What are the best business schools in Texas?

TL;DR

The top business schools in Texas include the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business and Texas A&M University Mays Business School in College Station
Texas business schools offer a wide range of innovative programs, from full-time MBAs to specialized master’s degrees
Business schools in Texas offer programs in a variety of formats: in-person, hybrid, and 100% online

Continually ranked as the leading US business state in Chief Executive magazine’s annual Best & Worst States for Business list—based on surveys of more than 650 CEOs and business owners—Texas offers an excellent environment for studying a business degree.

Recognized for its influential finance, technology, oil, and petroleum industries, Texas places business school students and graduates in close proximity to highly rewarding and desirable career paths, empowering them to build strong professional futures.

So, what does Texas have to offer when it comes to business schools?

Here are eight of the top business schools in Texas and a breakdown of the unique advantages each one provides for students.

Top business schools in Texas

Baylor University, Hankamer School of Business - Waco

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The Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University offers a variety of programs across its campuses in Waco, Dallas, and Austin. It also offers an Online MBA, which provides 24/7 online access for students, allowing them to balance their studies alongside their work and family commitments.

MBA students can customize their degree to fit their career aspirations, tailoring their studies to a variety of different career pathways: Business Analytics, Cybersecurity, Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation, Environmental Sustainability, and Healthcare Administration. These concentrations are built to enable students to obtain skills that have longevity, subsequently empowering them to future-proof their careers.

More than 90% of Hankamer MBA graduates are able to secure a job within 90 days of graduation, securing an average starting salary totaling $104,000. With tuition fees of $31,000 per semester, this means a strong return on investment.

Hankamer also offers dual degree options for those looking to gain an MBA and a STEM-designated master’s at the same time and strengthen their career prospects. Combinations include the MBA and Master of Social Work (MSW) or the MBA and Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA).

Rice University, Jesse H Jones Graduate School of Business - Houston

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In 1974, when Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business was founded, the school offered only two degree programs: the Master of Accounting and the Master of Business and Public Management. Now, 51 years later, Rice Business is home to eight graduate programs, an undergraduate business major, and over 1,700 students—marking a huge transformation.

The school is particularly recognized for its impact on entrepreneurship education, securing the No. 1 ranking from 2018 to 2025 in graduate entrepreneurship education in Entrepreneurship magazine. It also took ninth spot in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Entrepreneurship Program rankings.

The two-year Full-time MBA boasts strong outcomes, with the employment report for the Class of 2022–2024 revealing an average starting salary of $150k, while a further 71% received signing bonuses. Overall, those who chose to enter consulting took the top spot, taking home a mean base salary of $176,000.

Southern Methodist University, Cox School of Business - Dallas

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The Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University prides itself on its intimate private school setting, offering MBA programs, Master of Science degrees, as well as dual degree options.

The MBA programs at Cox utilize what it identifies as a NextGen Curriculum, focusing on three key pillars: Leadership, Analytics, and Experiential Learning, to ensure that students are ready for the workplace when they graduate. With the world of business in a state of constant evolution, thanks in part to emerging technologies and AI, the school feels this approach is essential.

The Cox alumni network spans more than 80 countries, giving graduates the chance to build an international professional network that can help them build global careers.

Texas A&M University, Mays Business School - College Station

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The first public institution of higher education in Texas and home to the second-largest student body in the US, Texas A&M University has a long history of providing high-quality education to a diverse community.

Mays offers several different MBA programs, including Full-Time, Professional, and Executive. It also offers business master’s programs across several different focus areas: accounting, analytics, finance, management, information and operations management, and marketing.

The school is particularly well recognized for its online programs, securing first place in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Online Master’s ranking. It was also voted by the same outlet as having the best online master’s in business for veterans in 2025. The school's flexible online programs include MS HR Management, MS Entrepreneurship Leadership, and the Flex Online MBA, among others.

Texas Christian University, Neeley School of Business - Fort Worth

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The Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University (TCU) is located in Fort Worth, a region known for its leading role in the aerospace and aviation industries, with more than 600 aerospace and defence companies in the area.

Neeley offers various MBA programs, perhaps the most unique being its Energy MBA. The two-year program aims to equip students with the skills needed, through energy-specific courses, to make a mark in the energy industry, a major sector in Texas. Students enrolled in the program are required to take live evening classes twice a week, participate in three immersive four-day residency weekends on campus, and take part in a 10-day international trip to an energy-rich region.

Campus life at Neeley is rich, with over 400 student organizations, and students from 76 countries and 60+ faiths represented across the entirety of TCU.

University of Houston, CT Bauer School of Business

The CT Bauer School of Business at the University of Houston offers programs for students at various stages of their professional careers, with undergraduate, MBA, specialized master’s, Executive Doctorate, and PhD courses all available. This means that studying at Bauer gives you the chance to surround yourself with students at different stages of their lives, which can be a powerful tool for gaining new perspectives that enhance your business understanding.

The specialized master’s programs cover a variety of focus areas, including accounting, analytics, finance, global business leadership, HR leadership, management information systems, marketing, real estate, sales leadership, and even supply chain management. The breadth of master’s courses means that there is an option for every type of person to explore their passions.

Bauer also offers several certification courses built for executives. For example, the Women in Leadership certificate, which costs $2,400, aims to teach students how to effectively promote women’s success in the workplace and foster a supportive environment for women.

Twice a year, the school also releases its Inside Bauer magazine, which celebrates the people that make up the school, including students, alumni, faculty, and even corporate partners. This is aimed at building community and a sense of collaboration that students can transfer to the business world.

University of Texas, Austin, McCombs School of Business

The McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin is another great option for business school students looking to build their business acumen in the heart of Texas.

The Hildebrand MBA at McCombs includes several tailored options: Full-Time, Evening, and Executive. The Full-Time MBA curriculum includes 20+ concentrations in areas such as accounting, finance, and management, allowing students to tailor their learning to their desired career path.

The school also offers weekend MBA programs across its Dallas and Houston campuses. Taught over a span of 21 months across alternating weekends, these programs are designed to allow busy working professionals to fit their studies around their careers.

University of Texas, Dallas, Naveen Jindal School of Management

The Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas offers an impressive 35 degree programs across six areas of busines. Available specializations are: accounting, finance and managerial economics, information systems, marketing, operations management & organizations, strategy, and international management.

The Full-Time MBA program delivers promising statistics, with 90% of recent graduates receiving career placements within 90 days of graduation and 75% of candidates receiving scholarship funding ranging from $1,000–$35,000, enhancing their return on investment.

The school utilizes its small program size to ensure students get the attention they need; for example, the MBA class enrolls only 50 students. This allows the school to pair each student with an executive mentor and career coach to assist with their development.