The Foster School of Business at the University of Washington in Seattle came in at No. 24 this year, exactly where it ended up in 2022’s ranking. While down only slightly from 2021s No. 22, Foster has improved much since its No. 32 ranking in 2019 and held its rankings in the low 20’s since.
Of the three methodological categories, the B-School scored highest in the Career Outcomes category, placing 19th.
Its acceptance rate of 20.98% is a big improvement from last year’s 39.08% and 2019’s 52%.
In terms of employment outcomes, the Foster School performs very well. 97% of the Class of 2022 had a business-focused internship before graduation, up 1% from last year’s 96%. Further, 97.67% of the Class of 2022 secured a full-time position within three months of graduation — up from last year’s 96.39%.
Graduating seniors reported an average starting salary of $72,262 compared to $66,042 of the previous class. Meanwhile, 32% of the class reported getting signing bonuses of an average of $8,435.
A “TWO-YEAR” BUSINESS EDUCATION
The Foster education is best characterized by a quality curriculum that emphasizes group work and an abundance of resources and opportunities for students to apply their knowledge in the real world.
Foster is technically a two-year undergraduate business program, with standard admission to the B-school taking place at the end of sophomore year once a student has been admitted to UW. Although students have the option to apply as a direct admit as a freshman applicant, which continues to be an increasingly popular path to the school.
Admitted students can choose from the following business majors: accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, general business, human resources management, information systems, marketing, and operations and supply chain management.
Additionally, Foster also offers a Certificate of International Studies in Business (CISB), a rigorous and integrative supplement to its business degree. CISB students take part in study abroad, foreign language immersion, and area studies coursework.
For ambitious students, the Fosters Honors Program offers an intensified academic experience with opportunities for research and class-based projects, honors sections, and greater access with researchers and practitioners. Honors students graduate from the Foster School “With Distinction.”
All Foster business students need to complete 72 business credits, of which a minimum of 53 need to be upper division. Additionally, because the B-school requires a large portion of the curriculum come from upper division courses, many of the classes that Foster students take require a group project and presentation.
HIGH-QUALITY RESOURCES, CASE COMPETITIONS, AND CAPSTONE PROJECTS
Where Foster really shines as a B-school is in its opportunities for students to apply their studies to real-world situations. Foster is home to six state of the art centers that drive innovative research and enable students to gain real-world, hands-on experiences. Foster centers include Consulting and Business Development, Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, Global Business Center, Center for Leadership and Strategic Thinking, Center for Sales and Marketing Strategy, and USTC-UW Institute for Global Business and Finance Innovation.
Additionally, Foster hosts a number of case competitions that allow students the opportunity to solve real-world problems, join a team, network with business leaders, and collaborate with peers in an intense team-driven environment.
2021 Alumni say:
“My marketing management class was run like a consulting class, and it was so beneficial to my education to get to work closely and hands-on with a local Seattle company! We were able to develop and present an in-depth business strategy to this company (that they then implemented!), and it was a great learning experience to analyze real business documents (e.g. financials) and then develop and present strategic marketing, finance, and business operations recommendations that we knew would have real-world implications.”
“The capstone project allowed us to evaluate a real issue that a company was faced with and encouraged us to think diligently and creatively to resolve it.”
“The teachers I had were incredible. They made my experience worth it and taught me how to work with adults. Being a young financial advisor, I have the skills necessary to speak with people much older than me and to have intellectual conversations.”
“Teamwork & real clients made the difference in the capstone case competition. It helped me grow my network and was an excellent education in business analysis, teamwork, creative problem solving & presenting.”
“My senior project capstone was the first time I had to truly look at a company at all angles. As something that I now do every day at work, that first experience was incredibly helpful.”
