2012 QuantNet Ranking of Best MFE Programs

QuantNet 2012 Ranking Badge SVG

The QuantNet ranking of Financial Engineering, Mathematical, and Quantitative Finance master's programs in the US offers detailed insights into placement and admission statistics from the nation's top programs. It serves as the ultimate guide for prospective applicants, helping them choose and enroll in the best master’s programs in quantitative finance.

Carnegie Mellon University - MS in Computational Finance

Carnegie Mellon University

New York, NY 10005 | Pittsburgh, PA 15213 MS in Computational Finance
1
Total Score
95
The Carnegie Mellon University's Master of Science in Computational Finance (MSCF) is a 16-month financial engineering degree developed through the joint venture of the Computer Science Department, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Department of Statistics & Data Science and the Tepper School of Business. Application Deadline: Dec 1 (round 1), Mar 1 (round 2)
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • There's a reason this program is ranked so highly
  • Class of 2026
Overall: CMU is all round one of the best programs out there for a reason. While this summer many other programs were struggling really hard to place their students for internships, CMU was one of the few programs that did not have these issues. The program is well known... (more)
4.71 star(s) 55 reviews
Pending 5 Waitlisted 3 Accepted 415 Rejected 444
Tuition
$73,800
Enrollment
90 FT
Acceptance rate
12.7%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
80.4%
After 3 months
92.2%
Compensation
Base
$96,183
Visit program's website
Princeton University - Master in Finance

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ 08544 Master in Finance
2
Total Score
92
The Princeton University Master in Finance (MFin) program is offered by the Bendheim Center for Finance. Established in 1999, this two-year program begins each fall. Application Deadline: Dec 15
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • Top-tier Program with unrivaled career access
  • Class of 2026
This is a fantastic program, definitely one of the best quant finance programs in the world, outstanding industry reputation and powerful alumni network! Career The career support is incredible. From the very first week on campus, you're meeting alumni/recruiters/people... (more)
4.92 star(s) 12 reviews
Pending 9 Waitlisted 2 Accepted 73 Rejected 293
Tuition
$81,000
Enrollment
27 FT
Acceptance rate
4.9%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
95%
After 3 months
100%
Compensation
Base
$120,000
Visit program's website
Columbia University - Masters in Financial Engineering

Columbia University

New York, NY 10027 Masters in Financial Engineering
3
Total Score
91
Launched in 2002, Columbia University's Master in Financial Engineering (MFE) program is offered by the Industrial Engineering and Operations Research Department under The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. This one-year, full-time program, starts in the fall semester. Application Deadline: Jan 15
  • Good Program, some things could be better
  • Class of 2024
I will structure this review into the following categories: students, classroom instruction, program resources, and career training. Students: Given that the program has a 10% acceptance rate, the students that are accepted are necessarily the best of the best. Many... (more)
3.31 star(s) 16 reviews
Pending 7 Waitlisted 7 Accepted 414 Rejected 500
Tuition
$52,992
Enrollment
79 FT
Acceptance rate
11.7%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
94%
After 3 months
100%
Compensation
Base
$91,000
Visit program's website
New York University - MS in Mathematics in Finance

New York University

New York, NY 10012 MS in Mathematics in Finance
4
Total Score
88
The New York University's MS in Mathematics in Finance program is offered by NYU’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. This three-semester program starts in the Fall semester. Application Deadline: Feb 8
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • Very selective and rewarding program, help me secure a hedge fund job
  • Class of 2025
The MS in Mathematics in Finance at NYU Courant is an exceptional program that I strongly recommend. Coming from an Ivy League background in mathematics and statistics, I found that this program truly deepened and extended my quantitative foundation into the practical... (more)
4.47 star(s) 15 reviews
Pending 2 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 214 Rejected 296
Tuition
$49,752
Enrollment
62 FT
Acceptance rate
7.1%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
90%
After 3 months
96%
Compensation
Base
$90,000
Visit program's website
Baruch College - Master in Financial Engineering

Baruch College

New York, NY 10010 Master in Financial Engineering
5
Total Score
86
The Baruch College's Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) program is offered by the Math Department under the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences. This three-semester program starts in the Fall semester. Application Deadline: Nov 1 (round 1), Dec 1 (round 2), Jan 15 (round 3), Mar 15 (round 4)
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • Amazing Program - Got Way More Help Than I Could've Asked For :)
  • Class of 2025
Amazing program! I received so much help from Dan and all the alumni. They're a group of wonderful people that go to great lengths to help their students. I'm also impressed by how much help that alumni provide in my search for a full-time job, not just from Dan and... (more)
4.94 star(s) 34 reviews
Pending 21 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 230 Rejected 387
Tuition
$32,040
Enrollment
31 FT
Acceptance rate
5.8%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
86%
After 3 months
100%
Compensation
Base
$94,000
Visit program's website
Stanford University - Mathematical and Computational Finance

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305 Mathematical and Computational Finance
6
Total Score
84
Application Deadline: Jan 31
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • Stanford ICME MCF Review
  • Class of 2026
Part 1- Program Design: Program Size & Courses & Resources & Outcomes This is not a traditional MFE program, this is a applied math program with a bit financial elective. Student need 45 credits to graduate. In general, each course count as 3 credits and the required... (more)
5.00 star(s) 1 reviews
Pending 0 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 27 Rejected 142
Tuition
$53,400
Enrollment
13 FT
Acceptance rate
6.6%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
100%
After 3 months
100%
Compensation
Base
$120,000
Visit program's website
University of California, Berkeley - Master of Financial Engineering

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 94720 Master of Financial Engineering
7
Total Score
80
The UC Berkeley Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) program is offered by the Berkeley Haas School of Business. Established in 2000, this one-year program commences each spring. Application Deadline: Jan 16 (round 1), Apr 1 (round 2), Jun 5 (round 3), Oct 1 (round 4)
  • Rising again
  • Class of 2026
I had heard mixed things about the career services from the previous batch, and it’s true that after Linda’s departure, the program initially struggled in that area. However, despite those challenges, the prior year's full-time employment results were still quite solid... (more)
4.18 star(s) 44 reviews
Pending 4 Waitlisted 12 Accepted 245 Rejected 153
Tuition
$54,950
Enrollment
68 FT
Acceptance rate
21.8%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
87%
After 3 months
97%
Compensation
Base
$101,125
Visit program's website
Columbia University - MA in Mathematics of Finance (MAFN)

Columbia University

New York, NY 10027 MA in Mathematics of Finance (MAFN)
8
Total Score
76
The Master of Arts in Mathematical Finance (MAFN) program is offered jointly by the Department of Mathematics and Department of Statistics at Columbia University. The program can be completed in two or three semesters for full-time students. Application Deadline: May 1
  • Good program
  • Class of 2025
I think MAFN is good. The professors are responsible, and they try hard to build networks among alumni. I believe it will rank higher in the next few years. (more)
4.68 star(s) 19 reviews
Pending 3 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 268 Rejected 188
Tuition
$38,614
Enrollment
95 FT
Acceptance rate
12.0%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
81%
After 3 months
95%
Compensation
Base
$89,000
Visit program's website
Cornell University - Master in Financial Engineering

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY 14850 Master in Financial Engineering
9
Total Score
73
The Cornell University's Master in Financial Engineering program is offered by School of Operations Research and Information Engineering (ORIE) under Cornell Engineering. Established in 2006, this three-semester program starts in the Fall semester in Ithaca, upstate NY with the last semester in New York City. Application Deadline: Dec 1
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • Average Program
  • Class of 2025
Academics: Overall, I would rate the academics as average. You’ll spend your first year on the Ithaca campus taking classes from ORIE department professors. Some of them are excellent, while others are less engaging , so you’ll need to rely heavily on self-study. That... (more)
4.40 star(s) 10 reviews
Pending 4 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 333 Rejected 266
Tuition
$61,987
Enrollment
54 FT
Acceptance rate
19.0%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
76%
After 3 months
91%
Compensation
Base
$90,000
Visit program's website
Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Master of Finance

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA 02139 Master of Finance
10
Total Score
62
Established in 2008, the MIT Master in Finance (MFin) program is a 18-month, full-time program starting in the summer, offered by the Sloan School of Management. Application Deadline: Jan 5
  • Pre-experience Business School
  • Class of 2026
To give a summary of the program's main features and bugs: Good: - Highly flexible. You can truly do whatever you want with this degree -- whether you want it to be completely quant focused, or basically an MBA. - Extremely sharp cohort. Many of your classmates will... (more)
3.81 star(s) 27 reviews
Pending 6 Waitlisted 2 Accepted 220 Rejected 395
Tuition
$73,800
Enrollment
73 FT
Acceptance rate
11.3%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
80%
After 3 months
100%
Compensation
Base
$79,571
Visit program's website
University of California, Los Angeles - Master of Financial Engineering

University of California, Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 90095 Master of Financial Engineering
10
Total Score
61
Launched in 2009, the UCLA Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) program at the Anderson School of Management is a comprehensive 15-months, quarter-based full-time program starting each fall. Application Deadline: Dec 31 (round 1), Mar 1 (round 2), Apr 30 (round 3)
  • Great school, great people, don't come here though
  • Class of 2025
Graduating soon but I’m going to try to give an in-depth and honest review of the program for the incoming applicants. I am generally happy with my own outcome at UCLA and I emphasize this to point out my review is not an expression of personal frustration. I am... (more)
4.26 star(s) 46 reviews
Pending 2 Waitlisted 2 Accepted 186 Rejected 82
Enrollment
40 FT
Acceptance rate
19.9%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
70%
After 3 months
86%
Compensation
Base
$98,000
Visit program's website
University of Chicago - MS in Financial Mathematics

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL 60637 MS in Financial Mathematics
12
Total Score
59
The University of Chicago's Master in Financial Mathematics (MSFM) program is offered by the Department of Mathematics under the Physical Sciences Division. Launched in 1996, this three-semester program starts each Fall semester. Full-time, part-time in person and online programs are available. Application Deadline: Jan 8 (round 1), Mar 26 (round 2)
  • A Rigorous Program at the Intersection of Finance, Data, and Industry
  • Class of 2022
The program is both rigorous and flexible, offering cross-listed courses from the Economics Department and Booth School of Business. The diverse cohort—including mature students—adds depth to discussions, while capstone projects with industry partners provide real-world... (more)
4.71 star(s) 52 reviews
Pending 5 Waitlisted 7 Accepted 453 Rejected 257
Tuition
$67,338
Enrollment
109 FT
Acceptance rate
22.0%
Employment Rate
At Graduation
44%
After 3 months
44%
Compensation
Base
$77,000
Visit program's website
~ Rutgers University - MS in Mathematical Finance

~ Rutgers University

Piscataway, NJ 08854 MS in Mathematical Finance
12
Total Score
59
The program is strong. Students are expected to take two courses each of stochastic calculus, numerical analysis, and statistics (regression and time series analysis). These courses are very rigorous. But it is not all theory. Many elective courses are taught by current... (more)
4.13 star(s) 8 reviews
Pending 0 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 88 Rejected 32
Tuition
$49,648
Acceptance rate
15.2%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
Compensation
Visit program's website
Georgia Institute of Technology - MS in Quantitative and Computational Finance

Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA 30332 MS in Quantitative and Computational Finance
14
Total Score
57
The Master of Science in Quantitative and Computational Finance (QCF) program is an interdisciplinary education between the Scheller College of Business, H. Milton Steward School of Industrial & Systems Engineering and School of Mathematics. Application Deadline: Spring: Aug 1 (round 1), Oct 1 (round 2), Fall: Dec 5 (round 1), Mar 15 (round 2), May 1 (round 3)
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • Probably the best choice if you can't go to the top 4
  • Class of 2025
Qcf went up to top 8 this year on quantnet, which made it highly competitive for 2025 fall. Of course, you can't rely on the career service to get an amazing offer from a hedge fund, but it's good enough for most people in this hard time. (more)
4.00 star(s) 12 reviews
Pending 9 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 237 Rejected 160
Tuition
$50,313
Enrollment
50 FT
Acceptance rate
21.0%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
79%
After 3 months
94%
Compensation
Base
$80,000
Visit program's website
University of Toronto - Master of Mathematical Finance

University of Toronto

Toronto, Canada Master of Mathematical Finance
14
Total Score
57
Application Deadline: Dec 14
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • Strong program with great industry connections and job outcomes
  • Class of 2025
- Landed an internship within 1 month and a full-time job 2 months after graduation. - Course-based program with instructors mostly from the financial industry — they share real-world insights and practical experience. - Valuable guest lectures and alumni sessions that... (more)
4.38 star(s) 8 reviews
Pending 1 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 100 Rejected 77
Tuition
C$40,000
Enrollment
30 FT
Acceptance rate
14.0%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
75%
After 3 months
100%
Compensation
Base
C$76,000
Visit program's website
~ University of Michigan - Master in Financial Engineering

~ University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI Master in Financial Engineering
16
Total Score
50
Strengths: The program has a strong mathematics portion. The University of Michigan has a great reputation however not very many people have heard of the MFE program. If you do go to this program and need advice ask Reza Kamaly as he is one of the few financial... (more)
3.20 star(s) 5 reviews
Pending 0 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 43 Rejected 20
Tuition
$61,002
Employment Rate
Compensation
Visit program's website
Boston University - MS in Mathematical Finance and Financial Technology

Boston University

Boston, MA 02215 MS in Mathematical Finance and Financial Technology
17
Total Score
46
The three-semester program is offered by Boston University's Questrom School of Business. Application Deadline: Oct 27 (round 1), Jan 12 (round 2), Feb 17 (round 3), Apr 7 (round 4)
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • Great program but its rigorous
  • Class of 2025
The pre-term Math/Python camp is extremely important. I’d suggest putting in as much time and effort as possible during that period, because once the semester begins, things move fast and you’re expected to figure most things out on your own. The first semester is quite... (more)
3.69 star(s) 16 reviews
Pending 4 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 231 Rejected 116
Tuition
$58,971
Enrollment
45 FT
Acceptance rate
14.0%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
Compensation
Visit program's website
NYU Tandon School of Engineering - MS in Financial Engineering

NYU Tandon School of Engineering

Brooklyn, NY 11201 MS in Financial Engineering
17
Total Score
46
The Master of Science in Financial Engieering (MSFE) program is offered by the Financial Risk Engineering (FRE) department of NYU Tandon School of Engineering. This 4-semester program starts in mid-August with the Pre-program bootcamp prior to the Fall semester. Application Deadline: Feb 15
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • Opened Doors I Never Thought Possible
  • Class of 2025
Like many things in life, people can have different opinions about the same experience, and the NYU MFE program is no exception. I can only speak from my own experience. For me personally, the NYU MFE program opened a door that would otherwise have been impossible to... (more)
3.58 star(s) 36 reviews
Pending 5 Waitlisted 3 Accepted 338 Rejected 166
Tuition
$43,446
Enrollment
100 FT
Acceptance rate
26.1%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
38%
After 3 months
85%
Compensation
Base
$70,000
Visit program's website
North Carolina State University - Master in Financial Mathematics

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC 27695 Master in Financial Mathematics
19
Total Score
39
The North Carolina State University (NCSU) Master of Financial Mathematics (MFM) program is offered by the Department of Mathematics in the College of Sciences. Established in 2003, this three-semester program begins each fall. Application Deadline: Jul 15 (Spring), Jan 31 (Fall)
Reviewed by Verified Member
  • NCSU Master of Financial Mathematics
  • Class of 2025
When entering a financial engineering or mathematics program, many students aspire to become quantitative researchers or traders. While this is a reasonable goal, I've learned it's important to understand what each program specifically prepares you for. NCSU's MFM... (more)
4.46 star(s) 28 reviews
Pending 2 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 107 Rejected 24
Enrollment
30 FT
Acceptance rate
44.7%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
30%
After 3 months
80%
Compensation
Visit program's website
Claremont Graduate University - MS in Financial Engineering

Claremont Graduate University

Claremont, CA 91711 MS in Financial Engineering
20
Total Score
34
Application Deadline: Jul 5
  • CGU MSFE is very Flexible
  • Class of 2025
I'll be done with my coursework for the MSFE program after Summer 2025. I thought I would share my pros and cons about the program. Pros: - Smaller class size One of the main reasons I leaned toward CGU is the low student-faculty ratio. In all the classes I took, I... (more)
3.50 star(s) 12 reviews
Pending 0 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 22 Rejected 1
Tuition
$75,888
Enrollment
47 FT
Acceptance rate
70.1%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
At Graduation
5%
After 3 months
45%
Compensation
Base
$80,200
Visit program's website
~ Illinois Institute of Technology - Master in Mathematical Finance

~ Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago, IL 60616 Master in Mathematical Finance
21
Total Score
33
A program always make you believe you will perform better in Quant World!(2011.08 – 2013.05) What do you think is unique about this program? The program’s curriculum has a great combined flavor from theoretical perspective and practical projects. From theoretical SIDE... (more)
4.33 star(s) 6 reviews
Pending 0 Waitlisted 0 Accepted 22 Rejected 1
Tuition
$49,104
Enrollment
32 FT
Acceptance rate
40.8%
Undergrad GPA
Employment Rate
Compensation
Visit program's website
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