Howdy Everyone,
I just got into the Rice PMBA and UT McCombs
Houston PMBA programs for the class of 2026. I've seen this been asked on this forum before, but a lot of those posts are 5+ years old.
My situation is that I am currently active-duty Coast Guard in the marine safety community (marine inspector) where I inspect foreign flagged ships for compliance with international and federal law. My current orders are up in JAN 2026 and I intend on getting out of the Coast Guard and into the private sector. Right now, I am interested in consulting, energy, and operations management and I would like to stay in the Houston area. I will be using the GI bill and the yellow ribbon program will cover tuition 100%.
The major difference between the programs is that Rice allows PMBA students to do internships (I'll try to use the skillbridge program during summer of 2025) and that the school is literally down the street from where I live. Going to recruiting events and networking functions wouldn't be a big deal.
UT is ranked higher and more nationally renowned outside of Houston. It seems that the majority of their PMBA class are "career enhancers" and will stay with their current company. My sense is that after my first job post-MBA, the rankings will not matter as much. The lockstep program with few electives seems rather restrictive.
Do you all think my logic is right when evaluating the programs? Is there anything you think I should consider? Any advice is well appreciated. Thanks!