2021 QuantNet Rankings of Financial Engineering (MFE) Programs

We are pleased to announce the publication of the QuantNet 2021 Rankings of Financial Engineering programs. Released during the covid pandemic, the 2021 rankings reflect the great difficulties and challenges many programs face. The pandemic's adverse effects are most evident in the huge drop in employment rate and average salary graduates reported by many programs. Due to travel and visa restrictions, many programs also saw an increase in deferral, resulting in lower class size.
On the other hand, the programs that top the rankings this year show a remarkable ability to deliver at a high level, even in the toughest market.
If you are a prospective student looking at programs to apply to, please keep in mind the ongoing challenges and short/long term outlook of each program.
The full 2021 QuantNet MFE ranking is here. For comparison, the 2020 QuantNet MFE ranking is here.

 

[P. Carr]

If quantnet would start regulating everything we said, I would leave the platform. If we just have other members keeping others accountable we should be ok. I believe censorship starts with good intention, but never ends well.

I'm just advocating for flagging obvious lies like the one I highlighted, but perhaps you are right, censors often go too far.

 

[noether-skolem]

I'd like to believe that most of us are informed and mature enough to understand that a statement such as "not a single alumnus working in the field of finance" is obviously an exaggeration made in contempt (for whatever reason) and should not be taken literally or seriously. I don't think a couple of hate comments here and there justifies censorship.

 

[P. Carr]

I'd like to believe that most of us are informed and mature enough to understand that a statement such as "not a single alumnus working in the field of finance" is obviously an exaggeration made in contempt (for whatever reason) and should not be taken literally or seriously. I don't think a couple of hate comments here and there justifies censorship.

I'd just like to clarify I was not advocating censorship i.e. that the post be taken down. I am still advocating that obvious lies be identified as such for the benefit of the less well informed, (as Twitter does with Trump). However, I can certainly understand and accept alternative points of view such as yours.

 

[binomial-torrent]

If quantnet would start regulating everything we said, I would leave the platform. If we just have other members keeping others accountable we should be ok. I believe censorship starts with good intention, but never ends well.

yeah twitter flagging trump tweets isn't a perfect non-nuanced answer either fwiw (since it has been brought up in this thread)

 

[Michsund]

yeah twitter flagging trump tweets isn't a perfect non-nuanced answer either fwiw (since it has been brought up in this thread)

I agree, but I rather keep politics off quantnet and just continue to help candidates get into there dream schools.

 

[Daniel Duffy]

There's an option as user to report on wayward posts, it's called "Report', a chance to be pro-active and call them out publicly with a factcheck.
Twitter has armies of moderators, it' just not feasible IMHO in this forum.
A big issue is anonymous names (aka internet warriors) .. it could be anyone.. they can be heroes for just one day. Hard to say why they are posting.

To paraphrase JFK "don't ask what QN can do for you but what you can do for QN".


AFAIR there was a time when negative emoticons were supported,

 

[ApolloChariot]

Thanks, I like your point. I still think it's not that hard for the moderator of quantnet to flag obvious lies "like zero alums in industry"
for the benefit of those new to the industry. I'm not asking for every lie to be flagged - I'm asking for more than zero. If flagging an obvious lie is deemed too aggressive, then asking for a retraction or an apology in a pm would be fine. Again, I appreciate your comment.

Amazing. You accused me of being a previously banned troll, and then I showed evidence that I'm an alum of your program.

No retraction, no apology from you.

So it's okay for you to post falsehoods without retraction or an apology but other people should be censored? Gotcha.

 

[doubleohseven]

I'm curious, in the methodology section, it states that 31 of 36 programs responded. What were the 5 additional programs that did not respond?

 

[jliumfe]

Is Cornell MFE NOT STEM eligible anymore??? I am not seeing the red mark associated with other schools after Cornell.

 

[khoatran]

Is Cornell MFE NOT STEM eligible anymore??? I am not seeing the red mark associated with other schools after Cornell.

@Andy Nguyen hey can you check this there may be an issue here

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Yes, Cornell MFE is STEM. The ranking has been updated after I got the confirmation from the director today. Only 2 other unranked programs that are still waiting to be confirmed. I suspect they are but will wait for their answer.

 

[Jean D]

Hi everyone !

Do you guys think it is worth it to go to the programs that are ranked lower than top 10 (after NYU courant) ?
If I don't get in any top 10 this year, should I try again next year after I made my application better ?
For information, I am going to pay full tuition wherever I go since I'm an international student. Another info is that I want to stay in the USA after my master so the job placement is as important for me than an american person.


thanks @Andy Nguyen for the ranking !

 

[P. Carr]

Quantnet is one ranking among 3 with a particular weighting scheme unlikely to match what matters for you. In my opinion, all that separates the masters programs in 11-20 from the programs 1-10 is a wider gap in weights on what the programs regard as important and what quantnet regards as important. For example, BU, Wash U, UCLA, Stonybrook and Stevens all have professors doing important quant finance research as relevant as anything in 1-10.

 

[ParthRShah]

Anyone recieved their decision from Georgia Tech, QCF lets connect.

 

[ParthRShah]

Anyone recieved an admission from Georgia tech, QCF program, lets connect.

 

[WorkofArt]

Anyone recieved an admission from Georgia tech, QCF program, lets connect.

Did you receive your decision already? I don't see any update on the portal

 

[BoY]

Hi everyone !

Do you guys think it is worth it to go to the programs that are ranked lower than top 10 (after NYU courant) ?
If I don't get in any top 10 this year, should I try again next year after I made my application better ?
For information, I am going to pay full tuition wherever I go since I'm an international student. Another info is that I want to stay in the USA after my master so the job placement is as important for me than an american person.


thanks @Andy Nguyen for the ranking !

I think you should seriously consider CS unless you have deep love for quant fin