The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) has released the results of their 2024 Application Trends Survey. The survey collected data on applications received by 1,090 programs in 297 business schools across 40 countries for admission for the 2024-2025 academic year.
According to the survey findings, total applications to graduate business schools increased by 12 percent from 2023 to 2024. The share of women who have applied to graduate business programs has also experienced a small increase. Over the past 10 years, women have consistently represented about 40 percent of all graduate business program applicants. In 2024, this increased to 42 percent.
Roughly 55 percent of business graduate programs reported growth in women applicants – a 10 percentage point increase from 2023. This growth was particularly found among MBA programs. About 70 percent of flexible MBA programs and two-thirds of full-time MBA programs in the country have experienced an increase in prospective women students.
“I’m excited to see this kind of growth in applications from women. I believe in the value of business education and the doors it opens for people, particularly women,” said Elissa Sangster, CEO of Forté, a long-time GMAC partner organization aiming to build women leadership in business. “As more women invest in themselves through business education, the healthier the pipeline becomes for business leadership, and the more likely we are to close the gender gap.”