Part of this profile was updated with AI and edited by Poets&Quants.
The Isenberg School of Management at University of Massachusetts Amherst finished No. 46 on Poets&Quants’ 2026 ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs in the U.S. In our three methodological categories, it finished No. 40 in Admission Standards, No. 70 in Career Outcomes, and No. 62 in Academic Experience (based solely on our alumni survey).
The B-school’s acceptance rate for the fall 2025 incoming class was 36.9%, and the class also reported an average SAT score of 1375. Its six-year graduation rate is 87%.
In career data, 84% of Class of 2025 graduates completed at least one business-specific internship before graduation, up from 80% for the Class of 2024. Some 89.16% of 2025 grads found jobs within three months, compared to 80.49% of 2024 grads.
Average salary for the most recent graduates was $70,957, with 9% of them reporting an average signing bonus of $7,529. The top employers included Fidelity, TJX Companies, PwC, EY, Deloitte, ALKU, JPMorgan Chase, Wayfair, RSM, and State Street.
Isenberg has a comprehensive business education backed by the resources of a flagship public research university and a Northeast location that supports strong internship and recruiting access.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL CURRICULUM
Isenberg students have access to majors including Accounting, Finance, Hospitality & Tourism Management, Management, Marketing, Operations & Information Management, and Sport Management. Students can also combine a business degree with another major at UMass Amherst and pursue undergraduate certificates in Artificial Intelligence in Business, Business Analytics, and Real Estate. The Real Estate certificate includes proficiency in Argus Enterprise software.
As part of UMass Amherst, Isenberg gives students access to cross-campus academic opportunities while pairing innovative coursework with real-world experience.
“I had a financial engineering class where we learned the academic and practical aspects of trading and portfolio management,” one 2018 alumni told us. “We managed an option trading strategy for a semester and actively managed a strategy for the entire semester. This allowed me to apply the academic learnings from class to actual markets. I was also able to use my learnings from computer science classes I took to develop a computer model that allowed me to analyze the market and implement my strategy.”
Beyond the classroom, students benefit from a 48,000+ alumni network, a dedicated Office of Career Success, and more than 40 established student organizations.
RECENT INNOVATIONS
Isenberg has recently expanded experiential learning and career development initiatives to further enhance student success. The school became one of the first undergraduate business programs to require students to take a course on inclusive leadership in 2023, and it now also requires inclusive leadership training for Isenberg-affiliated student organizations. The Dean’s Academy invites approximately 30 newly admitted students annually, while Career Peers and Advising Peers expand student-to-student support.
Academic offerings have also grown, with a business minor and undergraduate certificates in Artificial Intelligence in Business, Business Analytics, and Real Estate. Isenberg has further expanded experiential global learning through its International Service and Leadership program in South Africa, while faculty are also using the Kennedy Technology Sandbox for 3D data visualization, VR-based interview and negotiation practice, product prototyping, and other tech-forward instruction.
This level of support captures the type of education that Isenberg provides. While many B-schools have resources available for students, Isenberg’s faculty appears to go the extra mile to provide students with the resources and support they need.
ALUMNI SAY
“Mila Sherman’s Financial Modeling course played a critical role in my development as a student and allowed me to thrive in my summer internship a month following its completion. I had the opportunity to also take her alternative investment course which offered me the experience of creating an executive level presentation and build core skills relevant for my current career.
I TA-ed Mila’s Financial Modeling course the following year which gave me the unique opportunity to help and teach my peers important skills in excel. I have carried this experience with me and to this day, use the skills from this courses in my job and even share them with my coworkers.“
“The Isenberg Undergraduate Consulting Group (a student run group) gave me the majority of the skills and experiences needed to excel in my career. Having consulting project experience certainly differentiated me from others in the hiring process and now in my current role.”
“The Semester in the Profession (SIP) was the best experience throughout my time in Isenberg, It helped me not only gain real-life work experience but also helped me to finish my 150 academic credits to sit for the CPA exam.”
“I really appreciate how Isenberg and the OIM program have shaped me, especially the 300-level classes—I took all the OIM 300-level courses for MIS, which were really helpful.”
“All my friends went to big B schools, they’re working the same jobs all my Isenberg friends work, except we have no debt(and better social skills).”
