Thursday, June 5, 2025
Media Contact:
Stephen Howard | Director of Marketing & Communications | 405-744-4363 | [email protected]
At the Spears School of Business, excellence isn’t just an aspiration — it’s becoming
a tradition.
Thanks to its industrious faculty, engaged alumni and the dedication of leadership
and staff, the business programs at Oklahoma State University have skyrocketed in
national and global rankings.
The latest testament came in January when U.S. News & World Report listed Spears Business
in a tie for No. 8 on its list of the Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs,
the college’s highest placement in the rankings’ history.
“This historic ranking reflects the extraordinary commitment of our entire Spears
Business community,” said Dr. Marlys Mason, Spears Business associate dean for undergraduate
programs. “From our dedicated faculty and staff to our engaged alumni and generous
donors, each has played a vital role in elevating our online undergraduate programs.
The Michael and Anne Greenwood Center for Online Excellence has been particularly
instrumental in transforming how we deliver exceptional business education to students
wherever they are.”
As Mason noted, the top 10 ranking is largely due to the Michael and Anne Greenwood
Center for Online Excellence, which offers students access to a high-quality business
education regardless of their schedule or location while maintaining the personal
touch Spears Business is known for.
In all, U.S. News & World Report ranked 219 schools on its list of top online undergraduate
business programs, and Spears Business placed seventh among public institutions. OSU
was top in Oklahoma and second only to Arizona State University among Big 12 Conference
peers.
The undergraduate programs weren’t the only climbers. OSU’s online MBA advanced five
spots in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Online MBA Programs list, tying for
No. 11 nationally — the school’s best-ever ranking. The Spears Business MBA ranked
ninth among public universities.
OSU’s online MBA continues its ascent, climbing from No. 40 (2020), No. 32 (2021),
No. 28 (2022), No. 27 (2023) and No. 16 (2024).
U.S. News & World Report also ranked OSU’s MBA program No. 8 nationally for veterans.
OSU’s online MBA in business analytics jumped five spots into a tie for No. 15.
Not to be outdone, OSU’s in-person MBA jumped 18 spots to No. 58 in the U.S. News
& World Report ranking of the best full-time MBA programs.
Spears Business also offers one of the nation’s top-ranked master’s in data science
programs. OSU’s in-person master’s in business analytics and data science (MS BAnDS)
was ranked No. 2 in Fortune.com’s Best Master’s in Data Science for 2025, trailing
only Harvard University. The MS BAnDS program climbed 11 spots since last year to
achieve its best ranking ever.
With an acceptance rate of 31.48% and a retention rate of 100%, the MS BAnDS program
uses state-of-the-art enterprise-level analytics software from multiple vendors. Students
apply data analytics skills to real-world business problems, consistently winning
awards in national and global competitions.
Over the past four years, nearly 100% of MS BAnDS graduates have secured full-time
jobs within six months of graduation. The program has thrived under award-winning
director Dr. Goutam Chakraborty.
“While our program has been consistently ranked in the top 20 in the last three years
by Fortune and others, this is the first time we are in the No. 2 spot by Fortune,”
Chakraborty said. “We are humbled by this outstanding achievement, which is made possible
because of the quality and hard work of our students and our dedicated faculty and
staff.”
The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management also recently reached a major milestone
as a top 10 program in the U.S. The school, which joined Spears Business in 2019,
is ranked No. 8 nationally and No. 22 globally, according to ShanghaiRanking’s Global
Ranking of Academic Subjects.
This No. 22 global ranking gives HTM the highest international ranking of any OSU
program.
“The program is committed to the tradition of excellence and continues to be one of
the premier academic units in the world,” said Dr. Brij Thapa, professor and Carl
and Marilynn Thoma Distinguished Chair, who leads HTM. “Integrating high-quality publications
and/or compelling practical insights, faculty are focused on identifying solutions
to persistent challenges and expanding the knowledge base for industry, governments,
communities and academia. The school intends to prioritize the land-grant mission
to foster public impact research and become a key voice advocating for positive change
within and beyond the state.”
These rankings coincide with record enrollment numbers for Spears Business, which
grew to 6,582 undergraduate and graduate students in fall 2024, making it the largest
college on OSU’s campus. That figure includes the largest freshman class in school
history, with 1,034 first-year students.
OSU’s MBA program continues to see unprecedented growth, with a 124% increase in online
enrollment since 2020. In 2024-25, 418 students took online MBA classes through OSU.
Story By:
Stephen Howard | [email protected]
