Key Diversity Statistics: Black or African American Candidates

Overview

This research brief compiles data from GMAT examinees and mba.com Prospective Students Survey respondents who identify as Black or African American to help U.S. graduate business schools plan and execute diversity recruitment initiatives.

Quick Facts

• GMAT examinees who identify as Black or African American, totaling 4,701 individuals in testing year 2018 (TY2018), are the second largest underrepresented population (URP) group in the U.S. graduate management education pipeline and represent 8.3 percent of unique U.S. citizen examinees.
• By U.S. region, the South has the largest percentage of unique Black or African American GMAT examinees (33%). Other U.S. regions with large representations include the Northeast (19%) and Southwest (14%).
• Most unique Black or African American GMAT examinees have either one to three years’ experience (36%) or four to nine years’ experience (28%).
• Black or African American business school candidates are more likely than non-URP U.S. candidates to plan to use grants, fellowships, and scholarships and loans to finance their graduate management education.
• Most Black or African American business school candidates follow business and finance news, frequent online news sites, and use popular social media platforms. Their friends/peers and people in business are the most likely to influence their business school choices.