Business Schools in Oklahoma

    Located between Kansas’s central state to its north and Texas’s great state to its south, Oklahoma is one of many states with a “panhandle” but the only one that looks like a pan! Long known for its petroleum resources (and associated industry), Oklahoma now has a diverse economy that includes natural gas and oil and agriculture, telecommunications, and biotechnology. Its capital and largest city, Oklahoma City, is located near the state’s geographical center, and its metropolitan area is home to over one-third of Oklahoma’s residents. Oklahoma was the 46th state to join the Union, only a little over a century ago.

    Oklahoma is very close to the country’s center in terms of the state population as well, ranking 28th in the United States with just under 4 million people. Given its relatively modest population, Oklahoma has a pretty decent selection of schools offering business degrees. The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) shows 25 public and non-profit schools with business programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. A good percentage of these are accredited as well: 18 undergraduate and nine graduate. Choosing an accredited college is always a good idea, regardless of where you go to school. Accreditation ensures that the program you select has clear objectives and proven quality outcomes while adhering to national and international standards. Accredited schools also typically offer a richer educational experience via interaction with actual businesses.1

    All of the schools in this article 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). They are all public or non-profit and regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

    In this article, you’ll find the essential data you need to help you choose the best Oklahoma business school for you based on various key factors, including tuition, financial aid, entrance exam scores, acceptance rates, and more. The three sections that follow describe undergraduate programs, graduate schools, and the job prospects for business school graduates in Oklahoma.

    Undergraduate Business Schools in Oklahoma

    Oklahoma is a pretty budget-friendly option for undergraduate business study, with a good deal of variety and many good choices regardless of your financial situation. The overall average tuition for our 18 schools is just over $16,000, which is on the low side. The schools are split into two basic groups: eight of them cost over $20,000 a year, while the other ten is below $15,000; eight of those are actually under $7,000, making them very affordable indeed. The most expensive school is the University of Tulsa at just over $41,500. Average financial aid is a pretty generous $10,100.1

    We were able to obtain acceptance rate data for 15 of our 18 schools, and they fall in a comprehensive range. The choosiest school is the University of Tulsa, with a 37% acceptance rate, while Northeastern State University accepts a high number (94%) of applicants. The overall average is a respectable 65%, with 11 of the 15 at 58% or higher.1

    Graduation rates for undergraduate business degrees in Oklahoma also fall in a wide range but are generally very low. The overall average is 39%, with the highest at the University of Tulsa (73%) and the weakest at Bacone College (just 6%). The best combination of acceptance rate and the graduation rate is at the University of Oklahoma at Norman, with an acceptance rate of 71% and the graduation rate of 68%.1

    Below, you will find a table showing you all the vital data you need about undergraduate business schools in Oklahoma, 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
    Bacone CollegeMuskogee$14,850$5,359740-92015-1950%6%
    Cameron UniversityLawton$5,970$5,81421%
    East Central UniversityAda$6,279$7,213850-102017-2358%34%
    Langston UniversityLangston$5,734$5,18318%
    Northeastern State UniversityTahlequah$6,207$6,718873-109519-2494%27%
    Northwestern Oklahoma State UniversityAlva$6,690$4,64218-2344%26%
    Oklahoma Baptist UniversityShawnee$25,310$17,834920-116520-2660%57%
    Oklahoma Christian UniversityOklahoma City$20,840$12,908940-122021-2861%49%
    Oklahoma City UniversityOklahoma City$30,726$17,574990-122822-2972%59%
    Oklahoma Wesleyan UniversityBartlesville$25,070$10,594830-110018-2373%44%
    Oral Roberts UniversityTulsa$25,676$14,388890-112819-2468%57%
    Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityDurant$6,450$7,50018-2377%25%
    Southern Nazarene UniversityBethany$24,468$9,92034%
    Southwestern Oklahoma State UniversityWeatherford$6,690$6,98318-2491%35%
    St. Gregory’s UniversityShawnee$21,300$13,11042%32%
    University of Central OklahomaEdmond$6,699$5,99519-2475%38%
    University of OklahomaNorman$10,881$8,4221060-134523-2971%68%
    University of TulsaTulsa$41,509$21,9941100-139026-3337%73%

    Graduate Business Schools in Oklahoma

    We have data on 12 accredited schools for graduate business studies in Oklahoma. These are a little more expensive than the undergraduate schools, but except for the University of Tulsa ($50,000), they are still quite affordable. The overall average tuition cost is $20,700, or $18,000 if the University of Tulsa is excluded. Seven of the 12 schools are below $20,000.2,3,4

    A look at accredited online MBA programs in Oklahoma for concurrent study and work reveals only one choice, at Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business. Like its campus-based counterpart, the distance education program heavily emphasizes teamwork and is run by Oklahoma State University’s well-regarded faculty. Like most online MBA programs, it is flexible, allowing students to go at their own pace, and offers the same courses as the in-person equivalent.

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

    SchoolCityTuitionAvg. GMATFaculty
    with Doct.
    Degree
    Student/
    Faculty
    Cameron UniversityLawton$10,560
    Northeastern State UniversityTahlequah$8,537
    Oklahoma Baptist UniversityShawnee$18,150
    Oklahoma Christian UniversityOklahoma City$12,100
    Oklahoma City UniversityOklahoma City$25,38090%1.75
    Oklahoma State UniversityStillwater$15,08655292%2.32
    Oral Roberts UniversityTulsa$27,976
    Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityDurant$11,88064%0.55
    Southern Nazarene UniversityBethany$29,000
    University of Central OklahomaEdmond$18,000
    University of OklahomaNorman$22,48359887%1.63
    University of TulsaTulsa$49,79459086%1.99

    Job Outlook for Business School Graduates in Oklahoma

    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 between 2016 and 2026.5 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%.5

    Oklahoma’s unemployment rate was significantly below the national average for many years but has recently started to track the nation’s overall rate; it currently sits at 3.9%, a hair below the US average of 4% at the time of writing.6 About 117,000 people were employed in Oklahoma’s business and management sector in 2016.6 The largest subgroup was general and operations managers at 26,180, nearly double the size of the next largest category, accountants and auditors at 13,510.6

    According to BLS data, Oklahoma ranked 43th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for overall average annual wage across all occupations in 2016 at $49,176, somewhat lower than the national average of $57,617.5,6 Business and management occupations had a weighted average annual salary of around $85,200 that year.6 As in most states, chief executives were the highest-paid category, coming in just shy of $150,000.6 Most management positions in the state fell between $80,000 and $120,000.6 The lowest paid of the groups for which we have data were credit counselors at $39,560.6 (An average salary figure was not available for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes.)6

    Occupation TitleBLS.gov
    Code
    2016
    Total
    Employment
    Oklahoma
    Mean
    Hourly
    Wage
    Oklahoma
    Mean
    Annual
    Wage
    Oklahoma
    National
    Growth
    2016-26
    Accountants and Auditors13-201113,510$34$70,4808.0%
    Administrative Services Managers11-30115,480$41$86,2809.1%
    Advertising and Promotions Managers11-2011160$33$69,1705.8%
    Agents andManagers of Artists and Athletes13-1011**$19$39,03010.0%
    Architectural and Engineering Managers11-90411,970$63$131,8207.4%
    Budget Analysts13-2031860$34$69,73010.4%
    Business Operations Specialists13-11994,910$35$71,88010.1%
    Chief Executives11-10115,580$72$149,69011.9%
    Compensation and Benefits Managers11-3111180$45$93,1700.187
    Compensation, and Benefits Specialists13-1141790$26$54,6105.6%
    Compliance Officers13-10414,220$27$56,1905.0%
    Construction Managers11-90212,900$39$80,9408.9%
    Cost Estimators13-10511,720$30$63,04010.3%
    Credit Analysts13-2041590$29$59,29011.4%
    Credit Counselors13-2071500$19$39,5605.5%
    Financial Analysts13-20511,570$35$73,1904.9%
    Financial Examiners13-2061350$36$74,2108.2%
    Financial Managers11-30316,650$51$106,79010.6%
    General and Operations Managers11-102126,180$49$101,7007.1%
    Human Resources Managers11-31211,460$46$94,900-7.8%
    Human Resources Specialists13-10715,870$26$54,0006.9%
    Information Systems Managers11-30213,350$52$108,70012.0%
    Insurance Underwriters13-2053680$27$56,75010.2%
    Labor Relations Specialists13-1075260$31$64,1808.5%
    Loan Officers13-20724,240$31$64,74011.5%
    Logisticians13-10812,440$36$75,90022.8%
    Management Analysts13-11113,960$38$78,7008.8%
    Market Analysts and Marketing Specialists13-11614,100$28$58,80010.0%
    Marketing Managers11-20211,380$51$105,0806.5%
    Meeting and Event Planners13-1121930$19$40,1508.4%
    Public Relations and Fundraising Managers11-2031610$41$86,19010.8%
    Purchasing Managers11-3061640$47$98,250-5.2%
    Sales Managers11-20223,450$49$102,8209.8%
    Tax Examiners and Revenue Agents13-2081440$23$47,86013.9%
    Tax Preparers13-20821,410$20$41,93011.5%
    Training and Development Managers11-3131370$42$87,910-0.6%
    Training and Development Specialists13-11514,000$27$57,04010.8%

    Other Popular State Pages


    References:
    1. National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/
    2. AACSB, Best Business Schools: https://bestbizschools.aacsb.edu/aacsb-accredited
    3. ACBSP, Business Schools: https://acbsp.org/page/accreditation-overview
    4. IACBE, Business Schools: https://iacbe.org/accreditation/
    5. US Bureau of Labor Statistics – Occupational Outlook Handbook, Business and Financial Occupations: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/home.htm
    6. US Bureau of Labor Statistics – Employment and Wage Estimates Oklahoma: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ok.htm
    7. US News & World Report, 2018 Best Business Schools: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools