The Best Online MBA For Working Professionals

An online MBA can be a significant accelerator for your career, allowing you to develop crucial skills and advance into new directions—all from the comfort of your own home. 

The benefits extend beyond just ease, too. According to a recent GMAC survey, the main concerns for students opting for online MBAs were the time investment and the cost—issues that remote learning can help navigate. 

Since online classes can be taught asynchronously (i.e. at a student’s own pace), this means that working professionals can fit their studies around busy schedules without taking time away from their careers. Not to mention, online MBAs are typically cheaper than their in-person counterparts. 

But how do you choose the right school?

Handily, each year, Forbes puts together a ranking of the world’s best online MBA programs, based on factors such as credibility, affordability, student outcomes, student experience, and application processes.

So, here are the top six online MBA programs for working professionals, according to this year’s list:

What is the best online MBA for working professionals? 

6. University of Southern California

Tuition: $15,450

Spanning 21 months, the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California Online MBA covers core areas such as finance, marketing, management, and entrepreneurship. It’s delivered through a combination of asynchronous and synchronous sessions. Students don’t have to miss out on the community aspect of graduate education, either, as the course fosters a sense of community by emphasizing cohort-based learning.

However, it is important to note that this degree is offered via a different format, unlike some other programs on this list USC Marshall Online MBA is not delivered entirely online, as it begins with a mandatory one-week on-campus residency. 

5. Villanova University 

Tuition: $62,400

Based in Pennsylvania, the Villanova University MBA program allows working professionals to gain a prestigious business degree fully online. Students can either enroll part-time or full-time, and they study courses that are designed to fit around a nine-to-five. 

Villanova MBA students also benefit from a flexible core curriculum, with the ability to choose modules such as business analytics, finance, sustainability, and strategic management.

4. Point University

Tuition: $15,450

Interested in learning management from a Christian viewpoint? The online MBA offered by Point University, Georgia, focuses on key business concepts such as organizational strategy and business performance improvement—all taught through a religious lens. 

The degree normally takes two years and is completely asynchronous in delivery, making it ideal for fitting around a busy schedule. 

3. Defiance College 

Tuition: $18,900

Situated in Ohio, Defiance College offers an online, interdisciplinary MBA program with a focus on leadership and core business areas such as finance, accounting, and marketing. However, applicants without a business-related bachelor's degree are required to complete prerequisite courses. 

Classes are delivered entirely online in eight-week terms and use both asynchronous and synchronous learning methods.

2. John Hopkins University

Tuition: $102,020

Given that the Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School Online Flexible MBA can be completed over two years of part-time study, the program is perfect for those looking to balance a career with their studies. The degree is also highly tailorable: students can choose from eight specializations, and can pursue dual degree options in areas such as design leadership, communication, and biotech. 

In terms of the teaching format, students can participate live, via interactive courses, or complete the entire program asynchronously at their own pace.

1. North Carolina Wesleyan University 

Tuition: $17,985

One of the cheaper options on this list, North Carolina Wesleyan University offers an online MBA with concentrations in executive leadership, information security, and supply chain management. The course is designed to enhance your leadership skills, covering everything from handling organizational change, to making ethical decisions, and even understanding economic theory.