Top MBA Degrees Affordable and Accredited Programs

There are three MBA programs available at NC State University. Students can complete the full-time MBA, which is AACSB-accredited, in two years at the downtown Raleigh campus. The professional evening MBA is available at Research Triangle Park or the Raleigh main campus. Students can choose a flexible path, which allows them up to six years to complete the program, or an accelerated path, which can be completed in as few as 21 months, including limited weekend courses. The third option is a professional online MBA, which is an international accredited program. Students can log in on their own schedule and work at their own pace.

The university's Sam M. Walton College of Business offers both a full-time MBA and an executive MBA. The full-time MBA is a 16-month program that begins in January and requires 48 hours of coursework to complete. It offers students four possible career track options: retail marketing management, entrepreneurship and education, financial management and supply chain management. The executive MBA, which prepares professionals for advancement in the value chain and consumer packaged goods industry, can be finished in roughly two years. Part-time students are expected to take classes one Saturday every month, or about six hours every semester.

Students can pursue a full-time MBA, which is designed to be finished in two years. The first semester is front-loaded with core courses, and students are free to pursue electives later in the year. It is available in 10 concentrations and two focus areas. There is also an executive MBA option, which is designed for professionals who are already at the mid-to-senior level of their careers. Professional and career development is part of the executive MBA framework. A third option is the online MBA, which allows students to pursue their degrees from anywhere. No matter which option students choose, they will receive personalized career counseling.

There are a wide range of MBAs available, including dual degrees that allow students to pursue advanced graduate degrees and MBAs simultaneously. Among the available dual degrees are MD/MBA, JD/MBA, MBA/MFA, MS in Mathematics/MBA, MBA/MPA, MBA/MA in French studies, biology MS/MBA and MBA/HEC School of Management. For those pursuing a singular MBA, there is a full-time option, which offers several areas of interest, and an executive program, which can be tailored with up to three specializations. Part-time MBAs can be pursued in New York City and Westchester.

The first of four MBAs, the executive MBA is designed for mid-level professionals and requires a commitment of one weekend per month for 16 months. Web conferencing sessions complement face-to-face coursework in Center City Philadelphia. The global MBA is a full-time program that lasts two years and includes two global immersion trips. The online MBA can be completed in as little as 20 months. Since it's offered in a "carousel" structure, students can pursue coursework at their own pace. Each course lasts only four weeks. Finally, there is a part-time MBA, which can be earned in two years through face-to-face and online interaction.

The Lindner College of Business MBA offers students more degree specialization options than any other college or university in the area — more than 20 possible customizations in total. No matter which specialization a student chooses, the program will include special presentations from business thought leaders, as well as case studies from the real world. Students will have the opportunity to participate in community service programs and leverage the university's connections with businesses both in the region and around the world. Programs can be completed in the traditional, face-to-face format or online as a distance learning program.

An MBA is offered in both the traditional format, or it can be taken completely online through Georgia WebMBA, which is a consortium of schools accredited by the AACSB. Since it is a general-purpose management degree, graduates can go on to careers in government, industry or business. The program consists of 10 graduate courses and requires students to complete 30 credit hours. One-year completion is possible for full-time students, who can complete 12 hours in both the fall and spring, and finish the remaining six hours over the summer. For students who opt for the traditional program, all courses will be taken in the evening.

Iowa State University offers a full-time MBA and a professional MBA. The full-time MBA, which is offered in Ames, requires students to complete 10 core courses (30 credits) and six electives (18 credits) as part of an intensive, two-year program. The program provides a broad management foundation while allowing each student to tailor it to his or her needs and goals. The professional MBA is offered in Des Moines. It is designed for working professionals and requires students to attend two night classes per week. The program can be finished in two-and-a-half years or less, or two years with a year-round fast-track option.

There are five tracks for students pursuing MBAs, each of which have different requirements and are designed for different goals. Courses for the full-time program can be taken in the day or evening. The degree takes about 16 months to complete and is designed for students with roughly five years of work experience. There are three options for the professional MBA. The evening cohort can be completed in just 24 months. Both the online and flex professional MBAs can take up to 72 months to complete, and allow students to self pace throughout the program. Executive tracks take roughly 21 months to complete.

There are two kinds of MBAs available at the University of Florida: full-time MBAs and an MBAs for professionals. The full-time MBA has an immersive, two-year option and two one-year options: one for business majors and one for all majors. The all-majors MBA follows a 12-month accelerated format, and the business-major MBA is a fast-track program that begins in June and takes just 10 months to finish. The MBA for professionals has an executive option designed for students with eight or more years of career experience. There are also professional and online options, both of which have one-year and two-year tracks.

Students who are emerging leaders can pursue an MBA through two formats at Mississippi State University. The on-campus program is offered in an accelerated format that groups students into cohorts, or teams that students remain in from start to finish. The program also includes consulting projects for an actively operating enterprise, as well as professional development workshops. There is also a distance MBA, which is fully accredited and offers working students a flexible schedule. Both programs are designed for students who already possess business acumen, but who are seeking leadership positions in their fields.

The Arkansas State University College of Business, which is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, offers an MBA designed to prepare students for management positions in a wide range of organizations. There are five possible concentrations: healthcare administration, finance, management information systems, international business and supply chain management. No matter the concentration, coursework will stress problem solving, analytical thinking and decision making. Students can complete the MBA in the traditional, on-campus format, or they can complete the degree completely online. Since courses are offered in the afternoon and evening, even on-campus students enjoy wide flexibility in scheduling.

MBAs from the SIU College of Business prepare students for managerial positions in both government and the private sector. There are two possible concentrations, finance and marketing. No matter the focus area, all MBA students are required to take four electives. Students who do not want to pursue a specialization can take general business electives. All MBAs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, including the online MBA, which includes specially designed courses taught by many of the same faculty member who teach full-time, residential masters programs on campus.

There are three traditional MBA options: part time, full time and part-time distance. The full-time MBA, which is designed for students with an average of four years work experience, is a fully immersive, two-year program. The part-time MBA is available through condensed, online and weekend classes. The part-time distance MBA is taken online, but gives students the opportunity to engage with traditional part-time students. There is also an executive MBA, which is a 20-month program designed for students with an average of 14 years of career experience. Dual degree MBAs allow students to pursue two degrees at once, and the industry MBA is for current or former congressional staffers.

Students can pursue an MBA at the Whitman School of Management completely online without interrupting their careers. There are six possible specializations, each of which requires 36 core credits, 15 specialization credits and three credits of U.S. and global residency, for 54 credits in total. Graduate students receive personalized career coaching and have access to the virtual career center. Students meet and interact through live online classes. Although the program is completed online, students meet face to face during residency weekends. These meetings may be held on campus, or in cities that are known for international business.

Several of the eight available MBA programs can be taken online, while others require on-campus instruction. The university, as well as all MBA programs and the School of Business are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. No matter which program a student chooses, coursework will integrate ethics, globalization, entrepreneurship and sustainability into decision making. The primary objective is for all students to emerge from their chosen program with a full grasp on advanced business concepts. Students will also learn leadership and teamwork skills, while developing solutions to complicated and unstructured business problems.

There are several possible concurrent degrees and specializations available for the W.P. Carey School of Business MBA. All of them stress teamwork and offer students personalized career coaching and networking opportunities. The full-time degree program requires three to five years of work experience. There is a part-time option that holds classes two nights a week and offers supplementary online work. The online program is designed for busy professionals who need the freedom to self pace. The executive program is designed for professionals who have 10-20 years of work experience. All programs take 21 months to complete.

Five different MBAs offer different students different educational pursuits. The professional MBA is a part-time program with a flexible schedule that requires two to three years to complete and doesn't require any work experience. There is a fully online version with roughly the same requirements. Both are designed for students seeking to enhance career prospects. The international MBA (IMBA), executive MBA (EMBA) and the customer-driven MBA (CDMBA) all take 17 months to complete, although the IMBA does not require work experience, where the EMBA and CDMBA require five years and 2.5 years, respectively.

The Tepper School of Business offers one MBA in three different formats: full-time MBA, part-time on-campus MBA and part-time online hybrid MBA. The full-time program takes 21 months to complete, and both of the part-time options are completed in 32 months. Students in all three tracks are entitled to the full range of career services. Full-time students typically have between two and eight years of work experience, while part-time students may have as much as a decade of career experience. One of the smallest top business schools, Carnegie Mellon boasts a 5:1 faculty/student ratio.

The Isenberg School of Management MBA can be taken in an online/part time format or a full-time format. Students interested in achieving two graduate degrees at the same time can choose a dual degree track. The full-time offering is a two-year residential program that is offered at the main campus. The part-time MBA is completed in a hybrid format, with both traditional and online courses. The online program is 100 percent web-based. Alternate dual degrees include concentrations in sports management, industrial engineering and mechanical engineering. All programs are accredited by the AACSB.

The Penn State Smeal MBA is a residential program that takes two years to complete. Primary concentrations include supply chain management, marketing and finance. Secondary concentration options are innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainability and social innovation, and healthcare. The school maintains several partnerships, including Teach for America, Fulfillment Fund and WNISEF. The Smeal MBA stresses teamwork, and when students begin in August, they join a team with which they remain until the spring. Graduate students have several options for joint degrees, including MD/MBA and JD/MBA. Undergraduate students can pursue a BS/MBA, which is a dual bachelor/graduate degree.

There are eight different MBAs available to graduate students. Among them are two executive MBAs. The traditional executive MBA takes 22 months to complete, while the global executive MBA can be completed in 20 months. The healthcare MBA is an 18-month program designed for experienced professionals. The international MBA, which teaches students to be effective global business leaders, holds classes Monday through Friday and can be completed in as few as 12 months. Students can also pursue a corporate online MBA and three different professional MBAs: a flex program, a downtown program and a weekend program.

Students have eight different options for concentrations in the full-time MBA. They can choose one concentration, multiple concentrations or no concentration at all. Students will be part of a cohort, each of which contains 50-55 people who work on projects and complete assignments together. The part-time program is called PEMBA (professional evening MBA). PEMBA can also choose one or more of eight concentrations. The executive MBA is a cohort-based program that takes 18 months to complete. Everyone in the cohort will be senior leaders or executives. There are also several options to earn joint graduate degrees.

Students who pursue an MBA in business administration at Sam Houston State University can do so entirely through face-to-face coursework, completely online, or with any combination of distance learning and traditional instruction that they choose. Qualified students from any academic discipline can enter the program. The 36-hour program includes 24 core hours and 12 hours of electives. This does not change whether classes are taken online or in person. Although the program can be finished online in as little as four semesters, this is not recommended for working professionals. Instead, working students should consider taking six hours at most per semester for a two-year completion timeline.

The one-year MBA from the Ohio University School of Business is meant to be taken full time by students from a wide range of academic backgrounds. The program follows a cohort structure, which encourages students to work together in teams. Student are required to complete 42 credit hours beginning in August. Participants will expand their cohort-based collaboration skills through team-building exercises and career development seminars. Faculty are leaders in the fields that they teach, and students gain real-world global experience through an international study program. The program is highly competitive, and students should examine the strict requirements before applying.

The one-year data analytics MBA, which is offered exclusively on the Pullman campus, starts in August. Students finish in May, embark on a trip abroad and then complete their final project by the middle of July. Students can earn their bachelor's degree and MBA in just five years if they enroll as freshman. The online MBA offers concentrations in hospitality business management, international business, finance or marketing, or students may simply pursue a general MBA. An executive MBA is also offered as a distance program, and face-to-face programs can be taken at the Tri Cities and Vancouver locations.

Designed primarily as a part-time evening program, the MBA is designed mostly for mid-level working professionals. Only fully matriculated degree candidates from the Manning School of Business may apply. Students can pursue the degree on a part-time or full-time basis, with most physical campus courses only available in the evening. Many courses, however, can be taken online. Participants who take nine credits per semester are considered full-time students. With a handful of exceptions, all applicants must first complete at least 10 courses, or 30 credits, beyond the University of Massachusetts Lowell MBA program's foundation core.

Two of the seven MBAs available at University of Hawaii at Manoa are joint degrees. The MBA/juris doctor degree doubles elective credits to 10. There is also an MBA/civil engineering MS. In that program, students take engineering courses during the day and MBA courses at night. The other five MBAs are a full-time global MBA, which focuses on Asia-Pacific. The part-time MBA is designed for working professionals, and is the only AACSB International accredited program of its kind in Hawaii. The executive MBA is designed for current managers, and offers an online counterpart, as well. Finally, students can pursue a Vietnam executive MBA.

100 percent of the faculty who teach the MBA program, like all graduate faculty at the university, teach full time and have doctorates. A limited number of students may qualify for graduate assistantships, which are open only to students in good standing who have been admitted into the MBA program. These positions are not teaching assistantships, and are for the purpose of instructional support and research assistance. The MBA program is the only one of its kind in the region that is accredited by the AACSB. Among the academic resources available to graduate students are a public speaking center and a writing center.

With the accounting MBA offered at St. John's University in New York, graduate students will receive valuable knowledge applicable to a career in either public accountancy or corporate management accounting. Continuing an education isn't always easy, but St. John's University lends aid to all eligible students seeking financial help. St. John's University is spread out over four locations in New York, and is also proud to offer educational institutions in both Rome and Paris. Undergraduate students who are looking for an accelerated program of study have the opportunity to complete either a bachelor's degree in three years or a bachelor's and master's degree in five.

Students can choose between a traditional MBA, which takes 21 months to complete, or an accelerated, 16-month program. Through the MBA Focus Firm class, students will have the opportunity to work directly with company executives to research, analyze and provide solutions for real-world problems. The Baylor Business Network maintains relationships with influential speakers who are available to support both students and alumni. Students will have the opportunity to put their knowledge to work through community-based initiatives that pair them with actual executives for volunteer and outreach programs. The career management team helps students develop a personalized career path after graduation.

The MBA program at the University of South Dakota comes in several specializations. The main MBA can be taken as a general MBA, or place a focus on health services administration or business analytics. Students can also choose an MBA with a marketing specialization or an operations and supply chain management specialization. For those who seek a dual degree, there are two options: a juris doctor/MBA combination and a BBA/MBA, the latter of which is a fast-track program. Students can earn their MBA at the Sioux Falls location, or they can complete the program online.

The university offers four options: an on-campus MBA, an online MBA, an executive MBA and a physicians executive MBA. The concentrations available for on-campus students include supply chain management, information systems, finance, human resources, and business analytics. Distance learning concentrations include business analytics, information systems, marketing and finance. Those interested in multiple degrees have several choices of dual graduate programs. MBA students work closely with the director of Graduate Career Services through the Office of Professional and Career Development. On-campus students take part in a 10-day international business trip. Auburn MBA programs are partnered with the Center for Creative Leadership to form the iLead program.

One of the six possible MBAs is a dual degree that lets students pursue an MBA and a specialized master's degree at the same time. The professional MBA is highly flexible, and can be taken on either a full-time or part-time basis. It can be completed in anywhere from 16 months to five years. In the 11-month MBA program, students remain in the same cohort from start to finish. The fully immersive format results in a full, 48 semester-hour MBA in just under a year. The executive MBA is can be completed in less than two years, and there are two health administration options: executive and traditional.

The Moore School MBA, which can be completed in just 11 months, focuses on global business and management functions. The international MBA provides in-country language instruction as part of an international marketplace immersion. The professional MBA is designed for working professionals who need the flexibility required not to interrupt their careers. Courses can be taken across South Carolina and in Charlotte, North Carolina. Graduate students can customize career management services to their professional goals, and have access to on-campus recruiting, career management coaching and professional development workshops and seminars. The Handshake program is a network that pairs thousands of working alumni with current students.

Prospective graduate students can choose from a traditional MBA, an online MBA or an accelerated MBA. All three programs have the same common core requirements, and nine hours per semester is considered full time, or equivalent to 15 hours at the undergraduate level. All applicants must have an AACSB accredited undergraduate business degree, or the equivalent from an accredited institution. The online MBA follows identical curricula, and students communicate with instructors and peers through bulletin boards, chat, email, drop boxes and forums. Students with at least 75 semester hours are eligible to pursue the accelerated MBA.

Students can customize their MBA coursework and choose from five different programs. Students who are pursuing a professional MBA will meet on campus two nights a week for 21 months. The program also offers a distance-learning counterpart, the online professional MBA. The executive MBA is for working professionals. Class meets every other Saturday, and students pursue supplemental online instruction between classes at their own pace. There is also an early career MBA, which welcomes students with little or no professional experience. Finally, the global social and sustainable enterprise MBA is designed for international entrepreneurs who are concerned with sustainability and global responsibility.

The OSU MBA can be pursued as either a part time program or a full-time program. The part-time option allows busy students to self pace through a minimized number of classes per year. Generally, it takes between three and five years to complete the program on a part-time basis. Full-time students will complete 45 credit hours, divided up between 33 core courses and 12 electives, and usually complete the program in two years. Students can choose a general MBA, or choose between six concentrations: entrepreneurship, information assurance, marketing analytics, nonprofit management, business sustainability and human resource management.

The MBA, which can be pursued by students from a wide range of academic backgrounds, can be taken completely online, completely on campus or through any combination of the two. There is no difference in either curriculum or credentials no matter the path. Both full-time and part-time students are able to self pace. All programs require students to complete a total of 30 hours, broken up into 10, three-hour courses. In all, the program requires students to finish nine hours of electives and 21 hours of core courses. There are six possible concentrations.

There are four MBAs at Pepperdine University. The part-time option is for working professionals who require extra flexibility. There is a flex option, a fast-track option and part-time joint bachelor's and MBA, which allows students to earn their MBA immediately after completing their undergraduate degree with just 30 credits instead of the traditional 52. The full-time MBA is offered in Malibu, and comes with the options of an accelerated format, a two-year MBA, an international MBA and a SEER certificate. There are also a selection of both graduate and undergraduate joint MBA options. Some students may also pursue a president's or executive MBA.

All graduate courses that count toward the school's MBA program can be taken completely online. Students can view lectures live and interact with instructors and their peers, or they can watch recorded versions of the classes after the fact. The program's unique 4+1 option lets students earn their bachelor's degree in business while dual enrolling in the graduate program in their final semester. This format sets them up to complete their MBA in just one year. Students must complete 36 graduate credits in two parts: 21 core credits and 15 elective credits.

Graduates from the MBA program offered at Florida Gulf Coast University will have received a vast range of applicable knowledge necessary in addressing and resolving business workplace problems. A broad range of programs of study are accessible at Florida Gulf Coast University, including 53 undergraduate programs, 10 certificates, and 23 graduate programs. Florida Gulf Coast University produces scholars capable of great academic achievements; the average freshman GPA is approximated at 3.8. Positions on any of FGCU's competitive sporting teams, including baseball, basketball, and cross country, are attainable for all qualifying students.

Continuously AACSB accredited since 1967, the MBA program at East Carolina University focuses on the theory and practice of business management. The program is open to both business and non-business undergraduates. The self-contained program requires no prerequisite business classes or career experience. The 18-course, 54-credit program is divided into common body and foundation components. Foundation courses give MBA students the academic knowledge they would have received as business undergrads. Students who already took these courses and passed with an A or B may choose to waive foundational classes. All students must complete the common body coursework.

Two of the 10 available MBAs can be taken completely online. All MBA programs require students to complete 36 hours of coursework split evenly, with 18 core hours and 18 concentration hours. Although the average amount of work experience is between two and 10 years, with five years being the most common, there is no career experience requirement to enter the program. Beginning in 2017, the school will also offer a one-year full-time intensive MBA in business management, which is designed as a fifth year of study following a four-year bachelor's degree in any discipline at UNT.

There are four different options for students pursuing an MBA at Missouri State University-Springfield: traditional, online, evening and accelerated. The traditional program allows students to schedule courses according to their own schedules, in either the day or evening, or online. The MBA can be completed in 33 hours, and students can enhance their degrees with graduate certificates. Undergraduate juniors and seniors can take as many as six credits toward their future MBA through the accelerated format. About one-fourth of all students take the MBA as a distance-learning program, which can be completed 100 percent online. The evening program can be completed with 33 credit hours at night or online.

Many students begin their college careers with concerns regarding class times and scheduling. These worries can be set aside by enrolling in any of Western Kentucky University's online programs, including their 100 percent scheduling-flexible master of business administration program. Students will be able to work with the Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning to find destinations around the world to fulfill their learning and traveling goals. The WKU ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships will provide students with the means to collaborate with local organizations for the betterment of their community, as well as opportunities to facilitate the development of their education.

The College of Business and Economics offers three different MBAs. 1-MBA is a full-time program that takes one year to complete. Courses are taken on campus, and three years of work experience are required. The Flex MBA blends online classes and evening on-campus classes, and comes with a two-year work requirement. There are also two joint MBA options, an MBA/Engineering and MBA/educational leadership. Faculty are constantly conducting research and bringing the results of their research into the classroom. Advanced career services are available for all MBA students both before and after graduation.

The faculty at Hofstra University understands that graduate students have responsibilities outside of their academic program. That's why many of the graduate degrees offered at Hofstra—including the master in business administration—are provided in a 100 percent online format. Student's studying online will receive the same rigorous education as a student attending class on campus, and have the luxury of working from wherever they are most comfortable. Between the undergraduate, graduate, and combined programs available at Hofstra, students have over 300 academic programs to select from. Hofstra university is a thriving community, complete with over 200 student organizations, 35 residence halls, and 28 fraternities and sororities.

The MBA program available at the University of Delaware—which offers concentrations in finance, healthcare, and international business—condenses a detailed education into the span of 16 months. Students can complete the entirety of their schoolwork online, each course shortened to 7 weeks. Not only did the University of Delaware offer America's first study abroad program, but today over 80 study abroad programs are offered to any qualifying student, giving them the chance to expand their world view in more than 40 countries. With its numerous engagement programs, the University of Delaware and its students are dedicated to the community they are a part of.