The Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan consistently ranks highly, including finishing No. 11 in our 2025 ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business School Programs in the U.S.
Ross placed best in Career Outcomes of the three methodological categories, ranking No. 4 out of 104 ranked programs. They finished 18th in Admissions Standards, and 16th in Academic Experience which is based solely on our alumni survey.
Their most recent incoming class had an acceptance rate of 7.8% – slightly more exclusive than last year’s 8.9%. Their average SAT score stood at 1470, the same as the prior incoming class. The school also has a 6-year graduation rate of 94.93%.
Ross boasts high internship and employment outcomes. 95.2% of the Class of 2024 secured a business-specific internship before graduation. Class of 2024 grads also posted a 98.27% employment rate within three months of graduation, compared to 99.1% for the Class of 2023. The average starting salary for 2024 grads was $94,418.00, and 82.2% of graduates reported getting an average signing bonus of $10,019.00.
Top employers include PwC Strategy, EY Parthenon, Capital One, Bank of America, Citi , JP Morgan Chase & Co. , KPMG Strategy, Bain & Company, Inc., Boston Consulting Group, and Deloitte.
THE ROSS BUSINESS CURRICULUM
The Michigan Ross BBA curriculum is designed to develop critical thinking, core business skills, and durable competencies that seamlessly integrate academic and co-curricular experiences. About two-thirds of a student’s Ross coursework is taken within a cohort, fostering a shared academic experience that deepens learning and strengthens community.
Ross courses account for just over 50% of the credits needed to graduate, with students customizing their academic journeys by taking additional coursework at Michigan’s world-renowned schools. It launched a dual degree program with the Ford School of Public Policy in 2023, equipping students with a strong foundation in both business and policy to navigate complex global challenges, and is currently developing a new integrated dual degree with the College of Engineering. It recently introduced several minors including Real Estate Development, two minors in Civil Engineering, two minors in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and two minors in the School of Information.
A defining feature of the program is the Signature Learning Experience (SLE), which adds an experiential component to each year:
- First Year: BA100 Foundations in Learning Business helps students transition to U-M and Ross while teaching the fundamentals of business learning.
- Second Year: BA200 Business & Leaders: The Positive Difference explores the role of business in society, leadership, and individual responsibility.
- Third Year: The Ross Integrative Semester (RIS) consists of four core courses taught through an integrated lens, helping students understand business holistically. As part of RIS, students participate in an action-based learning experience, working with real organizations on business challenges.
- Fourth Year: Capstone electives tie together students’ academic experiences, with a new core course under development to further integrate learning and prepare students for their careers.
Ross has also introduced Spire, a competency-based learning platform developed in partnership with the University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation. Spire helps students reflect on their growth, track their professional development, and articulate their skills to employers.
ACTION-BASED LEARNING
While many institutions offer action-based learning through simulations and case studies, Michigan Ross goes further with its acclaimed REAL (Ross Experiences in Action-Based Learning). REAL opportunities give students hands-on experiences with real stakes, real clients, and real capital. Students invest in actual funds, advise organizations on pressing challenges, and lead business teams – not just role-play hypothetical scenarios.
STUDENT EXPERIENCE
The student community plays a key role in shaping co-curricular experiences that complement classroom learning. Ross is home to more than 80 undergraduate clubs, focused on professional interests and affinity groups. These organizations build community, host events and conferences, and provide hands-on learning experiences such as real consulting projects and equity trading.
Ross also invests heavily in student success. Ross Summer Connection (RSC) is a four-week program for incoming first-year students designed to help them transition into business school. Additionally, Ross provides quantitative coaching for prerequisite and core business courses, contributing to a 97%+ retention rate after the first year.
To support first-generation college students, the B-school launched the Embrace and Thrive Initiative (ETI) to provide tailored support, mentorship, and community-building opportunities. Through pre-arrival virtual events, peer mentoring, and year-round programming, ETI helps first-gen students navigate the academic, professional, and social aspects of the BBA experience.
Michigan Ross is committed to making global experiences accessible to all students. This academic year, nearly 60% of Ross BBA juniors are participating in a global learning opportunity. Historically, students from well-resourced households were more likely to engage in these experiences, but Ross has expanded its global offerings to include shorter, more cost-effective programs to improve accessibility. For example, Ross is partnering with Vienna University of Economics to offer a short, intensive global experience with a lower cost barrier for students.
ALUMNI SAY
“My capstone project was centered on financial projections, and while I studied to be an accountant and to work in either Audit or Tax, I still found this project to be exceptionally informative. My professor, Reuvan Lehavy, gave me the best education I could’ve gotten outside the project scope when he offered to hold a class session where we could ask any questions of him (school related or otherwise) and he would answer to the best of his abilities. It wound up being one of my favorite class sessions I ever attended as Prof Lehavy gave us very insightful replies to living our best lives. Yes, my capstone project was difficult and informative, but I would be amiss to ignore the better aspect of my capstone class.”
“My capstone project relating to building a deep data analysis using Python, SQL, and Tableau has tremendously helped my career and the speed at which I’m able to operate, even within my own company due to all the broadly transferrable technical skills I learned while working on this project collaboratively with my extremely smart and successful BBA peers.”
“I was part of multiple experiences that were key parts of my education including multiple Ross study abroad courses like Global fintech projects in London, cross cultural negotiations in Croatia, foreign direct investing in China. These experiences stand alone in the weight of depth and exposure I gained from the world of business, culture, and professional experiences. I attained a vast network of mentorship through these opportunities that led me to a very successful path post grad.”
“It’s without a doubt the best business program and at the best University. The mix of academic excellence with the elite social and athletic atmosphere, as well as the best alumni base in the world, make the Ross BBA unmatchable.”
“As an in-state student I don’t think you can get a better value education, and even out of state the alumni network is exceptional and overall education provides a well rounded experience.”
