Online MBA Programs: Finding the School for You

Comparing Popular Online/Hybrid MBA Degree Programs

Ways to Pay: Funding Online/Hybrid MBA Degree Programs

The cost of an accredited online or hybrid MBA degree program varies dramatically, based on the school and the program’s format. Public universities often offer lower per-credit rates for in-state students, while renowned private schools charge a premium rate.

Remember that total cost = (cost per credit) × (number of credits).

Most MBA degree programs require completion of approximately 30 to 60 credits, but some require more credits at a lower cost per credit. Beyond tuition, students should factor in any required residencies, travel costs, and other additional fees for things like technology and textbooks.

The table below compares the tuition rates of three online and hybrid MBA degree programs.

Note: Students should always check the latest tuition rates on each school’s website, as they can change annually.

Student Support:Online/Hybrid MBA Degree Program FAQs

Q: Are online and hybrid MBA degree programs respected by employers?

A: In general, yes – employers today are increasingly familiar with online degree programs.

A survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) found that approximately one-third of recruiters value graduates of online and in-person MBA degree programs equally. Notably, perceptions can vary by industry; for example, 41% of finance and accounting industry recruiters said they view online MBA graduates equal to on-campus graduates, while the figure was approximately 25 to 28% in consulting and tech fields.

The key for employers is often the school’s reputation and accreditation, rather than the delivery format. If your online or hybrid MBA comes from a well-known business school that’s accredited by the AACSB, it will carry weight. To ensure employers’ respect, students should choose an established program with a strong track record. Many online MBA graduates report that their degree led to promotions or new opportunities – tangible proof that employers recognize the value of the credential.

Q: Can I work while earning an online/hybrid MBA degree?

A: Yes, online and hybrid MBA degree programs are specifically designed for working professionals.

The vast majority of online MBA students continue working while they study. Many programs offer flexible schedules to accommodate work and/or family obligations. For example, students might take one or two courses at a time instead of a full load, and many schools let them pause or slow down if life gets busy.

Expect to spend approximately 10 to 20 hours per week on coursework for each class, depending on the program’s intensity. Because you can often watch lectures asynchronously (on your own schedule) and there are fewer required class meeting times (like evenings or weekends), it’s possible to balance a full-time job with an MBA degree program.

Q: Do I need to take the GMAT or GRE for an online or hybrid MBA degree program?

A: Not necessarily.

Entrance exam requirements for these MBA degree programs are much more flexible now. Many schools either don’t require scores or offer GMAT/GRE waivers for qualified applicants. For example, a school might waive the test score requirement for students with a certain number of years of work experience or a prior master’s degree. At UNC, applicants with five or more years of experience don’t need to submit scores, and several top programs have similar policies. This trend accelerated after 2020, as school officials recognized that a student’s experience and academic record can predict success as well as a test can.

However, some schools with competitive programs recommend or prefer a GMAT/GRE score, especially if an applicant has less work experience or a lower undergraduate GPA. If you have a strong test score, it can bolster your application; it might be required for scholarship consideration, in certain cases. But, if exams aren’t your strength, know that many schools with reputable online/hybrid MBA degree programs don’t make you take one.

Always check each school’s admissions criteria; you’ll find a mix of no test required, test-optional, or waiver-available programs.

Q: Is an online or hybrid MBA degree program worth the required time commitment and cost?

A: For many students, yes. These programs can be, well worth the investment – as long as you choose a good program and have clear goals.

Benefits include gaining advanced business knowledge, leadership skills, and a strong professional network – all of which can accelerate your career. From a financial perspective, an MBA often leads to higher earnings. Graduates with an MBA enjoy a substantial salary increase: the average MBA holder’s starting annual salary is approximately $115,000 versus $75,000 for someone with a bachelor’s degree. That’s approximately a 53% to 77% increase in pay, which can translate to significantly higher lifetime earnings.

Beyond salary, students should consider career opportunities. With an MBA, they can obtain new roles (in management, strategy, consulting, etc.), break into leadership positions, or launch and run a business more effectively. The intangibles are valuable, too – confidence in managing business challenges, credibility in the job market, and access to alumni networks and career services.

Whether an MBA program is “worth it” depends on the cost and what you do with the degree. It’s important to leverage your MBA experience. Apply your learning at work, connect with peers and professors, and actively utilize career resources. If you do that, an online or hybrid MBA from a respected school can pay for itself and add value in terms of promotions, new opportunities, and personal growth.

In-Demand Focus Areas for MBA Degree Programs

These programs often allow students to choose a specialization or concentration – a focused track that tailors the degree program to a particular business area. While the core MBA curriculum covers general management and business fundamentals, a specialization lets you develop deeper expertise in a field that matters most to you. Common MBA concentrations include finance, marketing, analytics, and more (see below).

Choosing a specialization can help you gain industry-specific knowledge, network with like-minded professionals, and signal to employers where your expertise lies. However, it’s optional – many programs also offer a general MBA path. If you have a clear career target, like working in tech or becoming a CFO, a specialization can add value to your MBA by tightly aligning your studies with your goals.

Accounting

An MBA with an Accounting concentration covers advanced financial reporting, auditing, taxation, and managerial accounting topics. This track is ideal for students who aim to become financial controllers or CFOs or work in fields like public accounting (as a CPA) and corporate finance. Students learn to analyze balance sheets and income statements, ensure regulatory compliance, and use accounting data to drive strategic decision-making. Accounting-focused MBA courses often cover corporate financial reporting, forensic accounting, and accounting information systems, complementing the broader management skills learned in core MBA classes. This specialization can be a stepping stone to leadership roles in accounting firms or finance departments, where a strong grasp of numbers and financial strategy is crucial.

Business Analytics

A Business Analytics concentration teaches you to harness data for better business decisions. It’s a perfect choice if you enjoy working with numbers, statistics, and technology to solve problems. In this specialization, you’ll dive into courses on data mining, predictive modeling, and data visualization and learn how to use tools like SQL, Python, or R to analyze large datasets. You’ll also study how to interpret data in a business context and turn analysis into actionable strategy.

Graduates with an MBA in Business Analytics can pursue positions like data analyst, business intelligence manager, or analytics consultant – roles that bridge the gap between technical teams and executive leadership. In an era when data drives competitive advantage, having both MBA-level business acumen and strong analytical skills makes you highly valuable to employers across industries (from marketing analytics in retail to operations analytics in manufacturing).

Cybersecurity

An MBA with a Cybersecurity specialization focuses on the intersection of business and information security. In this track, students learn about cybersecurity risk management, privacy laws, and how to protect an organization’s digital assets. Courses cover network security, cybersecurity policy, and incident response, framed in a business context. This concentration is great for students who want to obtain leadership roles like Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), IT risk manager, or cybersecurity consultant. You’ll gain skills needed to develop security strategies that align with business objectives and communicate effectively with both technical teams and executives.

As cyber threats proliferate across all industries, companies increasingly seek leaders who understand security challenges and can implement safeguards without hindering business innovation. An MBA in Cybersecurity arms you with that blend of strategic and technical insight.

Economics

Choosing an Economics concentration within an MBA degree program means you’ll explore deeper insights into how markets function and how economic forces impact business strategy. You’ll study topics like managerial economics, global trade, monetary policy, and econometrics. This specialization is especially useful for students who are interested in roles like economic consultant, financial analyst, or strategy officer. With an economics focus, you’ll learn to interpret economic indicators, conduct demand forecasting, and make informed decisions under uncertainty. You might analyze how changes in interest rates or regulation affect your industry, or guide your company’s expansion strategy by evaluating economic conditions in target markets. This concentration is excellent preparation for careers in consulting firms, financial institutions, or any organization that values data-driven strategic planning.

Entrepreneurship

The Entrepreneurship concentration is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators who want to launch start-ups or drive new ventures within existing companies. Courses in this specialization focus on venture creation, business modeling, start-up financing, and innovation management. You’ll likely work on crafting business plans, pitching to investors, and studying case studies of successful (and failed) start-ups. An MBA in Entrepreneurship equips students with knowledge on how to identify market opportunities, develop viable products or services, and scale a business. It also covers important skills like entrepreneurial marketing, agile project management, and navigating the legal aspects of new businesses.

Even if you don’t start your own company immediately after graduation, the entrepreneurial mindset – creativity, resilience, and strategic risk-taking – is highly valued in many roles. Graduates often pursue careers as founders, start-up operations managers, or innovation leads (such as directing new product development or incubator programs) in larger firms.

Finance

A Finance concentration in an MBA degree program is one of the most popular choices; it’s ideal for students who aim for careers in corporate finance, investment banking, asset management, or fintech. This track provides in-depth training on financial analysis, investment strategies, portfolio management, and corporate financial decision-making. You’ll take courses in advanced corporate finance, financial markets, valuation, and (perhaps) derivatives and international finance.

This specialization builds your ability to interpret financial statements, assess investment opportunities, and optimize capital structures. With an MBA in Finance, you can become a financial manager or CFO who guides a company’s financial strategy, a banking professional who structures deals, or an analyst who manages investment funds.

Human Resources (HR)

An MBA with a Human Resources specialization prepares students for leadership roles and managing an organization’s most important asset – its people. In this concentration, you’ll study topics such as talent acquisition and recruitment, training and development, compensation and benefits strategy, and labor law. You’ll also learn about organizational behavior and how to foster a positive workplace culture. This is a great path if you see yourself as an HR director, a people operations manager, or a consultant in HR strategy. Core MBA courses ensure that you understand overall business strategy, and the HR focus teaches you to align HR policies with that strategy. You’ll become adept at workforce planning, leadership development programs, and handling complex issues like diversity and inclusion or conflict resolution at an organizational level.

Information Technology (IT)

The Information Technology MBA concentration blends knowledge of business management with technology strategy. It’s designed for students who want to lead in tech-related sectors or IT management, tech consulting, or CTO (Chief Technology Officer) tracks. Coursework often focuses on IT project management, information systems strategy, emerging technologies, and (possibly) coding or database basics for managers. You’ll learn how to evaluate and implement technology solutions to solve business problems and gain skills used to manage IT teams and projects. This specialization equips you to bridge the gap between technical teams and business leadership, because technology is integral to almost every business today.

International Business

An International Business concentration prepares MBA students to operate in a global marketplace. This specialization focuses on understanding how business practices and strategies need to adapt across countries and cultures. Courses cover topics like global marketing, international finance, cross-cultural management, trade regulations, and global supply chain management. You might analyze case studies of multinational corporations and learn how factors like exchange rates, foreign laws, and/or cultural nuances impact decisions.

This track is useful for students who aim for roles like international marketing manager or global supply chain director or want to work in multinational companies/organizations. Many schools with these programs offer opportunities for global immersion trips or projects with international companies as part of the concentration.

Leadership

A Leadership concentration (often called Organizational Leadership) focuses on the people and organizational side of business administration. This specialization helps students hone their ability to lead teams, drive change, and inspire others to achieve strategic goals. Coursework includes leadership theory, team dynamics, negotiations, organizational change management, and ethics. You’ll likely engage in a lot of self-assessment and real-world leadership exercises or simulations. The goal is to emerge with greater self-awareness of your leadership style and concrete skills in communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making. This concentration is valuable for students who aim for management and executive roles in any industry – from general manager to project leader to C-suite executive.

Marketing

The Marketing concentration within an MBA degree program is geared toward students who are interested in how to promote products, understand consumers, and build strong brands. With this specialization, you’ll dive into advanced topics like consumer behavior, digital marketing strategy, brand management, market research, and product development. You’ll learn how to craft marketing plans and use analytics to measure campaign effectiveness. Creative thinking combined with analytical skills are honed here – for example, you might work on segmenting a market and positioning a brand uniquely, backed by data.

Career paths for Marketing MBA graduates include marketing manager, brand manager, product marketing leader, market research analyst, and roles in advertising and PR agencies. Due to the current digital revolution, many programs include modules on social media marketing, SEO, content strategy, and new media platforms to ensure that you’re up-to-date with current trends. 

Strategy

A Strategy concentration trains students to think like a CEO or a management consultant and focus on big-picture decisions that determine an organization’s long-term success. This specialization involves courses in strategic planning, competitive analysis, mergers and acquisitions, corporate development, and (sometimes) game theory or innovation strategy. Students learn to assess external market forces (like competitor moves, industry trends, and new technologies) and internal capabilities to formulate effective business strategies. They often work on case studies of companies at crossroads and craft strategic recommendations.

If you enjoy analysis and are interested in guiding companies through complex decisions, the Strategy concentration is a good choice. Career-wise, it’s excellent preparation for roles in consulting (many Strategy MBAs obtain roles at firms like McKinsey, BCG, etc.), plus corporate strategy or business development positions within companies. It’s also great for entrepreneurs who are plotting their market entry or growth path. 

Sustainability

The Sustainability concentration (sometimes called Sustainable Business or ESG – Environmental, Social, and Governance – Management) is ideal for MBA students who are passionate about responsible business practices and sustainable innovation. For this specialization, you’ll explore how businesses can be profitable while positively impacting society and the environment. Coursework covers topics like sustainable supply chain management, renewable energy markets, corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental economics, and social entrepreneurship. Students learn to incorporate sustainability into business strategy – for example, they learn how reducing waste and emissions can cut costs and improve brand image, or how to evaluate investments based on ESG criteria.

Careers for MBA graduates with this focus include sustainability manager or director within a corporation, ESG analyst in finance, consultant for sustainable business practices, and roles with non-profit organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at the intersection of business and sustainability.

Explore Online and Hybrid MBA Degree Programs in Your State

• California
• Florida
• Georgia
• Michigan
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Texas
• Virginia

Career Info for MBA Graduates

Earning an MBA qualifies you for a multitude of careers. An MBA is a versatile degree – it prepares you for leadership roles across virtually every industry.

MBA graduates often rise to management positions such as marketing manager, financial manager, operations or supply chain manager, product manager, or HR director. Many graduates transition into high-paying fields like management consulting or investment banking, or move into strategic roles at tech companies and start-ups. If entrepreneurship is your goal, an MBA degree can provide you with knowledge and a network to start or grow your own business confidently.

In terms of professional growth, an MBA degree is a catalyst. It’s not just about enhancing your resume – it fundamentally expands your skill set. It’s no surprise that employers value MBA graduates for their ability to “see the big picture” and drive results. MBA holders also report faster promotions – many move into senior management roles within a few years of graduating by leveraging their alumni connections and the credibility that the degree confers.

The professional network you build while enrolled in an MBA degree program is a priceless asset for your career. Classmates, professors, and alumni can become lifelong contacts who might refer you to job opportunities, become business partners, or offer mentorship. This network effect often leads MBA graduates to opportunities that wouldn’t have been accessible otherwise.

Best Online/Hybrid MBA Degree Programs

With hundreds of online and hybrid MBA options available, how do you know which schools stand out? That’s where our ranking comes in. In the following list, we identify top online/hybrid MBA degree programs – those that offer exceptional academic quality, flexibility for working students, robust student support, and strong career outcomes. For our ranking methodology, we looked at factors like accreditation, faculty credentials, curriculum innovation, networking opportunities, graduation rates, and alumni success.