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You’ve got big, bold, beautiful ideas—but do you have the skills and professional network to bring them to life?
After you pursue one of the top entrepreneurship programs, you will.
Earning an MBA, or Master of Business Administration, is a smart choice in and of itself. It will provide you with the technical skills you need to pursue new business ideas, manage existing businesses, and forge professional connections.
While an MBA provides breadth of coverage in terms of core business fundamentals, many students find themselves drawn to programs that offer the ability to customize their programs with unique specializations. Adding a specialization allows you to earn a degree that has both breadth and depth, making it possible for you to customize your learning experience to a specific career path.
Among specializations like finance, information technology, and global business, entrepreneurship is quickly becoming one of the most popular emphasis areas around—and for good reason! There are lots of benefits to earning an online MBA in entrepreneurship.
For one, you’ll be able to meet other students who have that unique entrepreneurial mindset. You may be introduced to individuals who run their own businesses or are in the process of doing so. You can attend seminars, work on collaborative projects, and access notable people in your field.
Plus, you’ll get hands-on experience, something that’s often taken for granted. Learning the basics of business (and starting a business) is important—but you can’t put a price on actually being able to do it for yourself.
When you earn an MBA in entrepreneurship, you’ll have the opportunity to make connections with angel investors and program-run seminars and conferences and to complete entrepreneurship-related courses in subjects like global strategies, venture capital, and mergers and acquisitions.
That all sounds great—but if you’re already working a full-time job, you might be wondering how you’ll ever find the time to fit the demands of a graduate degree into your already jam-packed schedule.
The answer? You need to choose an online MBA in entrepreneurship.
These programs are tailor-made for students who have other life commitments that limit their abilities to travel to campus for a traditional program. Just about every business school in the country now offers an online version of its MBA program—and you should take advantage of that.
Online degrees offer the same quality of education and opportunities for hands-on learning and networking as their on-campus counterparts. However, since you never have to travel to campus (or only have to do so every now and then, for certain programs), you’ll be able to fit your studies more easily into your schedule.
There’s the affordability aspect, too. Online programs tend to be far cheaper than their on-campus counterparts.
So what are you waiting for? If you’re ready to start your own business and just need to fine-tune the skills and training you need to get you there, it’s time to consider pursuing one of the best online MBA in entrepreneurship degrees.
Let’s dive in.
See Also: 10 Best Master’s in Industrial Engineering
What Are the Best Online MBA in Entrepreneurship Degrees?
We know that you have educational goals that you’re itching to pursue, but you may not know where to start. The editors of Master’s Programs Guide utilize a unique ranking methodology based on the following five aspects:
25% Overall Degree Affordability: Average cost of undergraduate and graduate tuition per school
25% Graduation Rate: Number of students who start at the university and actually finish there
20% Earnings Potential: Average mid-career salary of school alumni
20% Selectivity: The number of students who apply versus the number who actually get accepted
10% Online Graduate Offerings: The number of programs offered online in each department
At Master’s Programs Guide, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals.
See Also: Is An Online MBA Worth It?
#1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Online MBA with a Focus on Entrepreneurship
Ranked as one of the best national universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a selective public school located in Chapel Hill, NC. It has small class sizes that average a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio and is known for its low tuition rates and research-focused degree programs.
Yet it’s not all work and no play here. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill often referred to as UNC, offers a wide range of student activities. You Can tune in to WXYC, the student-run radio station, or write for The Daily Tarheel, the student newspaper. Chapel Hill is considered one of the best college towns in the country, too.
Regardless of whether you want to see this college town for itself or not, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has one of the top MBAs—Entrepreneurship around. It’s available on-campus as well as online, meaning it’s possible for you to complete your degree without ever paying a visit to Chapel Hill (though we highly recommend doing so if you get the chance!).
The UNC Kenan-Flagler School of Business will help you develop critical entrepreneurial skills to identify enterprise opportunities, develop viable business plans, refine strategies to secure funding, and expand a business’s vision over time.
You will take core classes like:
- Business Strategy
- Leading in the Middle
- Sales
- Pricing
- New Ventures Discovery
- Managing Modern Customers and Markets
You’ll learn from faculty members who have extensive experience with driving new business ventures of their own and engage in collaborative classroom activities. It’s tough to find a program that will provide you with more hands-on experience than this best online MBA with a focus on Entrepreneurship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
#2. The University of Texas at Dallas
Professional MBA Online with Concentration in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
A public university founded in 1969, the University of Texas at Dallas isn’t the oldest school on this list—but its Naveen Jindal School of Management has a reputation for offering some of the best business programs in the nation.
Here you will find a professional MBA with a concentration in innovation and entrepreneurship. It’s a flexible degree that requires no on-campus attendance and can be completed in a full- or part-time fashion. You’ll have total flexibility in how you choose to complete our coursework and can even complete examinations in the way that’s most accessible for you, whether that’s embedded in courses, uploaded via email, or protected at a local testing center.
The degree is ranked as the sixth-best online program by U.S. News & World Report, and if you’re not set on entrepreneurship your MBA concentration, then don’t worry. You will have more than a dozen other alternatives to choose from, including those in energy management, healthcare leadership and management, international management, business analytics, and more.
Of course, if you aspire to one day launch your own business, the innovation and entrepreneurship concentration is the way to go. It will prepare you for a successful business career in entrepreneurial finance, entrepreneurial new ventures, or innovation roles in things like product planning, product development and marketing, and more.
Not only that, but as part of this degree, you’ll have the option to pursue specialized elective coursework through the Academic Certificate programs. You can tack certificates in things like project management, executive and professional coaching, transformational leadership, and organizational consulting onto your degree just by taking a few extra classes.
#3. Babson College
The Babson Entrepreneurial MBA
Founded in 1919 and with a student enrollment of fewer than 3,400 students Babson College in Babson Park, MA is a far cry from the largest institution on this list. However, it offers a medley of business programs that are extremely well-regarded. In fact, its entrepreneurship program ranks number one in the country by U.S. News & World Report, and its concentration in accounting, as well as its undergraduate business program, have both received top marks, too.
This is due in part to the highly individualized nature of Babson’s curriculum. When you take classes here, you’ll learn in small, close-knit groups, enjoying a student-to-faculty ratio of just 14:1. You’ll benefit from the utmost flexibility, too. You can take classes:
- full-time
- part-time
- on-campus
- 100% online.
Everything can be customized to meet your learning style, preferences, and schedule.
By studying at Babson, you’ll develop an entrepreneurial mindset that will allow you to transform the world. About one-third of the classes you take will consist of the MBA core, while the rest will be electives that you choose based on your career goals and preferences. Experiential learning opportunities are woven throughout the entirety of the 45 credit-hour curricula.
With seven unique concentrations to choose from, this entrepreneurial degree is incredibly personalized. Two of the concentrations are even STEM-designated, a plus for international learners. You’ll have ample opportunities to think outside the box and learn in a more hands-on way. In fact, more than 400 graduate students participate in student consulting projects with more than 80 different partner organizations each year.
You’ll gain invaluable experience that will help you land a job soon after graduation. The average starting salary for 2018 MBA graduates was a whopping $96,485. Those figures speak for themselves—this top MBA degree will really pay off for you in the long run.
#4. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
iMBA – Innovation: From Creativity to Entrepreneurship
A public university founded in 1867, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is much larger than the last school on our list, Babson College. In fact, this school has an enrollment of more than 51,000 students!
These students study within 15 different colleges and schools, with the College of Business known as being one of the best in the country. It is a school with a high level of research activity, according to the Carnegie Foundation, and you will be hard-pressed to find an entrepreneurship MBA that is more customizable than this one.
Through this program’s innovative curriculum, you will learn how to become an equally innovative leader in an increasingly interconnected world. You’ll take classes such as:
- Fostering Creative Thinking
- Strategic Innovation-Being a Strategic Innovator in a VUCA World
- Entrepreneurship: From Startup to Growth
A core feature of this top online MBA degree is the required capstone project. This capstone will allow you to analyze a situation concerning a new enterprise (this could be an enterprise of your own or one within a larger existing organization) and how you can help develop the current business model and identify potential challenges and opportunities.
This entrepreneurship degree is a convenient program that can be completed fully online or on-campus. It’s also extremely affordable, with tuition rates starting at just $302 per credit hour for a total of $21,744 per semester. There are plenty of scholarship opportunities you might consider applying for, too.
#5. Syracuse University
Online MBA With Entrepreneurship Specialization
When you think of the color orange, what do you think of? If you’re a Syracuse University alumni, without a doubt, it’s your alma mater! There is perhaps no school out there as strongly associated with a color as Syracuse University is with the color orange.
From the Daily Orange, the school’s student-run newspaper, to the school mascot, Otto the Orange, everything about this university screams school spirit in the brightest sense of the word (and color!). It’s not just a sense of pride that unites all Syracuse University students together, either, but instead, a sense of community and academic prestige.
The business school at Syracuse is one of the university’s largest, with a student-to-faculty ratio of just 15:1. At the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, you won’t feel like just another face in the crowd. Plus, you’ll have the flexibility to earn your degree from a top-ranked MBA program all while benefiting from the ability to maintain your other life commitments.
Ranked within the top 30 by The Princeton Review in 2021, the online MBA will allow you to specialize in a variety of fields, including business analytics, accounting, and of course, entrepreneurship. You’ll take courses such as:
- Corporate Entrepreneurship
- Managing New Product Development
- Venture Capital
All in all, you will need to take a total of 36 credit hours of coursework, which most students can complete in as little as 24 months.
The best part of this online MBA degree? In addition to being ranked highly by numerous publications (in addition to The Princeton Review ranking, it also received top marks as the number one best Private School for Veterans by THe Military Times), it also is an easy program to which to apply. You don’t even need GMAT scores in order to be eligible for this MBA!
#6. Azusa Pacific University
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Concentration in Entrepreneurship
A private university located in Azusa, CA, Azusa Pacific University is an evangelical Christian university with lots to offer prospective students. It offers more than 100 degrees spread out among three colleges and seven schools. You don’t have to live near this space-grant institution in order to apply, either—in addition to offering degrees on campus, Azusa Pacific also has degrees at seven regional locations across Southern California as well as online.
The MBA at Azusa Pacific offers learners the opportunity to specialize in a variety of concentrations, including:
- finance
- international business
- institutional research
- entrepreneurship
In this top online MBA program, you’ll learn the fundamental skills you need to apply practical business tactics to the creation of your own business. You’ll engage in personal assessment and involvement exercises, group projects and activities, case studies, new venture simulation, and more.
Offered by a Yellow Ribbon and MIlitary-Friendly School, this program consists of 42 to 47 credit hours of study. You’ll pay just $672 per credit hour and benefit from course schedules that can be as flexible as you need them to be.
#7. Oklahoma State University
EEE (Entrepreneurship) Concentration in the MBA
Oklahoma State University has campuses all over the state, including in Stillwater, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa. Whether you live in the Sooner State or not, you’ll be able to benefit from all that this massive state university system has to offer because many of its programs are also available online.
The Master of Business Administration offers several concentrations that are available fully online, including:
- business sustainability
- data science
- energy business
- human resource management
- marketing analytics
- nonprofit management
- information assurance
- entrepreneurship
Regardless of whether you are starting a new company, are an executive in an existing corporation, or are working to manage a small family-owned business, you’ll gain the skills you need to be successful by pursuing a degree here. You’ll take classes in core business areas like business analytics, finance, marketing, and accounting while also going beyond the classroom to learn core skills in entrepreneurship in a real-world setting.
In total, you will complete 33 credit hours of study with classes including subjects such as Managerial Economics, Marketing Management, and PRescriptive Analytics. You can take your learning beyond the classroom by participating in student organizations such as the Entrepreneurship Club and the MBA Student Association, too. Scholarships and financial aid are available to qualifying students, including those who choose to study online.
#8. Ball State University
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Concentration in Entrepreneurship
A public research university in Muncie, IN, Ball State University also has campuses in Indianapolis and Fishers. Founded by the Ball brothers themselves, the founders of the Ball Corporation, the school has humble origins as an institution meant to educate aspiring teachers.
Today, Ball State comprises seven academic colleges and has more than 250 areas of study for students to choose from. Among them is the prestigious Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship.
The MBA at Ball State has a reputation for affordability, quality teaching, and serious flexibility. You can take classes online, on-campus, or in a hybrid format of the two. There are nine other concentration areas you can choose from besides entrepreneurship—or you can blend classes of your choice to create your own customized, general MBA.
This school is among the world’s top five percent of all business schools to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of BUsiness, which speaks volumes about its quality and prestige around the world. If you don’t have a business degree, you’ll complete 43 credit hours of study, but if you already have a background in business, only 30 to 34 are required.
In addition to the entrepreneurship concentration, you can choose from specializations in artificial intelligence, business analytics, construction management, sales management, and more. There’s even an option to tack on a business essential, health economics, or professional sales certificate to further enhance the usefulness of your degree. You’ll take core classes such as:
- Entrepreneurial Innovation
- Entrepreneurial Strategy
- Entrepreneurial Planning and Feasibility
Despite all of these features, the online MBA program at Ball State remains surprisingly affordable. In addition to low tuition rates, there are many financial aid opportunities that you can apply for. These include scholarship and graduate assistantships, both of which can help make your education more attainable.
#9. The University of West Florida
Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship Online
One of the largest schools in the state of Florida, the University of West Florida is a public university that sits on a large campus of roughly 1600 acres. While there’s a lot to be said about the benefits of attending college in the sunshine state, the good news is that, if you’d rather stay at home, you can do that, too. The University of West Florida offers a large number of its programs fully online—including the Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship.
This MBA will provide you with the practical skills and foundational knowledge you need to create, manage, and grow a business from start to finish. You’ll build a detailed and comprehensive portfolio as you work through your courses, helping to give you a thorough understanding of the business world. The entrepreneurship concentration is one of many available in the online degree, with other options including accounting and supply chain logistics management.
You will complete a tail of 36 credit hours of study, many of which consist of core business courses like:
- Information Resources and Industry Analysis
- Accounting for Decision Making
- Financial Management
- Marketing Management.
The school is ranked as having one of the best online MBA programs in the U.S. News & World Report and a top regional college by The Princeton Review. The accolades surely speak for themselves!
Best yet, attending classes online with the University of West Florida won’t break the bank. These programs are cited as some of the most affordable in the state of Florida, with tuition starting at just $456.50 per credit hour.
#10. City University of Seattle
Master of Business Administration—Entrepreneurship Emphasis
Not to be confused with Seattle University, the City University of Seattle is a private university located in Seattle, WA. Once known simply as City College, the school first opened its doors in 1973 with the goal of providing higher education opportunities to busy working adults. Although the school has now expanded to become part of the National University System, offering programs to nearly 7,000 students around the world, it honors its humble origins in its commitment to the education of non-traditional learners.
Also known as CityU, this school offers more than 60 online programs designed for working adults. It’s a highly ranked school with a legacy of success—to date, more than 50,000 alumni have graduated from the school. You’ll be able to interact with those alumni as well as students from all over the globe when you take online classes here.
This top online MBA program is open for admission in all quarters and consists of 48 to 54 credit hours of study. If you decide that taking classes online isn’t for you, don’t worry—the school also offers this program during weekdays in class, in a mixed-mode, and during intensive weekend formats.
You will take core classes such as:
- Entrepreneurship and the Art of Creative Thinking
- Emerging Issues in Strategic Decision Making
- Financial Reporting and Control
- Global Political Economy
And if you decide that the entrepreneurship emphasis isn’t right for you, you will have plenty of other options to choose from. Thes school also offers concentrations in things like finance, global management, change leadership, supply chain management, and more. You can even design your own emphasis area if you choose!
OTHER NOTABLE PROGRAMS
#11. Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Degree: Master of Business Administration – Entrepreneurship
Net Price: $13,766
#12. Regent University
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Degree: MBA – Entrepreneurship
Net Price: $16,179
#13. Brandman University
Location: Irvine, CA
Degree: MBA in Entrepreneurship
Net Price: $12,080
#14. Louisiana State University-Shreveport
Location: Shreveport, LA
Degree: Master of Business Administration with an Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise Concentration or Specialization Online
Net Price: $7,349
#15. Northeastern University
Location: Boston, MA
Degree: Online MBA with Concentration in Innovation Entrepreneurship
Net Price: $24,309
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best online MBA Entrepreneurship—no GMAT required?
The GMAT, or Graduate Management Admissions Test, is a standardized exam that is required by the vast majority of business schools in the United States. As an alternative, some universities will accept the GRE (Graduate Records Examination) instead.
While the GMAT can be brutal to prepare for and do well on, it’s considered a necessary evil by many schools—though not all. Some of the best online MBAs in entrepreneurship don’t require test scores at all.
If you don’t want to take the GMAT, you may want to consider applying to:
- Babson College
- The University of North Carolina
- Colorado State University
- Northeastern University
Is an online MBA in entrepreneurship hard to get into?
Generally, applying to an online MBA in entrepreneurship is no different than applying to any other kind of MBA program, on-campus or online. You’ll need to submit an online application along with supplemental documents such as:
- official transcripts
- essays
- resume
- test scores
- letters of recommendation
Most universities require applicants to have a minimum 3.0 GPA from any undergraduate work. You don’t always have to have a business background in order to apply, though it can certainly be helpful even if not formally required.
Work experience is another requirement for some (though not all) programs. Some business schools like to see that you have a bit of a background in the workforce to supplement your education.
How much does an online MBA in Entrepreneurship cost?
Most online MBA programs cost between $10,000 and $25,000 per year. You may have to factor in additional expenses besides just tuition, too, including textbooks and the cost of a high-speed Internet connection.
Don’t let tuition rates be the only factor in determining your school of choice. Although public universities do tend to be much cheaper than private ones, at least at face value, there are all kinds of scholarships and financial aid opportunities you can pursue to save money. Choosing an online degree offers you the flexibility, in most cases, to take classes at your own pace.
Sometimes, that means you can save money simply by doubling up and taking more classes per semester.
What will I learn in an online MBA in Entrepreneurship?
When you pursue an online MBA in entrepreneurship, you will likely find that the curriculum isn’t that different from what you’d complete in a typical MBA degree. You will likely take classes in core business concepts like economics, project management, finance, and accounting. You’ll also take more specialized classes in things like:
- private entity acquisition
- entrepreneurial finance
- new venture strategy
- growth strategies
All in all, you can expect to complete about two years’ worth of coursework or 30-50 credit hours of study. This can vary, of course, especially when you consider that many online programs are self-paced and will allow you to complete your studies as quickly or as slowly as you’d like.
What is the difference between a master’s in entrepreneurship and an MBA in entrepreneurship?
If you’re wondering why you should get an MBA in entrepreneurship rather than a master’s, the answer is quite simple.
The two types of programs overlap each other quite a bit. However, you’ll want to consider the different structures of each in order to choose the right one for you.
MBA programs tend to be structured in a more interdisciplinary fashion, covering everything from economics to marketing and business theory. When you add on an entrepreneurship concentration, you’ll take classes centered around starting your own business. However, most of the curriculum will still consist of core (and not highly specialized) business courses.
An MBA tends to be more hands-on and designed for the learner seeking hands-on experience while a master’s degree is often more theoretical in nature.
What kinds of jobs can I get with an online MBA in Entrepreneurship?
If you have a free-thinking, entrepreneurial nature, then the sky’s the limit when it comes to the many jobs you might pursue with an online MBA in entrepreneurship. While starting a new business is a common career path for many students, it is certainly not the only option. In fact, many graduates go on to work as management analysts, business executives, or even sales managers.
By pursuing a concentration in entrepreneurship, you open up the door to several different rewarding and in-demand careers.
What are the best business schools for entrepreneurship?
You’ll find wonderful entrepreneurship programs at all of the business programs listed above, but they aren’t your only options by any means—and you don’t have to take our word for it, either!
U.S. News & World Report considers these five schools as some of the best business schools for entrepreneurship:
- Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College
- Graduate School of Business at Stanford University
- Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Haas School of Business at the University of California
- Harvard Business school
Here, you’ll find programs in entrepreneurship that not only offer a great value for your money but will provide you with connections to leading industry partners.
Is an online MBA in Entrepreneurship worth it?
If you have big goals you want to pursue, you might be wondering whether you can just go it on your own—without earning a degree.
While it’s true that many of the world’s most successful business owners have started their enterprises without any formal education, getting that education is a great way to ensure that you are successful. Even if you learn nothing in your classes (unlikely!) you’ll benefit from the personal and professional connections that are fostered by your MBA program.