Oklahoma State Spears School of Business

Oklahoma State Spears Sets New Student Growth Record This Year

Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business has kicked off the 2025–26 academic year with historic momentum, welcoming 6,670 students – the largest enrollment in its 111-year history.

This surge is the result of strategic programming, national recognition, and a sharp understanding of what today’s students and employers demand. At the heart of Spears’ appeal is its top-ranked data science program, which recently earned the No. 2 spot nationally from Fortune for its master’s in business analytics and data science program. The ranking places Spears just behind Harvard, which proves its growing reputation in a field that’s exploding. That’s backed by Forbes, which projects a 30% growth in data-driven roles by 2030.

Affordability is another key factor for success. Spears awarded $2.9 million in scholarships last year and held tuition flat for the fourth consecutive year, offering students financial stability amidst an era of rising costs.

RECORD NUMBERS FOR NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS

This year’s freshman class hit a record 1,047, while the undergraduate business population climbed to 5,538. The number of transfer and returning enrollment also rose. This momentum extends beyond the Stillwater campus. At OSU-Tulsa, Spears saw a 66.67% increase in new graduate students and a 47.83% rise in returning ones, pushing the Tulsa business student population up nearly 45% since last fall.

Spears is also making waves in online education. In the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, its online bachelor’s in business tied for No. 8, the highest in the school’s history. The online MBA also reached a new milestone, tying for No. 11 nationwide.

“We’re proud to continue as OSU’s largest college,” says Dean Jim Payne, “but what matters most is that our dedicated faculty and staff are building an environment where students can grow into the leaders our communities and industries need.”

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