University of Arkansas

Walton College

The Sam M. Walton College of Business

The Value of a Walton MBA

The Value of a Walton MBA
November 04, 2021  |  By Ryan Sheets

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Few words are heard as often in Walton as “value.” It often seems like one of those words you just cannot escape. You may hear about it with regard to Walton’s EPIC values, the Blockchain Center of Excellence’s research on the “Internet of Value,” the value-added services that the Supply Chain Management Research Center provides, or in everyday classroom discussions. 
 
Thanks to a recent story in the Wall Street Journal about MBA programs, one thing I’ve started to hear more about is the value of an MBA. For several years running, almost all of the attention in the room was given to critics questioning whether or when MBA students get a return on their investment. A recent WSJ study in complicates some of these narratives. According to its analysis of federal student loan data for 600 MBA programs, graduates from 98% of those programs “typically make more money two years out of school than they had borrowed.”  
 
So, how does the MBA Program at the Walton College rate in this discussion of value? Among the best. The debt-to-income ratio for the Walton College MBA program is 0.26!. The graph below, taken from the WSJ article, shows the debt-to-income ratio for the MBA programs in their study. Do you see that blue dot on the far left? That’s us.  
 
Even more impressive is the fact that the WSJ study doesn’t adjust for cost of living, which would make our already impressive advantage even greater!  

WSJ Graph showing MBA value
 

Graph shown above courtesy of Wall Street Journal.

The Walton MBA program is proud to offer a transformative experience for students. With an innovative curriculum, a focus on professional development, and curated networking opportunities, students are equipped to transform their image and grow into the leaders of tomorrow. For more information, email mba@walton.uark.edu.  
 

Post Author:

Matt WallerRyan Sheets serves as the Director of the Business Communication Lab at the University of Arkansas' Sam M. Walton College of Business and is the Editor-in-Chief of Walton Insights. He also teaches business communication classes to undergraduate and graduate students at the Walton College.

He previously served as the Assistant Director of the Judith R. Frank Business Communication Center at the University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business. He worked in the oil and gas industry and insurance industries prior to returning to graduate school.

He received his B.A. and M.A. from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.