Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Media Contact:
Stephen Howard | Manager of Communications | 405-744-4363 | stephen.howard@okstate.edu
Oklahoma State University skyrocketed into the top 10 of the prestigious U.S. News & World Report ranking of the Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs, giving the Spears School of Business its top placement in the history of the rankings.
“This top-10 ranking is a testament to the hard work of the faculty and staff in the
design and delivery of our portfolio of online undergraduate business programs in
serving students from across the state and beyond,” said Dr. Jim Payne, dean of Spears
Business. “We understand the importance of individualized attention, especially in
the online learning environment, and that is reflected in our motto, the Power of
Personal.”
Spears Business tied for No. 8 nationally and was tied for No. 7 among all public schools in America.
OSU was behind only Arizona State University for the highest-ranked online undergraduate
business program among Big 12 Conference peers and owned the highest ranking among
all schools in the state of Oklahoma.
In all, U.S. News & World Report ranked 219 schools on its list of the top online undergraduate business programs.
Spears Business was one of four previously unranked schools to earn a spot among the
top-10 programs.
The rankings coincide with record enrollment numbers for Spears Business, which began
the 2024-25 school year with a total of 6,458 undergraduate and graduate students,
making it the largest college on the OSU campus. That figure includes the largest
freshman class in school history with 1,034 first-year students.
The top-10 ranking is due in large part to the Michael and Anne Greenwood Center for
Online Excellence, which offers students access to a high-quality business education
regardless of their schedule or location while still maintaining the personal touch
that Spears Business is known for.
“This historic ranking reflects the extraordinary commitment of our entire Spears
Business community,” said Dr. Marlys Mason, Spears Business associate dean for undergraduate
programs. “From our dedicated faculty and staff to our engaged alumni and generous
donors, each has played a vital role in elevating our online undergraduate programs.
The Michael and Anne Greenwood Center for Online Excellence has been particularly
instrumental in transforming how we deliver exceptional business education to students
wherever they are.”
Not to be outdone, OSU’s online MBA program took another step forward in the U.S. News & World Report list of the 2025 Best Online MBA Programs, jumping five spots into a tie for No.
11 nationally — the best ranking in school history. Even further, they ranked the
MBA Program as No. 8 in the nation for veterans. This is the highest ranking any business
program has had in OSU’s history. OSU’s online MBA in business analytics also jumped
five spots into a tie for No. 15 in the rankings.
OSU is one of six Big 12 Conference schools ranked inside the top 50, but the only
MBA program in Oklahoma. The Spears Business MBA came in ninth among public schools
nationwide. In all, U.S. News & World Report ranked the top 355 online MBA programs in the country.
OSU’s online MBA program continues its ascent in the prestigious U.S. News & World Report rankings, climbing from No. 40 (2020), No. 32 (2021), No. 28 (2022), No. 27 (2023)
and No. 16 (2024) in the past six years.
U.S. News & World Report also ranked the Watson Graduate School of Management at No. 35 in their list of the Best Online Master’s in Business Programs, which also
reflects the best ranking in the history of the Spears Business graduate programs.
U.S. News & World Report annually ranks online programs that allow students to complete degrees using online
learning technologies. The rankings are based on school surveys and include information
such as faculty credentials, graduation rates, instructional best practices and technology,
admission data and program reputation among accredited business schools.
“Our MBA program’s continuous rise in rankings is a result of the continued emphasis
on student success, excellence in the classroom and the team effort by the Watson
Graduate School of Management team and the MBA Director Dr. Bowler,” said Dr. Ramesh
Sharda, vice dean for research and graduate programs. “I am appreciative of the support
provided by our dean, Dr. Jim Payne, to continue to meet the growing demand for our
MBA program while maintaining excellence and rigor of the curriculum.”
At OSU, the MBA at Spears Business continues to see unprecedented growth as the online
program has experienced a 124% increase in enrollment since 2020. Today, 418 individuals
are taking online MBA classes through OSU.
