Part of this profile was updated by AI and edited by Poets& Quants.
The Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University finished No. 37 on Poets&Quants’ 2026 ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs in the U.S. In our three methodological categories, it finished No. 36 in Admission Standards, No. 41 in Career Outcomes, and No. 56 in Academic Experience (based solely on our alumni survey).
The B-school’s acceptance rate for the fall 2025 incoming class was 36.8%, and the class also reported an average SAT score of 1349. Its six-year graduation rate is 85%.
In career data, 100% of Class of 2024 and 2025 grads completed at least one business-specific internship before graduation. Some 89.77% of 2025 grads found jobs within three months, compared to 90.8% of 2024 grads.
Average salary for the most recent graduates was $70,863, with 21% of them reporting an average signing bonus of $6,408. The top employers included EY, KPMG, Deloitte, PwC, Ross Stores, Havas, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, PepsiCo, and Walmart.
Whitman undergraduate business students can choose from nine different majors including Accounting, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises, Finance, Management, Marketing, Real Estate, Retail Management, and Supply Chain Management.
IMPRESS PROGRAM
One of the differentiating factors of the Whitman education is its Goodman IMPRESS Program, which focuses on leadership, communications, certifications, global context, and industry exploration for Whitman undergraduates.
Every new Whitman student is placed in one of four houses — Adams, Harrison, Marshall, and Waverly. Within those houses, students develop extracurricular skills under the direction of faculty house mentors who teach the introductory business course and serve as early mentors, alongside peer facilitators. Like a B-school version of the Harry Potter Hogwarts Houses, Whitman’s IMPRESS program is a creative, fun, and quantifiable way for students to develop and showcase their professional readiness.
Whitman also supports first-generation college students through the Whitman First Program, which provides mentors from the Whitman community, including upperclassmen, faculty, and staff, to help students navigate business school and Syracuse University.
For career exploration, the Whitman Career Center offers signature programming such as Whitman on Wall Street, Marketing in Manhattan, and Accounting Career Exploration trips, along with broader exploration trips to cities including New York, Boston, and Los Angeles/San Francisco.
“SHARK TANK” STYLE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE
For this senior capstone, student teams are challenged to create a new service, product, or business concept with a novel approach to economic value creation. Students from across Whitman majors develop the concept over the semester and present their plans to seasoned professionals in a competition that feels a lot like “Shark Tank.”
At the end, the top teams pitch in a final round before judges, with the capstone serving as a culmination of four years of Whitman coursework and collaboration.
“You learn the ins and outs of being an entrepreneur, receive hands-on experience in presenting to executives, communication and team-building skills and the list goes on,” one alumni told us. “Definitely a unique experience, that I can say from speaking with friends who attended other universities, is not one every college student participates in or has the opportunity to.”
“It was a great chance to push ourselves to put all of the business, finance, accounting, supply chain, and marketing knowledge to the test after having taken many of those classes previously,” another alumni said.
RECENT INNOVATIONS
To strengthen students’ career readiness, Whitman’s WIRE Initiative supports professional certifications from industry-recognized organizations, and since Spring 2023, students have earned more than 275 certifications with more than $55,000 in support funds. The supported certifications include Google AI Essentials, Google Data Analytics, Microsoft Excel, Power BI, PMP, SIE-FINRA, and Tableau, among others.
Whitman has also expanded its technology focus: a one-credit Business and Technology: Foundations for the Future course began in fall 2025 and is required of all first-year Whitman students, introducing AI through the lens of professional use and ethics.
In Fall 2024, Whitman launched a Sport Management/Business dual degree with Falk College, combining business training with sport management study in a streamlined format.
For students seeking global business experience, the Syracuse Abroad London: Whitman Core program allows sophomores to spend a semester abroad while completing 9 credits of required core courses in London.
ALUMNI SAY
“Capstone project was an incredible learning opportunity to explore and experience the formation of a business plan, even going as far as appointing a board of directors.”
“The capstone project and experience was an incredible process that helped me look at the business world in a wholistic view as well as hone my skills working in a team.”
“My degree encompassed more than a simple business education. My time at school was immersive and held many real world applications. The quality of staff and culture of the student body lends itself to high engagement and a quality education.”
“Syracuse offered exceptional study abroad experiences! I spent a semester in Italy, which allowed me to gain a global perspective. While I chose not to take business classes there, I felt I was able to have a more well rounded education. Additionally, I work with a very global team currently and that experience allowed me to deepen my empathy and understanding of other cultures.”
