Darden and Sloan are two of the most competitive MBA programs in the country, but they differ in key areas. Sloan holds a stronger US News ranking. Sloan reports a higher median base salary. Darden offers lower annual tuition, and Sloan delivers the stronger 5-year ROI. Sloan is the more selective program by acceptance rate.
| Metric | Darden | Sloan |
|---|---|---|
| Rankings | ||
| US News Rank | #112026 | #62026 |
| Bloomberg BBW Rank | #92024 | #32024 |
| Financial Times Rank | #202025 | #12025 |
| QS Global MBA Rank | #182025 | #32025 |
| Admissions & Financials | ||
| Annual Tuition | $72,200 | $82,000 |
| Median Base Salary | $178,000 | $246,000 |
| 5-Year ROI | 516% | 650% |
| Class Size | 350 | 480 |
| Acceptance Rate | 24.0% | 13.6% |
| Median GMAT | 718 | 730 |
| Average GPA | — | — |
Green = better value per metric. Rankings: lower rank number = better. Salary & ROI: higher = better. Acceptance rate & tuition: lower = better.
Darden School of Business at UVA is known for its case-method teaching, second only to Harvard in case study usage. Darden students experience an immersive, discussion-based classroom environment. The school has strong placement in consulting, finance, and general management.
MIT Sloan combines management education with MIT's engineering and technology DNA. Known for producing leaders in tech, biotech, and entrepreneurship, Sloan offers a unique action learning approach. Students benefit from MIT's broader ecosystem of innovation and research.
Sloan is a top M7 program; Darden is a highly ranked T15 school. Sloan ranks higher in US News, but Sloan delivers a stronger 5-year ROI of 650%. The best choice depends on your career goals and preferred location.
Sloan is more selective with a 13.6% acceptance rate, compared to 24.0% for Darden.
Darden reports a median base salary of $178,000, while Sloan reports $246,000. Actual salary varies significantly by industry and function.
Darden annual tuition is $72,200 and Sloan is $82,000. Darden offers a 9,800 lower annual cost.
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