Best Bachelor's Machine Learning Degree Programs in Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus — Norman, OK
Key Distinction: Embedded Certificate in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. Accelerated BS/MS dual degree program
Hakia Insight: OU's embedded ML/AI certificate and accelerated BS/MS dual-degree option (3.25 GPA trigger) let you complete a master's before most peers graduate; combined with proximity to OKC's startup ecosystem, you enter the job market with graduate-level credentials and industry connections.
The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at OU provides a comprehensive curriculum with fourteen core computer science courses, nine mathematics courses starting with calculus, physics, and two additional natural sciences. Students select three upper-level electives for specialization. The program offers an Embedded Certificate in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence exclusively for CS majors, requiring specific AI/ML coursework. Students can participate in undergraduate research through CS 3450 or CS 3440 courses, honors research opportunities, and independent study options. An Accelerated Degree Program allows qualified students to earn both BS and MS degrees simultaneously, with up to 12 credit hours counting toward both degrees. The program requires maintaining a 3.25 GPA for accelerated program eligibility and offers CS 3910 Computer Science Internship as a technical elective option.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science — 4 years, on-campus. BS
Research Labs and Institutes
- School of Computer Science
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Google, Microsoft, Amazon.
Admissions
GPA Requirement: 3.25 (for accelerated program). Application Deadline: January 15.
Requirements: 14 core computer science courses, 9 mathematics courses beginning with calculus, Physics coursework, Two additional natural sciences, Three upper-level CS electives, University general education requirements
Location Advantages: Norman proximity to Oklahoma City tech sector and startup communityAccess to OU's research computing infrastructure and partnerships
University of Tulsa — Tulsa, OK
Key Distinction: University of Tulsa pairs rigorous machine learning education with direct industry connections to Tulsa's energy, fintech, and aerospace sectors, creating abundant apprenticeship and career opportunities.
Hakia Insight: Tulsa's geographic anchoring to energy, fintech, and aerospace sectors creates a built-in apprenticeship pipeline—rather than competing nationally for internships, you're tapping into regional employers who actively recruit Tulsa graduates because they understand the curriculum.
At the bachelor's level, the University of Tulsa brings a distinctive blend of rigorous machine learning education and strong ties to energy, technology, and financial services industries that dominate Tulsa's economy. TU's computer science program—housed within the Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences—integrates machine learning across multiple specialized tracks, allowing students to concentrate in data science, AI systems, or computational intelligence depending on career goals. The curriculum emphasizes both theoretical depth and practical implementation, with courses progressing from foundational statistics and algorithms through advanced topics in neural networks, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. What sets TU apart is its location in Tulsa, historically an energy and aerospace hub now actively diversifying into fintech and energy technology innovation, creating abundant internship and employment opportunities in industries actively investing in machine learning. The school maintains partnerships with Tulsa-based companies and encourages student involvement in real-world ML projects from junior year onward. Faculty members are accomplished researchers with active grants and publications, and the close student-faculty ratio allows undergraduates to engage in research alongside graduate students. TU graduates report strong placement outcomes, with many entering roles as ML engineers, data scientists, or analytics specialists at regional and national firms. The combination of technical rigor, industry proximity, and supportive learning community makes TU a strong choice for students seeking both depth of knowledge and concrete career pathways.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Collins College of Business (Analytics programs)
Industry Partners
- Tulsa-based energy and technology companies (corporate)
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Energy sector companies, Fintech firms, Aerospace contractors.
Accreditations and Certifications
- ABET accredited (Computer Science BS)
Location Advantages: Tulsa energy sector and fintech ecosystem provides internship and employment pipelineGrowing aerospace and technology innovation hub in the regionDirect access to companies actively hiring machine learning professionals
Northeastern State University — Tahlequah, OK
Key Distinction: Northeastern State emphasizes applied machine learning projects and regional employer partnerships, creating a direct pathway from coursework to practical data science roles.
Hakia Insight: Northeastern State's emphasis on applied projects paired with regional partnerships creates a direct feedback loop: employers tell the program what skills they need, the faculty redesign projects around those demands, and you graduate with a portfolio of work that local healthcare systems and state agencies already recognize.
At the bachelor's level, northeastern State University integrates machine learning into its computer science and information systems programs with an emphasis on applied learning and community engagement. The program design reflects the institution's mission to connect students with practical experience early and often—machine learning courses emphasize lab work, data science projects, and real-world case studies rather than theory in isolation. Students develop competency across supervised and unsupervised learning, data preprocessing, model evaluation, and deployment. The curriculum balances depth in algorithms with breadth in applications, exposing students to use cases in business intelligence, predictive analytics, and automation. Faculty members maintain connections to regional employers and facilitate internship placements where students apply classroom learning to live problems. The program particularly benefits students interested in staying within Oklahoma or the surrounding region, as Northeastern State's connections span state government agencies, local healthcare systems, and regional businesses. Graduates commonly move into data analyst, business systems analyst, or junior data scientist positions. The supportive teaching-focused environment means students get substantive feedback and individualized guidance as they build their machine learning portfolios.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: Tahlequah, Oklahoma; connections to state government and regional healthcare employers
Cameron University — Lawton, OK
Key Distinction: Cameron makes machine learning education accessible and regionally relevant, embedding practical data science skills within a supportive, affordable learning environment.
Hakia Insight: Cameron's dual BS/BA structure in a region dominated by agriculture and energy employers means graduates can tailor their technical depth while staying rooted in sectors actively hiring locally—a rare advantage for students seeking immediate regional placement.
At the bachelor's level, cameron University's approach to machine learning sits within a regional comprehensive institution serving southwestern Oklahoma, offering accessible pathways into data science and computational learning for students who might otherwise lack such opportunities. The program builds machine learning competency through a computer science major that incorporates practical data analysis, statistical modeling, and algorithmic foundations. Rather than separating ML as an elite track, Cameron threads these concepts across courses in algorithms, databases, and software engineering, ensuring every computer science graduate gains exposure to machine learning fundamentals. The institution's regional focus means students often work on applied projects tied to local industry needs—agriculture, energy, and small business optimization—giving them portfolio pieces grounded in real sectors. Faculty maintain active involvement in student learning with accessible office hours and project-based assessment. Graduates typically transition into data analyst, business intelligence, or junior data scientist roles across the region and beyond. The affordability and supportive learning environment make it a particularly strong option for first-generation and nontraditional students pursuing technical careers.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: Southwestern Oklahoma regional hub; proximity to agricultural and energy sector employers
Oklahoma Christian University — Edmond, OK
Key Distinction: Oklahoma Christian integrates ethics-forward machine learning instruction within a personalized liberal arts computing environment, prioritizing mentorship and responsible AI development.
Hakia Insight: Oklahoma Christian embeds ethics instruction into every machine learning course rather than treating it as an afterthought, positioning graduates to lead responsible AI projects in fintech and energy firms that increasingly demand this competency.
At the bachelor's level, oklahoma Christian's machine learning pathway emphasizes practical application within a strong liberal arts computing foundation. The program integrates machine learning coursework into a computer science curriculum that prioritizes hands-on projects and real-world problem-solving from the ground up. Students engage with foundational statistics, algorithms, and data structures before advancing into specialized ML courses covering supervised learning, neural networks, and predictive modeling. What distinguishes the experience is the emphasis on ethical AI and responsible machine learning practice—topics woven throughout rather than treated as an afterthought. The smaller class sizes enable direct faculty mentorship, allowing students to move beyond theory into implementation on actual datasets. The program connects students with internship opportunities in Oklahoma's growing tech sector, and graduates report strong placement in data science and analytics roles. The Christian perspective underlying the institution brings a distinctive lens to discussions around AI ethics and societal impact, which some students find meaningful as they develop their technical careers.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: Oklahoma City metro area proximity to growing financial services and energy sector tech roles
Best Master's Machine Learning Degree Programs in Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus — Norman, OK
Key Distinction: 100% online format designed for working professionals. Evening live sessions (7-8:30 PM CT once per week every other week)
Hakia Insight: OU's evening cohort model (one 7-8:30 PM session every other week) attracts working professionals from Oklahoma City's startup scene, meaning your classmates are often your future collaborators rather than competitors.
The online Master of Science in Applied Computing from OU is a 30-credit program designed for working professionals, offering full flexibility with 100% online delivery and evening class schedules. Live sessions occur once per week every other week on weeknights from 7-8:30 PM CT. The program can be completed in as little as 12 months while maintaining full-time employment, with students taking two 8-week courses simultaneously each semester. Core coursework covers algorithms, software engineering, machine learning, cloud computing, and database technologies with elective specializations available. Students move through the program in small cohorts, building professional networks while gaining hands-on experience with modern development tools. The program is taught by expert faculty from OU's Gallogly College of Engineering and industry professionals. Tuition totals $30,450 with financial aid and scholarships available. Graduates are positioned for leadership roles with median salaries around $96,800, representing strong career advancement potential over bachelor's-level positions in the rapidly growing tech sector.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Applied Computing — 1-2 years, on-campus. MS
Research Labs and Institutes
- School of Computer Science
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Admissions
GPA Requirement: 3.25 (for accelerated program). Application Deadline: January 15.
Requirements: Complete 10 courses across core programming principles, data structures, algorithms, database systems, machine learning, software engineering, security, and web development
Location Advantages: Norman proximity to Oklahoma City tech sector and startup communityAccess to OU's research computing infrastructure and partnerships
University of Central Oklahoma — Edmond, OK
Key Distinction: UCO integrates machine learning across multiple CS pathways with an emphasis on applied projects and real-world datasets, rather than offering it as an isolated specialization.
Hakia Insight: UCO integrates machine learning across multiple CS tracks instead of siloing it as a specialization, so you're not pigeonholed into a single career path—you graduate with options in data engineering, systems, or applied research roles.
At the master's level, UCO's machine learning program emphasizes practical application through a curriculum that bridges classical computer science fundamentals with contemporary AI techniques. The program distinguishes itself by integrating machine learning across multiple departmental offerings rather than siloing it into a single track, allowing students to pursue specializations in areas like computer vision, natural language processing, and predictive analytics depending on their electives and capstone project choices. Faculty maintain active research interests in applied machine learning, and the program benefits from UCO's location in Edmond, which has grown into a secondary tech corridor for Oklahoma. Students engage in hands-on projects using industry-standard tools and frameworks, with opportunities to collaborate on real-world datasets from local businesses and nonprofits. The program's strength lies in making machine learning accessible to students from diverse technical backgrounds while maintaining rigor—graduates report strong placement in mid-market tech companies, healthcare analytics firms, and state government agencies. Capstone projects often form the foundation for job interviews, with many students able to showcase deployed models or novel applications rather than purely theoretical work.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Location Advantages: Proximity to Edmond tech corridorAccess to Oklahoma City metro area businesses
University of Tulsa — Tulsa, OK
Key Distinction: University of Tulsa pairs rigorous machine learning education with direct industry connections to Tulsa's energy, fintech, and aerospace sectors, creating abundant apprenticeship and career opportunities.
Hakia Insight: University of Tulsa's research labs and industry partnerships funnel students directly into energy, fintech, and aerospace apprenticeships before graduation—Tulsa's ecosystem creates a compressed pipeline from coursework to employment that larger programs can't replicate.
At the master's level, the University of Tulsa brings a distinctive blend of rigorous machine learning education and strong ties to energy, technology, and financial services industries that dominate Tulsa's economy. TU's computer science program—housed within the Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences—integrates machine learning across multiple specialized tracks, allowing students to concentrate in data science, AI systems, or computational intelligence depending on career goals. The curriculum emphasizes both theoretical depth and practical implementation, with courses progressing from foundational statistics and algorithms through advanced topics in neural networks, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. What sets TU apart is its location in Tulsa, historically an energy and aerospace hub now actively diversifying into fintech and energy technology innovation, creating abundant internship and employment opportunities in industries actively investing in machine learning. The school maintains partnerships with Tulsa-based companies and encourages student involvement in real-world ML projects from junior year onward. Faculty members are accomplished researchers with active grants and publications, and the close student-faculty ratio allows undergraduates to engage in research alongside graduate students. TU graduates report strong placement outcomes, with many entering roles as ML engineers, data scientists, or analytics specialists at regional and national firms. The combination of technical rigor, industry proximity, and supportive learning community makes TU a strong choice for students seeking both depth of knowledge and concrete career pathways.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Collins College of Business (Analytics programs)
Industry Partners
- Tulsa-based energy and technology companies (corporate)
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Energy sector companies, Fintech firms, Aerospace contractors.
Accreditations and Certifications
- ABET accredited (Computer Science BS)
Location Advantages: Tulsa energy sector and fintech ecosystem provides internship and employment pipelineGrowing aerospace and technology innovation hub in the regionDirect access to companies actively hiring machine learning professionals
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus — Stillwater, OK
Key Distinction: Thesis option (30 credits) vs non-thesis option (33 credits). Teaching and research assistantships available
Hakia Insight: OSU's dual thesis/non-thesis tracks (30 vs. 33 credits) combined with teaching assistantships create two distinct paths: researchers can defend work while reducing costs, while practitioners can graduate faster without sacrificing rigor.
The M.S. in Computer Science at OSU offers both thesis (30 credits) and non-thesis (33 credits) tracks, allowing working professionals flexibility in their academic path. The program includes 12 core credit hours plus specialized electives in machine learning, data analytics, big data systems, and cyber-physical systems. Students can pursue research in increasingly important areas like AI, machine learning, and cybersecurity. The department offers teaching and research assistantships to qualified candidates, along with graduate teaching lab assistant positions. Recent graduates have secured positions at major employers including Amazon, Facebook, Dell, Koch Industries, Paycom, and Walmart. The program prepares students for industry advancement and potential Ph.D. entry, with faculty research strengths in data analytics, machine learning, AI, and cybersecurity. Many students receive summer internships, and companies actively recruit on campus.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Computer Science — 1-2 years, on-campus. MS
Research Labs and Institutes
- Oklahoma State University Advanced Power and Intelligent Systems Laboratory
- Unmanned Systems Research Laboratory
Industry Partners
- ConocoPhillips (corporate)
- Philips (corporate)
- American Airlines (corporate)
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Amazon.
Notable Faculty
Admissions
GPA Requirement: 3.0 during last two years. Application Deadline: April 1 (fall), September 1 (spring).
Requirements: Core courses - 12 credit hours, Electives - 6 credit hours maximum, Completion of either thesis or non-thesis option
Accreditations and Certifications
- ABET accredited (Engineering)
Location Advantages: Proximity to Oklahoma's energy sector headquarters and operationsRegional hub for aerospace and defense contractors
Oklahoma Christian University — Edmond, OK
Key Distinction: Oklahoma Christian integrates ethics-forward machine learning instruction within a personalized liberal arts computing environment, prioritizing mentorship and responsible AI development.
Hakia Insight: Oklahoma Christian's mentorship-first model in a 20-30 person cohort means faculty know your research direction by semester two, accelerating placement into roles aligned with your strengths rather than pushing graduates toward generic postings.
At the master's level, oklahoma Christian's machine learning pathway emphasizes practical application within a strong liberal arts computing foundation. The program integrates machine learning coursework into a computer science curriculum that prioritizes hands-on projects and real-world problem-solving from the ground up. Students engage with foundational statistics, algorithms, and data structures before advancing into specialized ML courses covering supervised learning, neural networks, and predictive modeling. What distinguishes the experience is the emphasis on ethical AI and responsible machine learning practice—topics woven throughout rather than treated as an afterthought. The smaller class sizes enable direct faculty mentorship, allowing students to move beyond theory into implementation on actual datasets. The program connects students with internship opportunities in Oklahoma's growing tech sector, and graduates report strong placement in data science and analytics roles. The Christian perspective underlying the institution brings a distinctive lens to discussions around AI ethics and societal impact, which some students find meaningful as they develop their technical careers.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Location Advantages: Oklahoma City metro area proximity to growing financial services and energy sector tech roles
Oral Roberts University — Tulsa, OK
Key Distinction: Oral Roberts uniquely integrates machine learning with ethics and responsible AI principles, training engineers who understand both algorithms and their societal implications.
Hakia Insight: Oral Roberts uniquely pairs machine learning with engineering fundamentals and ethics training, creating graduates who can explain *why* an algorithm matters to non-technical stakeholders—a rare skill that commands premium roles in mission-driven organizations.
At the master's level, oral Roberts University's machine learning curriculum distinguishes itself through integration with the university's engineering and applied science programs, creating a distinctly systems-oriented perspective. Students learn machine learning not as a standalone discipline but as a powerful tool for solving engineering challenges: signal processing, predictive maintenance, autonomous systems, and control optimization. The program benefits from ORU's strengths in electrical engineering and mathematics, with machine learning coursework building atop solid foundations in linear systems, probability, and signal theory. Faculty connections span both academic research networks and industry application domains; collaborative projects often involve real datasets and problems from engineering firms, aerospace contractors, and technology companies. ORU's Christian context shapes an implicit emphasis on responsible AI development and the societal implications of algorithmic decision-making. The university provides access to modern computing resources and supports student participation in machine learning competitions and conferences. Graduates emerge with a distinctive profile: technical depth in mathematical foundations, comfort with physics-based and data-driven hybrid approaches, and experience translating business problems into machine learning formulations. This engineering-inflected preparation particularly benefits students targeting roles in robotics, autonomous vehicles, defense technology, and industrial automation—sectors where ORU has established recruiting relationships.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Accreditations and Certifications
- ABET accredited (Engineering)
Location Advantages: Oklahoma City proximity to regional tech sector and mission-driven organizations
Best Doctoral Machine Learning Degree Programs in Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus — Norman, OK
Key Distinction: Generous stipends and financial support for 4 years with 5th year funding available. Small selective program enabling close faculty-student interaction
Hakia Insight: OU's MIS Ph.D. funds all admitted students for four years plus optional fifth-year support in a deliberately small cohort, a financial guarantee that allows you to pursue research questions over lucrative consulting distractions.
The MIS Ph.D. is a specialization within the Business Administration doctoral program focusing on information technology research in economic and social contexts. All admitted students receive generous stipends and financial support for four years, with fifth-year funding available for students in good standing. The program targets a four-year completion timeline. Students complete 90 credit hours including 47 hours of core coursework, pass a research readiness requirement involving an independent project for conference/journal submission, and complete a comprehensive General Exam covering coursework, MIS literature, and research design capabilities. Faculty research spans human-computer/robot interaction, IT governance, healthcare IT, cybersecurity, business analytics, and artificial intelligence using experimental, survey, machine learning, and inductive methodologies. The small, selective program enables close faculty-student collaboration. Students gain teaching experience through apprenticeships and independent instruction. Post-graduation, the program aims to develop academic colleagues equipped for research and teaching careers.
Programs Offered
- Ph.D. in Business Administration with Specialization in MIS — 4-6 years, on-campus. PhD
Research Labs and Institutes
- School of Computer Science
Admissions
GPA Requirement: 3.25 (for accelerated program). Application Deadline: January 15.
Requirements: 47 hours core coursework, Research readiness requirement, General Exam, Dissertation completion, Up to 30 dissertation hours, Additional MBA coursework if no MBA
Location Advantages: Norman proximity to Oklahoma City tech sector and startup communityAccess to OU's research computing infrastructure and partnerships
University of Tulsa — Tulsa, OK
Key Distinction: University of Tulsa pairs rigorous machine learning education with direct industry connections to Tulsa's energy, fintech, and aerospace sectors, creating abundant apprenticeship and career opportunities.
Hakia Insight: University of Tulsa's doctoral students have direct pathways into Tulsa's energy and aerospace labs for research that's immediately applicable to industry problems, compressing the timeline from dissertation to funded role.
At the doctoral level, the University of Tulsa brings a distinctive blend of rigorous machine learning education and strong ties to energy, technology, and financial services industries that dominate Tulsa's economy. TU's computer science program—housed within the Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences—integrates machine learning across multiple specialized tracks, allowing students to concentrate in data science, AI systems, or computational intelligence depending on career goals. The curriculum emphasizes both theoretical depth and practical implementation, with courses progressing from foundational statistics and algorithms through advanced topics in neural networks, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. What sets TU apart is its location in Tulsa, historically an energy and aerospace hub now actively diversifying into fintech and energy technology innovation, creating abundant internship and employment opportunities in industries actively investing in machine learning. The school maintains partnerships with Tulsa-based companies and encourages student involvement in real-world ML projects from junior year onward. Faculty members are accomplished researchers with active grants and publications, and the close student-faculty ratio allows undergraduates to engage in research alongside graduate students. TU graduates report strong placement outcomes, with many entering roles as ML engineers, data scientists, or analytics specialists at regional and national firms. The combination of technical rigor, industry proximity, and supportive learning community makes TU a strong choice for students seeking both depth of knowledge and concrete career pathways.
Programs Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy in Machine Learning — 4-6 years, on-campus
- Doctor of Science in Machine Learning — 4-6 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Collins College of Business (Analytics programs)
Industry Partners
- Tulsa-based energy and technology companies (corporate)
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Energy sector companies, Fintech firms, Aerospace contractors.
Accreditations and Certifications
- ABET accredited (Computer Science BS)
Location Advantages: Tulsa energy sector and fintech ecosystem provides internship and employment pipelineGrowing aerospace and technology innovation hub in the regionDirect access to companies actively hiring machine learning professionals
