Our 2022 list of the Top 10 Online MBA Programs on the West Coast. For an explanation of our ranking criteria, click here.
| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California | California |
| 2 | University of Washington | Washington |
| 3 | Pepperdine University | California |
| 4 | Washington State University | Washington |
| 5 | Santa Clara University | California |
| 6 | University of California, Davis | California |
| 7 | Oregon State University | Oregon |
| 8 | Portland State University | Oregon |
| 9 | University of Alaska, Fairbanks | Alaska |
| 10 | Hawaii Pacific University | Hawaii |
University of Southern California (USC) houses Marshall School of Business (USC Marshall or Marshall). Established in 1920 as USC College of Commerce and Business Administration, Marshall is Southern California’s oldest AACSB-accredited business school.
USC Marshall has a No GMAT Required Online MBA Program that can be completed in an accelerated format in just 21 months. Serving more than 300 students with an average of 10 years of work experience, the USC Online MBA (USC OMBA) program features two live class sessions per week, cross-disciplinary coursework, virtual learning exercises such as interactive games and self-assessment exercises, case studies and simulations of real-world business scenarios, collaborative virtual activities and assessments such as facilitated team meetings, moderated discussion boards, and one-on-one faculty sessions via webcam.
The USC OMBA requires a one-week, on-campus residency. Otherwise, all cursework and activities take place online. Courses for the program include Role of the Manager (three units), Fundamentals of Business (10 units), Opportunity Recognition and Implementation (9.5 units), Managing Inside the Firm (9.5 units), Managing Outside the Firm (9.5 units), and Business Environment & Leadership (9.5 units).
To enhance the degree, students may enroll in any number of electives, a certificate program, or a dual degree program. Electives cover subject areas such as entrepreneurship, project management, and Lean Six Sigma. Certificate programs are 11 credit hours and include options such as Optimization and Supply Chain Management, Financial Analysis and Valuation, Technology Commercialization, Business Analytics, and Library and Information Management. Recommended dual degree programs include the MBA/MS in Industrial and Systems Engineering, MBA/MS in Gerontology, MBA/MS in Systems Architecting and Engineering, or MBA/Master of Social Work.
Upon completion of the Online MBA Program at University of Southern California students will have an extensive portfolio to attract employers in their chosen field. USC Marshall graduates are often recruited by companies such as Apple, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, HSBC, Google, Accenture, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, NASDAQ, Goldman Sachs, and PwC.
University of Southern California is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Established in 1880 and employing more than 28,000 people, USC is the largest private sector employer in the City of Los Angeles and one of the world’s largest private research universities. Serving 49,500 students, University of Southern California is the largest university in California and among the top 20 largest universities in the U.S. More than 600 graduate and professional programs are offered at USC across 23 schools and divisions.
The Michael G. Foster School of Business at University of Washington (UW Foster) has a Hybrid MBA Program that allows students to complete 95% of the program online and 5% on campus. The Hybrid MBA is the first program of its kind at Foster.
The online component for the program consists of a combination of guided independent work supplemented with virtual teamwork, Foster Live sessions (60-90 minute interactive sessions with Foster faculty and Hybrid classmates for weekly class), and optional Thursday evening online review sessions. The in-person component consists of a mandatory three- to five-day intensive, on-campus immersion at the beginning of each quarter.
The curriculum for this AACSB-accredited program consists of 50 credits of core courses and 12 credits of electives that are exclusive to the Foster Hybrid MBA program. Elective examples include International Study Tour, Successful Negotiations, Digital Strategies & Systems, Product Management, Leading Organizational Change, Sustainable Design of Global Supply Chains, Marketing Analytics, Foundations of Entrepreneurship, and Behavioral Finance.
Other Foster Hybrid MBA features include hands-on case analysis, support through workshops, training, and coaching sessions, and the opportunity to attend networking events with employers on the UW campus.
Graduates of the Foster MBA Programs at University of Washington work in areas such as marketing and sales, consulting, finance and accounting, operations and logistics, and general management. Recent hiring companies for Foster MBA graduates include Deloitte, Amazon, Nike, PwC, Starbucks, Accenture, Walmart, Cisco, Goldman Sachs, Zillow, BMO, Apple, Ecolab, Liberty Mutual, Abbott Laboratories, Dell, eBay, and Verizon.
University of Washington (UW) is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). Founded in 1861 as the Territorial University of Washington, UW is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast. The school serves nearly 55,000 students across three campuses—UW Seattle, UW Bothell, and UW Tacoma. More than 550 programs are available across all UW campuses and online. Programs are housed in 15 academic colleges and schools.
Founded in 1969, the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University serves more than 2,000 students from the U.S. and around the world. With 47 partner universities in 25 countries, students in all programs at Graziadio have the opportunity to participate in one-week, multi-week, and trimester study abroad experiences in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, or South America. Other Graziadio School features include small class sizes, a variety of experiential learning opportunities, executive-style classroom, technology support, and reference facilities.
The Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine consists of 18 institutes and centers, five MBA programs, nine certificate programs, six master’s programs, one doctorate program, and one degree completion program. Among the School’s five AACSB-accredited MBA programs is an online option that can be completed in as few as 24 months or up to 48 months part-time. THE GMAT is not required and students will attend just one weekend immersion in Los Angeles.
Seven concentrations are available and include Digital Innovation and Information Systems, Global Business, Marketing, Leadership and Managing Organizational Change, Finance, Business Analytics, and Entrepreneurship. A General Track is also available as well as the opportunity to participate in the Education to Business Program, which provides the opportunity to work with brands such as Adobe and Coca-Cola. Other program features include access to one-on-one coaching, additional career resources, and faculty mentors.
The Online MBA Program at Pepperdine University can be completed in as few and 24 months and the GMAT is not required for admission. Around 50% of Pepperdine Online MBA graduates have accepted a job before graduating. Roughly 68% accept job offers three months after graduation. Top hiring companies include IBM, Boeing, Ernst & Young, Northrop Grumman, AT&T, Kimberly-Clarke, Amgen, and Bank of America.
Pepperdine University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges—Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Established in 1937 by entrepreneur George Pepperdine the school, enrolls close to 10,500 students served by more than 700 faculty members across the Malibu, West LA, Calabasas, Irvine, and Online campuses. Pepperdine University offers more than 100 majors, minors, and graduate programs organized across one college and four schools including Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, Caruso School of Law, Graziadio Business School, the School of Public Policy, and the Graduate School of Education and Psychology.
Carson College of Business at Washington State University (WSU) has an AACSB-accredited Online MBA Program with four concentration options and a General Track. Students will receive a Graduate Certificate upon completion of any concentration. Options include International Business, Finance, Hospitality Business Management, and Marketing.
Consisting of 36 credit hours for students with a bachelor’s degree, the Carson Online MBA includes an international field study option. Students recently traveled to Prague where they learned from local professors and experts, met classmates in person, and networked with business professionals. The experience covered a wide range of topics specific to Prague along with tours of cultural landmarks.
The Carson Online MBA Program may be completed in as few as 22-29 months and the GMAT is not required for qualified applicants. Some of the top hiring companies for WSU Carson MBA graduates include Apple, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, and Google. Other companies that have hired WSU Carson graduates include Intel, Boeing, Marriott, The Vanguard Group, The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, Hitachi Data Systems, MGM Resorts International- Bellagio Resort Las Vegas, Silver Creek Capital Management, Bank of America, Hyatt, Nordstrom, and Marriott International, Inc.
Washington State University WSU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Established in 1890, WSU began as Washington State Agricultural College and School of Sciences. In 1905, the name changed to State College of Washington, and finally to Washington State University in 1959. The school, which serves 19,900 students from 50 states and 98 countries, offers nearly 430 majors, minors, specializations, professional programs, and graduate degrees across 11 colleges.
The Leavey School of Business (LSB) at Santa Clara University (SCU) has been educating business students since 1923. The School achieved AACSB accreditation in 1953, becoming one of the first professional schools of business to be awarded this recognition. The LSB MBA program was recognized with accreditation in 1959, the Executive MBA was accredited in 1999, and the Accelerated MBA received recognition in 2007—the same year that the program launched.
Among LSB’s accredited MBA Programs is the Leavey Online MBA with a mobile app for on-the-go access from anywhere in the world. With the exception of two on-campus intensives, the program can be completed entirely online. Students have access to four concentrations including Finance, Leading Innovative Organizations, Marketing, and Data Science and Business Analytics.
The curriculum for the Leavey Online MBA Program is designed to help students become a Silicon Valley Professional (SVP). Course examples include Doing Business in Silicon Valley, Marketing is Everything, Leading People and Organizations, Analytical Decision Making, Ethics for Managers, Analysis, Design, and Management of Enterprise Platforms, Business Analytics, and Challenges in Leading and Managing Strategic Change. Just a few online elective options include Global Business Perspective, Strategic Talent Management, and Alternative Investments: Partnerships and Venture Capital.
The Leavey Online MBA at Santa Clara University has four quarterly start dates (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer), and the program may be completed in as few as two years.
Leavey Online MBA alumni hold or have held positions at Adobe, Tesla, eBay Amazon, Google, Apple, Cisco, GoPro, Mozilla, Comerica Bank, LinkedIn, Dolby, IBM, and KQED Broadcasting, among others.
Santa Clara University is accredited by The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Established in 1851, SCU is a Jesuit university situated in the heart of Silicon Valley. The school serves around 8,550 students enrolled in more than 50 majors, minors, and programs across six schools and colleges.
The Online MBA Program at University of California Davis (UC Davis) is the UC System’s first and only Online MBA. Known as the MBA@UCDavis, this AACSB-accredited, STEM-designated program features live online classes, collaborative assignments and projects, and connections to corporate partners across Northern California and UC’s global alumni network.
Housed in the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, the MBA@UCDavis requires 72 units with core courses that provide a foundation in the functional areas of business such as Strategy, Marketing, Finance, Economics, and Accounting. Electives such as Technology Management, Entrepreneurship, and Organizational Behavior allow students to cover broad areas interests or focus in a particular area. Course examples for the program include New and Small Business Ventures, Digital Marketing, Management of Innovation, Markets and the Firm, Data Analysis for Managers, The Individual and Group Dynamics, and Management Information Systems.
MBA@UCDavis students may participate in a series of In-Person Residentials, where they will interact with peers, professors, and business leaders for multiday, in-person experiences in Silicon Valley, Napa Valley, and Davis. Start dates for the Online MBA Program at University of California Davis include January, April, June, and September. The program may be completed in 24-36 months.
Graduates of the MBA@UCDavis Program enjoy an 84% job placement rate within six months after graduation. Graduate School of Management alumni have been hired at Amazon, Tesla, PayPal, Google, LinkedIn, Expedia Group, Zendesk, Meta (formerly Facebook), Uber, BlackRock, Williams Sonoma, AppFolio, Nordstrom, Hubspot, Sumo Logic, Reef technology, Instacart, Sephora, American Eagle Outfitters, Uplift, Lending Club, and Slalom Consulting, among others.
University of California Davis is accredited by The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The school opened in 1908 as the University Farm—the research and science-based instruction extension of UC Berkeley. Today, UC Davis is one of the nation’s top 10 public universities, the largest in area of the 10 campuses in the UC system, and the third largest in student population. Approximately 41,200 UC Davis students pursue more than 200 undergraduate majors, graduate programs, and professional programs in law, business management, medicine, and engineering. Programs at University of California Davis are housed across eleven colleges and schools.
The College of Business at Oregon State University (OSU) has an Online MBA Program with Supply Chain and Logistics Management, Business Analytics, Organizational Leadership, and Marketing options. The program is AACSB accredited and students can complete the accelerated format in 21 months or the traditional format in 30 months. For students seeking a blend of online and on-campus courses, the OSU College of Business has a Hybrid MBA with classes that meet on weekdays from 6-9 p.m.
The online components for both programs are delivered via the OSU Ecampus, and include watching recorded lectures, reading case studies and other materials, and working on group projects. Course examples for the program include Supply Chain and Logistics Management, Corporate Finance, Business Analysis, Leadership and Teams in Organizations, Supply and Sourcing Management, Financial Markets and Institutions, and Service Operations Management.
Graduates of the Oregon State University Online MBA Program are hired at or promoted within companies across the country. Examples include Intel, Columbia, Nike, Target, Boeing, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Deloitte, Adidas, Oracle, KPMG, PwC, and Enterprise.
Oregon State University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Founded in 1856 as Corvallis Academy, Oregon State University is one of just three land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the U.S. Serving around 34,100 students, OSU 12 experiment stations and campuses in Corvallis, Bend, Portland, Newport, and LaGrande. Students at Oregon State can also earn a degree online through the Ecampus Program. OSU offers more than 200 academic programs in 11 colleges, and over 36 Extension Programs across all 36 Oregon counties.
The School of Business at Portland State University (PSU) and the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) - Division of Management have teamed up to provide an MBA Program that can be completed in a hybrid course format: 80% online, 20% in person. The program is AACSB accredited and focuses on Healthcare. Other areas for the program include Leadership and Management, Finance, Marketing, and Strategy, Operations and Quality Management, Understanding the Industry, and Capstone and Application Projects.
The PSU Healthcare MBA follows a cohort structure and includes courses such as Pioneering Innovation in Healthcare, Ethics in Healthcare Organizations, Managerial Decision Making, Healthcare Economics, Organization, Financing, and History of Healthcare Delivery in the US, Legislation and Regulation of Healthcare, Healthcare Program Management, Marketing, Research, and Strategy in Healthcare. Students can expect to complete the 63 credit hour PSU Healthcare MBA 21 months.
Graduates of the MBA Programs at Portland State University are often hired for positions in all industries within three months of graduation. Many are promoted and/or receive salary increases within four months of graduation. PSU MBA graduates have been recruited by companies, organizations, and agencies such as Adidas, Amazon, Cisco, Google, Intel, Kaiser Permanente, Lockheed Martin, Nike, Opendoor, Opus Creative, SeQuential, SurveyMonkey, Technology Association of Oregon, Thai Government IRS, United Nations, Universal Beijing Resort, and Vacasa.
Portland State University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The school opened in the summer of 1946 with 220 students. Today, PSU serves nearly 24,000 students, with more than 2,700 students in the College of Arts, making it the largest art school in the Pacific Northwest. The College of Arts houses the Schools of Art + Design, Architecture, Film, and Music & Theater. Portland State University offers more than 200 degree programs in nine colleges and schools.
University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) houses the College of Business and Security Management (CBSM) has ben accredited by the AACSB since 1988. The College has programs ranging from Applied Management to Homeland Security & Emergency Management. Many UAF CBSM programs can be completed online—including the MBA.
The CBSM Online MBA is a 30 credit hour program that has around 100 students any time. A business background or GRE/GMAT scores are not required for admission and students can complete the program in as few as 12 months. The program provides six nine-credit concentrations including BLUE (marine science), Business Analytics, Business Continuity, Cybersecurity, General Management, and STEM. Concentrations consist of nine credits and students may also tailor their degree through electives.
Course examples for the MBA Core and across concentrations include Financial Markets and Strategy, Project Management, Organizational Theory for Managers, Information Assurance and Risk Assessment, Crisis Management, Marketing Management, Storytelling with Data, Human Dimensions of Environmental Systems, and Quantitative Methods of Managers.
The UAF CBSM Online MBA Program culminates with the three-credit hour Capstone—Corporate Strategy. Graduates of the program are prepared for careers such as Management Consultant, Business Analyst, Public Relations Manager, Marketing Consultant, CPA, Portfolio Manager, Financial Analyst, Project Manager, Director, Bank Advisor, Operations Analyst, or Entrepreneur.
University of Alaska Fairbanks is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Founded in 1917, UAF is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska System. The school opened in 1922 with a faculty of seven, 16 classes, and six students. The first graduating class of 1923 consisted of a single graduate. Today, UAF employs 252 faculty members and 2,412 employees that serve close to 7,500 students. The school offers more than 100 programs and it has 35,000 alumni.
The College of Business at Hawai'i Pacific University (HPU COB) houses an AACSB-accredited MBA Program that can be completed entirely online. A hybrid delivery model is available for active military and veterans on a military base near Honolulu. Both programs consists of eight four-credit courses. Students take one course per 8-week term, allowing them to have full-time classification.
Courses for the program include Strategic Management in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Managing Across Borders in the 21st Century, Complex Financial Decision Making in the New Age of Technology, Leadership of Self and Others, Strategic Marketing in the Digital Age, Business Analytics for the Big Data Revolution, Financial Information for Managers in the 4th Industrial Revolution, and Economics of Global Competitiveness and Strategy.
The Online MBA Program at Hawai'i Pacific University can be completed in 16 months. Graduates of the program are prepared for leadership positions in all industries.
Hawai'i Pacific University has been accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) since 1973. This private college located in Downtown Honolulu was established in 1965 as the Christian College of the Pacific. The school serves more than 4,000 students enrolled in over 100 programs housed in the School of Nursing and the Colleges of Liberal Arts; Health and Society; Business; Natural and Computational Sciences; and Professional Studies.
