scores and policies to get you on your way.

Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where Can I Get Up-to-Date Info About Chicago Booth Admission Requirements?

Check the Booth Admissions Requirements page for the most up-to-date information.

Does Chicago Booth Have a Minimum GMAT Score Requirement?

No. Chicago Booth states that it does not require a certain minimum GMAT (or GRE) score for an MBA applicant to be considered for admission.

What Is the Average GMAT Score for Chicago Booth?

The average GMAT score in the class of 2026 was 729. The average GMAT score at Booth has generally stayed in the 729-732 range for the past several years.