Students who want to study for their MBA in Texas are often drawn by the state’s strong industries. Specifically, the state’s oil industry, which generates billions of dollars of years in revenues, attracts many students interested in working in the energy sector.
But the attraction goes beyond black gold: Texas also hosts robust information technology, aerospace, healthcare, and manufacturing industries.
MBA programs are offered in many of Texas’ main cities, including San Antonio and liberal Austin, which are in the middle of the state; there are also business schools in Houston and the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Texas is America’s second-largest state by population (after California), and its second-largest state by size (after Alaska). But, in terms of ranked business schools, the Lone Star State is no runner-up. Here’s a list of the best ones.
Whereas many of Texas’ other top MBA programs place well in the energy industry, McCombs’ placements tend to be more diverse: in recent years, decent numbers of grads have gone into consulting, marketing, and finance roles.
McCombs’ full-time MBA program is ranked in all of the main rankings publications, and FIND MBA lists the school as one of the best for careers in corporate finance, accounting or taxation, and energy.
And the school’s Austin location, with its open atmosphere and diversity, makes it attractive to many international students.
Houston, which is sometimes referred to as the “Oil Capital of the World,” is home to literally thousands of energy firms. So it’s no surprise that Jones places heavily in the industry—a third of the full-time MBA class of 2013 went into energy roles.
Moreover, the school has a strong presence in the rankings: Jones' full-time MBA program is ranked in Businessweek, The Economist, and The Financial Times, while its part-time MBA is ranked in Businessweek, and its EMBA is ranked by The Financial Times.
Mays’ full-time MBA program, since it can be completed in as a few as 16 months, is attractive to time-strapped students. In recent years, the school has become a popular destination for students who want to break into Texas’ technology industry. Indeed, some 37 percent of class of 2014 graduates went into the sector, many of them recruited by companies like Dell, which has its headquarters outside of Austin.
Mays’ College Station campus puts it in networking distance of urban centers like Houston, Austin, and even San Antonio. Its full-time MBA program is ranked in Businessweek.
Ranked by Gartner as a top graduate school for supply chain, and with an MBA concentration in "Supply and Value Chain Management,” Neeley is a popular destination for students interested in landing roles in supply chain and operations management.
The school’s location in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area means that students are in a great place to network with a wide range of firms. Neeley’s full-time MBA program is ranked by Businessweek and The Economist.
Even though the US’ financial services sector, on the whole, has seen a shake-up in recent years, Texas’ financial sector, which is based in Dallas, has proved to be quite resilient. In recent years, Cox MBA students have leveraged the school’s unique range of finance-related concentrations to land jobs with firms like JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs. Typically, some 20 percent of Cox MBA grads go into the financial services industry.
The school’s full-time MBA program is ranked by The Economist, Businessweek, and The Financial Times; FIND MBA lists it as a top business school for careers in real estate.
Compared to those from other schools in Texas, Jindal’s full-time MBA graduates tend to go into a very diverse range of industries. In recent years, healthy numbers have gone into the consumer products industry, as well as into consulting firms and technology companies like Ericsson.
The school’s Executive MBA program is ranked by The Financial Times; its part-time Professional MBA is ranked in Businessweek.
Hankamer’s concentration in healthcare prepares MBA students for roles in this growing industry. And evidently, it works: almost half of the most recent class went into roles in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare industries, according to Businessweek.
Baylor’s full-time MBA program is currently ranked in Businessweek, and its Executive MBA program is ranked in The Financial Times.
In terms of flexible MBA options in Texas, students can do a lot worse than the University of Texas, San Antonio, which is currently ranked in Businessweek’s part-time MBA ranking.
The school offers a diverse range of concentrations, including ones focused in cybersecurity and the business of health; full-time graduates go into the real estate sector in solid numbers.
Tapping into the strengths of its Houston location, Bauer offers a range of energy-focused MBA curriculum, including a standalone Global Energy Executive MBA and certificates in Energy Finance and the Economics of the Energy Value Chain, among others.
Students interested in hospitality can combine the Bauer MBA with an MS in Hospitality Management from the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton College.
Bauer’s MBA is currently ranked in Businessweek’s part-time MBA rankings.
The Lubbock-based school, with a specialized MBA in Health Organization Management, places good numbers of grads into the area’s strong healthcare sector.
Rawls also offers a STEM MBA for students who have an undergraduate degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics.
The school’s full-time MBA is currently ranked in Businessweek.
Other MBA Programs at Texas Business Schools
Related MBA News
FIND MBA Updates Top 10 Lists by Specialization for 2020
May 26, 2020
