Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Innovation Studio in Worcester, Massachusetts.
The Business School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Of course, you’d expect technical rigor in STEM fields from a polytechnic. They are designed to educate the engineers, coders, and scientists who build the tools, systems, and infrastructure of everyday life.
Just as important, however, are the tech-savvy who know how to lead, sell, and scale technical innovations.
We’re watching The Business School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for its academic innovations in blending technical know-how with a business mindset – all while churning out graduates that compete with the very best business schools in the country.
WPI rose 14 places in our 2025 ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs in the U.S., landing at No. 42 out of 104 ranked programs. It also finished 28th in Career Outcomes, with 2024 graduates snagging among the highest starting salaries of all ranked schools – $92,518.
WPI’s upward momentum is backed by a pipeline of programmatic innovation that reflects how fast business – and business education – is changing.
In 2022, it updated its Management Engineering (MGE) major to be STEM-certified, qualifying graduates to be hired in leadership development positions at top companies.
Professor of Finance Kwamie Dunbar
In 2024, it replaced its Management Information Systems degree with a new STEM degree, Information Systems and Technologies (IST). The program prepares students to design and deploy business applications using advanced technologies like AI, machine learning, databases, and web-based applications.
And, in 2023, it launched its STEM Bachelor of Science in FinTech, becoming the first U.S. university to offer fintech programs across all levels of study. It now offers fintech bachelor’s and master’s degrees, a graduate certificate, and a PhD.
“Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), long renowned for its pioneering project-based learning and STEM-focused education, continues to lead in the rapidly changing field of financial technology,” Professor of Finance Kwamie Dunbar tells P&Q.
“This comprehensive initiative reflects a forward-thinking response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where AI, blockchain, and data analytics are no longer trends but essential forces shaping the future. In particular, WPI’s Bachelor of Science in FinTech is designed to prepare students not just for jobs, but for leadership in a financial world undergoing rapid transformation.”
Q&A WITH KWAMIE DUNBAR
WPI’s undergraduate fintech program continues to innovate. We asked Kwamie Dunbar, Associate Professor of Finance at The Business School at Worcester, to tell us about the new developments coming.
What are recent and upcoming program developments and innovations that will enhance the experience of future students?
WPI’s fintech program is evolving at the pace of innovation itself. In 2025, the program will roll out enhanced experiential learning initiatives through its dedicated fintech Major Qualifying Projects (MQPs), where students will work on real-world projects—and the challenges that come with them—with global partners in financial services, startups, and regulatory institutions. These projects will emphasize real-time applications and the involvement of blockchain, decentralized finance (DeFi), and generative AI in financial risk modeling, payment systems, and digital wealth management. With the continued integration of AI-based large language models and machine learning techniques into the finance curriculum, students aren’t just learning about fintech—they’re mastering the technologies that will define its future.
This year, WPI’s fintech program is rolling out more experiential learning initiatives through its dedicated fintech Major Qualifying Projects.
Any other notable news coming for 2025 that readers should know?
A major milestone in 2025 will be the retooling of The Business School at WPI’s fintech lab to support the development of advanced AI and machine learning capabilities in financial applications. This initiative will support interdisciplinary research and entrepreneurial ventures that bridge finance, technology, and social impact. Additionally, the curriculum will debut new courses at the intersection of risk management, AI, and algorithmic finance, equipping students with technical expertise and applied fluency. These initiatives reflect WPI’s commitment to keeping students on the leading edge of innovative, data-driven financial systems.
What are your program’s two biggest differentiators from other top undergraduate business programs? How do these prepare students for their careers?
First, WPI’s fintech program stands apart through its transdisciplinary structure and immersive project-based curriculum. Unlike traditional siloed programs, WPI seamlessly fuses finance with computer science, engineering, data science, and social policy—equipping students with a systems-level understanding of how financial technologies function across platforms and populations. Students take core and advanced courses from WPI’s globally ranked programs in these fields, all integral to ongoing fintech innovation.
Second, through the MQP model, students move beyond classroom learning to build, test, and deploy fintech tools for industry clients, honing both entrepreneurial and collaborative instincts.
The MQP curriculum emphasizes client-centered design, agile teamwork, and ethical tech innovation. These experiences train students to become adaptable fintech architects—professionals capable of building solutions that are not only technically sound but socially impactful.
What separates your graduates from other business school graduates?
WPI fintech graduates enter the job market with fluency in both financial principles and technological innovation. Their education spans coding languages like Python and R, smart-contract development, blockchain architecture, financial modeling, algorithmic trading, and ethical data governance. They also master capital markets, behavioral finance, and quantitative risk management. But more than that, they are cross-functional problem-solvers with real-world project experience, often across sectors and continents. They build financial systems that are inclusive, scalable, and resilient—qualities that make them indispensable to employers navigating the future of finance.
Each spring, The WPI Investment Club travels to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) where they can see trading in action, meet with traders on the floor, and watch companies go public.
Explain the career services, programming, and extracurriculars that give your students an advantage in career outcomes.
WPI’s Heebner Career Development Center is deeply integrated into the fintech experience. Students benefit from curated industry nights, résumé and pitch workshops, technical interview bootcamps, and one-on-one mentoring from alumni in fintech leadership roles. WPI’s student-led Investment Fund offers a unique opportunity for students to hold active portfolio management and key leadership roles in allocating and growing funds sourced from the university’s endowment. This hands-on experience is a powerful differentiator, and it has caught the attention of industry partners, some of whom now reserve selective internship opportunities for participants in the fund.
Outside the classroom, students compete in national hackathons, attend industry speaker series, and participate in investment challenges hosted by leading firms like Fidelity Investments, State Street, Citizens Financial Group, and Vestigo Ventures. Many students secure fintech-focused internships and MQPs with high-impact employers, giving them a competitive edge in both technical competence and professional experience.
When alumni look back on their time in your undergraduate business program, what would they consider to be their signature experience?
Without question, WPI alumni often describe their MQP experiences as “transformational.” Working in interdisciplinary teams, students have built blockchain-based carbon offset trading platforms, developed AI tools to detect fraudulent financial activity, and collaborated with startups on mobile banking solutions for underbanked populations. These capstone experiences represent a moment of transition—from student to professional—where the real-world stakes are high, the learning is deep, and the impact is immediate.
What is the most underrated feature of your undergraduate business program and how does it enhance the experience for your business majors?
One of the most overlooked yet defining features of WPI’s business program is its global project-based learning model, where students don’t just travel—they lead. Through the Global Projects Program, students take on consulting and innovation projects in cities around the world, where they confront real challenges that intersect with business, technology, and people. Combined with the university’s student-centered project governance model, this global immersion fosters cultural fluency, strategic thinking, and cross-cultural collaboration—skills that are increasingly vital in a connected, digital economy.
Which employers are the biggest consumers of your undergraduate talent and what have they told you about your alumni that make them so special?
WPI’s fintech graduates are increasingly sought after by firms such as Citizens Financial Group, Fidelity Investments, State Street, and a growing number of fintech startups and data science firms. These employers consistently emphasize our graduates’ ability to rapidly deploy technical solutions in high-stakes environments, their proficiency in Agile and Scrum methodologies, and their capacity to lead cross-functional teams. Many alumni are placed in leadership development programs and innovation labs within months of graduation—a testament to their readiness and versatility.
What else would you like readers to know about your program?
At its core, the BS in FinTech at WPI is more than a degree—it’s a transformative journey. This program reflects a bold reimagining of business education in an era where technology, ethics, and finance converge. Our graduates are not only equipped to navigate today’s complex financial systems—they’re prepared to redesign them. Whether creating smart contracts for sustainable finance, building AI-driven credit models for inclusive banking, or launching ventures in digital identity and DeFi, WPI students are empowered to shape the future of finance with expertise, ingenuity, and purpose.
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