The Top 5 Texas Salaries for MBA Grads
While many business hubs of the world lie in major cities like New York and Tokyo, plenty of opportunities lie elsewhere. Like Texas, for instance. This state is home to growing cities, such as Austin, Houston, and the Dallas-Fort Worth region, which saw the largest population growth than all U.S. cities. So why not consider these top MBA grad Texas salaries to see if it’s the place for you?
Continue reading…5 Questions with the SMU Cox Assistant Dean of Graduate Admissions
In our latest installment of the MetroMBA “5 Questions” series, we speak with John Roeder, Assistant Dean of Graduate Admissions at SMU’s Cox School of Business. He talks with us about inside details of the MBA program, pre-admissions tips, and the school’s beautiful campus.
Can you tell me something about the SMU MBA that I cannot learn unless I actually take part in the program?
“SMU Cox fosters a highly collaborative learning environment and connections to a network of 42,000-plus alumni around the world. From day one, SMU Cox MBA students join this community—a highly connected, active, and engaged group of students, alumni, and corporate partners that extend across the Dallas business community and beyond.”
What are you most excited about when it comes to the future of SMU Cox?
“The future of SMU Cox is bright and exciting. The Cox School is refreshing the curriculum, and infusing new elective courses into the MBA program to reflect the evolving needs of businesses today. Plus, we’re located in the heart of Dallas, a city on the rise! In fact, Forbes ranked Dallas the #1 best big city for jobs two years in a row.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Real Humans of the SMU Cox School of Business
What parts of the MBA program should more students know about before starting their graduate school career?
“Each year, applicants impress us with the high level of research they do on their own. Here are a few things we encourage students consider when searching for the right program fit.
- Research the curriculum: Is it flexible, customizable? SMU Cox offers four different paths to the MBA. Whether you pursue the degree as a full-time student or a part-time student, you have the flexibility to customize the coursework and choose electives to meet your needs.
- Explore experiential learning opportunities: There are incredible opportunities to gain technical knowledge and hands-on experience both inside and outside the classroom. At SMU Cox, all our MBAs have an opportunity to gain international business perspective through our Global Programs.
- Identify companies or industries where you have an interest in working: Research your target business school’s alumni presence and recruiting relationships with those companies. At SMU Cox, we have over 100 corporate partners and hiring companies actively engaged with our students.”
What do you think is the most important part of the pre-admissions process?
“A few things can really help a candidate stand out during the application process. At SMU Cox, we look for students who have demonstrated a drive for impact, both personally, and professionally. So, when building your application, take the time to sharpen your resume, and highlight quantifiable achievements. Leverage the essays to showcase your personality and motivations for pursuing the MBA. And finally, let us get to know you! Whether you join us at an information session, a coffee-chat, or simply set-up time to meet one-on-one with a member of our Admissions team, we’d like to get to know you personally.”
What is your favorite part of the SMU campus?
“One of the best aspects of our beautiful, tree-lined campus is its proximity to downtown Dallas. Our campus is located just miles from corporate headquarters, a flourishing art and museum district, a world-class sports arena that houses our local NBA and NHL teams, acres of outdoor parks and trails, and sits walking distance from both locally-owned and nationally acclaimed restaurants.”
The Professional Grounds Management Society has previously awarded SMU the prestigious Grand Award for its picturesque campus / Photo via smu.edu
Click here for more information on admissions at the SMU Cox School of Business.
Real Humans of the SMU Cox School of Business
After 100 years, one can expect a few changes.
The Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business, nearing it’s centennial celebration, is a perfect test-case for how much change can mean. Founded in 1920 as the Department of Commerce, the Dallas metro business school has gently evolved from a modern Methodist research beacon into one of the most transformative schools in Texas.
With over 11,000 students at SMU, including 5,170 graduate students, the Cox School of Business hosts nearly 600 MBAs in its various programs. For any Cox student, one of the definitive advantages of the business school is the advantageous proximity to Dallas’ thriving business community. Ten companies in the metro land within the Fortune 500 ranking. Among the group, four companies—Exxon Mobil, AT&T, Energy Transfer Equity, and American Airlines Group—land in the top 100, with two in the top ten. With high national regard, including a top 50 ranking for the school in U.S. News & World Report, plus the bevy of major companies as neighbors, these factors can seem overwhelmingly beneficial to a successful career.
When talking with members of the SMU Cox School of Business Professional MBA class, however, the allure of the program went beyond the obvious career benefits that Dallas can offer. For any well-regarded business school, the makeup of the class can seem familiar. The average GMAT for the PMBA Class of 2019 is 613. The GPA is 3.3. Most of the group has about five years of prior professional experience before enrollment. But just going off the bare statistics hardly tells the entire story.
To get a greater understanding of the SMU Cox School of Business Professional MBA class, we spoke with several current students, including a self-described “Army Brat,” a former law school student, and a consultant originally from Kathmandu, along with a handful of other future grads. Read on to see their stories and what the future may hold for life after an MBA.
New SMU Deadlines and Essay Questions Revealed
The newest Southern Methodist University MBA deadline dates for the Cox School of Business are here. Mark your calendar with the details below.
SMU Deadlines
Round One
Deadlines: October 15, 2018
Round Two
Deadlines: December 3, 2019
Round Three
Deadlines: January 7, 2019
Round Four
Deadlines: March 4, 2019 (Final International Deadline)
Round Five
Deadlines: April 29, 2019 (Final Domestic Deadline)
SMU Cox is accepting applications after April 29 on a rolling basis.
SMU MBA Essay Questions
1. (All applicants) “What are your post-MBA goals upon graduation? Please be as specific as possible, which might include desired roles, target companies, and/or industry.”(250 word limit)
2. (All applicants) “In three words, how would a coworker or professional mentor describe you? In three words, how would your closest personal friend describe you?” (six word limit)
3. (Full-Time, Fast Track, JD/MBA students only) “Think of an event that has changed your perspective in the last three years. Describe how this event has impacted your personal or professional outlook.” (250 word limit)
4. (Full-Time, Fast Track MBA applicants only) “Business is an ever changing and evolving entity. Individual’s plans and interests can change as a result of industry downturns and/or emergence of new opportunities. Keeping an open mind while navigating your career is an essential component of success. Should the short-term goals you provided above not materialize, what alternative direction would you explore?” (250 word limit)
5. (MA/MBA students only) “How do you plan to make an impact on the arts/non-profit community and how specifically would your graduate education help you do so?” (250 word limit)
6. (MA/MBA students only) “Tell us about a time in the past three years your opinion about an arts/non-profit organization was changed and how.” (250 word limit)
Check out the official SMU Cox website for more application information.
Inside Dean Matthew Myers’ Plans for the SMU Cox School of Business
On August 1, 2017, Matthew Myers became the ninth dean of the Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business. As the former dean of Miami University’s Farmer School of Business in Oxford, Ohio, Dean Myers comes to Cox with plans to build on the school’s current strengths and enhancing its offerings.
In a Cox Today article titled “The Dawn of a New Dean,” SMU Cox dives into Myers’ plans in a detailed interview. Here’s what he had to say.
Joining Cox
SMU Cox Dean Matthew Myers
According to Myers, the most frequent question that he’s asked is, “Why Cox?” He explained that he was looking for an institution that knew its place in higher education and had an established identity. It was also important to love the city where the school was located, and he and his family were immediately drawn to Dallas.
“Dallas has a robust economy with people willing to invest in Cox and SMU,” he said. “You cannot have a world-class city unless there is a world-class university, and a world-class university cannot exist without a world-class business school.”
Investing in Teaching and Research
For Myers, there are many assets to the Cox School, and one of the greatest is its faculty and staff, in whom he plans to invest heavily to enhance the school’s research reputation.
“If you look at the top 30 business schools, the common denominator is excellence in research reputation. Teaching and researching complement each other—rather than detract from each other, as some believe.”
In particular, Myers will focus on improving research in the areas of global marketing and strategy issues, especially since crossing organizational boundaries has been a major theme in Myers’ career.
Investing Globally
Myers also hopes to bring his penchant for global business to SMU Cox. “We do not have a choice in business education but to be globally oriented, not just geographically,” he said. “The practical and relationship side of global business, including neighboring countries such as Mexico, should be a focal point.”
Myers even talked about how the NAFTA issue is salient for Cox both in terms of its research and topics of discussion in the classroom. This type of contemporary commentary about global issues is what he wants to bring to SMU Cox.
Investing in Students
Myers is also interested in enhancing the use of technology and innovation in the curriculum for each of the school’s degree programs. “That’s where the growth sectors are in the global economy,” he explained. “Cox graduates should have a place in those sectors after graduation no matter what their major is. It’s certainly something to focus on in the next five to 10 years.”
Dean Myers also plans to increase student exposure to the local and global business markets to better prepare them for the job market post-graduation. “Students have numerous choices in universities, and it’s very competitive,” he wrote. “The strategic relationships we have with the business community are important, as well as being attuned to growth opportunities. Many students want the option to work in entrepreneurial or nonprofit businesses, or they may want to work in London or Seoul with global firms.” SMU Cox will aim to provide opportunities that fit each student’s wants and needs.”
Investing in Partnerships
This limited development time also motivates Dean Myers to enhance SMU Cox’s partnerships with corporations and initiatives in the Dallas area. He explained that he’s interested in Dallas’ potential particularly for start-up incubators, venture capital, and entrepreneurship. “I want to understand how we can be involved,” he said.
Myers already feels that the Cox and Dallas communities are energetic, but he wants to enhance the strong academic relationships even further to leverage opportunities for students. For example, he noted that many top recruiting firms are cutting back to just a handful of university relationships, and he wants to ensure that SMU Cox stays in the mix.
“We want to make sure we are inside that play with all of the major companies, such as American Airlines and GE, and with startups, too,” he said. “We think we are there already, but it’s competitive and we have to modernize.”
About Dean Myers
Myers began his career in academia in 1997 after earning his Ph.D. in marketing and international business from Michigan State University. He became a professor at the University of Tennessee, where he led the Marketing and Supply Chain Management Department at the Haslam College of Business from 2008 to 2010. From 2010 to 2013, he served as the associate dean of executive education at Haslam. During that time, he was recognized three times as “the outstanding faculty member for MBA programs” and was responsible for launching the global Executive MBA program, which partners with ESSEC Business School in Paris and Central European University in Budapest.
In 2014, Myers became dean of Miami University’s business school. Of his appointment, he said, “The extension to the dean role was very fluid and natural. Giving the external nature of work and its greater connection to business, it was an area in which I could contribute.”
This article has been edited and republished with permissions from our sister site, Clear Admit.
Which Dallas MBA Programs Offer the Best Starting Salary?
It’s naive to think that folks who earn their MBA degree don’t expect to earn a decent salary. After years of balancing work, studying, and life, an MBAs starting salary is the cherry on top of the grad school sundae. For those looking to work in or are attending school in the Dallas metro, here are the programs that can help you find that well-deserved pay day the fastest.
High Rollers
McCombs School of Business – University of Texas at Austin
According to statistics provided by the McCombs School of Business school, the average full-time MBA student goes on to earn a starting salary of $113,481 following graduation. The average full-time MBA grad also receives a signing bonus of $27,564. A full breakdown of McCombs full-time MBA salary statistics can be found here.
The McCombs School of Business is usually ranked among business schools in the U.S. for the number of MBA graduates who earn job offers. In fact, career planning is also built into the curriculum of the full-time MBA. During the first year students take a class called Strategic Career Planning—a course that was created to best prepare students to make career choices and help them achieve their career goals. The class teaches students skills like interview training and marketing and networking techniques.
Cox School of Business – Southern Methodist University
According to SMU’s MBA Placement Data, graduating MBAs at the Cox School of Business earn an average salary of $96,587. Recent Cox MBAs have been offered jobs at companies such as Amazon, At&T, Capital One, Deloitte, and more.
Students have the option of customizing their education by completing up to two concentrations in addition to the MBA program. While all full-time students are enrolled in the General Business concentration, additional majors include: accounting, business analytics, finance, general business, information technology and operations management, management, marketing, real estate, and strategy and entrepreneurship. MBAs majoring in strategy, general management, leadership, and consulting earn a bit more, averaging $108,333 to start, while accounting, finance, and real estate majors earn a bit less, averaging $94,173 annually.
Next Tier
Neeley School of Business – Texas Christian University
The TCU Neeley School of Business full-time MBA program is designed for professionals who may not necessarily have a background in business, but are interested in changing careers or transitioning into a new field where business and management knowledge would be necessary. According to StartClass, TCU MBAs earn an average salary of $89,579 post-graduation.
To help secure a job with a well-paying salary, MBA students have access to The Neeley Professional Development Center and the Graduate Career Services Center. The Professional Development Center provides Neeley students with personal and professional training and coaching for presentations, business writing, and career preparation. Meanwhile, the Graduate Career Services Center provides students with resume help, job search, networking events, career coaching, interview prep, and skill building programs.
CHECK THIS OUT: “The Most Affordable MBA Programs in Dallas“
Commerce College of Business – Texas A&M University
Different from the Mays School of Business on A&M’s main campus, the Commerce College of Business is located about one hour northeast of the Dallas metro. PayScale data reveals that Texas A&M Commerce MBAs earn a starting salary of $89,393.
Commerce students have access to the office of Career Development, which offers students special events such as networking nights, job shadow programs, business etiquette dinners, career fairs, and job search workshops. The CD can also help students with resume and cover letter consultation, LinkedIn consultation, mock interviews, career assessment, and counseling and employment application
Naveen Jindal School of Management – University of Texas at Dallas
Students who graduate with an MBA degree from the Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas earn an average starting salary of $86,644.
According to U.S. News, MBA graduates from the Naveen Jindal School of Management have the best salary-to-debt ratio of any ranked school. As stated above, Jindal MBAs earn an average starting salary of $86,644 and have an average student loan debt of $7,132—an earnings-to-debt ratio of 12.148. The average ratio for ranked business schools that reported the data is 1.986.
Up-And-Coming
Hankamer School of Business – Baylor University
Baylor Hankamer School of Business MBA graduates earn a reported average starting salary of nearly $65,000. Recent Baylor full-time MBA graduating class had a 64 percent job placement rate at the time of graduation and 86 percent placement rate 90 days after graduation.
University of North Texas College of Business
PayScale reports that the average starting salary for North Texas College of Business MBA grads is also $65,000. North Texas features the Career Center at the Business Leadership Building where students receive one-on-one advising, career planning, and career exploration help from graduate advisors. These advisors help students with résumé and cover letter writing as well as mock interviews.
