Executive MBA

Executive MBA at Vanderbilt University

Private university ยท Nashville, Tennessee

  • AACSB accredited
  • MBA
  • Executive MBA

Vanderbilt University is a private university with graduate business programs in Nashville, Tennessee. Those programs run through the Owen Graduate School of Management. The institution is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The business school holds AACSB accreditation. It is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States, and it covers the school as a whole rather than any one program - a floor, not a ranking. More on accreditation.

Federal reporting puts graduate enrollment at 6,354 students, alongside 7,208 undergraduates. Total enrollment is not MBA cohort size - ask the admissions office how many students are in the specific program you're considering, which is usually a far smaller number and the one that shapes your experience.

Based on MBA Lab's directory data, the school offers a graduate MBA path and an executive MBA (EMBA) format designed for experienced professionals. That puts it among the 3 of 9 schools in MBA Lab's Tennessee directory listing an executive MBA. Format availability changes; confirm the current lineup with the school before planning around it.

It is the only school in Nashville in this directory - the other 2 executive MBA options in Tennessee are elsewhere in the state, so weigh travel time against fit before ruling them out.

What to ask Vanderbilt University

These questions are picked from what MBA Lab's data already says about this school, so they're the ones most likely to surface a real difference between it and the next school on your list.

  • Published price vs. actual price. Private institutions like Vanderbilt University often discount heavily through merit aid, so the sticker figure is rarely what admitted students pay. Ask what share of the incoming class receives institutional aid and the median award.
  • Cohort experience level. An EMBA's value is largely the room. Ask for the average years of work experience, the seniority mix, and how many classmates are employer-sponsored - a cohort of directors and a cohort of five-years-in analysts are different products at the same price.
  • Where the degree is administered. Programs run through the Owen Graduate School of Management may have their own admissions timeline, aid pool, and career office, separate from the university's central graduate school. Confirm which office owns your application.
  • Ask for the school's own outcome numbers. The federal figures on this page cover business master's graduates who took federal aid, pooled across several years. The school's employment report will be narrower and more current - ask for it by program and by graduating class, not a blended average.

At a glance

InstitutionVanderbilt University
Business schoolOwen Graduate School of Management
Controlprivate
LocationNashville, Tennessee
Campus settingLarge city
Carnegie classDoctoral university, very high research activity (R1)
MBA formats listed MBA Executive MBA
Graduate enrollment6,354
Undergraduate enrollment7,208
Business accreditation AACSB — view listing
Institutional accreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Official site Visit website
Federal data College Scorecard profile

School names, locations, and program formats are curated by MBA Lab and reviewed periodically (last data update: August 2026). Enrollment, accreditation, links, and any outcome figures come from U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Always verify formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. How this data works.

Programs at Vanderbilt University

Details below come from Vanderbilt University's own program pages, not from a ranking service or an aggregator. Each card links to the page it was read from and the date it was last checked, so you can confirm anything before you plan around it.

Executive MBA

Executive MBA
  • Length 21 months
  • Delivery In person
  • Meets Two Saturdays per month
What that price is$76,700/year tuition (2026-27) plus about $10,591/year in fees, across the 2-year program - no single lump-sum total is published
On lengthYear One is shared by all students, meeting alternating Saturdays; Year Two splits into an Executive Edge track (continues alternating Saturdays) or a Global Immersion track (four residencies: Vancouver, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Nashville, plus a capstone project)
Class scheduleTwo Saturdays per month in Year One at Vanderbilt, beginning each August with a Week-in-Residence in New Harmony, Indiana

Reported outcomes

Median earnings, 1 year out $149,786 Median of 154 graduates working one year after completion +72% vs. the $87,219 median across MBA Lab's directory
Median earnings, 4 years out $190,365 Median of 183 graduates working four years after completion +27% against the 1-year figure - two separate cohorts measured at different times, not one group's career path
Median federal graduate debt $90,787 Median across 127 borrowers entering repayment About 0.61x the 1-year earnings median. Federal loans only - private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings aren't counted

Among the 3 schools in MBA Lab's Tennessee executive MBA programs directory that report a figure, Vanderbilt University ranks 1st by one-year earnings. Schools that report nothing are left out of that count rather than counted as zero.

What these numbers are. Figures cover graduates of master's-level programs in Business Administration, Management and Operations (CIP 52.02) who received federal financial aid. At some institutions that group includes business master's degrees other than the MBA, and it never includes graduates who took no federal aid - so these are a directional signal about a school's business master's programs, not an MBA salary report. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Check Vanderbilt University's Scorecard profile. Full methodology.

Want to see what these figures could mean for your own timeline? Try the free MBA ROI calculator, prefilled with Vanderbilt University's context.

Compare with other schools in Tennessee

School City AACSB Formats listed Earnings, 1 yr out
Vanderbilt University This page Nashville Yes MBA, Executive MBA $149,786
University of Tennessee Knoxville Yes MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA $106,707
University of Memphis Memphis Yes MBA, Online MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA $83,471

"Not reported" means College Scorecard publishes no figure for that school - usually too few federally-aided graduates to release without identifying them. It is not a low number, and these schools are excluded from every average on this page rather than counted as zero. A dash under AACSB means the school isn't on AACSB's accredited list; it may hold ACBSP or IACBE accreditation instead, which this directory doesn't track.

This school in other directories

Frequently asked questions

What MBA formats does Vanderbilt University offer?

MBA Lab's directory lists an executive MBA at Vanderbilt University, alongside the core MBA. Formats change - confirm the current lineup on the school's official site.

How long is the Executive MBA at Vanderbilt University, and when does it meet?

The Executive MBA takes about 21 months and is delivered in person. Year One is shared by all students, meeting alternating Saturdays; Year Two splits into an Executive Edge track (continues alternating Saturdays) or a Global Immersion track (four residencies: Vancouver, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Nashville, plus a capstone project). Classes meet: Two Saturdays per month in Year One at Vanderbilt, beginning each August with a Week-in-Residence in New Harmony, Indiana

What do graduates of Vanderbilt University's business master's programs earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of $149,786 one year after completion for graduates of master's-level Business Administration programs at Vanderbilt University who received federal financial aid. Four years out the reported median is $190,365. That group can include business master's degrees other than the MBA, and excludes graduates who took no federal aid, so treat it as a directional signal rather than an MBA salary figure.

How much debt do students take on at Vanderbilt University?

The reported median federal graduate debt is $90,787 for business master's graduates at Vanderbilt University. Against the reported one-year earnings median, that is about 0.61x a year of earnings. Federal loans are only part of the cost picture - it excludes private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings.

Is Vanderbilt University's business school AACSB-accredited?

Yes - Vanderbilt University appears on AACSB's list of accredited institutions. AACSB, founded in 1916, is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States (the others are ACBSP and IACBE). Accreditation covers the school, not any individual program, so treat it as a quality floor rather than a ranking.

Is Vanderbilt University a public or private institution?

Vanderbilt University is a private university, and MBA Lab lists its graduate business programs in Nashville, Tennessee. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

How do I compare Vanderbilt University with other schools in Tennessee?

MBA Lab lists 3 schools in its Tennessee executive MBA programs directory. Use a consistent rubric across them: curriculum, recruiting outcomes, format fit, cost after aid, and location constraints.

Where should I verify program details?

Always confirm formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. MBA Lab is a planning directory, not an admissions authority, and does not endorse specific schools.

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