University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business

What University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business does

The University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business, founded in 1917 and renamed in 2007 after alumnus Michael G. Foster, is a top-ranked public business school located in Seattle, Washington. The school offers a portfolio of programs spanning undergraduate (Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with eight majors), five MBA formats (Full-time, Evening, Hybrid, Global Executive, Technology Management MBA), seven specialty master's degrees (Business Analytics, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Information Systems, Supply Chain Management, Professional Accounting, Taxation), PhD programs across five academic departments, and executive education. It serves 2,500 full-time students supported by 140+ full-time faculty and operates from PACCAR Hall, Dempsey Hall, Founders Hall, the Bank of America Executive Center, and the Eastside Executive Center in Kirkland.

The school's core technology and intellectual framework centers on an AI-integrated business education curriculum covering generative AI, natural language processing, predictive analytics, and optimization, delivered through certificate programs, executive seminars, and a Global AI Summit. Faculty research spans human-AI collaboration, generative AI in financial reporting, machine learning applications, and pricing algorithms, supported by research partnerships with Anthropic, Microsoft, the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and the Washington Research Foundation through the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL-Seattle).

Foster's business model is funded through four primary streams: tuition and fees across degree and executive programs (with graduate application fees of $90 and non-matriculated fees of $75), corporate partnerships and sponsorships (including naming rights such as Bank of America Executive Center), philanthropy and alumni donations through a tiered giving society up to Presidential Laureate ($10M+ cumulative), and federal research grants including the U.S. Department of Education CIBER program. Distribution combines direct admissions via the UW Graduate School application system, corporate recruiting partnerships, executive education engagements, and a 65,000+ alumni network spanning 70+ countries, anchored in the Seattle innovation ecosystem.

Name

University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business

Legal name

University of Washington Foster School of Business

Website

https://foster.uw.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business is a Seattle-based public business school offering undergraduate, MBA, specialty master's, PhD, and executive education programs to 2,500 full-time students, with AI-integrated curriculum, research partnerships with Anthropic and Microsoft, and a 65,000+ alumni network across 70+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAHAA

Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Business Schools & Management Institutes

SECONDARYEDAHAHAN

Executive Education & Corporate Programs (Non-degree)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Business Schools & Management Institutes

SECONDARYEDAHAHAE

Marketing, Sales & Brand Management Schools

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Business Schools & Management Institutes

Keywords

• Business education
• MBA programs
• Executive education
• Undergraduate business
• Specialized masters degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate degree programs including application fees ($90 for graduate, $75 for non-matriculated), tuition for MBA, specialty masters, and PhD programs. Executive education programs generate revenue through program fees.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partners invest in Foster through sponsorship of programs, centers, competitions, scholarships, and executive education. Partners gain access to talent pipeline and brand exposure.
3. Philanthropy and Alumni Donations: The school generates charitable contributions through annual giving, endowed gifts, planned giving, matching gifts, and recurring donations. Recognition levels include Dean's Club ($1,000+), President's Club ($2,000+), and cumulative giving levels up to Presidential Laureate ($10M+).
4. Research Grants: Federal research grants including CIBER (Center for International Business Education and Research) grant program through the U.S. Department of Education support the Global Business Center's international programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Foster School of Business delivers undergraduate, graduate (MBA, specialty master's, PhD), and executive business education programs. It offers a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with eight majors, multiple MBA formats (Full-time, Evening, Hybrid, Global Executive, Technology Management), specialty master's degrees (Business Analytics, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Information Systems, Supply Chain Management, Accounting, Taxation), and executive education programs including AI-focused certificates. Revenue is generated through tuition, corporate partnerships, philanthropy, and research grants.

Product overview

The Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington is a comprehensive business education institution offering a portfolio of degree programs across undergraduate, graduate, and executive education levels. The school provides undergraduate Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with eight majors, multiple MBA formats (Full-time, Evening, Hybrid, Global Executive, Technology Management), specialty master's programs (Business Analytics, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Information Systems, Supply Chain Management, Professional Accounting, Taxation), and executive education. The institution integrates AI across its curriculum through certificates like AI in Business and AI-Focused Leadership, while supporting programs through specialized centers for entrepreneurship, leadership, sales, consulting, global business, and climate risk. The school emphasizes experiential learning with industry partnerships and career services supporting its 60,000+ alumni network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PACCAR Hall: Main academic building for the Foster School of Business on UW campus
• Dempsey Hall
• Founders Hall
• Bank of America Executive Center

Products and services

• Full-time MBA Traditional two-year MBA program designed for career changers and accelerators, ranked among top programs nationally.
• Evening MBA Part-time MBA program for working professionals, allowing students to continue their careers while pursuing an MBA.
• Hybrid MBA Flexible MBA combining online coursework with in-person components for maximum scheduling flexibility.
• Global Executive MBA Executive MBA program with international components for senior leaders, featuring global immersion experiences.
• Technology Management MBA Specialized MBA focused on technology management, offered at the Eastside Executive Center in Kirkland, Washington.
• MS in Business Analytics STEM-designated program preparing students for analyst-level roles in finance, investments, markets, and fintech using data analytics.
• MS in Finance STEM-designated program that prepares students for analyst-level roles across finance, investments, markets, and fintech.
• MS in Entrepreneurship Program for aspiring entrepreneurs and startup founders, combining hands-on learning and coursework.
• MS in Information Systems Four-quarter work-compatible degree training future business leaders to effectively use information technology to solve business problems.
• MS in Supply Chain Management Four-quarter work-compatible degree providing technical and managerial skills for overseeing flow of goods, data analysis, and decision models.
• Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc) Graduate accounting program satisfying the educational requirement to sit for the CPA exam in Washington State.
• MS in Taxation Specialized graduate program in taxation for students pursuing careers in tax accounting and compliance.
• AI in Business Certificate Part-time evening graduate certificate program for working professionals to lead in AI-powered business environments.
• AI-Focused Leadership Certificate Undergraduate certificate from Foster Leadership Academy focused on AI capabilities, open to students across majors.
• AI Strategy for Business Leaders Seminar Executive seminar helping leaders understand AI capabilities, drive process transformation, and navigate strategic uncertainty.
• Executive Education Programs Comprehensive programs, topic-focused courses, and custom/group programs for business leaders and organizations.
• Executive Development Program Intensive development program for executives focusing on leadership advancement and strategic capabilities.
• Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (BABA) Four-year undergraduate business degree with eight specialized majors including Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Finance, HR Management, Information Systems, Marketing, and Operations & Supply Chain Management.
• PhD Program PhD programs in business disciplines preparing students for academic careers and research positions across five academic departments.

Quantifiable outcome

• $77k+ average starting salary for undergraduate students
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Russell InvestmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTitle sponsor of the Russell Investments International Case Competition (RIICC), a week-long experiential learning event challenging undergraduate teams from across the globe to develop global expansion strategies for major corporations.
• AnthropiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner supporting the study 'Who Funds the Frontier?' which maps investors backing breakthrough AI companies, led by Professor Lea Stern.
• Microsoft CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate supporter of the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL-Seattle) and Foster's AI initiatives including the Foster @ Microsoft event series advancing women in business.
• Allen Institute for Artificial IntelligencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAI research institute supporting the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL-Seattle) ecosystem in partnership with UW's College of Engineering and Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering.
• Washington Research FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL-Seattle) which provides mentorship and resources for science-based startups.
• Foster FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL-Seattle) which provides mentorship and resources for science-based startups.
• MIT SolvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Léonard Boussioux's AI-driven review system helps MIT Solve streamline evaluation of thousands of social-impact startups, allowing experts to focus on creativity and impact.
• Bank of AmericaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNaming sponsor of the Bank of America Executive Center housing Executive Education and Executive MBA offices, classrooms, and lounge spaces.
• BECUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenerous supporter that made possible the creation of the Foster School's Business for Life Badge & Minor Program for non-business students.
• U.S. Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIBER (Center for International Business Education and Research) grant program funding supporting the Global Business Center's international business education initiatives, study abroad programs, and faculty development.
• College of Engineering (UW)coreTechnology or IntegrationStrong campus partnership across UW's College of Engineering, Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, and CoMotion supporting the Creative Destruction Lab.
• CoMotion (UW)coreTechnology or IntegrationUW's innovation hub partnering with CDL-Seattle to support commercialization and startup ecosystem development.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• USC Marshall School of Business: Private West Coast business school but a direct competitor for Pacific Rim MBA talent, tech-sector executive education, and corporate partnerships in the broader Western US market where Foster also competes.
• Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business: Public university business school with strong quantitative and technology focus, including STEM-designated MBA. Both institutions emphasize AI/business analytics curricula and operate joint programs with their university's computer science schools.
• University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business: Large public flagship business school with a comparable portfolio of undergraduate, full-time MBA, evening MBA, and specialty master's programs. Both compete for top US public rankings and Fortune 500 recruiter engagement.
• Indiana University Kelley School of Business: Public university business school with deep specialty master's and online MBA offerings - notable for the top-ranked Online MBA program and broad graduate portfolio, directly comparable to Foster's online and specialty master's positioning.
• UC Berkeley Haas School of Business: West Coast public business school embedded in the Bay Area innovation economy, mirroring Foster's Seattle positioning. Haas competes head-to-head for tech-sector MBA candidates, undergrad talent, and corporate executive education partnerships.
• University of Michigan Ross School of Business: Top-tier US public university business school with comparable undergraduate, MBA, and specialty master's portfolios. Both compete for the same applicant pool in rankings (U.S. News, Financial Times) and corporate recruiter attention; Ross's action-based learning and MAP program are direct analogs to Foster's experiential offerings.
• University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School: Public flagship business school competing in the same U.S. News and Financial Times ranking cohort, with comparable undergraduate, MBA, and executive education programs and similar corporate recruiting orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania: The dominant global benchmark for business school rankings, executive education revenue, and corporate partnerships. While not directly comparable in scale, Wharton sets the aspirational ceiling that drives competitive pressure on Foster's ranking trajectory and pricing power.
• Stanford Graduate School of Business: Higher-ranked West Coast business school competing for the same top-tier MBA applicants, corporate executive education budgets, and AI research partnerships. Not a peer in scale or rank but a relevant benchmark and direct competitor for premium segments.
• NYU Stern School of Business: Large, well-resourced business school competing for the same MBA, specialty master's, and executive education applicants with a much larger program scale and broader global brand presence than Foster.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UWFosterSchool
• Facebookfacebook.com/UWFosterSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-washington-michael-g-foster-school-of-business
• Instagraminstagram.com/uwfosterschool
• Xx.com/UWFosterSchool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business