All Fintech MBA Programs

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There are countless MBA programs offered across the country, but only a handful offer concentrations or specializations in fintech—an emerging field that sits at the crossroads of finance and technology.

Students who want to receive a graduate-level business management degree and delve deeper into how technology is reshaping the finance world can find a lot of value from a Fintech MBA program.

If you want to learn more about MBA programs that offer a concentration in fintech, you’ve come to the right place! Continue reading as we explain how Fintech MBAs work, what you should know about these programs before applying, and which U.S. schools currently offer fintech MBAs.

What Is a Fintech MBA?

Fintech MBAs are graduate-level programs that expose students to an interdisciplinary approach to business management. An MBA in fintech is typically an MBA with a fintech concentration or specialization that allows graduates to apply innovative technology to the financial management side of business, based on their knowledge of financial theory, risk management, computing technology, data analytics, and more.

Fintech MBA graduates are well-equipped for careers in finance and technology, such as

information technology
start-up management
social entrepreneurship
product development and management
international business

How Do Fintech MBAs Compare to Other Fintech Master’s Programs?

To get a better understanding of why you would pursue a Fintech MBA, see how they compare against other graduate-level fintech programs.

Fintech MBA vs. Master’s in Fintech

Students receiving a Fintech MBA are enrolled in an MBA program with a concentration in fintech. So while they receive a strong education on the use of emerging technology in financial and business management, a large part of the curriculum dedicated to MBA courses.

On the other hand, a Master’s in Fintech is strictly focused on fintech principles and is much more technical. These programs tend to focus on the quantitative aspects of the fintech field and teach students the principles and skills they need to analyze financial data and develop and engineer applications for use in financial services.

MBA in Fintech vs. MBA in Finance

These two degree programs are more similar but still distinct from one another. Students in an MBA in Finance program will complete generalized business management courses but also enroll in finance-specific courses such as risk management, corporate finance, and investment management.

However, these finance courses are not directly focused on fintech principles, like what you’ll find with an MBA in Fintech program. Again, students in these programs receive a high-level education in business management but also take electives specifically related to the application of technology in finance.

While the two are not necessarily interchangeable, some MBA in Finance programs offer one or two elective courses that cover fintech principles, especially if the school doesn’t have an MBA in Fintech just yet. However, they still lack the technology education that an MBA in Fintech will cover, so they’re not perfect alternatives.

What to Expect from an MBA in Fintech

If you choose to pursue an MBA in Fintech, here’s what you can expect while enrolled in the program.

Admission Requirements

MBA admissions tend to be quite competitive, so it’s important to know the admission requirements at the schools you’d like to attend to improve your chances of acceptance. In general, most schools require you to have completed:

a bachelor’s degree at or above a certain GPA
a standardized placement exam (GMAT/GRE/etc.), at or above a certain test score

Admission considerations for an MBA in Fintech aren’t all objective—most programs require some sort of personal essay to be submitted alongside test scores, and applicants may undergo a round of interviews before the admissions committee makes its decision.

For example, students applying for NYU’s Fintech MBA will be evaluated in three different areas:

academic profile
professional achievements and aspirations
personal characteristics

Coursework

When completing a Fintech MBA, students are required to complete general coursework specific to the MBA, including operations management, marketing, business analytics, negotiations, and leadership courses.

Most of the time, the fintech portion of the degree is attached as a concentration, meaning these courses are taken as electives that make up about 9–24 credits of the MBA’s overall curriculum, depending on the school.

Here are some examples of the fintech electives students can take when completing a Fintech MBA:

Introduction to Financial Technology. Get introduced to fintech principles and see how technology is disrupting the finance industry.
Data Analytics. Learn about data science and how advanced data analytics can help improve the financial services industry.
Blockchain & Digital Currencies. Become familiar with decentralized finance, and understand how blockchain and digital currencies play a role in the modern marketplace.
Digital Payments & Personal Finance. Understand fintech applications for personal finance uses like peer-to-peer payments, online banking, robo advisors, etc.

Unique Experiences

To enrich the curriculum, many Fintech MBA programs include a unique project or student experience outside the classroom.

For instance, Cornell’s Two-Year MBA Fintech Intensive program includes a group project where students can apply the fintech concepts they’ve learned by working with clients on a real-world project. NYU’s Fintech MBA program allows students to take an entire semester abroad at one of its partner schools or take a trip through its DBI (Doing Business In) program outside the semester.

How Much Do Fintech MBA Programs Cost?

The cost of a Fintech MBA can vary, depending on the school you’re attending. On the higher end, Fordham University charges about $108,000 for full-time tuition. Middle of the road is NYU’s MBA in Fintech with a tuition just over $82,000. And at the lower end, St. John’s University in New York costs just over $50,000.

As you can see, these programs can be pricey! So it’s important to shop around to find a quality program that fits your budget. Make sure you’re serious about the program before starting since you’re making such a serious investment in your future.

Which MBA Is Best for Fintech?

Presently, there isn’t anyone school that’s considered to have the best MBA in Fintech, though some of the country’s most notable universities offer this program, with more likely to follow, including

These schools have long-established and distinguished MBA programs already, so the addition of a fintech concentration is another valuable supplement to their esteemed programs. As we’ve discussed above, many of these programs also offer unique experiences and projects that help students apply their learned fintech knowledge in the real world before graduation.

Online Fintech MBA Programs

Only a handful of schools currently offer a Fintech MBA online, including notable schools like

Although they each have their own way of operating, these schools allow students to complete an MBA with Fintech concentrations fully online.

UNC Charlotte’s program, for example, is asynchronous and accomplished 100% online, meaning students complete courses at their own pace with no direct instruction. On the other hand, NYU’s program is a hybrid model that allows students to complete the MBA program through a combination of live online courses, in-person elective courses, and hybrid modules, which includes one week on campus for every five weeks of instruction.

In general, many schools offer their MBA programs online. We anticipate more online Fintech MBA programs to launch in the coming years as demand continues to grow.

12 Schools Found