Ole Miss MBA Program Ranks Among Top 50 in Nation

By Stella Connell

University of Mississippi

The University of Mississippi‘s Master of Business Administration program has been recognized as one of the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings, released today (March 29), place Ole Miss at No. 44 among public universities and in a three-way tie for No. 82 overall.

UM is tied with Case Western Reserve University and Pepperdine University for the No. 82 spot. The Southeastern Conference universities of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky, and Auburn, Louisiana State and Texas A&M universities also are ranked among the top 50 public institutions. 

“We are excited for this recognition of our MBA program that reflects the outstanding education and value of the degree,” said Ken Cyree, dean of the UM School of Business Administration. “We have dedicated our efforts to create the best in-person experience possible for our students who spend a year working hard to advance their business education.

“This ranking indicates the dedication of the faculty, staff and alumni who are devoted to providing an excellent graduate education that creates opportunities for our students to succeed in their careers.”

MBA programs have a greater enrollment than any other type of graduate degree programs in the country, the U.S. News release noted. Prospective students often narrow their research exclusively to programs that award MBAs.

To aid their efforts, the publication compiles annual rankings of campus and online MBA programs. This year’s campus rankings include 134 schools nationally.

“The ranking reflects a deep and ongoing commitment to excellence among our faculty, students and alumni,” said Walter Davis, faculty director of MBA programs. 

Each year, U.S. News ranks professional school programs in business, education, engineering, law, medicine and nursing, including specialties in each area. The rankings in these areas are based on two types of data: expert opinions about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students. 

In fall 2021 and early 2022, U.S. News surveyed 493 institutions with master’s-level business programs in the U.S. accredited by AACSB International, an organization that’s widely considered the gold standard of business school accreditation, for data collection. 

For the 2022 edition, U.S. News ranked MBA programs using five categories: student engagement, expert opinion, faculty credentials and training, student excellence, and student services and technologies.

“Our campus program includes a 36-hour comprehensive curriculum that allows students to gain important business concepts and knowledge,” said Ashley McGee, director of the MBA program. Alongside this, we have a supportive MBA alumni board that emphasizes professional development. 

“The knowledge gained in the classroom, plus the networking outside of class, equals outstanding career opportunities for our MBAs.”