Business Schools in Connecticut

    This article contains essential data to help you choose the Connecticut business school that best suits your unique needs based on various key factors: tuition, financial aid, entrance exam scores, acceptance rates, and more. The three sections that follow describe undergraduate programs, graduate schools, and job prospects for business school graduates in Connecticut.

    All of the schools below have been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). The schools are also all public or non-profit and are be regionally accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

    Starting with data pulled from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), we know there are only 19 public and non-profit schools that grant undergraduate and graduate business degrees in Connecticut. Of the 19 schools, 13 are business accredited. The other six programs listed by NCES are not business accredited, so we have excluded them from our list.1

    As with all states, we strongly recommend choosing an accredited business degree, as this assures that the business program you select has clear objectives and that it has proven that it produces quality outcomes while adhering to national and international standards. Accredited schools also typically offer a richer educational experience via interaction with actual businesses.

    Best Business Schools in Connecticut

    Following are the best business schools in Connecticut according to US News & World Report data:

    • Yale University – #9 in Best Business Schools, #9 in Graduate Management, #3 in Top National Universities, #4 in Best Value Schools
    • University of Connecticut – #79 in Best Business Schools, #63 in Top National Universities, #33 in Best Colleges for Veterans, #22 in Top Public Schools
    • Quinnipiac University – #99 in Best Business Schools, #13 in Top Regional Universities North, #5 in Best Colleges for Veterans, #3 in Most Innovative Schools

    Undergraduate Business Schools in Connecticut

    What Connecticut lacks in quantity of business schools, it makes up for in quality. It boasts several highly regarded colleges, including Yale University, a perpetual resident of top 20 business school lists. Unsurprisingly, this high quality comes at a cost, further exacerbated by the state’s location in a relatively expensive part of the country. Its undergraduate business programs are among the nation’s priciest, with an overall average tuition cost of just below $28,000. There are, however, two very affordable accredited community colleges in the state: Three Rivers Community College and Tunxis Community College at $4,200 each, without which the Connecticut average jumps to over $32,000. Three schools fall in roughly the $10,000 to $17,000 range, but the remaining eight are all over $30,000, led by Yale at $49,480.

    We were able to obtain acceptance rate data for 10 of our 13 schools, and they tend to be average overall (56%). By a wide margin, the lowest is Yale at 6%, one of the nation’s very lowest numbers. The next lowest rate is a much higher 41% at Post University, and with Yale excluded, the average jumps to a more encouraging 62%. Seven of the ten schools accept over 55% of applicants, with the highest acceptance rate at the University of New Haven.2

    Graduation rates for undergraduate business degrees in Connecticut are mostly good, reflecting the general trend that better schools tend to have better graduation rates. The ten schools for which we have data average with graduation rates of 65%, with the highest being Yale’s imposing 97.8% figure. All of the schools but one are over 50% (the University of Bridgeport is around 29%). Quinnipiac University, nationally famous for its Polling Institute, has the best combination of acceptance rate (76%) and graduation rate (78%) in the state.2

    The following table shows you all the critical data you need about undergraduate business schools in Connecticut, including annual in-state tuition costs, average aid per student, acceptance rates, SAT and ACT score ranges of accepted students, and graduation rates. Click any column header to sort the table based on its contents.

    SchoolCityTuitionAidMedian SATMedian ACTAccept. RateGrad. Rate
    Albertus Magnus CollegeNew Haven$30,526$12,88852%
    Central Connecticut State UniversityNew Britain$9,741$6,211900-110019-2460%54%
    Fairfield UniversityFairfield$46,000$21,20861%82%
    Post UniversityWaterbury$16,510$6,199780-100015-2341%
    Quinnipiac UniversityHamden$43,940$20,736980-119022-2776%78%
    Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield$38,300$15,98457%61%
    Three Rivers Community CollegeNorwich$4,208$4,376
    Tunxis Community CollegeFarmington$4,208$4,154
    University of BridgeportBridgeport$31,630$23,098840-101018-2358%29%
    University of ConnecticutStorrs$14,066$11,1451120-134026-3149%82%
    University of HartfordWest Hartford$37,790$19,919920-116020-2672%60%
    University of New HavenWest Haven$37,060$18,945930-114020-2681%56%
    Yale UniversityNew Haven$49,480$46,1751420-160032-356%98%

    Graduate Business Schools in Connecticut

    We have data on nine accredited schools for graduate business study in Connecticut. Interestingly, Connecticut graduate business schools don’t tend to be as expensive as their undergraduate counterparts compared to other states. Using program data sourced from the AACSB, ACBSP, and IACBE, we found the overall average is about $37,500, which certainly isn’t cheap, but is not as much above most other states’ figures as the undergraduate number. Furthermore, there are no “six-figure schools” in Connecticut–not even Yale, which does lead the list in terms of cost but with a (relatively) reasonable figure of just below $67,000. The least expensive school is Central Connecticut State University, at around $18,000. The other seven schools range from $25,000 to $50,000.

    We have average admission GMAT scores for seven of our schools. Six of these range from 463 to 630, which is pretty typical. Yale University’s average GMAT score is 730, as befits its top-tier status. (By way of comparison, Harvard’s number is 731.) Six schools provided data on the percentage of full-time faculty with doctorate degrees, all of which are between 80% and 90%, except for the University of Hartford at 75%.

    To keep advancing your career while enhancing your education, you may also want to consider one of the online MBA programs in Connecticut. Consistent with the trends mentioned above, there aren’t many options here, but the state’s three online programs are good ones.

    Popular graduate programs in Connecticut: MBA in Data Analytics | MBA in Project Management | MBA in Supply Chain Management

    The table that follows shows graduate business school tuition costs, average accepted applicant GMAT scores, the percentage of faculty with a doctorate degree, and student-to-faculty ratios. Click any column header to sort the table based on its contents.

    SchoolCityTuitionAvg. GMATFaculty
    with Doct.
    Degree
    Student/
    Faculty
    Central Connecticut State UniversityNew Britain$17,65863083%0.2
    Fairfield UniversityFairfield$49,950491
    Quinnipiac UniversityHamden$45,31054684%1.92
    Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield$33,66046384%0.37
    University of BridgeportBridgeport$29,340
    University of ConnecticutStorrs$28,28357787%5.34
    University of HartfordWest Hartford$25,02075%
    University of New HavenWest Haven$41,20246882%0.1
    Yale UniversityNew Haven$66,650730

    Job Outlook for Business School Graduates in Connecticut

    During the decade from 2016 to 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data predicts total growth of at least 5% in 32 of 37 business and management occupations across the US.6 The highest growth will be for market analysts and marketing specialists, at 22.8% over ten years, with financial managers coming in second at 18.7%.6

    Connecticut’s economic fortunes have roughly paralleled those of the nation as a whole over the last 20 years or so. The state fared reasonably well in the Great Recession, with unemployment peaking at 9.3% in late 2010.6 Like other states, its rate has been steadily falling since, though it has now leveled off at around 4.5%, a few points above the national average.6 Roughly 158,000 people were employed in the business and management sector in Connecticut in 2016.6 The largest subgroup was general and operations managers at 31,660, more than double the next-largest group’s size, financial managers at 15,280.6 Third place went to accountants and auditors at 14,490; all other groups employed fewer than 10,000 people.6

    Other Popular Articles: Accounting Schools in Connecticut | Online MBA Programs in Connecticut

    According to BLS data, the overall average annual wage in 2016 across all occupations in Connecticut was $73,433, which puts the state in the top 10 at the seventh-highest-paying state out of 51 (including the District of Columbia).6 Business and management occupations had a weighted average annual salary of around $117,000 in the same year.6 Chief executives led the way at $210,000 per year, with most management positions between $105,000 and $160,000.6 The lowest-paid of the groups for which we have data was tax preparers at $46,350.6 (An average salary figure was not available for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes.)6

    Occupation TitleBLS.gov
    Code
    2017
    Total
    Employment
    Connecticut
    Mean
    Hourly
    Wage
    Connecticut
    Mean
    Annual
    Wage
    Connecticut
    National
    Growth
    2016-26
    Accountants and Auditors13-201114,490$39$82,04010.0%
    Administrative Services Managers11-30114,190$52$108,54010.1%
    Advertising and Promotions Managers11-2011270$55$113,8605.8%
    Agents and Managers of Artists and Athletes13-1011120$00$004.9%
    Architectural and Engineering Managers11-90413,410$72$149,1405.5%
    Budget Analysts13-20311,120$40$83,3206.5%
    Business Operations Specialists13-11997,680$36$75,4008.8%
    Chief Executives11-10111,450$101$210,3208.0%
    Compensation and Benefits Managers11-3111310$72$148,9905.0%
    Compensation and Job Analysis Specialists13-11411,060$36$75,7108.5%
    Compliance Officers13-10413,730$40$82,5608.2%
    Information Systems Managers11-30218,060$71$147,74011.9%
    Construction Managers11-90213,100$51$105,73011.4%
    Cost Estimators13-10512,030$36$74,83010.6%
    Credit Analysts13-20411,100$42$88,2108.4%
    Credit Counselors13-2071550$27$55,17013.9%
    Financial Analysts13-20515,900$52$108,82010.8%
    Financial Examiners13-2061600$50$104,2309.8%
    Financial Managers11-303115,280$77$159,9700.187
    General and Operations Managers11-102131,660$71$147,7709.1%
    Human Resources Managers11-31212,380$65$136,1208.9%
    Human Resources Specialists13-10715,910$33$68,2507.1%
    Insurance Underwriters13-20532,790$40$83,200-5.2%
    Labor Relations Specialists13-10751,560$30$62,900-7.8%
    Loan Officers13-20722,440$45$94,20011.5%
    Logisticians13-1081800$39$80,6106.9%
    Management Analysts13-11117,830$49$101,44012.0%
    Market Analysts and Marketing Specialists13-11617,210$37$76,04022.8%
    Marketing Managers11-20215,430$73$151,15010.0%
    Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners13-1121670$29$59,65010.2%
    Public Relations Managers11-2031980$59$121,78010.4%
    Purchasing Managers11-30611,400$61$126,7205.6%
    Sales Managers11-20226,870$71$147,3907.4%
    Tax Examiners and Revenue Agents13-2081990$40$83,920-0.6%
    Tax Preparers13-2082550$22$46,35010.8%
    Training and Development Managers11-3131790$61$126,99010.3%
    Training and Development Specialists13-11513,370$35$73,01011.5%

    Other Popular State Pages


    References:
    1. National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/
    2. AACSB, Best Business Schools: https://bestbizschools.aacsb.edu/
    3. ACBSP, Business Schools: https://www.acbsp.org/
    4. IACBE, Business Schools: http://iacbe.org/
    5. New England Association of Schools and Colleges: https://www.neasc.org/
    6. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Connecticut: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ct.htm
    7. Office of Higher Education: https://www.ctohe.org/
    8. US News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools