The Best Undergraduate Business Programs and How to Get In

Do you want to start your own business? Maybe you have a knack for leadership or a budding interest in finance or technology? If so, you may want to consider applying to a business program for your undergraduate degree.

In this guide, we have provided information about the top 12 undergraduate business programs in the United States for the 2022-2023 school year, as ranked by the U.S. News & World Report. Read on to learn what these schools have to offer for prospective business students and how you can earn your spot in any of these competitive programs.

University of Pennsylvania: Wharton School of Business

Location: Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance Rate: 7-9%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $89,028
Meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans.

Ranked #1 in Undergraduate Business Programs by the U.S. News & World Report, UPenn’s Wharton School of Business is a highly competitive leader in business education. Established in 1881, it is generally considered to be the world’s first business school and has now grown to include an expansive network of 100,000 alumni across 153 countries.

At Wharton, students will earn a Bachelors of Science in Economics. However, students can also choose to add a concentration from 18 different fields, including accounting, business analytics, marketing, finance, real estate, and many more.

To get into the Wharton School of Business at UPenn, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 3.9 or higher.
SAT composite score between 1470 and 1550.
ACT composite score between 34 and 36.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Sloan School of Management

Location: Cambridge, MA
Acceptance Rate: 11.5%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $82,730
Meets 100% of demonstrated need.

MIT established Course 15, its business education program, over 100 years ago. Students can choose to major or minor in management, business analytics, or finance and will also have the chance to participate in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) to explore future career paths.

To get into the Sloan School of Management at MIT, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 3.5 or higher.
SAT composite score between 1520 and 1580.
ACT composite score between 34 and 36.

University of California, Berkeley: Haas School of Business

Location: Berkeley, CA
Acceptance Rate: 27%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $46,008
May meet some demonstrated financial need depending on requirements.

UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business offers four undergraduate degree programs for students: a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, a Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology Program, a Global Management Program, and the Robinson Life Sciences, Business, and Entrepreneurship Program.

To get into the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 3.7 or higher.
SAT composite score of 1415 or higher.
ACT composite score of 31 or higher.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor: Ross School of Business

Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Acceptance Rate: 12%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $34,390-$39,004
Meets 100% of demonstrated need for Michigan residents.

Michigan Ross is ranked as the #4 best business program in the United States by the U.S. News & World Report. According to the Michigan Ross website, 222 companies hired their graduates in 2022 with a median graduate salary of $90,000.

To get into the Ross School of Business at UM-Ann Arbor, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 3.5 or higher.
SAT composite score of 1435 or higher.
ACT composite score of 34 or higher.

Carnegie Mellon University: Tepper School of Business

Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Acceptance Rate: 27.7%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $83,697
Meets 100% of demonstrated need.

CMU’s business program is ranked #1 for Management Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis and #2 for Business Analytics. The Tepper School also has one of the lowest student to faculty ratios among top business programs. If you are looking for a more personal experience with your professors, it may be a good choice for you.

To get into the Tepper School of Business at CMU, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 3.8 or higher.
SAT composite score between 1500 and 1560.
ACT composite score between 33 and 35.

New York University: Stern School of Business

Location: New York, NY
Acceptance Rate: 7%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $90,898
Meets 100% of demonstrated need.

NYU Stern offers a Bachelors of Science in Business, Business and Political Economy, or Business, Technology, and Entrepreneurship. The school also has dual-degree programs that allow students to earn a BS in Business and a MS in Accounting or a BS in Business and a BFA in Film and Television.

To get into the Stern School of Business at NYU, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 3.69 or higher.
SAT composite score between 1470 and 1560.
ACT composite score between 33 and 35.

University of Texas at Austin: McCombs School of Business

Location: Austin, TX
Acceptance Rate: 19.6%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $30,752-$34,174
May meet some demonstrated financial need depending on requirements.

The McCombs School of Business has the #1 Accounting Program in the United States as well as 13 different undergraduate specialties including insurance, real estate, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, business analytics, and many more.

To get into the McCombs School of Business at UT Austin, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 3.83 or higher.
SAT composite score between 1230 and 1480.
ACT composite score between 29 and 34.

Cornell University: SC Johnson College of Business

Location: Ithaca, NY
Acceptance Rate: 6%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $88,150
Meets 100% of demonstrated need.

The SC Johnson College of Business houses two separate business schools: the Dyson School and the Nolan School. At Dyson, students can earn a BS in Applied Economics and Management while students at the Nolan School earn their BS in Hotel Administration.

To get into the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 4.0 or higher.
SAT composite score between 1470 and 1550.
ACT composite score between 33 and 35.

Indiana University, Bloomington: Kelley School of Business

Location: Bloomington, IN
Acceptance Rate: 38%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $28,670-$56,620
May meet 100% demonstrated financial need depending on requirements.

The Kelley School of Business offers 20 majors, 4 minors, and 1 certificate. Examples of majors include Economic Consulting, Finance, Public Policy Analysis, Supply Chain Management, Information Systems, and many more. According to statistics provided by the university, Kelley students are recruited by over 900 different companies every year.

To get into the Kelley School of Business at IU, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 3.9 or higher.
SAT composite score between 1230 and 1420.
ACT composite score between 27 and 32.

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill: Kenan-Flagler Business School

Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Acceptance Rate: 23%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $26,118-$57,370
Meets 100% of demonstrated need.

Students attending the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC will enjoy an expansive alumni network of more than 42,000 influential business leaders as well as a dedicated business career services team designed to provide expert coaching to help you reach your career goals.

To get into the Kenan-Flagler Business School at Chapel Hill, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 4.39 or higher.
SAT composite score between 1350 and 1510.
ACT composite score between 28 and 33.

University of Southern California: Marshall School of Business

Location: Los Angeles, CA
Acceptance Rate: 10%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $90,921
Meets 100% of demonstrated need.

USC Marshall School of Business seeks to provide an innovative experience for undergraduate students. In addition to typical degrees like Business Administration, Accounting, and a World Bachelor in Business, the university offers a variety of joint-degree programs as well as STEM certification and Progressive Degrees.

To get into the Marshall School of Business at USC, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 3.79 or higher.
SAT composite score between 1410 and 1520.
ACT composite score between 32 and 35.

University of Virginia: McIntire School of Commerce

Location: Charlottesville, VA
Acceptance Rate: 12%
Estimated Cost of Attendance: $50,108-$89,508
Meets 100% of demonstrated need.

At the McIntire School of Commerce, students can earn a BS of Commerce while focusing in one more of the following specialized areas of study: Accounting, Finance, Information Technology, Management, and Marketing. Students may also earn a Minor in Entrepreneurship, Leadership, or Real Estate.

To get into the McIntire School of Commerce at UVA, applying students will need:

A high school GPA of 4.32 or higher.
SAT composite score between 1400 and 1540.
ACT composite score between 32 and 34.

It’s worth noting that some schools only require applying students to submit either their SAT or ACT scores. We recommend choosing the score that best demonstrates your abilities.

If you are interested in any of these elite business programs but are also unsure how to raise your test scores into a competitive range, check out Prep Expert’s wide array of SAT and ACT prep courses to help you start beefing up your applications.