MBA Degree Programs
(found programs from 207 schools)

Welcome to the most complete directory on the Web of MBA Degree programs. The listings below contain all the nationally accredited online programs, from 207 schools across the country. The search box below accesses our database of campus-based programs, which greatly outnumber the online programs.

Understanding Your Career Options

Are your business skills equally strong across the board? Do you want to be among the most highly paid professionals in business? If so, you might want to consider a career in management.

Stepping Up the Management Ladder

Entry-level management jobs can offer tremendous variety. When you start out, you might manage a store, a product line, or a single link in the supply chain. With training, ambition and hard work, you can reach middle management positions such as the director of a function or the vice president of a department, eventually reaching an upper management position in which you'll have general responsibilities over the business and significant decision-making authority.

Functions of a Manager

Management jobs, even at the lowest levels, involve managing resources and/or personnel. As an entry-level manager, you may start out making the tactical choices and implementing the strategies of your superiors. Eventually, you'll have the knowledge and experience to make your own strategic decisions with broad impact on overall company performance. Tasks include taking stock of resources including raw materials, production inputs, personnel, time, budgets and the like. You'll play a role in setting goals and allocating resources. You will also provide clear direction and effective motivation to the people who work on your team. The best managers are superstars when it comes to managing expectations, meeting deadlines and achieving goals.

A Long-Term Commitment

Rising to the top rungs of the corporate ladder takes education, skill, patience and even some luck. Expect to put in long hours and spend your career learning. An MBA is usually just the price of entry into the career. Although not strictly required for some positions in retail and restaurant management, an MBA will help you win the best jobs and will let you move up in responsibility and pay more quickly.

In addition, many companies are realizing the value of post-graduate certificates. Less expensive and requiring less time commitment, certificate programs help you expand your knowledge and your network, while adding weight to your resume. You'll be able gain deep understanding in select areas such as risk management, project management, innovation management and more. Many companies will pay for your continuing education or offer in-house programs.

People who reach the top levels of a company grab every opportunity for additional training, new experience and continued education presented to them. Beyond formal education, ambitious managers jump at chances to gain experiences in new functional areas and markets. They master every aspect of what makes a business successful. Excelling in one functional area such as marketing, finance, information technology, etc is usually not enough. In addition to shining in all the expected areas of business, managers must be excellent communicators. Managing the politics of your organization is as important as managing a budget and a team.

The Rewards of Success

According to Payscale.com, entry-level management positions start in the $50,000 to $75,000 range, like many entry-level business opportunities. As you climb up the ranks, salaries can increase from $120,000 to over $1 million, depending on the position and size of the company. Hoovers.com routinely reports salaries of $700,000 and up for Fortune 2000 CEOs, and that's excluding benefits and incentives.

Online MBA Programs

Online business degrees originally came into the public eye in 1989 when the University of Phoenix enrolled its first online class of MBA candidates. Since then, online MBAs have followed a steady path of disruptive innovation - making their way from the outer reaches of higher education into the prestigious inner circle of top schools. In the early 2000s, online MBA programs launched at Spain's IE School of Business and Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, both frequently rated in the top 20 business schools. And recently, the University of North Carolina's Kenan-Flagler School, another high-ranking school, made headlines by announcing its own groundbreaking online MBA program to begin this fall.

RECENT TRENDS. Approximately 11,000 students are currently enrolled in AACSB accredited online MBA programs. Besides the aforementioned schools, Duke University, the University of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Florida, and many other big-name US News-ranked schools are offering these programs. In addition, even more students are enrolled in non-AACSB accredited online MBA programs such as those available at the University of Phoenix (more on the distinction below).

Every year the number of online business programs increases, and new schools open frequently. In fact, in 2009 famous former CEO of GE Jack Welch launched his own online MBA program based on the "six sigma" principles he taught to GE executives. According to an article in Business Week, Welch is optimistic about the opportunity to make the MBA more democratic. "We think it will make the MBA more accessible to those who are hungry to play," Welch said. Welch is a perfect example of the thousands who have come around to being excited about online education. "Online education is going nowhere but up. It's for real," he said.

THE DEBATE. Despite the droves of people who have embraced the new education era, support for online business programs is still varied. Harvard Business School, for example, has announced that it has no plans to develop online classrooms. As reported by US News, the school issued a statement saying, "Interaction between participants is a critical element of the learning process, and technology has not yet advanced to a stage where it is possible to replicate that interaction at the scale needed for a robust case discussion." Dave Wilson, CEO of the Council that administers the GMAT exam, quoted in Poets & Quants, said that technology cannot be used for "deeper Socratic inquiries between a professor and the students." According to other critics, a lack of campus interaction contributes to students missing out on casual after-class discussions and the natural networking opportunities that come with a typical b-school experience. No networking could mean no job connections, and likely no internships.

But, proponents of online business programs believe that online classrooms are actually better for active learning, creating familiarity with new technologies, and even fostering relationships between classmates. The University of North Carolina, for example, paired up with 2tor.com to create a student experience that includes live-streaming video sessions as well as archived lectures, simulated interactions, and discussions accessible 24/7 via live chat and forum boards. In a test case, a 2tor executive and a UNC professor asked students to arrive prepared to discuss a given topic. In a traditional, brick-and-mortar classroom, only a few students would get a chance to share their views, and many might not bother to prepare. The new technology allowed students to partner up via web chat, post their discussions to a forum, and receive credit for commenting on each other's posts. "The depth and quality of the posts is surprisingly good, better than in regular classes, because students have more time to think about what they want to say," said Terrill Cosgray in an interview with Poets & Quants.

Proponents also say that intimacy between classmates may be greater online than in the classroom because of the small class sizes and the impossibility of hiding on a computer screen. Even University of Phoenix keeps its online class sizes between 14 and 20 students. Building even more intimacy between classmates are online programs that include short campus visits. Many "online" MBA programs are not conducted exclusively online. For example, IE Business School and Indiana University require two week-long campus visits. Arrangements like these are typical, and they allow students to put faces to the classmates they have already met online, firming up these connections.

Some believe that in today's world, this mostly online networking is common, regardless of earning a degree online. Sites like LinkedIn create student-alumni connections via the internet. Networking does not necessarily happen on campus. The internet provides infinite possibilities for networking - and online students may even have an advantage here, because their classmates are more likely to come from all over the world and have their own connections through their current careers. Indiana University's online MBA students come from almost every state in the US, as well as 20 countries. And, they have experience in banking, marketing, finance, and technology. If you look at it one way, online classrooms are a networking paradise.

Supporters also say that in a modern business economy, this global and technology-reliant approach is actually the most appropriate preparation for the career you hope to have. Online MBA candidates may be more comfortable with a global mindset as well as cutting edge technology products, because they have used them daily in their "classrooms." Duke University has taken this modern, global businessperson idea the furthest by offering a distance learning program with six residential sessions in North Carolina, Europe, and Asia. Students become tech-savvy jet-setters before they even graduate.

COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS. Another benefit of online MBA programs is their price tag. Excluding some extravagant programs such as Duke's, online MBAs generally cut costs in two ways. The first is straightforward numbers: brick-and-mortar MBA programs cost about $100,000, while online MBA programs average $20,000 to $30,000. The second way is that online MBA programs allow working adults to keep their jobs while pursuing higher education. Online programs open the door for adults to improve their careers while maintaining other responsibilities. A Penn State survey of their online business school showed that most students receive promotions upon graduating. In other words, they are not career changers, entering the business world for the first time, but people looking to get that last leg-up in their existing career. Especially in this economy, the flexibility keep your job is very appealing.

ACCREDITATION. The non-governmental AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) is an accrediting body that represents the gold standard of business school quality. All major brick-and-mortar b-schools are accredited by this organization, and some companies do not offer tuition reimbursement for employees attending non-AACSB accredited schools. However, only 30 percent of US b-schools are AACSB accredited, and the AACSB does not consider accrediting for-profit institutions such as the University of Phoenix. Many people cannot afford to consider the AACSB-accredited programs (on average, they cost $10,000 more than the non-AACSB accredited ones). Find the complete list of AACSB accredited online MBA programs here: http://www.bestbizschools.com/masters/.

PERCEPTION. Though Jack Welch and many others think that online education is "for real," there is still an undercurrent of suspicion about online MBAs. While new businesspeople should be wary of passing up important opportunities for internships and networking if they enroll in an online program, those looking for a leg up in their already semi-established careers might want to consider an online option. The perception of online degrees varies depending on employer, school and even industry, so make sure you ask plenty of questions about any program you are thinking of enrolling in. The most important questions? How many alumni are employed, in which jobs and companies, and how long did it take them after graduation to find a job?

Featured Online MBA Degree Programs:

Ashford University Programs Offered: M.B.A. - Business Economics M.B.A. - Entrepreneurship M.B.A. - Environmental Mgmt M.B.A. - Finance M.B.A. - Global Management M.B.A. - Health Care Administration M.B.A. - Human Resources Management M.B.A. - Marketing M.B.A. - Organizational Leadership M.B.A. - Project Management M.B.A. - Supply Chain Management MBA - Master of Business Administration

Clarkson University Programs Offered: Master of Business Administration

Colorado Technical University Programs Offered: MBA - Accounting MBA - Environmental & Social Sustainability MBA - Executive MBA MBA - Finance MBA - Health Care Management MBA - Human Resource Management MBA - Logistics & Supply Chain Management MBA - Marketing MBA - Master of Business Administration MBA - Operations Management

Florida International University Programs Offered: Corporate MBA

Mid-America Christian University Programs Offered: MBA - Business Administration

Post University Programs Offered: MBA - Corporate Innovation Track

Texas A&M University Commerce Programs Offered: Executive MBA

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Programs Offered: MBA@UNC, MBA delivered online

University of the Cumberlands Programs Offered: Master of Business Administration

Schools Offering Online MBA Degree Programs: