As a hub for energy, aviation, and other thriving industries, Oklahoma City offers exceptional opportunities for ambitious professionals looking to accelerate their careers by pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA). This comprehensive guide provides an extensive overview of MBA programs available across OKC, helping future students identify and select the best options to suit their academic, professional, and personal goals.
The Growth of MBA Programs in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City has seen rapid growth in graduate management education over the past decade, with increasing enrollment across full-time, part-time, and online MBA programs at universities and colleges across the metro area.
According to recent estimates, over 1,200 students are currently pursuing MBAs in OKC – a 23% increase compared to five years ago. This growth outpaces increases in MBA enrollment nationwide, highlighting the strong and growing demand for advanced business education and leadership development in the OKC region.
Students have a wealth of quality programs to choose from. OKC is now home to over 15 AACSB-accredited MBA programs offered by public and private institutions, both nonprofit and for-profit. This accreditation signifies the highest standards of teaching, curriculum, and engagement – less than 5% of business schools worldwide meet AACSB‘s strict quality requirements.
While energy, aviation, and supply chain management have traditionally been popular MBA specializations in OKC given the prominence of those industries, recent years have seen increasing interest in other high-growth areas like data analytics, healthcare administration, and organizational leadership. MBA programs across the city have responded by introducing new concentrations, specialized tracks, and courses in these subjects – ensuring graduates have relevant skills tailored to current market needs.
Overview of Leading MBA Programs in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is home to a diverse range of high-quality MBA programs catering to different student needs in full-time, part-time, online, and executive formats.
Here is a comparison of offerings at some of the most prominent OKC schools:
Oklahoma City University – Meinders School of Business
- Format: Full-time
- Duration: 2 years
- Concentrations: Accounting, finance, international business, management information systems, more
- Key Differentiators: Downtown OKC location, abundant internship opportunities
University of Central Oklahoma – College of Business
- Format: Online/Hybrid
- Duration: 1-2 years
- Concentrations: Enterprise analytics, health enterprise management
- Key Differentiators: U.S. News top 20 online MBA program, high ROI
Southern Nazarene University – Graduate School
- Format: Accelerated full-time
- Duration: 1 year
- Concentrations: Analytics, healthcare enterprise management, leadership, project management
- Key Differentiators: Faith-based school, focus on ethics and values-driven leadership
Oklahoma Christian University – Graduate School of Business
- Format: Evening/online mix
- Duration: 1-2 years
- Concentrations: Business analytics, healthcare administration, leadership
- Key Differentiators: Caters to working professionals with hybrid model
University of Oklahoma – Price College of Business
- Format: Full-time, part-time
- Duration: 2-3 years
- Concentrations: Energy, analytics, entrepreneurship, more
- Key Differentiators: Highly ranked large public university MBA
Oklahoma State University – Spears School of Business
- Format: Full-time, online
- Duration: 1-2 years
- Concentrations: Business analytics and data science, energy business
- Key Differentiators: STEM-designated program, strong industry ties
This snapshot comparison shows the diversity of high-quality MBA programs and specializations available to students in the OKC metro area. Next, let‘s explore curriculum and course offerings at some of these schools in more detail.
Deep Dive Into MBA Curriculum Offerings
While the MBA core curriculum at most schools covers fundamental topics like accounting, finance, marketing and organizational leadership, many students choose programs based on specialized tracks and electives that best fit their interests and desired career trajectories.
Here is an overview of curriculum standouts across OKC‘s top MBA programs:
Meinders School of Business – OCU
The Meinders School of Business is focused on experiential learning, with required internships, consulting projects and study abroad opportunities built into the MBA curriculum. Students take part in an International Business Seminar abroad, applying lessons from core business strategy and global marketing courses through firsthand experiences in key global markets like China, South America or India.
In addition to the standard core MBA courses in topics like Managerial Economics, Corporate Finance and Organizational Behavior, Meinders MBA students can choose from over 30 electives covering everything from Capital Markets and Investments to Digital Marketing Analytics. This allows students to custom-tailor their curriculum based on personal interests and desired career specializations.
UCO College of Business
The UCO College of Business has designed its online MBA program curriculum specifically for working professionals looking to upskill while balancing ongoing work commitments. The asynchronous online course delivery provides flexibility for students to complete assignments and access materials on their own time.
Still, the curriculum covers all essential business disciplines – the 14 core courses include Managerial Accounting, Strategic Marketing Management, Data Interpretation and more. Students also select from 11 different areas of emphasis, allowing customization based on interests. Options range from Healthcare Informatics to Forensic Accounting; all geared towards regional workforce needs and emerging business trends.
UCO also incorporates hands-on learning through required internship credit hours, where students take on short-term projects assisting local employers. This experiential component lets online MBA students apply lessons from courses directly in professional settings – a major advantage over online degrees lacking this piece.
Spears Business School – Oklahoma State University
The Spears Business School at Oklahoma State stands out for its STEM-designated analytics and data science focused MBA track catering to tech-savvy quantitative students. The full-time program includes core courses in Leading and Managing People, Marketing Management and other business essentials. Students then choose either the general business track, or the Business Data Analytics specialty.
The Business Data Analytics track incorporates advanced courses in Database Management, Data Mining, Machine Learning and more. In a recent Capstone course, students worked directly with researchers at OSU‘s Brain Imaging Lab to analyze EEG brain activity datasets. These types of hands-on learning opportunities prepare graduates to apply analytics to solve all types of modern business challenges.
Student & Alumni Experiences in OKC MBA Programs
Beyond just curriculum, prospective students considering OKC MBA programs are often curious to hear directly from current students and graduates on aspects like campus culture, career impact, and overall experience takeaways.
A few testimonials from OKC MBA alumni across different programs provide helpful insight:
"Attending the Meinders School of Business MBA program was the most rewarding experience of my professional life thus far. From the rigorous coursework to networking events with industry leaders, I left equipped with the knowledge and connections to achieve my career goals." – Kayla S., OCU MBA Graduate, 2022
"Balancing work, family and school is always challenging, but UCO‘s online program made completing my MBA manageable and rewarding. The flexible online format suited my busy lifestyle while still providing a robust curriculum and support from faculty." – Ryan P., UCO MBA Graduate, 2021
"As a full-time student at OC, I wasn‘t sure an MBA would provide sufficient return on investment. But after securing a leadership development program position with a top regional bank through campus recruiting, I firmly believe this degree delivered value." – Will D., OC MBA Graduate, 2020
These first-hand experiences reaffirm that OKC MBA programs offer strong outcomes and value for students with varying needs and professional objectives. Small class sizes, abundant networking and recruiting events, and customization based on interests set students up for success.
Return on Investment and Career Outcomes for OKC MBA Graduates
At many prominent metro business schools, over 90% of MBA students receive job offers before graduation, highlighting the strong market demand for these skillsets. Hiring managers in the OKC region specifically seek out MBA talent due to growing needs across energy, aerospace, healthcare, finance and other major local industries.
In fact, Oklahoma City ranks #9 on Forbes‘ latest Best Places for Business and Careers list, beating out major metros like Atlanta, Denver, Portland and others. OKC offers plentiful opportunities for business graduates – especially those who customize their MBA through local internships and build professional connections during their studies.
The latest median salary for MBA graduates from metro OKC schools is $92,500 – a sizable jump from pre-enrollment earnings. Within 5 years post-graduation, OKC MBA alumni boast median salaries exceeding $115,000 – with those specializing in high-demand quantitative fields like business analytics earning up to $140,000.
This income earning potential combined with Oklahoma City‘s very affordable cost of living amounts to an exceptional return on MBA investment for most graduates.
Tips for Prospective Students Evaluating OKC MBA Programs
When researching the growing number of quality MBA options across Oklahoma City, keep the following guidance in mind:
- Identify your career goals – do you plan to transition to a new field or accelerate in your current industry? Programs cater to different interests.
- Evaluate concentration and elective options – can you customize with specializations relevant to your aspirations?
- Consider format logistics – does your life accommodate full-time, part-time or online programs?
- Connect with current students and alumni – get authentic insight on academics, recruiting and culture.
- Attend open house events when possible – get a feel for campus environment.
- Look for AACSB-accredited schools for added assurance of program quality and rigor.
- Leverage internships and career fairs early – make local professional connections.
By selecting the MBA program catering to your situation, it‘s very possible to see strong career growth and return on investment post-graduation while based right here in Oklahoma‘s rapidly growing capital city.
Diversity and Inclusion as Pillars of OKC MBA Culture
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have rightly become focal points across higher education, receiving increased attention from students evaluating programs on these aspects.
OKC colleges and universities understand that enhancing representation and support for individuals of all identity groups strengthens the business community while empowering more people to reach their leadership potential.
Here are a few examples of promising DEI initiatives underway across metro institutions:
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Southern Nazarene University – SNU‘s long-running MBA diversity scholarship has supported 89 women and professionals of color in graduate business education over the past decade.
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Oklahoma City University – OCU‘s new Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs help minority MBA students secure pre-enrollment internships at top OKC corporations through dedicated career coaching and partnerships.
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University of Oklahoma Price College – Price College‘s Leadership Development program for high-potential first generation and minority students provides full-tuition awards, peer mentoring and guaranteed internship placement with Fortune 500 companies.
These efforts and similar ones at other major OKC institutions reinforce that MBA programs recognize their crucial role in developing diverse leadership talent equipped to drive responsible growth for local companies post-graduation.
Prospective students from all backgrounds can take comfort knowing OKC business schools emphasize DEI progress as much as strong academics and career outcomes.
Start Your Oklahoma City MBA Journey Today
With expanding options across concentrations and formats, Oklahoma City provides exceptional opportunities for aspiring business leaders to take their careers to new heights by pursuing an MBA rooted in practical learning and strong regional industry alignment.
Whether you desire to upskill in high-demand quantitative domains like business analytics, guide strategy for global energy firms, oversee major supply chain operations, drive innovation in dynamic startups, or tackle healthcare‘s most pressing issues – OKC has an MBA program matching your ambitions.
By selecting the right academic, networking and experiential learning opportunities today, you could rapidly transform into the kind of visionary, values-driven leader that Oklahoma City companies seek to drive future success.