Which New York business school did Warren Buffett attend for graduate study?

The story behind the answer

Warren Buffett attended Columbia Business School for graduate study.

After graduating from the University of Nebraska in 1950, Buffett applied to Harvard Business School but was rejected. He then learned that Benjamin Graham, the author of The Intelligent Investor and a major influence on Buffett, taught at Columbia University in New York City.

Buffett enrolled at Columbia Business School and studied under Graham and fellow professor David Dodd. He completed a Master of Science in economics in 1951, with his studies centered on the principles of value investing. Graham’s emphasis on buying securities for less than their underlying worth became a foundation of Buffett’s later career.

The wording can cause confusion because Columbia Business School is part of Columbia University, and Buffett had previously attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Wharton was his initial undergraduate institution; Columbia was the New York graduate school where he received his advanced training.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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