2020

Our 2020 list of the Top 25 Public Online MBA Programs in the US. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.

Top 25 Public Online MBA Programs in the US – 2020 Rankings
RankingSchoolState
1University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
2Indiana UniversityIndiana
3University of FloridaFlorida
4Arizona State UniversityArizona
5University of MarylandMaryland
6Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania
7University of Texas at DallasTexas
8University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignIllinois
9University of ArizonaArizona
10Auburn UniversityAlabama
11North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina
12University of Massachusetts-AmherstMassachusetts
13Washington State UniversityWashington
14Florida State UniversityFlorida
15University of Nebraska-LincolnNebraska
16The Georgia WebMBAGeorgia
17Rutgers UniversityNew Jersey
18University of South FloridaFlorida
19University of Wisconsin MBA ConsortiumWisconsin
20Oklahoma State UniversityOklahoma
21University of MississippiMississippi
22University of WashingtonWashington
23Ball State UniversityIndiana
24University of KansasKansas
25Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

In 1795, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill) became the only public university to award degrees in the 18th century. The School of Commerce was established in 1919 and is known today as Kenan-Flagler Business School. With more than 37,000 graduates working in all states and 80 countries, UNC Kenan-Flagler is considered one of the nation’s top business schools.

The online MBA program at UNC (MBA@UNC) is one of the most recognized and established in the country. The 66 credit hour program allows students to interact with faculty weekly using a face-to-face online platform. Two important components of the program are the MBA@UNC Global Immersions and quarterly three-day immersions. Students are required to attend at least two Global Immersions, which may take them to major business centers around the world such as London, Johannesburg, Singapore, Istanbul, and others. 

MBA@UNC students may select from eight concentrations including Corporate Finance, Entrepreneurship, Global Supply Chain Management, Investment Management, Marketing, Sustainable Enterprise, Management Consulting, and Data Analytics and Decision Making. In addition, students may participate in several other programs to gain additional hands-on business and international experience. Optional programs include Student Teams Achieving Results (STAR), the Exchange Program, and Doing Business In (DBI).

STAR students "students learn by doing as they take on the role of consultants to real companies,” says the school, while the Exchange Program “allows MBA@UNC students to study at another top-ranked business school in countries across the globe." Doing Business In (DBI) "gives students an opportunity to study abroad at an MBA exchange partner school."

With four annual start dates, the MBA@UNC can completed in as few as 18 months or as many as 36, depending on the students schedule and other commitments. The program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

2. Indiana University, Bloomington, Indianapolis, Indiana
Indiana University

Elinor Ostrom, the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences, taught at Indiana University (IU) four decades. The school also houses the School of Informatics and Computing—the first technology program in the country to offer a PhD in Informatics—and the world-famous Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, originally known as the source of the "Kinsey Reports" in the 1950s.

The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University has been around for more than 100 years. The school has grown from 70 students in 1920 to more than 12,000 students today across 30 programs in Bloomington, Indianapolis, and online worldwide. The school offers a flexible online MBA program that allows students to customize their experience by selecting 12 credit hours of electives to create a specialized area.

Also known as “Kelley Direct Online,” the program offers the opportunity to complete a dual MBA/MS degree with an online MS in Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Finance, Global Supply Chain Management, IT Management, Marketing or Strategic Management. This may be accomplished with only 12 additional credit hours.

Other unique opportunities for students include AGILE—Accelerating Global Immersion Leadership Education, which allows students to gain international business experience while pursuing their online degree. Offered each quarter, the AGILE curriculum features travel to places such as Gaborone, Botswana; Sao Paolo, Brazil; Beijing, China; New Delhi, India; Yangon, Myanmar, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Havana/Vinales, Cuba.

The AACSB-accredited Kelley Direct Online MBA takes just two years to complete.

3. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
University of Florida

University of Florida (UF) was founded more than 160 years ago. With 56,565 students (fall 2019), UF is the third largest school in Florida and the eighth largest in the U.S. Students at the school utilize more than 200 research, service and education centers, bureaus and institutes, along with more than a dozen colleges and schools.

In 1999, the Warrington College of Business at University of Florida became one of the first schools to offer a fully accredited, 100% online MBA program. The school says the “innovative 24-month option does not require a single campus visit.” The school has two additional options including an Accelerated Online MBA, that allows students to complete the program in just 16 months, and a “two-year option,” which takes 27 months to complete.

Unlike the 24-month program, the accelerated and “two-year” options are offered in hybrid format. This means students will have to attend an on-campus orientation and visit the campus one weekend every four months (Saturday & Sunday). During these visits, students will take final exams and deliver final presentations.

A concurrent Outreach Engineering Management (OEM) Master’s (OEM/MBA) is also available. This degree option “reduces the amount of time and coursework required for students to obtain both the MBA and the OEM degree from UF."

All online MBA students are encouraged to enroll in UF's MBA Global Immersion Experiences (GIE). Students register for the two-credit course that meets in person and online over the course of the semester and includes a seven to 10-day experience abroad in China, Chile, Dubai and others. The Online MBA programs at UF’s Warrington College of Business are AACSB-accredited.

4. Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
Arizona State University

Serving nearly 90,000 students, Arizona State University (ASU) is one of the nation’s largest public universities by enrollment. The school’s nationally ranked programs have positioned the university as a “top-tier” recruiting and hiring institution by more than 50 of the country’s top corporations, according to professional recruiters and rankings services around the world. Among the school’s nationally ranked programs is the MBA, which has an 87.25% employment rate, with a mean salary of $100,303.

Offered through W.P. Carey School of Business, the ASU MBA program has a flexible online option that includes just one meeting at the beginning of the program. This mandatory orientation session allows students to meet W.P. Carey faculty, staff, students, and teammates. After orientation, coursework for the 36 credit hour program may be completed entirely online.

This competitive AACSB-accredited program consists of 49 total credit hours (17 classes) and students are allowed to take just one course at a time (five weeks per course). Students also have the opportunity to customize their MBA by declaring an area of emphasis in Finance, International Business, Marketing, or Supply Chain Management.

Other program highlights include the opportunity to interact with teammates in case-based projects, an inclusive online environment, and the option to earn two degrees in less time and at a lower cost. Concurrent online degree options include the MBA/MSE in Electrical Engineering, the MBA/Master of Legal Studies, and the MBA/MS in Industrial Engineering.

Students in both the single and dual online MBA programs have the option to start in January or August.

5. University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
University of Maryland

Founded in 1856, University of Maryland (UMD) is the flagship campus of the University System of Maryland. UMD is the original land-grant institution in the state and it is one of only 62 members of the Association of American Universities, an organization composed of the leading research universities in the United States and Canada.

Serving 41,000 students and employing 14,000 faculty and staff members, University of Maryland has 350,000 alumni including famous graduates such as Co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin, Jim Henson, founder of The Muppets, and Seinfeld co-writer, Larry David.

The school also houses Robert H. Smith School of Business (est. 1920), which offers an AACSB-accredited online MBA program with six career-focused specializations. Options include Accounting, General Track, Finance, Information Systems and Business Analytics, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management. The program is largely asynchronous, which allows students to continue to meet personal and professional obligations during their course of study.

The school says “a small number of live online classes presented via the state-of-the-art video conferencing tool, Adobe Connect, provide the benefit of “attending” class and interacting with professors and peers in real time.” Students will also benefit from audio and video messaging, integrated multimedia, collaborative online workspaces, and career coaching. Smith’s Office of Career Services (OCS) takes students through “a phased approach” to creating their “core career portfolio, complemented with next-level learning and capstone experiences.” This entire career development protocol repeats each year so students can “get what [they] need when [they] need it.”

The UMD Smith Online MBA may be completed in as few as 24 months, while still providing “the same academic rigor and top faculty” as is offered in the campus-based programs.

6. Pennsylvania State University – World Campus, State College, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) serves 100,000 students and 17,000 faculty and staff across 24 campuses and in 20 colleges and schools. As Pennsylvania's only land-grant university, Penn State has a broad mission of teaching, research, and public service.

The school houses the Smeal College of Business, which offers 1300+ internship and co-op opportunities annually, 300+ career fairs and corporate recruiting events each year, and a 94% placement rate for MBAs within three months of graduation. The online MBA here is led by the Smeal College of Business, in partnership with Black School of Business, Penn State Behrend; Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies; and Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Administration. This AACSB-accredited program consists of 48 credit hours, which includes 39 General Management credits and nine credits of concentration work.

Core coursework prepares students to become “more effective business professionals,” says the school, “by exposing them to the principles and practices essential to modern management,” including accounting, economics, data analysis, ethics, communications, human resources, finance, marketing, leadership, supply chain, strategy, innovation, and digital transformation.

Concentration options include Accounting Foundations, Advanced Accounting, Business Analytics, Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Finance, General Management, Human Resource Management, Marketing Analytics, Project Management, and Supply Chain Management. The MBA program runs on the Penn State semester System, so in addition to a declaring a concentration, students can take advantage of other Penn State online graduate degree and certificate courses and programs.

At the start of the Penn State Online MBA Program, students must attend a five-day Orientation Residency held at University Park, Pennsylvania. The orientation is designed to “acquaint” students “with aspects of the program in a face-to-face environment.”  Students will meet their instructors and student peers, “immerse” in a team performance class while earning credit, and attend workshops covering student advising services, career management, stress management, alumni relations and networking, time management, and online technology.

Other Orientation Residency highlights include Keynote Speakers and the opportunity to “connect with the Penn State community through campus tours end events.”

7. University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas
University of Texas at Dallas

Since 1969, University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) has grown from one building in a field into a top-tier university serving more than 29,500 students enrolled in eight schools and more than 140 academic degrees including top-ranked programs in business, engineering, science, audiology and arts and technology.

Naveen Jindal School of Management (JSOM) is the largest of UT Dallas’ eight schools. It houses the Professional MBA (PMBA) Online, which allows students up to 72 months to complete the program. Students also have the option to complete the program in as few as 16 months. There are no on-campus requirements and students have full access to MBA Program Office and Jindal School Career Management Center staff. 

This AACSB-accredited program utilizes "streaming audio lectures, video clips, online exams, online submission of assignments, and interactivity for group projects using discussion forums, email, and web conferencing," says the school. The 53 credit hour online PMBA also highlights 24 hours of electives, along with an impressive 13 double MS/MBA options, including STEM, and 15 concentrations. Just a few concentration options include Accounting, Information Systems, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Real Estate, and Supply Chain Management.

In addition to STEM, MS options include Healthcare Leadership and Management, Innovation & Entrepreneurship and International Management Studies, to name a few.

All JSOM Online PMBA students are encouraged to participate in the school's International Study Programs, which "give direct exposure to business in a global context." Besides offering Exchange Programs and International Internships, the JSOM Study Abroad Office has conducted more than 35 faculty led international study trips in 16 countries for the past 15 years.

Jindal School of Management also offers a Professional MBA Flex that allows students to take classes on a part-time basis, usually six semester credit hours (two courses) per semester.

8. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Founded as Illinois Industrial University in 1867, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (U of I Urbana-Champaign) is one of the original 37 public land-grant institutions created after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act in 1862. It is the oldest and largest campus in the University of Illinois system, with 18 colleges that offer more than 150 programs of study.

Among the colleges at U of I Urbana-Champaign is Gies College of Business. Established more than 100 years ago, the college serves more than 6,000 business students each year, with half enrolled in graduate programs, including GCB’s fully online MBA (iMBA).

Seven specializations are available and include Digital Marketing, Financial Management, Global Challenges in Business, Innovation: From Creativity to Entrepreneurship, Managerial Economics and Business Analysis, Strategic Leadership & Management, and Value Chain Management. Students must complete at least six specializations and a program-wide experiential learning course.

“Specializations ultimately come together as a capstone project and lead to the complete iMBA,” says the school. Students will also choose two of three advanced-leadership pathways, including Digitization, Globalization and Innovation.

Learning takes place through Coursera and through the University. The part of the curriculum in the Coursera platform is on demand, so students can complete it at their own pace. Other program highlights include hands-on faculty, interactive in classes and projects, and weekly live class sessions, covering multiple time zones across the world. Students live in more than 50 different countries.

Another highlight of this AACSB-accredited program is job placement. According to The Wall Street Journal, the University of Illinois is among corporate recruiters’ top five places to recruit talent. Just a few firms with University of Illinois roots include YouTube, PayPal, and Yelp.

9. University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
University of Arizona

Established in 1885, University of Arizona (UA) was the first university in Arizona Territory. The school’s first graduating class in 1895 consisted of just two women and one male. Today, UA serves close to 46,000 students enrolled in 300 undergraduate and graduate degrees through 20 colleges and 12 schools on four campuses.

Eller College of Management is one of the 20 colleges at University of Arizona. The college serves nearly 6,500 students enrolled in 10 undergraduate majors and 16 graduate programs, including a 100% online MBA that may be completed in as few as 14 months. With six starts per year (every eight weeks), the program requires 14 core two-unit courses and 17 units of electives for a total of 45 units to graduate. Six concentrations are available including Entrepreneurship, Health Care, Finance, Management and Organizations, Management Information Systems, and Marketing.

Also known as the OMBA, the Eller Online MBA highlights 24/7 asynchronous delivery of content that minimizes students’ time away from work and family, the option to decide how many courses to take at a time (take up to six years to complete the program), and AACSB accreditation. Graduates of the program enjoy an 86% employment rate within 90 days of graduation, along with an average starting salary of $89,870. Top recruiters include General Motors, Goldman Sachs, Intel, Honeywell, Macy’s, Microsoft, Nationwide, and PwC.

10. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
Auburn University

Auburn University was chartered in 1856 as East Alabama Male College—a Methodist institution. Beginning with EAMC, the school has had four official names: Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama, Alabama Polytechnic Institute, and Auburn University. Classes were first held for 80 students with a faculty of six in 1859. Today, the school serves approximately 29,776 students enrolled in 140 programs within 13 colleges and schools.

The Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, which has grown an impressive 50% over the last seven years, offers a video-based Distance MBA that may be completed in 2.5 years, part-time. The 36 credit hour program offers an optional three-day orientation at the beginning of the program and a three-day on campus residency on the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before graduation. Otherwise, all coursework for the program is delivered through the University's online student learning platform CANVAS.

Students use CANVAS to view lectures, work with team members on group assignments, ask questions and hold discussions with professors and classmates, submit homework, and access course materials. The lock-step curriculum allows online students to watch the exact same lectures, take the same tests, and communicate with the same professors as on-campus students.

Students can live-stream classes or choose to watch at the time most convenient for them. Courses are taken at the student’s own pace, with most online students taking one or two classes each semester. The curriculum includes a mix of core business classes and business electives and the final semester includes the Capstone Course, where groups of MBA students provide consultation to a number of real businesses on various topics.

In addition to optional concentrations in Finance, Marketing, Management, Information Systems, Supply Chain, Business Analytics and Human Resource Management, this AACSB-accredited program offers dual degrees (MBA/MS) in Finance, Information Systems, and Industrial and Systems Engineering. Graduate research assistantships, which are awarded annually, are also available.

11. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University (NC State) held its first classes in the fall of 1889 with 72 students, six faculty members and one building. Today, NC State is the largest of the 16 higher-education institutions in the University of North Carolina system, with over 2,000 faculty members, an administrative and support staff of more than 5,500, and a current enrollment of nearly 25,000 undergraduates and 9,000 graduate students from across the state and around the world. Through its 11 colleges, North Carolina State University offers more than 100 undergraduate programs, 100+ master’s programs, 60+ doctoral programs, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program.

The school’s most popular majors are Engineering; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences; and Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs.

Founded in 1992 and serving more than 3,500 students, Poole College of Management at NC State offers a 40 credit hour Professional Online MBA that has six “Depth Areas” comprised of the same functional area options as concentrations, but with fewer credit hours required to graduate. Known as the “Jenkins MBA,” areas for the program include Biosciences Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology Commercialization, Financial Management, Innovation Management, Marketing Management, and Supply Chain Management. This AACSB-accredited program also offers the opportunity to earn Decision Analytics or SAP Certification. SAP is the world's largest enterprise applications software company, with a wide range of software used by more than 38,000 firms in over 120 countries.

Students in the Jenkins Online MBA program may choose the Accelerated Path, which takes as few as 21 months to complete, or the Flexible Path, which allows students to complete their degree in as little as 21 months or up to six years. Both pathways allow students to interact with one another and instructors through WolfWare, NC State’s online learning management system featuring educational tools such as Moodle, email, streaming video files, discussion boards (message boards, instant messaging, etc.), and telephone conferencing.

The Jenkins Online MBA requires two three-day residencies on NC State’s main campus in Raleigh. In addition, students are encouraged to complete an optional International Immersion that lasts for seven to eight days. Per the school, “the focus of the trip is to provide global business and cultural awareness skills.” For 2019, travel experiences include France: MBA, Art & Science of Negotiation in Paris and Germany: MBA, Innovation & Marketing Systems in Munich.

Study abroad trips take place during the Spring and Summer semesters, (usually mid-March or mid-May).

12. University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts-Amherst

University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass-Amherst) houses the tallest research library on any college campus in the country and the second tallest library in the world. At 28 stories, Du Bois Library is home to thousands of books and other resources on any subject. In addition to Du Bois, UMass houses Isenberg School of Management, which opened its doors in 1947 with just 10 faculty members and 15 students. Today, the school has a faculty of 133 educators and 124 staff-members serving more than 5,300 students.

Isenberg School of Management offers a 45 credit hour online MBA that offers six focus areas including Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Healthcare Administration, Marketing, and Sport Management. Fully accredited by the AACSB, the Isenberg MBA also offers a unique opportunity for students to “try before you buy.” Potential MBA students can take up to two classes before applying to learn why the program is a good fit.

Besides several focus areas and the opportunity to experience the program before committing, students have an additional delivery option available to them. The Blended Option Part-Time MBA allows students to take some classes online and others at a conveniently located satellite campus in Boston, Shrewsbury, or Springfield, Massachusetts.

13. Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
Washington State University

In 2015, Washington State University (WSU) celebrated its 125th birthday. Established in 1890, the school began as Washington State Agricultural College and School of Sciences. The name changed to State College of Washington in 1905, and finally, to Washington State University in 1959. The school serves around 21,000 students from 48 states and 106 countries, it offers more than 500 study abroad programs in over 48 countries, it houses more than 330 registered student organizations, and it offers hundreds of academic programs in 11 colleges.

The Carson College of Business at WSU offers a 36 credit hour online MBA with four concentrations and a General Track. Concentrations include Marketing, Finance, International Business, and Hospitality Business Management. The program may be completed in as few as 22-29 months and the GMAT is not required for qualified applicants.

Two major highlights of the program are the optional international field study and the option to earn a nine-credit graduate certificate upon completion of any concentration. For 2020, the international field study option offers the opportunity to travel to Prague. Students will learn from local professors and experts, meet classmates in person, and network with professionals outside the U.S., helping students build confidence to venture into overseas markets after graduation. A wide range of topics specific Prague will be covered, in addition to tours of cultural landmarks.

The Carson online MBA experience closes with three capstone courses for an additional six credits. All coursework is entirely online and may be completed in as few as 22-29 months.

14. Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Florida State University

Founded in 1851, Florida State University (FSU) is the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida. It is also one of the largest universities in the state serving 41,717 students from every Florida county and 131 countries. With notable alumni such as Burt Reynolds, members of the New York Yankees, and over twenty current and former generals and admirals in the U.S. military, FSU has a network of more than 360,000 alumni from Florida and around the world.

The College of Business at FSU (COB FSU) serves more than 6,000 students enrolled in dozens of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. The school offers two online MBA programs: the Part-Time MBA and the Part-Time MBA with a Real Estate Specialization. The 39 credit hour Part-Time MBA offers a General Track or a specialization in Management Information Systems or Risk Management and Insurance. The program may be completed in two to 2.5 years or seven semesters.

Online MBA students may participate in the Global Business Seminar for Graduate Students, which provides the opportunity to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea at firms such as Samsung Electronics, Hyundai, Kia and LG. The program, which also features several cultural excursions, focuses on the "globalization and sustainability of Korean multinational firms," says the school.

The Part-Time MBA with a Real Estate Specialization also consists of 39 credit hours and features a “rigorous set of elective courses focused on real estate and analysis.” The program, which also offers a study abroad option, may be completed in two to 2.5 years. As part of the FSU College of Business, both the Part-Time MBA and Part-Time MBA-Real Estate are AACSB-accredited.

15. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Founded on February 15, 1869, University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) a member of the Big Ten Conference and the Big Ten Academic Alliance and the school is classified within the Carnegie “R1: Doctoral Universities – Highest Research Activity” category. Nebraska is also a land-grant university and a member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).

Serving 25,390 students, University of Nebraska-Lincoln 150+ undergraduate majors, 69 doctoral degree programs, seven master's degree programs and 33 graduate certificates in all areas. Among them is business—one of the school’s most popular programs.

The College of Business offers a variety of flexible pathways to the coveted MBA. The College of Business here offers a traditional MBA, and a 48 credit hour MBA that’s delivered entirely online. The school also offers a Flex MBA program, which is a blend of both on-campus and online courses. However, the majority of courses are taken on-campus at the “renowned” Howard L. Hawks Hall, which opened in 2017.

For the 100% online MBA program known as MBA@Nebraska, students “will never have to come to campus, which makes this option the most flexible” of the school’s three MBA programs, says the school. The program includes 10 core classes (30 hours), nine hours of breadth electives, and nine hours of electives, for a total of 48 credit hours. Specialization options include Business Analytics, Finance, International Business, Marketing and Supply Chain Management. Online graduate certificates are also available in Business Analytics, Financial Communications, Human Resource Management, and Supply Chain Management.

In addition to the option to choose a specialization or certificate, MBA@Nebraska students are expected to participate in an internship. “Internships are designed to give students practical experience in managerial and/or administrative situations.” Students can participate in a maximum of two internships and earn three hours of elective credit for each internship, for a maximum of six hours.

Start times for the MBA@Nebraska program are January, March, June, August or October of each year. The average completion time for the program is three years, but it is possible to complete it in 1.5 years. However, students are allowed up to 10 years to complete this AACSB-accredited program.

16. The Georgia WebMBA, Georgia

Established in 2001, the Georgia WebMBA is jointly offered by seven University System of Georgia Schools—Augusta University, Columbus State University, Georgia College & State University, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, University of West Georgia, and Valdosta State University.  

Designed for professionals who want to earn their MBA without the restrictions of set class times and locations, the program requires just one onsite two-day orientation in Atlanta. After this, all required activities are exclusively online. However, Georgia WebMBA students have access to the same services as participants in other Coles MBA Programs, including career services, on-campus events, and networking opportunities.

This AACSB-accredited program relies primarily on virtual team-based learning. This unique cohort structure “promotes efficient student interactions, peer-to-peer learning, and long-lasting relationships,” says the school. Course highlights include Global & International Business, Entrepreneurship, Managerial Decision Analysis, Strategic Marketing, Management Information Systems, and Human Behavior in Organization, to name a few. 

Georgia WebMBA students have the option to complete the program in five consecutive semesters within a year and a half. This accelerated option allows students to begin the program in January or August and complete two online courses each term. Otherwise, the program typically takes around 20 months to complete.

17. Rutgers University, Newark and New Brunswick, New Jersey
Rutgers University

Chartered in 1766 as all-male Queen's College in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Rutgers is the eighth oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Known as the Birthplace of College Football, Rutgers serves around 70,000 students, making it one of the nation’s largest schools. More than 150 undergraduate programs and over 200 graduate programs of study are offered through 29 schools and colleges.

Rutgers Business School offers an MBA program that is delivered entirely online. Students may attend classes year-round, full or part-time, and they may choose from Fall, Spring, and Summer starting points. Students are “learning in real-time about challenges and solutions that cross disciplines,” says the school. The Rutgers MBA curriculum “focuses on the key areas of business and offers an extensive selection of elective courses that cover every avenue of modern business including marketing, finance, IT, and human resources.”

More than 250 MBA students have the opportunity to travel abroad to satisfy one, three-credit elective requirement. Those who choose the study abroad option will be given the opportunity to meet with top executives and solve real-life international business challenges. There will also be an opportunity to experience cultural activities on the weekends and evenings. Past study abroad destinations include Brazil, China, Panama, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey.

Graduates of the AACSB-accredited Rutgers MBA program will learn to “make knowledgeable decisions and become a respected leader, increase their influence by employing management skills to guide their teams and companies, better analyze problems and clearly articulate effective solutions, and expand their network and connect with notable Rutgers alumni, classmates, and faculty.”

Other program highlights include small class sizes, learning tools and tutoring, access to student coaches and advisors, a 169% return on investment, and Focused Learning Modules that allow students to “build expertise” in their career area. Modules include Business Analytics, Digital Marketing, Investments & Private Wealth Management, and Strategic Leadership.

18. University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, Florida
University of South Florida

The University of South Florida serves more than 50,000 students at its institutions in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee. The school is the fourth largest public research university in Florida and one of the largest in the U.S. Students choose from 180 majors and degree programs at the graduate, specialist and doctoral levels, in 14 colleges.

The Kate Tiedemann College of Business at University of South Florida St. Petersburg (KTCOB USFSP) offers an AACSB-accredited MBA Program that may be completed entirely online. “From application to graduation,” says the school “fully online students never have to come to campus if they so choose.” Online courses are taught in “compact” eight-week sessions, which allow part-time students to enroll in one course at a time.

Online MBA students have the option to pursue the Global MBA Track, which requires a Study Abroad Course. Students may opt for one of seven other unique Focus Tracks including Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Healthcare Analytics, or Compliance, Risk and Anti-Money Laundering.

Full-time students can complete the 33 credit hour online MBA in just four semesters if waived from the foundation courses. Part-time students can complete all work within a reasonable time as well – approximately three years.

Recent University of South Florida St. Petersburg MBA graduates are employed at international companies as well as in positions at Florida’s top corporations, including Raymond James, Franklin Templeton, Wells Fargo, Nielsen, and Jabil.

19. University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium, Eau Claire-La Crosse-Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Serving approximately 170,000 students each year at 13 universities across 26 campuses, the University of Wisconsin System (UW) is one of the largest systems of public higher education in the nation. Through its statewide extension and outreach programs, the system also serves more than one million citizens. 

Three campuses—UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, and UW-Oshkosh—have joined forces to create the University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium. 

This AACSB-accredited pathway is the only offering among UW’s peer consortial programs to grant the degree from the MBA Consortium Program rather than from one of the partner schools. The program curriculum “combines four credits of business essentials courses, 22 credits of core courses, and ten credits of electives to cover general business competencies,” says the school, “while enabling” students to design a customized learning experience based on their individual interests. 

Through electives, students may focus in a specific area or two, without officially declaring an emphasis/concentration. Elective course highlights include Mutual Fund Investing, Incorporation of Exchange Rates in Strategic Decision-Making, Regional Trade Agreements and Multinational Corporations, Corporate Venturing, Managing Technology in Turbulent Times, Sustainability and Organizational Management and Introduction to Enterprise Resource Planning.

Other course highlights for the MBA Consortium Program include Leading a Diverse and Dynamic Workforce, Developing New Products and Services, Competing Strategically in a Global Environment, and Navigating Change amid Uncertainty. Students will also complete a capstone (Refining Your Plan for Success) at the end of the program. Coursework for the program may be completed entirely online—no campus visits required.

Graduates will be able to “demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to be effective leaders” who can lead a diverse and inclusive organization, identify and evaluate market opportunity, use critical thinking and analytical reasoning to make informed business decisions, and create and maintain a dynamic vision for personal and professional development in a global and domestic context.

20. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University (OSU) is Oklahoma’s first Truman Honor Institution. The school has the largest comprehensive student union and its Edmon Low Library is one of the America’s top 100 academic research libraries. Famous alumni include Garth Brooks, T. Boone Pickens (business magnate and financier), Barry Sanders (NFL running back), and Anita Hill.

Serving nearly 27,000 students, Oklahoma State University houses six academic colleges, plus a veterinary school and an osteopathic medical school, that offer 200 undergraduate majors and options, 79 master's programs, and 45 doctoral programs.

Watson Graduate School of Management houses Spears School of Business, which offers several MBA programs—a 42 credit hour part-time MBA, a 43 credit hour full-time MBA, and a new MBA in Entrepreneurship (formerly the Master’s in Entrepreneurship). Concentrations for the 42 and 43 credit hour programs include Business Sustainability, Data Science, Energy Business, Global Marketing, Human Resource Management, Information Assurance, Marketing Analytics, and Non-Profit Management.

Students in these AACSB-accredited programs also have the option to earn the SAS and OSU Marketing Analytics Certificate. The program is designed to “produce analytically-savvy managers who will be adept at leading teams of IT, Marketing, and Strategy personnel in any organization to solve complex business problems by analyzing appropriate data,” says the school. The curriculum for the program was “designed in partnership with SAS, a leading provider of marketing analytics software and services.”

Both the part-time and full-time Spears OSU MBA programs may be completed online or in hybrid format.

21. University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
University of Mississippi

Chartered on February 24, 1844, University of Mississippi (Ole Miss or UM) is Mississippi's flagship university. The school opened its doors in 1848 to just 80 students. For the next 23 years, UM was Mississippi’s only public institution of higher learning, and for 110 years, it was the state’s only comprehensive university. Today, UM serves more than 24,000 students enrolled in hundreds of programs in 15 academic divisions including a major medical school, nationally recognized schools of accountancy, law and pharmacy, and the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, renowned for a blend of academic rigor, experiential learning, and opportunities for community action.

The School of Business Administration at the University of Mississippi offers a 36 credit hour Online Professional MBA that can be completed in as few as two years. The program “employs a fully supported online learning system integrated with features such as video conferencing, interactive discussions and similar collaborative technologies necessary for effective online instruction,” says the school. Course titles range from Managerial Accounting and Organizational Behavior to Contemporary Business Analysis and Mobilizing Technology.

The Ole Miss Online MBA is AACSB-accredited.

22. University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
University of Washington

The University of Washington’s three campuses (Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma) offer more than 613 degree options across 312 programs to a student body of more than 59,000. The Michael G. Foster School of Business at University of Washington (UW Foster) offers a hybrid MBA program that can be completed mostly online. This two-year, interactive program is the first of its kind offered by Foster and it allows students to complete 95% of the program online and 5% on campus. Course highlights for the 62 credit hour program include Business Analytics, Competitive Strategy, Domestic & International Economic Conditions, Decision Modeling, Digital Marketing Strategies & Systems, Foundations of Entrepreneurship, Global Strategy, and Leading Organizational Change.

Other program highlights include support through workshops, training, and coaching sessions, the opportunity to meet with faculty and peers each quarter for networking, and the opportunity to attend networking events with employers on the UW campus.

The Foster School of Business is AACSB-accredited.

23. Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Ball State University

As of Fall 2019, Ball State University (BSU) offered the lowest tuition in the Mid-American Conference. With more than 22,500 students and 197,000 alumni worldwide, the school also welcomed its largest freshman class in the University’s 101-year history in Fall 2019.

The Miller College of Business at Ball State University offers an online MBA program that may be completed in as few as two years. The Miller MBA includes 24 credits of core courses and 6-nine credits of MBA electives “covering in-depth knowledge of entrepreneurship, finance, management, marketing, sales, and more,” says the school.

This AACSB-accredited program offers five optional concentrations including Entrepreneurship, Finance, Health Economics, Policy, and Administration, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, and Sales Management. An additional option is the General MBA, which allows students to customize their experience through a variety of course subjects.

Miller Online MBA students will complete coursework for the program through a combination of asynchronous (no specific sign-on time each week) and synchronous (specific time to watch and participate in live webcast lectures and discussions) formats. Students will “keep in contact with instructors and classmates using e-mail, discussion boards, file sharing, chats, web page posting, and possibly over the telephone.” 

Miller College of Business offers an additional delivery format option designed for students who prefer a combination of online and on-campus classes. The Hybrid MBA allows students to choose which classes they would like to take on-campus and which ones they prefer to complete online. Most students (in either program) enroll in an average of two courses each semester and typically complete the program in five to six semesters. Three start times are available including Fall, Spring, and Summer.

24. University of Kansas, Hays, Kansas
University of Kansas

In 1866, University of Kansas welcomed its first class of 55 students to what the school calls “an unfinished building on a treeless ridge called Mount Oread.” Today, the school has five campuses — the Lawrence campus, the Edwards Campus in Overland Park, and medical branches in Kansas City, Wichita, and Salina — serving more than 28,500 students in dozens of schools and departments.

The School of Business at University of Kansas (KU School of Business) offers an AACSB-accredited MBA program that may be completed entirely online. There are no residency requirements. The program consists of 30 credits of core business classes and 12 credits of focus area courses for a total of 42 credit hours. Courses are eight weeks each, and three focus areas are available including Finance, Management & Leadership, and Marketing.

The Finance focus area requires four courses including Advanced Topics in Finance, Corporate Finance, Financial Institutions and Markets, and Investments. Management & Leadership requires Developing Effective Management and Team Skills, Leadership Philosophy and Practice, Managing Internationally, and Strategic Organizational Design and Change Management. The Marketing focus requires Consumer Behavior, Digital and Social Media Marketing, Global Marketing, and Integrated Marketing Communications.

With three start dates per year (spring, summer and fall), the KU School of Business Online MBA may be completed in just over two years.

25. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana State University

Louisiana State University (LSU) is the highest rated public university in Louisiana. The school is known for graduating students that leave LSU with zero debt and the chance to earn, on average, $12,000 more than those graduating from other universities.

The E.J. Ourso College of Business at Louisiana State University (LSU) is home to the Flores Online MBA Program. This AACSB-accredited MBA is designed for professionals with at least five years of work experience and it offers six start dates annually. Students in the program are required to take 14 courses (42 credit hours) and they may choose elective courses to create a focus. A few options include Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence, and Seminar in New Developments in Business Administration.

There are no residency requirements for the LSU Flores Online MBA and students may complete the program in as few as 18 months.