This is the final article of a series on affordable online education. We previously covered specifically online colleges and various degree programs, including online bachelors and master’s degrees. If you missed the other articles in this series, you can navigate to each of them here: most affordable online colleges, affordable online bachelor’s degree programs, and affordable online master’s degree programs.
Getting a Quality MBA Online
A Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) is one of the most sought-after graduate degrees by online and traditional students alike. These programs help students to expand their skills and gain practical knowledge they’ll be able to put to use in the business world.
Several well-known colleges offer affordable online MBA programs, each with different specialties. All programs start out with some general business classes and then allow students to specialize in areas like management, marketing, finance, and more.
Making a decision on an online MBA program should entail some careful consideration. You want to go to a program that has a solid reputation and you also need to actually learn something to apply to your career! Besides the cost, there are other obvious things to consider. When we we built our list of affordable online MBA programs, we chose to display the best online MBA programs for the money — not just the schools that have the lowest tuition.
The 5 best online colleges for affordable MBA degrees:
1.
West Texas A&M University
Motto: Visio Veritas Valor
Motto in English: The vision of the value of the Truth
Established: 1910
Type: State University
Location: Canyon, Texas, United States
34.984419°N 101.913367°W
Website www.wtamu.edu
2.
University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Address: 1400 R St, Lincoln, NE 68588, United States
Enrollment: 24,207 (2012)
Acceptance rate: 64.4% (2012)
Phone: +1 402-472-7211
Colors: Scarlet, Cream
Website: www.unl.edu
3.
Arkansas State University—Jonesboro
Address: 2105 E Aggie Road, Jonesboro, AR 72401, United States
Nickname: Red Wolves
Football stadium: Centennial Bank Stadium
Phone: +1 870-972-2100
Colors: Black, Scarlet
Website: www.astate.edu
4.
University of South Dakota
Address: 414 E Clark St, Vermillion, SD 57069, United States
Enrollment: 10,284 (2012)
Acceptance rate: 89% (2010)
Mascot: Coyotes
Colors: White, Vermilion
Website: www.usd.edu
5.
Central Michigan University
Address: 1200 S Franklin St, Mt Pleasant, MI 48859, United States
Football stadium: Kelly/Shorts Stadium
Enrollment: 26,902 (2013)
Phone: +1 989-774-4000
Colors: Maroon, Gold
Website: https://www.cmich.edu
A Look at the Best
West Texas A&M University
West Texas A&M University heads this list of the best cheap online MBA degree programs by delivering a nationally ranked, exceptionally flexible program for only $328 per credit for out-of-state students. Texas resident students pay even less, at $298 per credit. This program is ranked among the top 30 online programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report, showing very high scores in most assessed categories, including student services, student engagement, and admissions selectivity.
Like most of the best online MBA programs, the West Texas A&M program delivers a set of required core courses designed to provide broad-based training in practical business skills. Once core courses are complete, you have the option to select one of four degree concentrations or to follow a general business path that enables you to choose elective courses that match your unique career goals.
Online MBA Program Details
Location
Texas
Application Fee
$40
In-State Tuition
$298/credit
Out-of-State Tuition
$328/credit
Acceptance Rate
72%
Average Undergraduate GPA
3.40
Average GMAT Score
520
Faculty Average Online Teaching Experience
1 Year
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2011):
76%
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2012):
84%
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2013):
82%
Optional MBA Concentrations at West Texas A&M University
Management
Healthcare Management
Marketing
Computer information systems
University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Although a step up in price at $531 per credit, the University of Nebraska—Lincoln’s terrific online MBA program still rates as one of the very best value-for-money choices in the country. U.S. News & World Report ranks the school as the seventh-best online MBA program overall. What’s more, a look at tuition rates for the top 10 schools in that list shows that no other program comes close to the University of Nebraska—Lincoln when it comes to price.
This program delivers a pretty unique curriculum design that begins with courses in business basics and follows up with cross-functional courses specifically designed to develop and apply basic concepts to more advanced business topics. After completing these required courses, students pursue one of six concentration options to develop specialized career skills.
Online MBA Program Details
Location
Nebraska
Application Fee
$45
In-State Tuition
$531/credit
Out-of-State Tuition
$531/credit
Acceptance Rate
62%
Average Undergraduate GPA
3.40
Average GMAT Score
630
Faculty Average Online Teaching Experience
8 Years
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2011):
N/A
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2012):
86%
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2013):
85%
MBA Concentrations at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Finance
Marketing
Business analytics
International business
Agribusiness
Supply chain management
Arkansas State University—Jonesboro
Although you won’t find the same breadth of study options some other programs on this list offer, the Arkansas State University—Jonesboro online MBA program easily stands as one of the best cheap online MBA programs anywhere. For $467 per credit, students get to engage in a program that delivers the top online MBA faculty in the nation as ranked in a 2014 survey of online MBA programs by U.S. News & World Report. In that same survey, the school was also awarded the top national ranking for student satisfaction.
The Jonesboro online MBA program offers two study options. The standard MBA program delivers a broad-based curriculum with special focus on leadership, business ethics, and technology. The second study option delivers focused training in supply chain management and logistics to prepare students for work in firms that operate on a global scale. Students who pursue this option begin with the same core courses that all Jonesboro MBA students take.
Online MBA Program Details
Location
Arkansas
Application Fee
$15
In-State Tuition
$467/credit
Out-of-State Tuition
$467/credit
Acceptance Rate
76%
Average Undergraduate GPA
3.54
Average GMAT Score
570
Faculty Average Online Teaching Experience
4 Years
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2011):
85%
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2012):
90%
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2013):
92%
MBA Study Options at Arkansas State University—Jonesboro
Standard MBA
Supply Chain Management and Logistics
University of South Dakota
The University of South Dakota is a terrific choice if you’re looking for an affordable online MBA program at a school with a strong reputation for quality and rigor in business education. The program costs $400 per credit and admissions is very selective. U.S. News & World Report ranks the program as the second-most selective online MBA program in the country.
University of South Dakota students have two MBA degree options. The first option delivers a standard MBA curriculum with a general management focus. Students learn managerial skills utilized in all areas of business operations to prepare for executive-level leadership positions in industry and government. The second option prepares students for careers in health administration working in hospitals, medical facilities, and healthcare organizations. The curriculum is designed to deliver balanced training that covers health services, management, and practical business skills.
Online MBA Program Details
Location
South Dakota
Application Fee
$35
In-State Tuition
$400/credit
Out-of-State Tuition
$400/credit
Acceptance Rate
85%
Average Undergraduate GPA
3.32
Average GMAT Score
551
Faculty Average Online Teaching Experience
4 Years
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2011):
74%
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2012):
78%
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2013):
N/A
MBA Degree Options at the University of South Dakota
General Management
Health Administration
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a little more expensive than other schools in this list, but remains one of the top online MBA programs in terms of value for your money with a tuition rate of $600 per credit. This rate gets you access to a top 20 online MBA program with superb student support services and resources and an excellent reputation for engaging courses and responsive instructors.
Alongside a standard MBA curriculum emphasizing general management and business skills, Central Michigan University offers several rather unique concentration options. The first option focuses on enterprise resources planning (ERP) software, preparing students for careers in information systems management. The second option trains students in the concepts, processes, and evaluation methods associated with value-driven management styles. Finally, the logistics management option prepares students for leadership roles in large domestic and international companies that rely on efficient flows of materials and goods.
Online MBA Program Details
Location
Michigan
Application Fee
$35
In-State Tuition
$600/credit
Out-of-State Tuition
$600/credit
Acceptance Rate
34%
Average Undergraduate GPA
3.14
Average GMAT Score
498
Faculty Average Online Teaching Experience
15 Years
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2011):
84%
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2012):
87%
One-Year New Student Retention Rates (2013):
88%
MBA Degree Concentrations at Central Michigan University
General Management
Information Systems Management
Value-Driven Management
Logistics Management