There are hundreds of accredited MBA programs in the United States. So, how do you choose whether to pursue a standard MBA program or an Executive MBA, and what is the difference between them?
What is an Executive MBA?
The major difference between a regular MBA and Executive MBA is their purpose, audience, and delivery format. Unlike a standard MBA program, which may be open to recent graduates, Executive MBAs are designed for professionals with extensive work experience. Generally, Executive MBA candidates are managers with at least 10 to 15 years of work experience. Because of this, admission requirements for Executive MBA programs will usually prioritize previous work experience and letters of recommendation over standardized entrance scores.
Why Choose Texas for Your Executive MBA?
Whether you currently live there or are looking at relocating, Texas is an excellent state for those considering an Executive MBA program. The state boasts a number of accredited, high-quality Executive MBA programs that represent excellent value for those who’ve chosen to pursue the graduate degree.
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, Texas |
| 2 | University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, Texas |
| 3 | University of Texas at Tyler | Tyler, Texas |
| 4 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, Texas |
| 5 | Texas Southern University | Houston, Texas |
Best Value Executive MBA Programs in Texas
We compiled a list of schools in Texas that provide executive MBA programs and ranked the top 16 schools. We used tuition and program length to rank the schools. Check out our rankings below to find the best value MBA programs in Texas.
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso Executive MBA program is open to candidates with at least 5 years of managerial experience. The Executive MBA allows business leaders to pursue and attain their MBA degree through an expedited and non-traditional hybrid format. Executive MBA students engage in coursework with peers who have similar management and business leadership experience. Classes are delivered online and every other Saturday at the Graduate Business Center in Downtown El Paso. Every Executive MBA cohort is purposefully kept small and ranges between 20-30 students to maximize meaningful discourse and networking opportunities.
School Overview
University of Texas at Arlington
The Executive MBA program at the University of Texas at Arlington offers a strong alumni network and global connections. There is much that is new, updated, and exciting about the program. The program has transitioned into a true weekend “Saturday only” program designed to accommodate the needs of working professionals. New curriculum highlights include courses on digital business transformation, sales and business development, and the unique “Leadership Laboratory” course that combines individual and organizational leadership attributes into a single cohesive model. The University of Texas at Arlington offers a high return on investment, with graduates reporting an average 25% salary increase after completing the Executive MBA degree.
School Overview
University of Texas at Tyler
The University of Texas at Tyler Soules College of Business offers an Executive MBA in Healthcare Management. The program is an AACSB-accredited MBA degree, delivered in an executive turnkey format specifically designed for working professionals. Students gain a practical understanding of the major facets of business operations along with applications of business in the healthcare field. The Executive MBA is delivered in a face-to-face weekend cohort model, featuring minimal work outside class, 7 weekend meetings, and a low student to faculty ratio. Applicants are expected to have three or more years of managerial working experience.
School Overview
Texas Tech University
The Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University offers a flexible, hybrid format Professional MBA. Designed for early to mid-career professionals, the AACSB–accredited program is ideal for driven, high-potential professionals from around the world. Students start in August or January and complete coursework online throughout the month. Face-to-face classes meet one weekend per month, three times per semester. Students attend dynamic course lectures and discussions, network during social events, and engage in interactive workshops. Optional concentrations are available in bid data strategy, energy business, and health organization management.
School Overview
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University offers an online Executive MBA program. The Executive MBA is a two-year program designed to meet the challenging needs of mid-career professionals who wish to pursue an MBA degree with the least possible disruption to their professional and personal lives. The program is delivered entirely online and is administered through the Blackboard Academic Suites. These platforms include virtual classrooms, live chats, online lectures, and teleconferencing. The program provides a flexible course schedule to allow students to maintain a regular full-time work schedule.
School Overview
University of Texas at San Antonio
The Executive MBA program at the University of Texas at San Antonio is designed for executive professionals and rising leaders with strong managerial experience. The five-semester program starts annually in August and features alternating Saturday classes. Learning will focus on advancing the skills and knowledge students need to solve the evolving challenges in today’s fast-paced economy. The Executive MBA program is taught as a cohort, meaning students start and finish the program with the same participant group. The University of Texas at San Antonio offers both a general management track and a health professionals track.
School Overview
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University’s Executive MBA is a two-year program with AACSB accreditation, a convenient location, and a cutting-edge blend of online and in-class instruction. The program is designed for experienced professionals and managers who must master key business principles to grow their businesses or move up in a company. Faculty and corporate mentors provide useful tools and frameworks for crafting sound business strategies and understanding vital business tools and philosophies.
School Overview
Baylor University
Baylor University offers two Executive MBA programs in Texas, at locations in Austin and Dallas. Designed for the mid-career professional, the Baylor Executive MBA Program is rigorous and relevant, producing business leaders with recognized integrity, superior theoretical knowledge, and practical skills of modern global business in a collaborative learning environment. The Austin MBA meets one night a week on Mondays, while students in the Dallas MBA meet one weekend a month on Fridays and Saturdays. Both locations offer small class sizes capped at 36 students and require a minimum of 5 years of work experience.
School Overview
Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University offers an Executive MBA in Banking and Financial Institutions. The two-year program is designed to develop and enhance a candidate’s skills necessary for a position of leadership in a financial institution or regulatory agency. The Executive MBA in Banking Financial Institutions is perfect for working professionals in the banking and financial services industry. While the program offers a challenging and robust academic curriculum, the curriculum is structured with students’ busy schedules in mind and offers convenient online courses and limited in-class sessions.
School Overview
University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas offers a flexible, Saturdays-only Executive MBA program. The degree integrates emerging technologies throughout the curriculum to ensure that students’ experience is relevant in today’s dynamic business environment. Each month, students work with an executive coach to refine their executive soft skills including strategic self-awareness, social and political intelligence, and executive presence.
School Overview
Texas Christian University
The Neely School of Business at Texas Christian University offers an Executive MBA program designed for professionals who are already leaders in their companies. Weekend classes minimize the interruption to students’ work schedules. The program follows the Neeley Agile Strategic Leadership Model, identifying 19 core competencies that used as a focus in classes, coaching sessions, and the development of personal leadership development plans. Executive MBA students can also choose to audit up to three electives from the university’s graduate program offerings, including topics like demand forecast management and managing conflict for results.
School Overview
University of Houston
The Executive MBA program at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business is designed for experienced professionals looking to grow their skills and take the next big leap in their careers. The program offers a flexible class schedule with the option of evening or weekend courses, a hands-on curriculum, and professors and instructors who have rich industry experience in their respective disciplines and are recognized in their fields. In addition, all Bauer Executive MBA students travel internationally to learn about and experience a foreign country’s business practices and culture.
School Overview
Southern Methodist University
The Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University offers an AACSB-accredited Executive MBA program. The degree is structured to build on students’ management experience by capitalizing on the power of collaboration that comes from a diverse business network. The program takes place over 5 semesters and meets two weekends per month on Fridays and Saturdays, with some half-days. Students can opt in to a global study trip in the second year visiting two international cities and take advantage of rolling admission year-round, with new cohorts starting every August.
School Overview
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business offers an Executive MBA program. Students will spend one weekend a month on campus working in teams, collaborating with world-class professors, and gaining the insights they need to become sought-after business leaders. The program offers a cohort-based, executive-focused curriculum and electives, with an emphasis on leadership, strategy, and analytics. In addition to local study, students have access to three immersions in other major U.S. markets and one global immersion.
School Overview
Texas A&M University
Mays Business School at Texas A&M University offers an Executive MBA that allows students to personalize their education by participating in numerous learning opportunities outside of the classroom. The hallmark of the curriculum is project modules that systematically weave disciplines together to highlight their interconnectivity. The program boasts career management services designed specifically for the executive audience, a vast worldwide alumni network, and sponsored corporate partnerships. Executive MBA class sessions are held on Fridays and Saturdays of alternating weekends at the Mays Business School CityCentre campus.
School Overview
Rice University
The Rice University Executive MBA program is designed for leaders and experienced executives and focuses on experiential, integrated learning. Each academic year begins and ends with 5-day intensives that target the development of an executive mindset. Executive MBA students follow a core curriculum in their first year, then choose from over 100 electives in their second year. Rice University offers custom executive coaching, a capstone overseas trip, and a subsidized weekend residency program. Classes are held on campus every other Friday and Saturday.
School Overview
Still not sure which Executive MBA program is the right choice for you? Use our Degree Finder tool to help you decide.
Our Ranking Methodology
To determine how to rank each college, we researched and evaluated each school’s estimated total cost of tuition and program length. We used in-state tuition rates where available. We sorted each school first by the cost of tuition (lower is better) and then by program length (shorter is better), letting each value make up equal portions (50%) of the final rankings. Where schools were tied in the rankings, we gave additional weight to cost of tuition. For even more schools, check out our MBA online degrees.
If you work for one of the schools we ranked and you notice an error in the information we used to rank you, please feel free to contact us and let us know so we can make a correction.
