There’s a looming executive leadership crisis in today’s IT companies, but there’s certainly no shortage of excellent, rigorous programs designed to help build the next generation of great leaders. If you’re looking for a résumé boost and/or considering a career path that leads to the C-suite, an MBA with a technology focus is definitely a consideration. Based on the 2019 rankings from U.S. News and World Report, here are the top 10 technology-centric MBA programs, their costs and full-time enrollment statistics.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Sloan School of Management is the top-ranked school for technology-focused MBAs, and students can take courses such as Fundamentals of Digital Business Strategy and Generating Business Value in IT to prepare them for tech leadership roles and, potentially, the C-suite.
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Tuition: $74,200 per year (full-time)
Enrollment: 813
2. Carnegie Mellon
Tepper School of Business offers a technology leadership MBA in conjunction with the Carnegie Mellon school of Computer Science. It’s aimed at students with an undergraduate degree in computer science or engineering who aspire to C-level positions like CIO or CTO.
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tuition: $65,000 per year (full-time)
Enrollment: 465
3. University of Arizona
Eller College of Management’s Management Information Systems (MIS) concentration prepares MBA students for analyzing, designing, implementing and managing IT. Candidates can enroll in the school's MIS/MBA Business Intelligence and Analysis track, which combines analysis skills and real-world experience into the course of study.
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Tuition: $11,716 per year (in-state, full-time); $32,065 (out-of-state, full-time)
Enrollment: 79
4. University of Texas – Austin
McCombs School of Business offers an Information Systems concentration with its MBA program, with an emphasis on knowing how to leverage IT to create business value; understanding the strategic, financial and economic implications of IT projects; and developing the expertise to manage global resources and projects enabled through IT.
Location: Austin, Texas
Tuition: $40,622 per year (in-state, full-time); $54,394 per year (out-of-state, full-time)
Enrollment: 551
5. Stanford University
Stanford Graduate School of Business heavily emphasizes alternative education methods, including corporate case studies, global study trips, role-playing and real-world immersion internships. In addition to the traditional, required management courses, students can opt for elective courses in operations, information and technology.
Location: Stanford, California
Tuition: $70,590 per year (full-time)
Enrollment: 855
6. University of Pennsylvania, Wharton
The Wharton School boasts one of the largest enrollments in the top 10, with 1,742 students currently enrolled in the MBA programs, according to U.S. News and World Report. Students can focus in Operations and Information Management, and can specialize further by choosing the school’s Systems track.
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Tuition: $72,300 per year (full-time)
Enrollment: 1,742
7. University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Carlson School of Management also offers a technology-focused concentration within its MBA program, intended to prepare students for careers in technology consulting, business analytics and predictive modeling, compliance and auditing of business processes, global sourcing management, and IT governance, among other areas.
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Tuition: $39,000 per year (in-state, full-time); $49,944 per year (out-of-state, full-time)
Enrollment: 188
8. Georgia Institute of Technology
Scheller College of Business at the Georgia Institute of Technology is located in Atlanta, home to many corporate giants such as The Coca-Cola Co. and Turner Broadcasting System. With small class sizes, the MBA program stresses a sense of community to go along with a flexible curriculum that promotes customization. Students are given the opportunity to focus on one area of business or gain a broad knowledge of many areas as they complete eight elective courses.
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Tuition: $40,180 per year (full-time)
Enrollment: 167
9. University of Maryland – College Park
Robert H. Smith School of Business’s Decisions, Operations and IT (DO&IT) program prepares students for careers in the management, design, and implementation of information systems. MBA candidates can choose to focus on Information Systems, Operations Management, or Business Analytics.
Location: College Park, Maryland
Tuition: $44,766 per year (in-state, full-time); $53,946 (out-of-state, full-time)
Enrollment: 155
10. New York University, Stern
NYU's Leonard N. Stern School of Business offers a specialization in Management of Information Technology and Operations that focuses on technology-enabled business models and the alignment of IT and operations with corporate strategy, the school says. Students will learn how to make sound IT investment decisions effectively manage IT assets and data and craft operations and IT strategies to exploit emerging technical opportunities.
Location: New York, New York
Tuition: $71,676 per year (full-time)
Enrollment: 772
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