Top-Tier Research, Top-Tier City

A recent scholarly ranking confirms that the Bauer College Department of Finance continuously publishes top-tier research that innovates and drives finance knowledge and practice.  

A recent ranking maintained by the W.P. Carey School of Business shows that in 2024, Bauer Finance ranked No.19 and sat among some of the top-rated finance programs nationally and globally. Bauer faculty research is at the same level as institutions that have traditionally dominated in finance: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Washington University in St. Louis, Yale University and other elite institutions.  

The Carey School of Business finance research ranking is determined by the number of annual articles published in tier-1 finance journals, including Journal of Finance, Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Financial Economics and Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis.   

Bauer finance research is rated at the same level as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Washington University in St. Louis and Yale University.

Publications in these top journals are highly competitive, Department of Finance Chair Praveen Kumar said, with acceptance rates of papers in the five to seven percent range.  

Research Prominence and the College Mission 

Bauer competes with the top business schools across the world, and the finance faculty contributes to that mission through the quality and caliber of their research.  

A global audience finds value in the department's published research that has international interest, Kumar said, adding that in turn, this helps student success by strengthening ties with Houston's industry. 

Some recent research wins from the department include: 

•  “Goal Setting and Saving in the FinTech Era” published in The Journal of Finance. 
•  “Modeling Volatility in Dynamic Term Structure Models” published in The Journal of Financial Economics. 
• “Out of Sync: Dispersed Short-Selling and the Correction of Mispricing” published in The Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis. 
• “Lying to Speak the Truth: Selective Manipulation and Improved Information Transmission” published in The Journal of Finance. 
• “Half-Banked: The Real Effects of Financial Exclusion on Firms” published in The Journal of Finance.  

Houston: A Destination City 

Houston is considered one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, according to Collier’s 2023-2024 Economic Outlook on Houston. The city’s strong economy and affordable cost of living make it an ideal destination for people to advance their career.  

The financial sector of the city has expanded rapidly over the last decade as well, with more finance jobs being made available and wages above the national average. 

Houston is known as the Energy Capital of the World, much of its economic growth has traditionally depended on the oil and gas industry, commercial real estate and healthcare. However, what each of those sectors rely on at its core are the finances.  

The city is home to multiple Fortune 500 companies and Fortune 1000 companies. With a plethora of industries in a variety of different specialties, Houston draws people who work in finance to build their careers, support businesses and contribute to economic growth. 

University of Houston is uniquely situated within a key financial center that is continuously expanding its job market, opportunities and salaries. Bauer is well-connected with some of the top employers in Houston’s financial sector like JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, who hire students after graduation on account of the experience they bring fresh out of college. 

Not only are the students taught by faculty who are active researchers published in top-tier journals, but Bauer also regularly brings in industry professionals who lay a solid foundation for students to know what to expect in their careers.  

Houston’s fast financial growth has proven to keep up with other cities that are home to top-tier universities and research institutes, evident in the Carey School of Business Ranking.