Hough Graduate School of Business ranks 16th among U.S. public business schools

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Hough Graduate School of Business at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business Administration was ranked 16th among U.S. public business schools in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools 2016” edition released today.

UF MBA’s Traditional (full-time) Program improved four positions to No. 37 overall, and three spots to No. 16 among U.S. public programs. UF MBA was the only MBA program in the state of Florida to appear in the top 75.

UF MBA’s rise was attributed in large part to progress in Placement Success (starting salary and bonus, employment at graduation and employment three months after graduation) and Student Selectivity (GMAT/GRE scores, undergraduate GPA and acceptance rate)—two major components that comprise the rankings.

UF MBA graduates’ starting salaries and bonuses increased by more than $10,000 from last year, and employment rates at graduation (79.6 percent) and three months after graduation (92.6%) were markedly improved. In fact, UF MBA’s employment rate at graduation ranked 12th among all full-time programs—both public and private—and fourth among U.S. publics.

Additionally, UF MBA’s average GMAT scores rose six points to 687—No. 7 among publics—and the program was even more selective this past year admitting only 24% of applicants. UF MBA’s average undergraduate GPA of 3.5 was No. 12 among all programs, and third-best among publics.

“Fostering a dynamic and engaging learning environment for our talented students is vital to our success,” said Dr. Alex Sevilla, Assistant Dean and Director of UF MBA Programs. “That nurturing and remarkably personal atmosphere—delivered through our dedicated faculty, passionate staff, and stellar career services team—yields exceptional career opportunities and a truly transformative experience for our MBAs.”

UF MBA also continued its commitment to providing an elite MBA education without an elite price tag. UF MBA had the fourth-lowest out-of-state tuition and fees among all schools ranked in the top 50 ($31,075).

“One of the College’s most important principles is providing our students a significant ROI,” said Dr. S. Selcuk Erenguc, Senior Associate Dean and Director of the Hough Graduate School of Business. “Our commitment to providing a world-class business education and making it affordable differentiates us, and makes UF MBA an appealing destination for motivated students.”

UF MBA’s Working Professional (part-time) Programs, which includes the Professional Two-Year, Professional One-Year and the Professional MBA in South Florida, ranked 17th among U.S. publics and 27th overall.

In U.S. News’ specialty categories, the College’s graduate Marketing (20th overall, seventh among publics) and Accounting (20th overall, eighth among publics) programs were also recognized.

U.S. News & World Report surveyed deans and MBA directors of 464 master’s business programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) and corporate recruiters who previously hired MBA graduates from ranked programs.

Among public and private universities:
37th Overall
27th Part-Time MBA
20th Accounting
20th Marketing

Among public universities:
16th Overall
17th Part-Time MBA
8th Accounting
7th Marketing