COMPARE NYU Tandon MFE vs University of Illinois Urbana Champaign MFE

[Jenya]

Hello everyone,

When comparing University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign MSFE and NYU Tandon MFE, Which school has a better reputation? When it comes to looking for jobs and careers after graduation, which school has a better advantage? UIUC is a prestigious school and its Gies college of business is pretty well known; however, its MSFE program isn't that well known among Quant and its MSFE ranking isn't that good (though it offers its MSFE students the bonus of minoring in computer science while prolonging its program years from 1.5 to 2 years). NYU Tandon MFE's ranking is pretty good among the Quant programs, but there are sayings that NYU Tandon MFE is a bit look down upon since some firms and companies don't think Tandon is a real NYU college (still think it is NYU Poly) and consider it as second-best. Does anyone know about NYU Tandon MFE program and UIUC MSFE?

Thank you so much!

 

[longgamma]

Are you an international or local student? Proximity to major career hubs is critical if you don't have relevant work experience so take that into account.

The global trading head of my division back at a major european IB was a Brooklyn Poly grad (NYU Tandon) so as long as you deliver no one really bothers where you are from.

 

[Jenya]

Are you an international or local student? Proximity to major career hubs is critical if you don't have relevant work experience so take that into account.

The global trading head of my division back at a major european IB was a Brooklyn Poly grad (NYU Tandon) so as long as you deliver no one really bothers where you are from.

Thank you so much for your reply. I am an international student.

 

[sudhanadithya]

Hi,

I’ve received admission offers for an MS in Financial Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and NYU Tandon. I’m trying to decide which program to choose and would love to hear insights from current students, alumni, or industry professionals.

Here are some details about my situation:

• My long-term goal is to work in quantitative finance or fintech, possibly in NYC, and eventually start an asset management firm in my region.
• NYU Tandon offers proximity to Wall Street and NYC’s financial ecosystem, while UIUC is known for its strong technical and computational focus.
• I’m considering factors like career opportunities, cost of living, program curriculum, and alumni networks.

If you’ve attended either program or work in the financial engineering field, could you share:

1. How well does the program prepare you for roles in the industry?
2. Are there significant differences in job placement opportunities between the two?
3. Any advice for someone weighing NYC’s financial hub advantages against UIUC’s technical strengths?

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[Andy Nguyen]

What will be your first job that will lead you to your long-term goal? Focus on this first and see how to get there and which program is best suited.
Tandon has 3 times the students of UIUC. Even it's in NYC, its graduates have to compete with students from other NYC programs as well as everyone else who wants to work in NYC.
If you go to UIUC, target a job in Chicago would be a more feasible task. You can always get a job in NYC a few years down the line. Aiming for the world most competitive finance job market right away just makes your job 10 times harder.