Collegedunia Team Content Curator
Content Curator
The Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, and the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University are two premier business schools in the United States. They are ranked by the Financial Times at #18 and #16 respectively, and by US News at #11 and #12 respectively.
Overview Comparison
| Darden School of Business | The Fuqua School of Business | |
|---|---|---|
| ranking (overall) | # 20 Financial Times 2025 # 11 Financial Times 2021 # 18 Financial Times 2020 | # 11 Financial Times 2025 # 9 Financial Times 2021 # 16 Financial Times 2020 |
| Programs | PG Programs -2 | PG Programs -3 Doctorate Programs -1 |
| Cost to Study | Hostel + Meal - 18176 Per Year | Hostel + Meal - 15178 Per Year |
Top Courses Comparison
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | - | # 13 for Business by US News 2025 # 15 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 50 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| application | - | - |
| exam scores | - | Duolingo - 125/160IELTS - 7/9TOEFL - 90/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | - | Jan 8, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Feb 20, 2026 (Round 2 Deposit Deadline For 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
Comparison Notes
Both schools are quite similar in ranks, so some other factors you may want to look at before making a decision are:
- Employment: 96% of MBA holders from Darden got job opportunities within three months after graduation, and 95% of those from Fuqua got the same.
- Salary Increase: Darden graduates got a salary increase of 128% while Fuqua graduates got an increase of 123%.
- Darden also offers more scholarships than Fuqua. MBA students at Darden receive the Batten Foundation Scholarship for attending a global course that covers 100% of tuition and living expenses. Fuqua, however, does give out merit scholarships without the requirement of separate applications but the awards offered do not cover the complete costs of an MBA.
- Fuqua has more female representation at 46% as compared to Darden’s 39%.
- Fuqua also has a higher percentage of international students enrolled in the program, at 38% as compared to Darden’s 24%.
- If you join Darden, the average age of your fellow classmates would be 27 while at Fuqua it would be 29.
- University of Virginia: Darden is located in the small city of Charlottesville, which is only two hours away from Washington DC. Virginia is also the only university in the US that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and hence is a popular tourist spot. Darden has an on-grounds inn that hosts a lot of conferences.
- Duke University: Fuqua in North Carolina is famous for Duke Forest, where students have the opportunity to do hiking, cycling and horseback riding.
Both Darden School of Business and Fuqua School of Business provide good facilities for MBA students, and you may choose between them by comparing which of these factors you want to prioritize.
