Online MBA in Economics

“Pursuing an MBA shows ambition and allows you to explore more opportunities through internships and school projects. It sets you up for management and leadership positions better than an undergrad degree, too.”

Paige Arnof-Fenn, MBA, Founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls

While an MBA program builds fundamental business skills, a concentration in economics helps students understand how public policy, consumer behavior, and global markets impact companies. This coveted degree makes candidates highly marketable as they gain a wide variety of skills, such as marketing, finance, and operations, and the ability to think critically.

An MBA in economics helps students explore their local economy and its effects on business. Additionally, students dive deeply into policymaking, financial markets, purchasing power, and pricing indices. These programs prepare students to tackle real-world challenges with the help of case studies and a curriculum geared towards practical application. Some courses included are micro and macroeconomics, managerial economics, and economic development. A few colleges even offer unique sub-specializations, such as an MBA in agribusiness economics or an MBA in economic crime management.

Graduates with an MBA in economics are well-equipped to work across various banking, consulting, government, insurance, manufacturing, and finance sectors. The knowledge and skills gained in the program can make students ideal for positions such as financial analyst, pricing analyst, global management, economic forecaster, and market researcher, among many others.

The following guide covers exceptional online MBA in economics programs.

Featured Economics Programs
George Mason University Online MA - EconomicsVisit Site
Arizona State University Economics (BS)Visit Site
Murray State University MBA - Economic DevelopmentVisit Site
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Meet the Expert: Paige Arnof-Fenn, MBA

Paige Arnof Fenn

Paige Arnof-Fenn is a distinguished figure in the business world. She is the founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls, a global branding and digital marketing firm. Her impressive client list includes Microsoft, Virgin, The New York Times Company, Colgate, and various venture-backed startups and non-profit organizations.

A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Business School, Arnof-Fenn’s expertise is widely recognized. She serves on several Boards, is a sought-after speaker, and has contributed to renowned publications like Entrepreneur and Forbes.

Bschools.org: How has graduating with an MBA with an economics specialization enhanced your career?

Arnof-Fenn: After graduating with a degree in economics, I decided to go back to school for my MBA. For me, getting an MBA was critical for finding work I enjoyed. This step expanded my professional skills and confidence and significantly widened my network, emphasizing the value of choosing a high-quality program due to variations in student and faculty excellence and curriculum depth, given the considerable investment involved.

While the program’s curriculum covered essentials like accounting and marketing, offering specialization through electives, the most invaluable outcome was the enduring friendships and professional connections formed. These relationships have been pivotal, enriching my life on both personal and professional fronts, with constant interactions since graduation, active participation in alumni clubs, and contributions to reunions. The people make the program, and staying connected has kept me relevant throughout my career and happy on a personal level. Getting an MBA was a great decision for me.

Bschools.org: What is one piece of advice you would give to a prospective MBA student?

Arnof-Fenn: Economics is all about supply and demand. When looking at a program, talk to alumni and see what jobs they hold and whether they hire alumni from their alma mater. A big consideration will be job prospects after graduation, so you want to open as many doors as possible in areas that interest you.

Pursuing an MBA shows ambition and allows you to explore more opportunities through internships and school projects. It sets you up for management and leadership positions better than an undergrad degree, too. I encourage candidates to talk to people who pursued their MBAs and ask about the strength of the alumni network, local clubs, and ongoing networking opportunities.

Featured Online MBA in Economics Programs

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi offers an online MBA program that helps students in developing the analytical, communications, and technology skills needed to surpass new levels in their careers and enriching their earning potential. This program allows students to choose from several concentration options: accountancy, data analytics, accounting, finance, healthcare administration, and international business.

Comprising 30 to 36 credits, the program’s core curriculum includes managerial economics; managerial finance; accounting topics; organizational behavior and theory; marketing management; and operations management. The managerial economics course focuses on using economic concepts and tools required for assisting managers in decision-making. Topics in this course may include demand estimation, market demand and elasticity, marginal analysis under various forms of market structure, game theory, and production and cost functions.

Notably, the international business concentration includes a course in international economics. Students in this course will learn about why international trade takes place and how private agents react to changes in government policies. They will learn about exchange rates, imports, exports, employment, capital flows, prices, interest rates, and economic growth. Fiscal and monetary policies are also discussed in this course.

Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $15,210 total
2William Paterson University, Cotsakos College of BusinessView Full Profile

William Paterson University offers an online MBA in healthcare economics and management. The core courses include financial and economic global strategy; strategic business decision-making; and corporate sustainability; influence, persuasion, and negotiation strategy.

The healthcare economics and management concentration has courses such as health economics and policy; healthcare financial management; healthcare marketing; ethical leadership and change management; and economic analysis for healthcare managers. No campus visits are required for this program.

Location: Wayne, NJ
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 months or more
3Rice University, Jones Graduate School of BusinessView Full Profile

The MBA@Rice hybrid online program offered at the Jones Graduate School of Business ranks #4 on the Princeton Review’s (2022) list of best online MBA programs in the US, #20 in the U.S. News and World Report’s list of best online MBA programs, and #5 best online MBA in the US by Poets&Quants.

This 54-credit program offers seven concentration areas in corporate finance, corporate strategy, investment management, marketing, entrepreneurship, energy, and healthcare. Core courses include managerial economics, the economic environment of business, and data analysis, and elective courses related to economics include mergers and acquisitions. A unique feature of this program is the field experiences; one is offered on-campus at Rice University in Houston, and the other is offered internationally as Global Field Experiences (GFE).

Classes are offered Monday through Thursday to support students working full-time. Live opportunities to meet with faculty and classmates are available through face-to-face Zoom classes. Students can complete assignments from anywhere with an internet connection on any mobile device.

The average applicant to this program has seven years of work experience and a bachelor’s degree from an accreditation institution. GRE/GMAT waivers are available for students with seven or more years of full-time work experience, a graduate or a terminal degree in a quantitative field, a quantitative professional certification, or equivalent standardized test scores demonstrating quantitative abilities.

Location: Houston, TX
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $2,130 per credit
4University of Denver, Daniels College of BusinessView Full Profile

The Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver offers an online MBA program that can be completed in as few as 21 months.

The core curriculum includes a managerial economics course that teaches the fundamental concepts of micro and macroeconomics and how to use economic data to drive decision-making in organizational settings. The elective course in equity analysis teaches students to apply valuation approaches in a knowledge-based economy. Students can choose from four concentration areas, and two in-person immersions are required to complete the MBA degree.

Applicants to this program must hold a bachelor’s degree, have at least two years of professional experience (three years is preferred), and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 or a master’s degree. Due to challenges with testing access brought on by Covid-19, the GRE/GMAT is waived for students beginning classes in 2021. With four start dates offered throughout the year, this program is designed for professionals who want to earn a degree while working full-time.

Location: Denver, CO
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 21 to 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $1,383 per credit
5University of Delaware, Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics View Full Profile

The online MBA program at Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics is rated #28 in the U.S. News and World Report’s list of best online MBA programs. Students with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and a GPA of 3.0 or higher are eligible to apply. Applicants must have at least two years of work experience, while GRE/GMAT scores are optional.

This 44-credit program can be completed in as few as 16 months on the accelerated track. Single, dual, or triple concentration options are available, including business analytics emphasizing business strategy and management science for future results optimization. The economic analysis for business policy courses provides students with a business-oriented overview of macroeconomic and microeconomic theory.

Academic support is available through tutoring, weekly office hours with faculty, and collaborative opportunities with other students. Students in this program have full access to the business school’s career services to take advantage of networking and career opportunities.

Location: Newark, DE
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 16 to 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $950 per credit

Ball State University offers an online MBA program consistently ranked among the top 20 of the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Online MBA Programs.” The program offers rigorous and practical experiences necessary for excelling in today’s digital and global economy. Apart from the general MBA, the program has eight different concentration options. One such concentration is in ‘health economics, policy, and administration’.

Students in this concentration will learn to analyze the costs and benefits of different healthcare delivery and financing methods, from the viewpoint of providers, manufacturers, and patients. The program’s core courses include entrepreneurial leadership; economic analysis for managers; accounting and decision-making; managerial finance; marketing management; and global strategic management. Courses in the health economics, policy, and administration concentration include health economic analysis; health economics and policy; econometric methods and applications; and risk management and insurance.

Location: Muncie, IN
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Estimated Tuition: Indiana residents ($451 per credit); out-of-state ($1,233 per credit)
7Mercer University, Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics

Mercer University offers an online MBA program ideal for working professionals looking to upgrade their skills. The program is powered by interactive technology and allows students to build their network through online and offline interactions with their classmates and faculty.

The MBA program offers a specialization in one of eight areas, including marketing; healthcare management; finance; global business; accounting; entrepreneurship and innovation; integrative business; and managing people and change. Apart from an MBA, students can also opt for a stand-alone graduate certificate in these areas.

The core MBA courses include managerial economics; managing human capital; accounting for managers; legal environment of business; marketing decision-making; and financial decision-making, while the global business specialization provides students with an understanding of business in economic, cultural, political, and legal environments, thus preparing them to shift seamlessly between opportunities.

Upon completing the program, students have the know-how and skills to work in challenging roles such as financial analysts, supply chain analysts, market researchers, and account managers.

Location: Macon, GA
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $826 per credit
8Wright State University, Raj Soin College of Business

Wright State University offers a 33-credit online MBA in business economics. Applicants to the program need not submit GMAT scores but need a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Additionally, students must have a basic understanding of economics, finance, and accountancy. Those lacking in this requirement must take foundational courses.

The MBA core strengthens business essentials such as marketing, finance, leadership, and operations management. The economics concentration includes courses such as applied macroeconomics analysis and applied microeconomics. Students are trained to analyze and study fiscal and monetary policy changes. They also develop their critical thinking and quantitative skills. Graduates from this program can pursue roles in business, government, and non-profit sectors. Please note that students can opt for various concentrations, such as finance, healthcare management, investments, new venture creation, and marketing.

Location: Dayton, OH
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 60 months
Estimated Tuition: Ohio resident ($680 per credit); non-Ohio resident ($1,145 per credit)
9Murray State University, Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business

Murray State University’s Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business offers an online master of business administration program with a concentration in economic development that helps students develop the tools required to cultivate opportunities for driving economic growth. Students will be provided with essential knowledge about practices and processes related to regional and urban planning and the coursework includes a detailed study of financial methods, programs, concepts, and information sources vital to sustaining and growing development.

The core curriculum helps students develop essential skills in business analytics, accounting, corporate finance, marketing, managerial economics, and more. The capstone course will help students strengthen their background in strategic management. Students must complete 21 core classes (including a capstone course) and nine credits of electives. Additionally, they must complete two free, self-paced modules in economics and accounting, which can be taken concurrently with other core coursework in the program.

The economic development concentration includes courses such as introduction to economic development; economic development methods; economic development finance; and cost-benefit analysis. Graduates will be prepared for urban and regional planners, economic development directors, and economic development project coordinators’ roles.

Location: Murray, KY
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 18 months
Estimated Tuition: $564.50 per credit

Decision-making, team building, and problem-solving are just some of the skills students will sharpen at Bellevue University’s online MBA program in areas such as accounting, finance, media, marketing, performance, innovation, and logistics. Made up of 36 credits, the program’s core curriculum includes courses such as business performance management; accounting for performance management; financial management & strategy; and business analysis for decision-making.

This online MBA has as many as 22 concentration options. One such concentration is the global economic threat environment concentration. This concentration includes courses such as democracy, ethnicity, and development in Africa; democracy, political economy, and human rights across Asia; green security: eco-conflict and its challenges; hard and soft power: balancing hawks and doves; and transnational crime and corruption: the dark side of globalization. The interdisciplinary business concentration also offers courses related to economics.

Location: Bellevue, NE
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $649 per credit

For students who are interested in furthering their careers and learning about global markets, Liberty University’s online MBA program in economics can help them do just that. This fully online economics program is ideal for those who understand the importance of international fluctuations in companies’ and banks’ monetary and economic policies.

Throughout this program, students will study traditional macro and micro policies and how trade policies are affected by international and national economic trends. They will learn about the economic concepts necessary for sound business decision-making.

Comprising 45 credits, the program’s core curriculum includes courses such as strategic marketing management; managerial finance; legal issues in business; business research methods; accounting for decision-making; global economic environment; and operations management. The concentration includes courses such as money & capital markets; microeconomic theory; macroeconomics theory; and international economics.

Location: Lynchburg, VA
Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $565 per credit

Professors to Know in Online MBA in Economics Programs

  • Allen Lynch, PhD Mercer University

    Dr. Allen Lynch is an associate professor of economics and quantitative methods at the Mercer University Stetson School of Business. He brings extensive real-world experience to the classroom that enriches his teaching. Before taking up his professorship, he worked as a senior research analyst with Blockbuster Entertainment Group. He has also served as a research associate for the Collins Center for Public Policy in Tallahassee, Florida. Even today, he serves as a consultant to several well-recognized corporations.

    Dr. Lynch’s articles have appeared in well-known journals such as the Journal of Labor Research, Urban Studies, Applied Economics, and the Journal of Sports Economics. His research on college athletics has received attention from outlets such as CNN, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes Magazine. He earned his MS and PhD from Florida State University and BA from the University of North Florida.

  • Michael Hicks, PhD Ball State University

    Michael J. Hicks is the George and Frances Ball distinguished professor of economics and the director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University. His research focuses on local and state public finance and the effect of public policy on the composition, size, and location of economic activity. Hicks has authored three books and over 50 scholarly papers.

    He has received teaching and research awards from Tennessee, AFIT, Ball State, and Marshall, and his work has been published in outlets like The Economist, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. He earned his PhD and MA degrees from the University of Tennessee and a BA from the Virginia Military Institute.

  • Patrick Crowley, PhD Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

    Dr. Patrick Crowley, an international economist, is a professor of economics at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. His teaching and research interests are in international economics; money and banking; macroeconomics; statistical methods; and European economics.

    Specializing in regional economic integration, macroeconomics, time-frequency computation methods, and the study of business cycles, Dr. Crowley has published in both edited volumes and reputable journals and has been the lead editor for various edited volumes on Europe. Some of his work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Macroeconomics, the Journal of Policy Modeling, and the Italian Economic Journal. He completed his PhD from McGill University and his MS and BS degrees from the University of Bristol.

Farheen Gani
Farheen Gani
Writer

Farheen Gani is an expert in online MBA programs, having covered MBA programs in computer science, economics, healthcare management, and fraud and forensics, among others, since 2018. She writes about healthcare, technology, education, and marketing. Her work has appeared on websites such as Tech in Asia and Foundr, as well as top SaaS blogs such as Zapier and InVision. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter (@FarheenGani).

Rachel Drummond, MEd
Rachel Drummond, MEd
Writer

Rachel Drummond has offered a unique blend of metrics-based mindfulness to BSchools.org since 2019. She teaches future business leaders to prioritize their well-being to sustain professional success and personal fulfillment over the lifetime of a corporate or entrepreneurial business career.

Rachel is a writer, educator, and coach from Oregon. She has a master’s degree in education (MEd) and has over 15 years of experience teaching English, public speaking, and mindfulness to international audiences in the United States, Japan, and Spain. She writes about the mind-body benefits of contemplative movement practices like yoga on her blog, inviting people to prioritize their unique version of well-being and empowering everyone to live healthier and more balanced lives.

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