On March 20th, Bloomberg Businessweek published the 2013 rankings for 124 undergraduate business programs (www.businessweek.com). Much to the chagrin of alumni and staff at the Dyson, Olin, Wharton, and Carroll schools, the Mendoza School of Business topped the charts for the fourth consecutive year.
Once again the rankings for Colorado universities showed the DU Daniels School is the top ranked school, #68, followed by CSU, which moved up in the ranks to #89. Once again the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business brought up the rear. This past year CU Leeds dropped in the rankings from #92 to #101, out of 124 schools.
On the lighter side, the three Colorado business schools were ranked third (DU), fourth (CSU), and fifth (CU) as he best business schools for ski bunnies. The University of Utah and BYU claimed the top slots.
The table, below, compares a portion of the Businessweek ratings for the Daniels, Leeds, and CSU business schools. The data covers three basic areas: cost, diversity/SAT scores, and quality/rankings in key areas.
Cost – The cost to attend these schools for four years, assuming an annual increase of 5% each year, is:
• Notre Dame – Mendoza $241,000.
• University of Denver – Daniels $223,000
• CU – Leeds (out-of-state) – $209,000
• CU – Leeds (in-state) – $119,000
• CSU – (out of state) – $151,000
• CSU – (in state) – $83,000.
The cost for an out-of-state student to attend CU Leeds is slightly less than Mendoza or Daniels, yet the data suggests the quality of the degree is significantly less.
Diversity/SAT of Students – The Daniels School has a higher percentage of female and international students than its peers. It and Mendoza have a greater mix of minorities.
There is no difference between the CU Leeds and CSU average SAT scores and both are significantly lower than the Daniels and Mendoza schools. There are bright students at all schools, but the caliber of students at CU Leeds and CSU is lower.
Quality/Rankings in Key Areas – CU Leeds has positioned itself as an expensive program that focuses on serving a large number of students by having large class sizes, i.e. the primary goal is quantity. Of the 124 programs, CU Leeds is the 21st largest. Only 6 of the top 25 schools have more students than CU Leeds; these schools are ranked 9th, 13th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 25th, i.e. quantity is secondary to quality at the top schools. Revenue generation for the University of Colorado is a priority of the Leeds program.
Unfortunately, CU Leeds is ranked 107th in the student survey and 92nd in academic quality. It only received a grade of B in teaching quality. In 2007 a $38 million renovation of Koelbel Hall was completed and the staff was reorganized to better meet the needs of the students. These changes fell short, as yet CU Leeds was only rated B for facilities and services.
A final consideration is the average wages for graduating students. CU Leeds is slightly higher than its Colorado counterparts, but not enough to warrant the extra cost of tuition and the lower quality of education. Most likely the average wages for DU Daniels students is lower because of the number of students that study in hotel management, an industry with lower wages.
It is possible for students to obtain a quality business degree at any of Colorado’s colleges and universities. Rankings such as those produced by Businessweek are a valuable tool for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of various schools and determining which ones are the best match for each individual’s needs.
@Copyright 2011 by CBER.