TAMPA – Two of USF’s MBA programs are ranked among the best in the nation, according to Fortune, one of the world’s leading business publications.
The University of South Florida’s part-time MBA program is among the country’s top business programs, coming in at No. 34 — No. 21 among public universities and No. 2 in Florida — in Fortune’s ranking of the “Best Part-Time MBA Programs” in the U.S. for 2023.
In another nod to the caliber of USF’s MBA programs, the school took the No. 29 spot — No. 18 among public universities and No. 1 in Florida — in Fortune’s “Best Executive MBA Programs” list. This is the second year the publication has ranked executive MBA programs and the first year USF has made the list.
“Our continued rise in the rankings is phenomenal,” said GJ de Vreede, interim dean at the Muma College of Business. “We have worked hard to build programs that attract both young and experienced business professionals who are looking to advance their careers.”
Best Part-Time MBA Programs ranking
This is the second year Fortune released the “Best Part-Time MBA Programs” rankings. USF jumped seven spots nationwide from last year’s No. 41 spot. The 2023 rankings also placed the Muma College of Business part-time MBA program No. 2 among business schools in Florida.
“The fast rise of our MBA programs is a testament to the quality of our program,” said Eric Douthirt, director of the MBA programs at the Muma College of Business. “We strive to provide a high-caliber network of business professionals and professors for our MBA students so they will become leaders in the world of business and industry.”
While technically a part-time education program, USF’s MBA is designed for full-time working professionals who are balancing a job with graduate school. The program is designed with flexibility and rigor and offers an evening and a weekend track.
The 2023 rankings were released from Fortune Education on Oct 31.
“These top part-time MBA degree programs not only offer top-notch curriculums and access to world-class business school professors, but they also have a track record of seeing their alumni climb to the tops of the Fortune 500 world,” according to Fortune Education.
To rank the programs, the publication used data collected through questionnaires submitted by schools, data points available on school websites, and information collected from companies and executives. The final ranking is determined by scores for the program, metrics on the business school’s brand, and the number of MBA alumni who are executives at Fortune 1000 companies.
The program’s score considered factors like the average years of work experience for incoming students, the average GMAT scores, and the average undergraduate GPA of entrants. For a business school’s brand score, Fortune partnered with Ipsos to survey thousands of business professionals and hiring managers to get their opinions on specific business schools.
Best Executive MBA Programs ranking
This is the second year Fortune released the “Best Executive MBA Programs” rankings. The publication ranked business schools to help mid-career professionals find the best-fitting executive MBA program.
“If you are a mid-career professional looking for a track into the C-suite, an executive MBA program provides a robust network of highly-motivated, experienced peers to get you where you want to go,” according to Fortune Education.
For the executive MBA programs list, Fortune considered factors like the average years of work experience, the average years of management experience, and the percentage of students with advanced degrees. Fortune also partnered with Ipsos to survey thousands of business professionals and hiring managers to get their thoughts on specific business schools and looked at the number of each school’s MBA alumni who are executives at Fortune 1000 companies.
Poets&Quants Online MBA ranking
In another national survey Poets&Quants listed USF’s online MBA program at No. 25 in the country — No. 16 among public universities and No. 2 in Florida, according to the Best Online MBA Programs of 2023.
The online publication for business education news placed USF on its “Biggest Winners List” for climbing nine spots into the Top 25 over the previous year.
The annual ranking highlights the best MBA programs delivered online. Its methodology is based on weighing the quality of incoming students, surveying recent alumni about their academic experience, and evaluating the career outcomes of its graduates.