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Keeping Pace: Insights and Strategies for the Future of US Part-Time MBA Programs

Admissions & Application Trends, Research, United States, 2018, White Paper

This paper explores the apparent application stagnation of US part-time MBA programs; highlights shifting candidate needs and approaches some programs have taken to innovate; evaluates the current part-time MBA value proposition; and identifies opportunities and strategies for programs to stay relevant.

April 2018

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Overview

Keeping Pace white paper hero imageLong a staple of US graduate management education, part-time MBA programs have experienced stagnant demand in recent years. Through a wide-ranging examination of GMAC data, this paper explores this apparent stagnation; highlights shifting candidate needs and approaches some programs have taken to innovate; evaluates the current part-time MBA value proposition; and identifies opportunities and strategies for US part-time MBA programs to stay relevant and plan for their programs’ sustainable futures. 

Quick Facts

  • For four consecutive years, lockstep programs have outperformed self-paced programs in terms of application volume growth.
  • Millennials now represent nearly 9 in 10 part-time MBA candidates, and they have different expectations, needs, and goals than their Gen X counterparts.
  • Millennial candidates are concerned about the cost of a degree, and their employers are less likely to help them pay for it than in the past.
  • The proliferation of online MBA programs and MOOCs is likely impacting demand for traditional part-time MBA programs.
  • Part-time MBA programs needs to diversify their candidate pipelines to grow overall demand.