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The online Master of Business Administration (MBA) is the most popular online master’s degree. The MBA is by far the most in-demand professional degree for good reason–combining business savvy with methodical critical thinking skills produces the competent and driven professionals that companies desire to be at their helm. And with all the specializations students can choose to tailor their degree to fit their career goals, many different jobs are within grasp. Graduates can go on to be chief financial officers, marketing directors, computer and information system managers, and high-end management consultants–just to name a few possibilities. Landing these sought-after jobs shouldn’t be hard either–according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs like these have been growing at a faster than average rate.
In addition to being one of the most customizable and prestigious degrees one can earn, it’s also one of the highest paying master’s degrees. Good news even for MBA graduates who go into the non-profit sector–traditionally a lower paying field than the for-profit business sector or government. U.S. News and World Report discloses that the average non-profit manager salary is still high at just over $81,000 a year, and for MBA graduates who do go into the business sector, salaries were well into six figures within just a few years after graduation.
All Programs are not Equal
We strive to present information on the best, most remarkable online MBA degree programs possible. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International is the hallmark of excellence for granting accreditation to schools offering online Master of Business Administration degrees. Less than 5% of all business schools worldwide have received the distinction of being AACSB accredited. For your convenience and assurance, all of the online MBA degree programs on our list have earned this renowned recognition.
The Methodology for This Ranking
Looking only at schools that are also regionally accredited and which offer distance learning master’s degree programs in business administration (as verified by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation), we considered multiple factors in which to determine ranking. Each college or university’s MBA program had to have high marks based on these factors to land on our list. Giving equal weight to each factor, we compiled our list utilizing our Master’s Programs Guide Core Methodology Criteria and these additional factors:
- Affordability
- GRE/GMAT not required/waived
Look through our list to find the school that best fits your needs for an online MBA, and take charge of your future!
#1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
MBA@UNC
Program Details: The MBA@UNC at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School offers academic excellence in an online format. With the same celebrated faculty members teaching cutting-edge coursework, a career service team available for consulting, coaching and guidance, and a network of alumi all over the world, students in the MBA@UNC program are in good hands. Students have their choice of five concentrations in this 66-credit hour degree program that can be completed in as little as two years, and coursework is both asynchronous and synchronous, with the set-time login classes never larger than fifteen students. For experiential learning, students can participate in MBA@UNC Global Immersions that are offered four times a year. Students can go as far as Singapore or as close as Chicago to seek exposure to global business practices. Applicants with more than five years of work experience are exempt from the GMAT/GRE requirement, and once a student becomes a graduate of the MBA@UNC online degree program, they are not on their own–all MBA@UNC coursework is archived and available for as long as a student wants to access it. In addition, graduates can take MBA electives online as they desire.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill– called UNC or simply “Carolina”–was born when the first cornerstone was laid in the approximate middle of the state. Chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1789 and inviting first student Hinton James to class on February 12, 1795, now the campus incorporates over 700 acres in downtown Chapel Hill. Additionally, over 250 academic degree programs are offered across fourteen schools and colleges to almost 30,000 students. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has affirmed its regional accreditation of UNC.
#2. Indiana University
Online MBA
Program Details: A concentrated, week-long required residency called Kelley Connect Week starts both the first and second years of the IU Kelley School of Business online MBA degree program. Students earn credits, meet their classmates and professors, and compete as a team on a real business exercise to be presented to corporate leaders and executives at the end of the week. With a required 51-credit hours, only 39 of them being core credits, students are able to choose twelve electives to customize their degree. For further specialization and unique experiences, students can choose to pursue a Kelley School of Business dual MBA/MS degree in seven different areas, take an immersion course, or participate in a Kelley Direct AGILE course elective (Accelerating Global Immersion Leadership Education) and study business abroad in places such as Botswana, Myanmar, or Brazil. For support and guidance, career coaches who specialize in working with online students are on hand to help navigate the academic choices and create a strategic plan for finding a job post-graduation. GMAT/GRE waiver requests are considered for applicants with at least five years of relevant work experience, an advanced degrees, or a previous degree from the Kelley School of Business.
In 1820 a proposal for a state seminary was passed by the Indiana State legislature, and by 1824 classes were attended by the first ten students in Bloomington. Four years later in 1828 the name was changed to Indiana College, and ten years after that changed to Indiana University (IU). The largest school in Indiana, IU has sixteen schools and colleges providing over 550 academic degree programs to its nearly 50,000 students. Indiana University at Bloomington is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
#3. University of Florida
Online MBA
Program Details: The Hough Graduate School of Business within University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business offers an online MBA degree entirely online with no required on-campus visits. The 48-credit hour UF MBA at Warrington College of Business online MBA degree program is designed to be completed in 24 months, and the UF MBA Admissions team provides information sessions either online or at one of the UF campuses on a weekly basis to answer any questions a prospective student may have. All courses are taught by the respected UF Warrington faculty members, who provide a “career-focused curriculum” to help their students succeed, with classes like “Global Strategic Management” and “Legal Environment of Business.” For students who do not mind coming to campus, UF Warrington offers both an accelerated hybrid-online MBA for students with an undergraduate business degree that can be completed in just sixteen months, as well as a 27-month hybrid-online MBA for students who have an undergraduate degree in any subject. No matter which format a student chooses, all UF MBA degree programs are the same and impart to students a “well-rounded, rich MBA experience.”
The Gainesville Academy opened in Gainesville, Florida in 1858. In 1866 ownership of the school and land transferred to the state under the condition that the East Florida Seminary be relocated to Gainesville, and the two schools merged. Two more schools were joined with the Gainesville school to become the University of the State of Florida, and with the final name change to University of Florida (UF), the school has sixteen schools and colleges offering over 300 academic degree programs for almost 55,000 enrolled undergraduate and graduate students. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges regionally accredits the University of Florida.
#4. University of Southern California
Online MBA
The USC Marshall School of Business Online MBA (OMBA) is the perfect blend of the University of Southern California’s “heritage of academic excellence with the flexibility of online learning.” Starting with the course called “Role of the Manager,” OMBA students participate in a week of online coursework and discussion and conclude with a six-day on-campus residency to begin the 51-credit hour program. Going through the program together as a cohort, students access the remainder of the coursework entirely online. The curriculum is guided by the capable instruction of the renowned USC Marshall faculty, who work with “instructional technology experts” to infuse “the best elements of the on-campus programs with a variety of new elements built specifically for the online experience.” The rigorous program is supplemented by exceptional online student services and resources, such as the Online Marshall MBA Career Services, and for prospective students, USC OMBA online information sessions are held to allow interaction with the USC Marshall faculty and staff in order to learn more about the program.
Established in 1880 in Los Angeles, California, the University of Southern California (USC) is the oldest institution of higher education in the state and a member of the Association of American Universities. This sea- and space-grant institution houses seventeen schools and colleges to serve more than 45,000 currently enrolled students. Over 200 degree programs are provided at this private research university, and USC is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
#5. Arizona State University
Online MBA
Program Details: The ASU W. P. Carey School of Business online MBA degree program is the same as the on-campus program, with the same core curriculum, elective options, and faculty. The W. P. Carey Online MBA core curriculum classes includes topical subjects like “Statistics for Managers” and “Leading People, Teams and Organization: Organizational Theory,” and the student’s elective choices or opting into one of four MBA emphasis areas (Finance, International Business, Marketing, or Supply Chain Management) allows for customization. A student services team is available to offer assistance to online students through every step of the process, and there’s also a dedicated online tech services team. During the academic journey and even beyond graduation, the W. P. Carey Graduate Career Center provides career coaching and workshops, as well as alumni resources. In addition to the first-rate MBA program through W. P. Carey School, concurrent degrees in online MBA/Master of Legal Studies, MBA/MSE Electrical Engineering, and MBA/MS Industrial Engineering are possible through the Arizona State Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law or Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.
In 1885, the Territorial Normal School was created in Tempe to educate teachers for the Arizona territory. Thirty-three students started classes a year later in a four-room schoolhouse on twenty donated acres. Growth and multiple name changes occurred through the years, and in 1958 Arizona State University (ASU) was settled upon. Unlike other schools, ASU’s current multiple campuses are seen as “one university in many places” rather than separate schools. Sixteen colleges and schools extend over the six ASU campuses and offer more than 350 academic degree programs to over 80,000 students. The Higher Learning Commission provides ASU with regional accreditation.
#6. The Pennsylvania State University
Online MBA
Program Details: Having been invested for such a length of time in distance learning means that the Penn State Online MBA delivered through the Penn State World Campus is not only the same high-caliber degree as one would get on-campus, but also an intentionally created program that provides a cut above the industry standard for online coursework. Starting with the Penn State Online MBA five-day residency in University Park, Pennsylvania, the 48-credit hour program focuses on real-world business logistics facilitated by the cutting-edge Penn State faculty members and utilizing an approach called ICE (Integration, Collaboration and Engagement). Penn State’s Smeal College of Business online MBA provides an array of opportunities for customization–an interdisciplinary 39 core credits are required, and students dedicate nine electives towards their chosen concentration (there are fourteen dedicated concentrations, and choices range from Negotiation & Influence to Business Sustainability Strategy to Business Architecture). Student support is also highly customizable–the online MBA career services makes available personalized career coaches and many programs and opportunities to assure a successful transition from student to working professional. Applicants with a terminal degree or work experience may request a GMAT waiver.
Penn State is the only land-grant institution in Pennsylvania, but was chartered prior to the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862. Its origins were in line with the intentions of the Morrill Act in that Penn State was created as a school to provide liberal arts as a practical education in addition to the scientific, agricultural training most students at the time needed. Now fourteen schools and colleges comprise this public, research intensive university. In addition to the 24 campuses across Pennsylvania, the Penn State World Campus has been offering online classes since 1998. The first students of this endeavor graduated in 2000, but now over 12,000 students are enrolled online. The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools provides regional accreditation to Penn State.
#7. Carnegie Mellon University
Online MBA
Program Details: Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business online MBA degree program is a part-time program that is an exact model of the on-campus MBA program offerings, just provided through the convenience of online flexibility. The Tepper School Online MBA offers the same renowned curriculum taught by the same world-class faculty, with the same start dates and admissions requirements (it is anticipated that the program will be completed in 32 months with a start date in September). There are six opportunities to become engaged in the on-campus Tepper culture and network through “Access Weekends” that set this program apart. The Tepper School reaches out in many ways to present information on the school, culture, and opportunities for prospective students–offering virtual info sessions, meet-ups, webinars and other events. Once a student, Tepper emphasizes a firm foundation in business basics–requiring students to finish coursework in economics, finance, operations, quantitative analysis and organizational behavior before they move on to their electives. Additionally, eleven concentration areas are presented with the Tepper MBA–most students choose three or four for added customization.
Funded by a $1 million donation from Andrew Carnegie in 1900 for the express purpose of starting technical schools in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for both men and women, the Carnegie Technical Schools (the women attended Margaret Morrison Carnegie College) quickly grew into Carnegie Institute of Technology. In 1967 the school became Carnegie Mellon University as it joined with the Mellon Institute, and by 1973 the women’s college closed and the women joined in completely with Carnegie Mellon. Now a private research institution with seven schools and colleges offering over 140 academic degree programs, regional accreditation is provided by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
#8. University of Texas at Dallas
Professional Online MBA
Program Details: The UT Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management’s online Professional MBA (PMBA Online) degree program is offered completely online with no required residencies. A 53-credit hour program with unparalleled opportunities for customization, there are fifteen UT Dallas Online MBA concentrations and thirteen Naveen Jindal School of Management MBA dual degree options. In addition to the core courses made available online, students can choose from a wide selection of business area electives (such as Finance and Managerial Economic coursework and Organizations, Strategy and International Management courses). UT Dallas online MBA information events are offered regularly for prospective students, and once accepted students can start the PMBA Online program in the fall, spring or summer. GMAT/GRE waivers are provided for applicants with previous terminal degrees and other factors, and most students complete the degree in about four years. Student support is readily accessible for Online PMBA students, with such resources and services as the Jindal School of Management Career Management Center (CMC). Services such as the CMC and many others are specifically provided to online UT Dallas students as well to make sure their experience is just as rewarding as if they were on-campus.
In 1961 the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest was the creation of the three founders of Texas Instruments. Established to foster the talented, tech-savvy young Texans and keep them in Texas rather than going out-of-state, the school changed names in 1967 and then again in 1969 when its assets were transferred to the State of Texas and officially became the University of Texas Dallas. A gift of nearly 300 acres from the the Hoblitzelle Foundation and the Texas Research Foundation in 1973 provided a larger campus to the University. Now over 26,000 students study in nearly 140 academic degree programs provided by eight schools. UT Dallas is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
#9. University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium
Online MBA
Program Details: If getting the benefit of four university MBA degrees in one fully online MBA program sounds too good to be true, take a look at the University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium’s 30-credit hour general MBA degree program (the program is up to 47-credit hours if students need to take foundation business courses). A completely online program with no required campus visits, students can begin in the fall, spring or summer (the online, non-credit orientation course is only offered in the fall and spring). Courses are offered in modules and must be completed in sequence, and students usually finish in two and a half to three years but have up to seven as needed. All faculty members are trained specifically to teach online, and class size is kept small to ensure students have access to professors. Additionally, the MBA Consortium Executive Committee oversees the program, assuring that the quality and accessibility of the online MBA remains consistent. Students also have access to MBA Consortium student support services to make sure the online education process is a smooth one, and there are several opportunities to waive the GMAT/GRE requirement due with the application.
The University of Wisconsin (UW) System is a unification in 1971 of two systems of higher education in the State of Wisconsin. Combining the University of Wisconsin (which had its origins in 1849 in the land-grant university at Madison), and the Wisconsin State Universities system (which started as a Normal School in Platteville in 1866), as a single public university system under one board of regents, the UW System encompasses thirteen four-year universities and multiple other two-year colleges and extension programs throughout the state. There are approximately 180,000 students within the statewide System. The collaboration between UW–Eau Claire, UW–La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh and UW–Parkside, with University of Wisconsin Eau Claire serving as the managing partner for the program, is what makes up the MBA Consortium.
#10. Auburn University
Online MBA
Program Details: The Raymond J. Harbert College of Business’ 39-credit hour Auburn Online MBA degree program is made up of thirteen classes and starts with an optional on-campus residency. Students on average finish the nine core business courses and four electives in two and a half years, but students may take up to six years to complete the program if needed. Core classes cover necessary topics such as “Strategic Analysis & the Competitive Environment” and “Information Systems for Competitive Advantage,” and all coursework is taught by the experienced Auburn faculty. Each student benefits from the Auburn MBA Programs leadership team that provides guidance throughout the entire MBA journey, and a final capstone course and project (“Integrated Business Project & Case Analysis“) culminate the program with a three-day on-campus residency right before graduation. Opportunities after graduation are facilitated with help from an advisor in the Office of Professional and Career Development, and there are also available Auburn Online MBA Dual Degree possibilities in Finance, Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Information Systems. Students who already possess a terminal degree are waived from the GMAT requirement.
East Alabama Male College, chartered in 1856 in Auburn, was a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Methodist Church. The school transferred to the State of Alabama in 1872 and took advantage of the Morrill Act of 1862 to become the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama, the first land-grant institution in the South (it also has both space and sea-grant institutional status). In 1892 the first women joined as students and the name was changed to the Alabama Polytechnic Institute seven years after that. In 1960, the school became Auburn University, and today the twelve schools and colleges serve almost 30,000 enrolled students in over 140 academic degree programs. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges provides Auburn with its regional accreditation.
#11. Villanova University
Online MBA
The Villanova School of Business (VSB) now offers the “distinguished” MBA online, providing an identical curriculum taught by the same accomplished faculty. The concepts and skills that are imparted through the online coursework is designed to be implemented immediately at the student’s workplace in tandem with the learning experience, which sets Villanova online MBA students apart. The 48-credit hour program can be completed in just two years, and students participate in several on campus residencies—the Leadership Challenge kicks-off the program, and additional practicum experiences are conducted at the middle and end of the student’s time in the program. Also offered is the VSB MBA program Global Consulting Practicum, an optional week-long international immersion experience available for students who want firsthand exposure to global business practices. The Villanova Online MBA faculty are internationally recognized authorities in the business field, and their expertise helps provide five specializations from which students can choose: Analytics, Finance, International Business, Marketing, and Strategic Management. An array of Villanova webinars and fact sheets are made available to potential students to help them find information on the program.
Started as the Augustinian College of Villanova by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1842, Villanova University is located in Villanova, Pennsylvania. A private research university (the oldest Catholic institution of higher education in the state), Villanova was originally a school just for men (although nuns could take classes beginning in 1918). Fully coeducational since 1968, Villanova is a high research activity institution with nearly 11,000 students enrolled in over 100 academic degree programs in six schools and colleges, and regional accreditation comes from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
#12. North Carolina State University
Professional Online MBA
Program Details: Housed within the Jenkins Graduate School of Management at NC State University‘s Poole College of Management, the Jenkins Professional Online MBA degree program is presented mostly in an asynchronous format, which allows for a lot of flexibility. Professors are available to online students “through a virtual collaborative space” in which students can call, email, or seek answers to questions while chatting online. With a choice between the accelerated (21 months) or flexible (up to six years) programs and starting in either the fall or the spring, the 40-credit hour NC State Jenkins Professional Online MBA program is truly adjustable and accessible. Online students receive the same student support as their on-campus counterparts, such as the Jenkins Career Management Center and tech support through the DELTA Department. Concentrations are not chosen by online students, but they do complete an area of emphasis of six credit hours in a specific area of business which is very similar to the concentrations available to on-campus MBA students. There are two three-day required campus residencies in Raleigh (active duty military may waive this requirement) and an optional week-long international Jenkins MBA immersion residency. GMAT waivers are considered on a student-by-student basis.
The North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts was established as a land-grant institution in Raleigh in 1887. Two years later, 72 students and six faculty members held the first class in a single building. In 1914, the passing of the Smith-Lever Act established a collaboration between land-grant colleges and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This partnership, in which colleges sent educators to rural parts of the state to assist farmers by teaching agricultural techniques, helped North Carolina State College (its new name) thrive. Over the years the college grew into the State’s largest university and was officially renamed North Carolina State University at Raleigh (but is known by most as NC State). Over 34,000 students seek their degree in twelve colleges offering more than 300 academic degree programs, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission grants NC State regional accreditation.
#13. Ball State University
Online MBA
Program Details: An enlivened and exciting 30-33 credit hour program (or up to 51-credit hours for students who do not have an undergraduate business degree and need to take foundational classes), the coursework for the Ball State University fully online MBA degree program is a mixture of both asynchronous and synchronous formats. Five concentration options are available in addition to the general MBA track: students can choose to participate in an Entrepreneurship concentration, Finance concentration, Health Economics, Policy, and Administration concentration, Logistics and Supply Chain Management concentration, or Sales Management concentration. The same Ball State Miller College of Business faculty members who teach the on-campus courses teach the online courses, and moreover Ball State makes a point of providing these professors with specific instruction on creating and implementing online classes. Many of the same services for residential students are available as Ball State Online student support services–career-planning, tech support, The Writing Center, etc.–but in addition online students can receive support from an Online Student Ambassador. Students with previous professional advanced degrees can receive a waiver for the GMAT/GRE requirement.
When a small school to train teachers in Muncie, Indiana closed its doors in the early 20th century, local businessman Frank Ball and his brothers bought the property and buildings and donated them to the State. The Indiana State Normal School Eastern Division became a new teacher’s school in 1918. Four years later the name was changed to Ball Teachers College in honor of the Ball brothers, and then the name changed again in 1929 to Ball State Teachers College. As the school continued to grow and offer more than just teaching degrees, the name was changed a final time to Ball State University in 1965. Now eight colleges serve 22,000 undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in almost 350 academic degree programs. Ball State University receives regional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission.
#14. University of Maryland
Online MBA
Program Details: A 54-credit program that can be completed in as little as twenty-four months, the Robert H. Smith School of Business at University of Maryland, College Park online MBA degree program joins excellence in academics with the ease of flexibility. Two required on-campus residencies (one a three-day experience at the beginning of the coursework and the other a final capstone project) gives Smith online MBA students an opportunity to be in the lead with actual real-world problems to be analyzed and solved through teamwork and innovation. Students can choose a general track or from specializations in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems and Business Analytics, Marketing, or Supply Chain Management. All online coursework is taught by the same “innovators and established thought leaders” who are the Robert H. Smith School of Business faculty, and online students and alumni benefit from the same extensive career services that on-campus students do–services such as peer-to-peer mentoring, career coaching, and interactive interview practice. Students with proven academic excellence and a “successful career trajectory” are encouraged to talk with an enrollment advisor in regards to a GRE/GMAT waiver.
Maryland Agricultural College was chartered in 1856 and 428 acres of farmland was secured to be the site of the institution in 1858. The following year the school opened its doors to 34 students. By 1916 the school became state supported and a public college, with the name changed to Maryland State College of Agriculture. Now the University of Maryland is the flagship in the University System of Maryland and boasts almost 40,000 students enrolled in fourteen schools and colleges. Located in College Park, MD, the University of Maryland is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
#15. Lehigh University
Online MBA
Program Details: The Lehigh University College of Business and Economics’s online MBA degree is available through what they call the “Flex MBA.” The Lehigh Flex MBA is delivered in multiple ways for students to choose the best fit for their needs–on-campus or online, part-time or accelerated, or any combination of those methods. The 36-credit hour program has two required on-campus components regardless of whether a student chooses to complete coursework online or on-campus; a required weekend orientation kicks-off the program, and an on-campus capstone project is the culmination. The core curriculum is comprised of classes such as “Managing Products & Services” and “Introduction to the Organization & Its Environment,” and students have their choice of six Lehigh FLEX MBA program concentrations. For students who need certain prerequisites that weren’t completed in their undergraduate work, Lehigh offers online courses that can be taken at the same time as their MBA coursework. Applicants with academic doctorate, juris doctorate, or medical doctorate degrees are automatically exempt from the GRE/GMAT requirement–others with ten or more years of experience are encouraged to request a waiver.
A donation of around 57 acres and $500,000 from Asa Packer, the President of Lehigh Valley Railroad, was the beginnings of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1865. Packer, an altruistic, enterprising businessman, desired to positively influence the intellect and morality of the men in the Lehigh Valley area, and 39 men were the first students. Now over 2,300 acres provide a campus for the nearly 7,000 coeducational students who are enrolled in this private research university. Lehigh University is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
#16. University of Massachusetts Amherst
Online MBA
Program Details: The UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management online MBA degree program offers an uncompromising education with the benefit of flexibility. The Isenberg Online MBA is the same MBA program as offered on-campus, with the same coursework and distinguished faculty and the same advising and support services available, just with the added benefit of learning at your one’s own convenience. Starting with the admissions process (applicants with a doctoral or master’s degree, and/or ten or more years of professional experience may request a GMAT waiver), there are three application deadlines and four class start dates for added flexibility. The coursework is just as detailed, and there are optional focus areas in Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Healthcare Administration, Marketing, and Sport Management that allow for student customization (the program is 39-credit hours without a focus, and 45-credits with a focus area). For those who are a bit unsure or apprehensive about starting an online MBA, the Isenberg School allows interested parties to Try A Class and take up to two classes before they apply or while their application is being processed, and these class credits can transfer once the student is enrolled.
The University of Massachusetts in Amherst (UMass Amherst), like many other land-grant schools in the mid-1800s, was begun in 1863 as a college of agriculture. Located on 310 acres in the countryside, the first students started classes in 1867. By 1931 the school was renamed Massachusetts State College, but then changed again in 1947 to the University of Massachusetts. This public research flagship of the State’s five-campus university system is now officially known as the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Campus has grown to almost 1,450 acres with nine schools and colleges offering over 230 academic degree programs to more than 30,000 students. UMass Amherst is regionally accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
#17. University of Mississippi
Online MBA
Program Details: The 100% online Ole Miss MBA degree program at the University of Mississippi lives up to the reputation of the prestigious institution. The 36-credit hour MBA program is typically completed in two years (a set sequence of classes is suggested to finish in the two year time frame), but students have as many as six to work on the degree at their own pace. The required Ole Miss online MBA core coursework is taught by the same “world-renowned” Ole Miss School of Business Administration faculty, and classes include relevant topics such as “Managerial Economics,” “Leadership and Ethics,” and “Business Planning and Entrepreneurship.” Resources such as the Current MBA Student Calendar and recorded student testimonials are helpful both for prospective students and current MBA participants. The Ole Miss reputation supplies significant support in the form of the MBA Alumni Board’s Professional Development Days (a series offered several times a year), as well as the Ole Miss Alumni Association (a “hallmark of the University of Mississippi”) to maintain ties and network connections after graduation.
Fondly known as “Ole Miss,” the University of Mississippi was chartered by the Mississippi Legislature in 1844. In 1848, eighty students began classes in what would be the state’s one-and-only public institution for higher education for almost 25 more years. Today Ole Miss remains Mississippi’s flagship and largest university with almost 25,000 students earning their degrees in fifteen schools and colleges and four extension campuses. The University of Mississippi has achieved the distinction of being an R-1: Doctoral Universities – Highest Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification. The main campus is located in both Oxford and University, Mississippi. Ole Miss is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
#18. Pepperdine University
Online MBA
Program Details: The online MBA program from Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management offers a great deal of customization opportunities through five concentration options. Students can opt for a focus in Marketing, Finance, Leadership and Managing Organizational Change, General Management, or Digital Innovation and Information Systems. Generally completed in about two years, the Pepperdine online MBA program requires the same 52-credit hours but allows for a lot more flexibility than the on-campus MBA part-time and full-time programs. Core courses include topics such as “Prices, Profit, and the Market Economy,” “Integration in Business Operations,” and “Political, Regulatory, Ethical, and Legal Issues of Business,” and as one can imagine with a school steeped in its founder’s faith tradition, there is a “values-centered” approach to the coursework, but it is also very experiential. For example, there are two required on-campus, weekend residencies in which students are given a real-world case-study and expected to work alongside currently-working company executives to solve it. Additionally, the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School faculty are “executives, entrepreneurs, consultants, and published authors,” so students are learning from professionals in the field.
George Pepperdine, an entrepreneur who founded the Western Auto Supply Company and a man of deep Christian faith, determined to create a place of higher education where young men and women could seek solid academics and have their faith nurtured by faculty and administration. In the fall of 1937, George Pepperdine College opened with 167 students in Los Angeles, California. Through the years expansions–the biggest a move into Malibu–and a name change took place to reflect the growth of both the student body and the academic programs offered. Today Pepperdine boasts five schools, 73 degree programs, and over 7,500 students. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges provides Pepperdine with regional accreditation.n
#19. University of e–Lincoln
MBA@Nebraska
Program Details: The online MBA degree program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is ideal for those who do not possess an undergraduate degree in business. Offered completely online in the Nebraska College of Business, the 48-credit hour degree program known as MBA@Nebraska can be completed in as little as eighteen months, though most students complete it in three to four years (but students have up to ten years if needed). Thirty core credit hours and eighteen electives are required, and one can start in the fall, spring or summer (many opportunities are present to allow students to request a waiver for the GRE/GMAT requirement for admission). The relevant MBA@Nebraska curriculum offers core classes like “Strategic Management and Business Policy” and “Organizational Behavior,” as well as applicable electives such as “Talent Acquisition,” “Multinational Financial Analysis,” and “Marketing and Globalization.” Five optional specializations are offered in Business Analytics, Finance, International Business, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management, and there is an UNL online exploratory website that gives prospective students a glimpse of the coursework, faculty contact information, and links to student support.
Chartered just two years after Nebraska was granted statehood in the newly designated capital of Lincoln in 1869, four city blocks became the first campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Within forty years student enrollment increased to almost 4,000 students. Now, campus encompasses over 600 acres and over 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled in nine schools and colleges, and there are over 300 academic degree programs offered. UNL is a public university regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
#20. Florida State University
Online MBA
Program Details: With an expected completion of just over two years and three possible start dates a year, the FSU College of Business online MBA degree program offered online through Distance@FSU provides a quick and flexible degree program for working professionals. Requiring 39-credit hours to graduate and offering core classes such as “Marketing Strategy in the Global Environment,” “Business Conditions Analysis,” and “The Legal & Ethical Environment of Business,” the program also promises quality and rigorous academics taught by the same faculty members as the on-campus MBA offerings. And for students who want a specialization focus, there are 100% online FSU MBA focus areas available in Business Analytics, Management Information Systems, Risk Management and Insurance (with an additional choice between track options of Financial Planning or Risk Management), or Real Estate. Some applicants may be eligible to request a GMAT waiver, and once accepted into the MBA program there is an online orientation to guide students through the process of beginning classes, and there are multiple Distance@FSU student support services to help them succeed.
Florida State University had beginnings as both the Tallahassee Female Academy and the all-male West Florida Seminary. The two schools joined in 1858 but maintained the men’s school’s name until 1863 when it was changed to The Florida Military and Collegiate Institute. Going through several more changes, the final name of Florida State University (FSU) was settled in 1947. Encompassing 1,550 acres, including the downtown Tallahassee main campus of over 450 acres, FSU now has sixteen schools and colleges and over 330 academic degree programs for the more than 41,000 students. FSU is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
#21. University of South Florida St. Petersburg
Online MBA
Program Details: A lot of thought goes into the making sure the coursework is stellar for the Online MBA offered through the Kate Tiedemann College of Business at USF St. Petersburg (KTCOB). Many of the MBA faculty members have received certification in their online course development through the KTCOB designation as a participating institution with the Quality Matters program for online teaching excellence. In addition to offering the KTCOB Online MBA Essential Modules that students will need to master in order to graduate (some students will not need the modules if they have a strong background in undergraduate business courses), there are nine focus areas from which to choose in the 36-credit hour program to customize the degree. Students have the option to integrate two tracks to form a more comprehensive concentration from within the dedicated focus areas in Business Analytics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Finance, Forensic Accounting, Healthcare Analytics, Information Systems Management, International Business, Management, and Marketing Strategy. A waiver is possible for the GMAT/GRE requirement–applicants are encouraged to seek information, and KTCOB Online MBA information sessions are readily available for prospective students.
On September 7, 1965, 260 students first attended class at the University of South Florida (USF) in the barracks of closed down United States Maritime Service Training Station in the Bayboro Harbor waterfront area of St. Petersburg. As the school grew, an expanded 63-acre campus was developed in 1978. This large, public research institution officially became its own separately accredited university within the University of South Florida System in 2002. Offering 41 academic degree programs to its almost 5,000 students, USF St. Petersburg is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
#22. Mississippi State University
Online MBA
Program Details: A 30-credit hour program, requiring 27 hours of core classes and three hours of electives, the Mississippi State University (MSU) Distance MBA degree program through the College of Business can be accessed entirely online. Most students finish the program in as little as two years, but the school allows up to eight years to complete the degree as needed. There are electives within the College of Business to satisfy the three hour requirement, but students can gain approval for other classes outside the College of Business if they choose–some courses that are considered MSU Distance MBA potential elective offerings include “Racism and the US Color Line,” “Elements of Persuasion,” and “Remote Sensing Physical Environment.” For students with an interest in engineering, the MSU College of Business offers jointly with the MSU College of Engineering a fully online MBA with a concentration in Project Management (MBA-PM) degree program. The MSU MBA-PM degree program requires 36-credit hours, covering topics such as “Process Improvement Engineering,” “Law, Business, Ethics, and Dispute Resolution,” and “Leadership Skills for Managerial Behavior.”
The Agricultural and Mechanical College of the State of Mississippi, established as a land-grant university in Starkville in 1878, opened in 1880. The name was changed first in 1932 to Mississippi State College and then again in 1958 to Mississippi State University. Main campus in Starkville now encompasses 4,200 acres, with additional research areas on the Plant Science Farm and the Animal Sciences Farm totaling more than 2,000 more acres, and twelve schools and colleges serve over 20,000 students with over 175 academic degree programs. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges grants regional accreditation to MSU.
#23. University of Wisconsin Whitewater
Online MBA
Program Details: With eleven dedicated emphasis areas possible (in addition to the customized MBA track and the limitless creativity of the student), the online MBA degree program at the UW-Whitewater College of Business and Economics (COBE) is truly whatever a student could want it to be. Choosing from Data Analytics, Finance, Environmental Safety and Health, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Supply Chain and Operations Management, IT Management, Management, International Business, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, or whatever customization a student can devise, students can focus on the very specific business area in which they desire to pursue work. All 36 breadth and emphasis credit hours are provided entirely online, and the same experienced, research-focused faculty teach the online courses so the academic quality is identical to on-campus–just delivered in a flexible format. There are three start dates possible throughout the year and applicants are given several different avenues for seeking a GRE/GMAT waiver. For prospective students, there are multiple UW-Whitewater MBA degree program online information sessions to learn more about the program, and current students have access to many UW-Whitewater COBE Graduate Student Support Resources.
Founded in Whitewater, Wisconsin in 1868, the Whitewater Normal School was begun as one of several teacher education schools that came into being during the late 1900s. The school was successful through fires, wars and a great depression. By the mid-twentieth century, the Whitewater Normal School became part of the Wisconsin State College system and went through several name changes before landing on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. With over 12,000 students enrolled in about 70 academic degree programs, UW-Whitewater has regional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission.
#24. Washington State University
Online MBA
Program Details: Offering the same renowned curriculum and expert faculty as the on-campus MBA program, the WSU Carson College of Business online MBA degree program ensures that distance students receive the best education with the added benefit of flexibility–and they have the student testimonials to prove it. Flexibility extends to when students want to begin their coursework as well: the start date options are unparalleled–WSU online MBA students can opt for three different term starts each in the fall, spring or summer. For students who have a bachelor’s degree in business, the program is 36-credit hours for the general online MBA track (sixteen additional credit hours in foundational business coursework are required for others). All coursework is entirely online, and students can complete the program in just 22 to 29 months. In addition to the general online MBA track, which offers core classes such as “Strategy Formulation and Organizational Design” and “Business Analytics: Transforming Data into Decisions,” students can customize their degree by pursuing one of four concentrations: Finance, Hospitality Business Management, International Business, or Marketing. Each concentration is also offered as a WSU Online MBA nine-credit hour certificate.
In 1890 the newly instituted state of Washington’s Legislature determined to establish a state college. After touring multiple cities, the town of Pullman was chosen and in January of 1892, the Washington Agricultural College and School of Science opened its doors. The name officially became Washington State University (WSU) in 1959, and now WSU has eleven colleges and over 200 academic degree programs on-campus, and 22 degree programs online. With four extension campuses and their thriving online degree programs, Washington State has over 30,000 students enrolled. WSU receives regional accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
#25. Arkansas State University
Online MBA
Program Details: A 33-credit hour program located in the Arkansas State University Neil Griffin College of Business and offered by A-State Online (AOS), the Online MBA degree program is made up of 27-credit hours of core classes and six of electives. Core curriculum courses include topics such as “Accounting for Planning and Control,” “Global Strategic Initiatives,” and “Corporate Financial Management,” and electives can be any of the offered classes or (with department approval) a “directed individual study” that has as the student’s goal a research paper or publication. The final outcome must be a presentation that is subject to review by faculty members in the graduate school. Two optional fully-online concentrations are available; students can choose from Supply Chain Management or Finance. Students can be sure they are receiving the best education via their experienced and highly-trained AOS faculty professors, and online students are able to access their additional support through the A-State Online Services for online students.
One of four agricultural high schools founded in Arkansas in 1909 to teach farming and textile manufacturing skills by Act 100 of 1909, the first classes in the Jonesboro, Arkansas “Aggie” school began on donated land in 1910 with 189 students and eight faculty members. On January 17, 1967, the agricultural high school became the public research institution Arkansas State University (A-State) after much advocating by administrators and the Jonesboro community. Now just over 14,000 students are enrolled in the more than 140 academic degree programs within the six colleges of A-State, which is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
#26. University of North Dakota
Online MBA
Program Details: The online University of North Dakota MBA Program in the UND College of Business & Public Administration requires 43-credit hours and can be completed as a part-time program in two or more years. Taught as an interdisciplinary program across the College of Business’ Departments of Accounting, Economics & Finance, Marketing, Management, and Political Science & Public Administration, as well as the School of Entrepreneurship, students are immersed in important and well-rounded coursework. The curriculum features classes such as “The Successful MBA–Executive Skills,” “Accounting Information for Decision and Control,” and “Econometrics,” and students choose from a general MBA concentration track or from the Business Analytics Concentration, Government and Business Concentration, Social Entrepreneurship Concentration, or International Concentration (the International Concentration does require students to study abroad in an exchange with an international university). Student support services come in many forms–career services, online library services, personal counseling, and tech support, just to name a few, and UND online students gain the benefit of “the convenience of online learning with the personal contact and connection” of a caring and supportive faculty and staff.
The University of North Dakota was founded in Grand Forks, ND in 1883 (six years before North Dakota officially became a state). The first graduating class was comprised of eight students, and contained both men and women. On-campus living was very affordable then at only $3.50 a week for room and board, as long as one didn’t mind not having a furnace for heat or windows to open in the summer, and drinking water brought in from town by the barrel. Now the University of North Dakota is a thriving public research institution that enjoys educating almost 15,000 students in over 225 academic degree programs through nine schools and colleges. Regional accreditation is provided by the Higher Learning Commission.
#27. Creighton University
Online MBA
Program Details: The prestigious Heider College of Business at Creighton offers an online MBA degree achieved with only 33 credits taken as eleven classes in eight-week terms. (If students want to finish even more quickly than the prescribed 32 months, they are free to accelerate the program by taking more than one class at a time). The curriculum includes courses such as “Leadership & Organizational Behavior,” “Economic Analysis for Managers,” and “Information Systems Management,” and students can construct a concentration from among electives grouped in the areas of Finance, Leadership, Business Intelligence & Analytics, Accounting, Financial Psychology & Behavioral Finance, or Personal Financial Planning. The online Creighton MBA degree program is open to all undergraduate degree recipients, and students will become engaged in a non-thesis program taught by the “deeply connected” and experienced Heider College of Business faculty members. Most applicants are not required to submit GMAT scores, and the relevant program culminates in a capstone course in strategic management. For students with unrelated bachelor’s degrees and no significant business coursework (specifically in statistics), Creighton offers a noncredit statistics tutorial for a fee.
Creighton University is a coeducational, Jesuit university located in Omaha, Nebraska. Envisioned as a memorial by Mary Lucretia Creighton to her late husband Edward, Creighton College was founded in 1878 with money left in Mary’s will for the purpose of opening a school. Five Jesuit priests, two lay teachers and 120 students first held class that year. Today, over 8,000 students attend and study over 100 academic degrees and majors in nine schools and colleges in the university. A “Catholic and Jesuit comprehensive university,” Creighton is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
#28. George Washington University
Online MBA
Program Details: A three-year program requiring 55.5 credit hours to graduate, the GW Online MBA degree can be started in the fall, spring or summer, and GW Online Global & Experiential Opportunities provided as optional residencies can really serve to enhance a student’s experience. Students with over seven years of professional work experience may be able to waive the GMAT/GRE requirement, but even then competition for admission to the GW Online MBA degree at the George Washington School of Business (GWSB) is fierce due to the strength of the reputation and character of both the school and the MBA program. Offered online through the GWSB Digital Community, digital sessions and once-weekly live classroom sessions assure that the coursework is lively and rigorous. Faculty members are available to interact with students during online office hours, so there is no disadvantage to being a distance learner. There are six optional concentrations: Consulting, Finance, Global Management, Government Contracts, Information Systems and Technology Management, and Project Management, as well as the GW Online Healthcare MBA, and students may choose up to two if they desire a broader range of specializations.
In 1819, a group of Baptist ministers secured funding to purchase land in the capital and put in a petition to Congress to charter the college that they were in the process of organizing. By 1821 President Monroe signed an Act of Congress, and Columbian College was born. After 60 years, another Act of Congress in 1904 changed the name to The George Washington University (GW). Now, this private research university located in the District of Columbia educates more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the University’s ten schools on three campuses, and employs over 2,500 faculty members. George Washington has regional accreditation through the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
#29. University of North Texas
Accelerated Online MBA
Program Details: The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business presents six different accelerated online MBA degree program focus area options. Students can choose from a concentration in Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, Strategic Management, Supply Chain Analytics, or Supply Chain Management. The 36-credit hour program can be started at five different times during the year and completed in as little as fourteen months, and the UNT accelerated online MBA curriculum is comprised of core course, concentration classes, and electives. Students all participate in eighteen hours of core classes such as “Accounting for Management” and “Intro to the Business Decision Process,” and concentration classes cover fifteen credits of the required 36. Students can choose an elective from a large listing of offered courses, with topics such as “Leadership Research and Development,” “Employment Placement & Personnel Planning,” and “Discovery and Learning with Big Data.” With a commitment to “inquiry and shared discovery,” the UNT College of Business faculty are engaged as students’ “partners throughout the online course process,” so prospective students can be assured they are part of a community of learning, even though they are learning from a distance.
From a space rented above a hardware store to educate 70 men and women to one of the largest public universities in the nation, the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton, Texas has grown beyond the humble expectations of its origins as the Texas Normal College and Teacher Training Institute. With twelve colleges and schools and over 220 academic degree programs for the 37,000 students who attend, UNT has gone through seven different names in its 125 year history, the final name of University of North Texas being bestowed in 1988. UNT is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
#30. The University of Tennessee at Martin
Online MBA
Program Details: For graduates with at least two years of professional work experience, the UT Martin Online MBA degree program offers convenience, flexibility, and excellence. The online MBA is a cohort-based, eighteen-month program offered completely online with two start-dates each year, and admissions exam requirements of the GRE or GMAT can be waived with a previous master’s degree or seven or more years of professional work experience. Located in the UT Martin College of Business and Global Affairs, the online MBA provides two tracks: the 30-credit hour General Business track and the 42-credit hour Agricultural track. Core courses such as “Organizational Theory and Design,” “Legal and Ethical Environment of Business,” and “Accounting for Managerial Decisions” are required for both tracks, and Online MBA with the Agricultural track option students choose from electives such as “Commodity Futures and Options Market,” “Advanced Econometric Applications in Agribusiness, and “Applied Management Science in Agricultural Systems” to make up the remaining credits of their program. The top-notch UT Martin faculty provides instruction, and the College of Business and Global Affairs online resources to support students are plentiful.
Now a public university in the western part of Tennessee, the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin) was founded as the Hall-Moody Institute in 1900 by local Baptists and the Beulah Association of Northwest Tennessee. Named after two prominent Baptist ministers, J. N. Hall and J. B. Moody, the institute was originally created to provide religious education. By 1927 the school joined with Union University to become the University of Tennessee Junior College. Under its final name of University of Tennessee Martin, the school currently offers twenty-two degrees and over 100 specializations to its almost 7,000 students. UT Martin is regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
#31. State University of New York at Oswego
Online MBA
Program Details: SUNY Oswego offers a completely-online MBA degree program that is “equally applicable to private, public and governmental sectors of management” and can be completed in just two years. The same award-winning SUNY Oswego School of Business faculty as the on-campus MBA programs provides instruction for the 36-credit hour program (there are 21-credit hours required for students who need business foundational coursework, for a total of 57 credit hours). In addition to potential prerequisite foundational coursework, the core curriculum, and electives, students participate in Advanced Tool Courses such as “Futures and Options Market” and “Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management.” Elective choices are varied, and students have options such as “Sales Leadership and Strategy,” “Cyber Law,” and “Loss Control, Contracting, and Housing.” Classes are accessed via the SUNY Oswego Blackboard Learn online system, and online classes are generally available a week before the semester starts to allow students to become comfortable with the online delivery system. Admission is rolling so students can begin the process of admission at their convenience, and the program has start dates in the fall, spring and summer.
The State University of New York–or SUNY– at Oswego, NY was founded in 1861 as Oswego Primary Teachers’ Training School and moved to its current location in 1913. Going through several changes in the 1940’s, the current arts and sciences institution that it is today within the State University of New York system was established in 1962. Now offering over 110 academic degree programs to 8,000 students, SUNY Oswego is one of thirteen university colleges in the SUNY system (which includes 64 campuses in total). SUNY Oswego is regionally accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Higher Education.
#32. Oklahoma State University
Online MBA
Program Details: Housed in the Spears School of Business’ Watson Graduate School of Management at Oklahoma State University and provided online through the Michael and Anne Greenwood Center for Online Excellence, the OSU Online MBA degree program is 42-credit hours and can be completed on a part-time basis. With “twelve tremendous reasons” that the OSU Online MBA is a benefit for the business professional, students can expect tremendous flexibility, affordable quality, many student support services, and connections within the program and beyond. In addition to the stellar core curriculum classes like “Business Intelligence Tools and Techniques” and “Corporate and Business Strategy,” OSU Online students can choose from nine MBA concentrations that are offered entirely online (Business Sustainability, Data Science, Energy Business, Entrepreneurship, Global Marketing, Human Resource Management, Information Assurance, Marketing Analytics, and Nonprofit Management) and will gain a “higher realm of administrative versatility” through the program. Multiple tutorials are provided that cover many aspects of the online learning platform utilized by OSU Online called Brightspace, so before a student has even been admitted the program makes available services to help them succeed.
Classes first began for Oklahoma State University–originally known as Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College–in 1891 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The University has grown from a small A&M school with a first graduating class of only six male students to a coeducational, public research institution that has become the flagship of a statewide university system with extension offices and campuses throughout the state of Oklahoma. Boasting over 37,000 students across the state and ten schools and colleges, Oklahoma State is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
#33. Syracuse University
Online MBA
Program Details: The online MBA program offered by Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management is called MBA@Syracuse, and it doesn’t differ from the quality of the on-campus program in any way. The same Whitman School faculty teach all of the online MBA classes, and online students will “benefit from the scholarly expertise and practical experience” they bring. Offering rolling admission, a GMAT waiver for applicants with at least five years of work experience, and four different start dates a year, the online MBA@Syracuse is a part-time program that can be completed in as little as two years. Once accepted, each new student receives a welcome phone call from their student support advisor who will talk them through the process, expectations, and answer any questions they may have. Requiring 54-credit hours, MBA@Syracuse online students participate in three on-campus residencies, which provide unparalleled interactions and “allow students to apply their skills and network with classmates and professors.” Six optional specializations are provided as dedicated focus areas in which students can concentrate their studies if they choose: Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Marketing Management, and Entrepreneurship.
The Methodist State Convention, which was held in 1870 in Syracuse, New York, resolved to found a university within the city. By fall of 1871, seven women and thirty-four men became classical studies students in a four-year program or scientific fields studies students in a three-year program at the College of Liberal Arts in a rented building. Today, this private research university has thirteen schools and colleges that offer over 200 academic degree programs to its approximately 20,000 students. The Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools gives Syracuse its regional accreditation.
#34. West Texas A&M University
Online MBA
Program Details: Offering the exact same MBA program in which the on-campus students participate, the online MBA degree mode offered through the Department of Management, Marketing and General Business in West Texas A&M‘s Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business delivers distinction with added accessibility. Designed to be completed in two years, and depending on a student’s background and choice in emphasis area (MBA General Business track, Computer Information Systems, Management, Marketing, or Healthcare Management), the MBA program requires between 31 to 46 credit hours. Up to nine credit hours in foundational coursework may be required for students not coming from a business background, and students have their choice of the credits that make up the core curriculum (with a wide selection of class options such as “Social Network and Media Analysis” and “International Human Resource Management”). For students who are having trouble deciding which online MBA class to take, Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business Graduate Course Introductory Videos are made available. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 may request a GMAT waiver.
The establishment of a State normal school by the Texas Legislature in 1909 prompted lively competition between many cities in west Texas to become home to the proposed institution for educating teachers. The town of Canyon pledged 40 acres and just over $100,000, which helped push Canyon into the lead. A year later, sixteen faculty members and over 150 students began classes at West Texas State Normal College. Now West Texas A&M University’s almost 10,000 students are enrolled in nearly 100 academic degree programs in six schools and colleges. West Texas A&M is provided with regional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
#35. Quinnipiac University
Online MBA
Program Details: The online MBA degree program at Quinnipiac University School of Business marries high quality with a user-friendly program. The MBA program receives the support of the School of Business Dean’s Advisory Council, and additionally students have access to the QU Online technical support team 24/7, financial aid resource counseling, administrative support, academic advising, as well as the dedicated business resources provided by the School of Business. Courses are taught by the same faculty that teach on-campus, and there are three optional professional focus tracks: the Quinnipiac online MBA Finance Track, the Quinnipiac online MBA Healthcare Management Track, and the Quinnipiac online MBA Supply Chain Management Track. Students can also choose their own electives to create a specialized area of focus customized for their specific career goals if desired. Elective choices vary based on the student’s professional focus track (if they have chosen one), and include such topics as “Health Policy and Politics,” “Managing Marketing Channels,” “Corporate Compliance in the Health Care Industry,” and “International Business Negotiation.” Applicants can submit a waiver request for the GRE requirement, and start dates are offered in the fall, spring or summer.
Quinnipiac University (QU) is a private, nonsectarian university with three campuses located in Hamden and New Haven, Connecticut. Originally started as a small college in New Haven in 1929, Quinnipiac has grown to a national institution with over 10,000 graduate and undergraduate students currently enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences or one of eight professional schools. Known for the Quinnipiac University Poll, QU conducts thorough, highly-respected polls on issues of politics and public concern, which are then used by many in the news media to assess and report on public opinion. Quinnipiac University earns regional accreditation by New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
#36. University of Nevada, Reno
Online Executive MBA
Program Details: The University of Nevada, Reno College of Business offers an online Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree rather than the more commonly known MBA. Adding the distinction of “executive” to their MBA degree program means this is a rigorous program ideal for professionals who want to finish their degree quickly while continuing to work full-time. Utilizing the University of Nevada, Reno online EMBA cohort structure in which students begin the program at the same time in the fall and move through the sequenced coursework together, the twelve-course curriculum program is completed in two years. Students can have undergraduate degrees unrelated to business but must have at least five years of professional work experience, and the GRE/GMAT admissions requirement is waived for students who already have a master’s or professional degree, or who are currently licensed as CPAs, CFPs, CMAs or PEs. The 37-credit hours needed to complete the program are offered as 21 credit hour core courses and 15 credit hour breadth courses, and range from core topics such as “Economics of the Firm” to breadth topics such as “Personal Branding.”
Founded in 1874 as the State University of Nevada and awarding its first degrees to three students seventeen years later in 1891, the University of Nevada, Reno now boasts over 18,000 students and almost 1,000 faculty members. The school was started due to the benefits the Morrill Act of 1862 and is the only land-grant university in the state. A public research institution offering over 145 degree programs, University of Nevada, Reno has been regionally accredited by Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities continuously since 1938.
#37. Columbus State University
Online MBA
Program Details: Provided completely online through the Georgia WebMBA® consortium of schools (a coalition of six AACSB-accredited University System of Georgia institutions jointly offering the online MBA), the Columbus State Turner College of Business online MBA requires 30-credit hours. There is an option to start the program either in the fall or the spring–both options begin with a two-day on-campus orientation, and students become engaged with their fellow students and the Turner College of Business faculty and staff right from the start. Students can complete the degree in five semesters but have up to six years if needed. The ten required classes are provided entirely online and include topics such as “Human Behavior in Organizations,” “Strategic Marketing,” and “Global & International Business” in order to fulfill Turner College’s mission of preparing “students to add value to their communities and employers in a globally competitive environment, by providing high quality, relevant business and computer science education.” Students can also participate in the online Georgia WebMBA™ program through George College & State University, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, University of West Georgia, and Valdosta State University.
Established as a junior college in 1958 in Columbus, Georgia with fifteen faculty members and almost 300 students, Columbus State University became a full four year institution in 1965. Now offering more than 90 academic degree programs, the Columbus State has about 8,000 students enrolled currently. Located about 100 miles southwest of Atlanta, Columbus State University has two campuses–main campus and the RiverPark campus–and also offers classes at army base Fort Benning. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges provides the regional accreditation for Columbus State University.
#38. Hofstra University
Online MBA
Program Details: Hofstra University’s Zarb School of Business offers a highly-flexible online MBA degree program. Students can start the 38-45 credit hour program (the credit requirements are determined by the student’s participation in and grade point average of previous undergraduate business classes from an AACSB-accredited institution) as a small, 20-month cohort group in the fall, or they can opt out of the cohort model in order to customize the program to their desired timeline. Two unique concentrations are available in Strategic Business Management and Strategic Healthcare Management, and all coursework is taught by the revered Zarb faculty–an accomplished bunch who have an impressive array of achievements, such as producing “over 350 articles in 190 different scholarly journals” in the span of five years. Online students have full access to Zarb’s Graduate Business Career Services center, and are supported through individualized sessions. In order to address the international needs of business education, an optional Hofstra MBA Global Practicum on Strategy (GPS) in which students travel abroad to get firsthand knowledge on how businesses in other countries are managed (the cost is in addition to the normal tuition).
Located on Long Island in Hempstead, New York and just miles away from New York City, Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational institution that was founded in 1935. The campus boasts a total enrollment of about 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The faculty to student ratio is 14:1, so students have a great deal of support in the almost 300 academic degree programs that Hofstra offers. Regional accreditation is provided by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
#39. Marist College
Online MBA
Program Details: With rolling admission, two term start dates, the possibility to waive the GRE/GMAT requirement, and the option to complete the 36-credit hour program in as little as four semesters or up to seven years, Marist College School of Management‘s online, asynchronous MBA degree program truly allows students to work on their degree in their own time. A mixture of core courses, electives and optional concentrations also gives many opportunities to customize the degree to each student’s specific academic desires and career goals. Students can choose from the Marist Online MBA concentrations in Ethical Leadership, Financial Management, or Health Care Administration. And for potential students who would like to experience Marist prior to making the commitment to attend, there are multiple on-campus Open House events, online graduate information sessions, and there is even an online sample class tutorial available called Touch the Technology. Support and learning for students and grads continue in the form of the “Leadership Development and Experiential Weekends” that are open to current on-campus and online students as well as alumni.
Founded in 1929 as a training school and seminary for future Marist Brothers in the Catholic Church, Marist College is now a private, coeducational institution. Located on roughly 200 acres in Poughkeepsie, NY, there are over 6,500 students enrolled in seven schools and 75 academic degree programs. Encouraging students to see a vision of community around the world and serve globally, Marist offers students the opportunity to study abroad on the branch campus in Florence, Italy. Regional accreditation is provided by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
#40. Southern Illinois University
Online MBA
Program Details: The SIU College of Business presents an online MBA degree that waives the GRE requirement for applicants who have five or more years of work experience. The 42-credit hour online MBA program starts in the summer and is designed to be finished in just 23 months. Students can choose the general track of the online SIU MBA degree or either the online MBA with a concentration in Agribusiness Economics (offered jointly with the College of Agricultural Sciences) or the online MBA with an Analytics for Managers concentration. Delivered in the cohort format, the online MBA students benefit from a built-in peer group with which to develop group-building skills, support, and future business contacts, and in addition to the collaborative nature of the cohort peer group, at least two teaching assistants are assigned to assist both the faculty and the online MBA students as they do their coursework and move through the program. The SIUC College of Business faculty are “known nationally and internationally for their contributions in teaching, research and service,” so students can be sure that they are learning from some of the best.
Founded as the state’s second teachers school in 1869 with an impressive first class of 143 students and twelve academic departments, Southern Illinois University Carbondale now has a total enrollment of over 17,000 students and offers more than 300 academic degree programs in ten schools and colleges. The largest campus of the Southern Illinois University system and the flagship institution, SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and has regional accreditation provided by the Higher Learning Commission.
#41. College of William and Mary
Online MBA
Program Details: The 49-credit hour William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business Online MBA degree program typically takes two years to complete, and provides a customizable, unique Mason Online MBA learning experience. Starting the academic journey with the William & Mary Renaissance Manager course, students come up with their own experiential “wicked problem” that will be central throughout their coursework, and complete the program with the Revolutionary Leader Practicum. There are weekend residency opportunities twice a year in which students can attend workshops and hear speakers, as well as benefit from connecting with Executive Partners, who are retired professionals who serve as mentors to both on-campus and online MBA students. Online students are only required to attend one of these residencies, but are invited to attend as many as they like. The level of support provided to Online MBA degree students at Mason is vast and comprehensive. Students are provided with a Student Success Coordinator before classes begin to offer encouragement in developing an individualized plan of success, and other services such as round-the-clock tech support, academic advising and career services are available. Certain applicants to William & Mary’s Online MBA program may be eligible for a GRE/GMAT waiver.
Older than every other institution of higher education in the U.S. except for Harvard, the College of William & Mary was chartered by England’s King William III and Queen Mary II in 1693 and located in an area in the colony of Virginia that would three years later be named Williamsburg. In 1695 (before the town was named), the Wren Building was under construction, and it is still in use today as the oldest college building still in existence in the United States. By 1906, William and Mary became a public university, and now William and Mary currently has over 8,500 students and offers more than 60 academic degree programs. Regional accreditation comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
#42. Louisiana State University
Online MBA
Program Details: Prospective students of the LSU Ourso College of Business online Flores MBA degree program are provided with support services from the first inquiry all the way through to graduation. The dedicated LSU Online support specialists guide students through questions regarding the application, financial aid, registration, and finding that work/life balance. Applicants with three years of work experience and an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 can request a waiver for the GRE requirement, and in as little as eighteen months, students can find themselves completing the 42-credit hour program. The coursework builds on each student’s proven experience and is divided into 33 hours of core courses and nine hours of electives and includes classes such as “Understanding International Management Challenges,” “Understanding Financial Information,” and “Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence.” The LSU Online MBA faculty are both engaged and experienced, and LSU information sessions are held to provide information for those who are interested in the Flores MBA. For alumni of the program, the MBA Association offers continued support, socialization, and networking opportunities post-graduation.
Begun as a small, all-male military school beginning in the days leading up to the Civil War and continuing through the early 1900s, Louisiana State University is now the flagship for Louisiana’s college and university system. Located in Baton Rouge, LSU is a land, sea, and space-grant university. A public, coeducational institution, Louisiana State University has over 235 academic degree programs– with more than 120 programs for graduate degrees–and prides itself on the approximately 30,000 students currently enrolled. Regional accreditation for LSU is provided by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
#43. Northeastern University
Online MBA
Program Details: The Northeastern University D’Amore-McKim School of Business fully-online, part-time MBA degree program is designed to help students hone in on their areas of interest and expertise. Offering a 50-credit hour curriculum made up of thirteen core course and five electives, Northeastern gives online MBA students a choice between eight different concentrations: Finance, Healthcare Management, High Technology Management, Innovation Entrepreneurship, International Management, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, and Sustainability. The core curriculum includes relevant coursework such as “Managing Ethics in the Workplace and Marketplace” and “Value Creation Through Financial Decision Making,” and is taught by the esteemed D’Amore-McKim faculty, who “collaborate alongside students to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.” There are optional residencies for added experiential learning, offered both domestically and overseas. An online video provides a glimpse into what students can expect as they become immersed in their coursework, and the no-GRE/GMAT admission is rolling–students can choose between nine different start dates for ultimate flexibility. There are many Northeastern University Online Graduate Programs resources to assist online students along their way.
The YMCA of Boston, Massachusetts formed the “Evening Institute for Young Men” in May 1896. By the fall of 1898, the origin of Northeastern University was born out of this institute with its first class of students. Over a century later, over 20,000 students are now enrolled within Northeastern’s nine schools and colleges studying over 300 academic degree programs. There are also four regional Northeastern campuses– a southeast campus in Charlotte, North Carolina, two campuses on the West Coast in Seattle and Silicon Valley, and one in Toronto. Northeastern is regionally accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
#44. University of South Dakota
Online MBA
Program Details: The University of South Dakota Beacom School of Business states as its mission “to extend the possibilities through the University of South Dakota to learners through online, distance and nontraditional education to become more in their professional careers and personal lives,” and the online MBA degree program lives up to that mission by offering USD Online student support services such as a writing center, disability services, and veteran resources to all online MBA students. In addition to the general MBA track, four MBA specializations are provided in Business Analytics, Health Services Administration, Marketing, and Operations and Supply Chain Management. Eighteen credit hours of foundation coursework may be required for students without a strong undergraduate business background, and core coursework for the general track covers topics like “Leadership Development” and “Business and Its Environment.” Applicants may be able to waive the GMAT requirement and are offered three application deadlines and three program start dates once admitted, and the USD Online MBA program can be completed with as few as 33 core credit hours or up to as many as 51 with all foundation courses.
A flagship public institution located on almost 300 acres in Vermillion, South Dakota, the University of South Dakota (USD) is the oldest post-secondary school in the Dakotas. The establishment of the University was authorized in 1862, but because it was not funded classes did not start until 1882. Almost 70 students by the end of 1883 grew to 500 students six years later, and now over 10,000 students are currently enrolled in nine schools and colleges. The University of South Dakota has been regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1913.
#45. Clarkson University
Online MBA
Program Details: Clarkson’s Reh School of Business online MBA degree is designed for working professionals to obtain their 48-credit degree in less than two years by taking classes part-time. Students are not locked into this model however–Clarkson offers a Hybrid MBA in which students can take classes in a variety of ways–on-campus, online, part-time or full-time. This flexibility allows students to finish at an accelerated rate (in 21 months) or up to five years, and students can begin classes at four different times a year, offering even more flexibility. The GRE requirement is waived for students with relevant work experience or a master’s degree in another field, and the respected Clarkson School of Business faculty teach both the on-campus MBA program and all online classes, so the quality of the online MBA program is intact. Clarkson University’s online MBA program is a real boon for both students with a strong background in business and for those who haven’t done a lot of standard business coursework: Clarkson’s Summer Business Concept Program provides foundational business classes free of charge to incoming students, and the culminating final project before graduation is an actual consulting project with a real company.
Clarkson University is a private research university located in Potsdam, New York. Founded in 1896 as a memorial to Thomas Clarkson by his three sisters and a niece after his tragic death, seventeen young men and women became the school’s first class on September 2, 1896. Clarkson University now educates over 4,000 graduate and undergraduate students with over 50 academic degree programs and a student to faculty ratio of 15:1. Clarkson University is regionally accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
#46. University of Michigan-Dearborn
Online MBA
Program Details: The UM-Dearborn College of Business offers the exact same degree program whether online or on-campus–the only difference is that online students receive priority when it comes to registering for online courses. With rolling admission (and the potential to waive the GRE requirement with either three years business experience or a master’s degree in business or engineering) and start dates in September, January and May, this flexible online MBA program can be completed with 36 or up to 48 credits, depending on whether or not students decide to pursue one of the two fully online concentration options in Finance or International business. There are also two fully online, 57-66 credit hour, dual degree options: UM-Dearborn’s MBA/MS in Finance or UM-Dearborn’s MBA/MSE in Industrial and Systems Engineering (offered in conjunction with the College of Engineering and Computer Science). The online MBA degree program is open to students with any undergraduate bachelor’s degree, and the program offers nine core courses in topics such as “Applied Statistical Modeling,” “Operations Management,” and “Corporate Social Responsibility.”
The University of Michigan-Dearborn is a public institution that was founded in 1959 thanks to a gift from the Ford Motor Co. of over six million dollars. Campus is located on 200 plus acres (another gift of the Ford Motor Co.) in Dearborn, Michigan, within the larger metropolitan area of Detroit. With only thirty-four students in the first class and offering only three degree programs (Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Business Administration) in 1959 to over 9,000 students enrolled in 2016 and over 100 degree programs, UM-Dearborn continues to offer small class size and a student-focused approach. UM–Dearborn receives its regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission.
#47. Cleveland State University
Online Accelerated MBA
Program Details: Truly utilizing the online model to its fullest potential, Cleveland State University’s Monte Ahuja College of Business Mobile Accelerated MBA (AMBA) degree program offers multiple apps that allow students to access all coursework, textbook materials, required readings, interactive learning materials and course modules from anywhere they have a web browser. Assignments, tests, and quizzes are also fully online and can be accessed via computer. One of the quickest online degrees available, the AMBA ranges between 32 and 34-credit hours (dependent upon the student’s choice of electives) and is taken in a prescribed sequence over the period of one year. Coursework includes rigorous topics such as “IT for Competitive Advantage,” “Integrative Business Strategy,” and “Management of Innovation & Technology.” Students are required to submit GRE or GMAT scores (unless they have an MD or PhD) and have the option of cohort start dates twice a year, either in the spring or the fall. The CSU Monte Ahuja College of Business online AMBA benefits from the prestigious College of Business and is administered through the CSU College of Graduate Studies.
Located on 85 acres in downtown Cleveland, Ohio and with an extended campus in Westlake, Ohio, Cleveland State University is a public, state-assisted university. Cleveland State started in the late 1800s as free night classes offered by the YMCA in German and French to students who couldn’t afford an education. After reorganization in the early 1900s and again in 1929-1930, Fenn College was established as a private institution. By 1964, Fenn College’s programs, structures and employees were adopted into Cleveland State University. Classes began in fall 1965, and now almost 18,000 students are enrolled in eight colleges. The Higher Learning Commission provides regional accreditation.
#48. Temple University
Online MBA
Program Details: With rolling admission, classes available online at all hours, and the same active-in-the-business-world Fox School of Business faculty members who teach on-campus, the Temple University online MBA degree program checks all the requirements off the list. The 48-credit hour program kicks-off with the seven-day Fox Online MBA residency in Philadelphia, and students become part of an intentionally-fostered online community that continues through to the day they graduate. During a student’s time in the Fox online MBA program, they can be assured that all student services are available to them just as readily as they are to their on-campus peers. Students have twelve online Fox School of Business concentrations from which to choose, and can complete the degree in as little as 20 months or up to six years, and it concludes with a final capstone project called the Enterprise Consulting Practicum–an actual business project in which clients from national or global companies seek assistance with their organization’s needs. Master of Science dual online degrees are also offered with the MBA in Business Analytics, Human Resources Management, Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship, and Marketing.
Started as night-school tutoring in 1884 by altruistic Baptist Minister Russell Conwell, The Temple College was incorporated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1888. . When the school became Temple College and offered admission to both men and women, over 200 applicants sought to be students. In 1892 the first class of eighteen graduated. By 1907 the college became a university, and the following year Pennsylvania recognized Temple as an official institute of higher education. Now Temple has grown to seventeen schools and colleges and educates more than 35,000 students. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education provides regional accreditation to Temple University.
#49. University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Online MBA
Program Details: The University of Colorado Colorado Springs’ College of Business offers an extremely flexible and respected 100% online MBA degree program. The online UCCS MBA program was first introduced in 1996, so it has the benefit of many years of developing and improving upon itself. The program waives the GRE requirement for applicants with a master’s degree or relevant work experience and allows students to start in the spring, summer or fall. Students can finish the 36-credit hour program in an accelerated 18 months or up to five years (students who do not have sufficient undergraduate coursework in business will be required to take nine credits of foundation courses for a total of 45-credit hours). The same faculty and the same program as the on-campus MBA, plus access to career and placement services and the UCCS College of Business Alumni Association, ensure that the student support and the MBA degree online students receive is identical to their on-campus counterparts. Students can customize their degree to fit their career goals by choosing a general MBA track or an online concentration in one of seven areas of emphasis: Finance, Health Care Administration, International Business, Management, Marketing, or Project Management.
Established in 1965 and built on 80 acres acquired for just $1 in 1964, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) has grown to over 500 acres. Originally a satellite of the University of Colorado Boulder campus, UCCS was a modest-sized school for commuters. Now the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is its own institution with over 70 academic degree programs and around 12,000 students– about 5,000 of which take advantage of online learning opportunities in some measure. UCCS is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
#50. Central Michigan University
Online MBA
Program Details: Housed in the Central Michigan University College of Business Administration and provided by CMU Online, the 40-credit hour MBA degree program can be accessed entirely online. Identical to the on-campus MBA program, the core curriculum offers classes such as “Managing Information Systems in a Global Economy,” “Data Analysis for Managers,” and “Marketing-Based Management,” and emphasis area focus concentrations are available in Human Resource Management, Logistics Management, Marketing, ERP Emphasis using SAP Software, and Value-Driven Organization. Although the GMAT is required for admission, there are several ways in which applicants can seek a waiver, and start dates are offered in the fall, spring and summer. The culture of support and cooperation extends from Central Michigan University to its Global Campus. In addition to the CMU Online Learning Resource Center, other support services available to the online student at Central Michigan include a writing center and a math assistance center, plus what the University calls an “online Ally” who is an “experienced, successful online student who provides personal assistance and advice” to new students still learning the ropes.
The Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute was founded in 1892 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan to educate 31 young people (many with no more than a middle school education) in teaching, business and stenography. Central Michigan University has expanded to offer over 200 academic degree programs to almost 27,000 students on the 480 acre main campus in Mount Pleasant and around the world. The Higher Learning Commission provides regional accreditation to Central Michigan.