Are There 100% Online MBA Programs?

With median starting salaries of $105,000 annually and higher, MBA degrees deliver. Though these numbers vary depending on factors such as location, industry, and role, MBA holders across the board earn an average of 36 percent more than they did prior to completing their degree, according to the Graduate Management Admissions Council’s Corporate Recruiters Survey (2018). The study also revealed that 85 percent of participating companies planned to hire MBAs in 2018. The demand for MBA graduates was found to be the strongest in the technology, healthcare, and energy sectors.

To address the growing demand, online MBA programs have made the degree accessible to more aspiring business leaders. Distance-learning provides the flexibility needed for busy professionals to maintain work and family responsibilities while studying. Online programs are also ideal for students who live in remote areas or who face other challenges to participation in campus-based programs.

Admission requirements for online MBA programs vary; however, most programs have the following requirements in common: official transcripts from an accredited undergraduate program; GPA of 3.0 or higher; resume.

In addition, some schools ask for letters of recommendation, a personal letter or essay, current employment, and business-related work experience. Programs such as the executive master’s of business administration (EMBA) may require five or more years of relevant industry experience. Applicants with less professional work experienced may still apply, sometimes with the submission of GMAT or GRE scores and professional certifications that may strengthen their candidacy for admission.

International applicants are also required to submit TOEFL scores, but are encouraged to inquire about accepted formats (paper-based or iBT) and minimum scores. Application fees are non-refundable regardless of the enrollment outcome.

Features of online MBA programs include online classes, optional domestic or international residency courses or immersions, and internships. Coursework varies across specialization, but typically involves study of the business foundations of accounting, management (supply chain, people/organizations, global enterprise, information resources, ethics), marketing (customer, global), analysis (financial and strategic decision making, information analysis), entrepreneurship (growth and innovation), and a variety of electives. Courses generally are taught by accomplished academics who also have professional experience in the field.

Opportunities to network and make industry connections may also be integrated into online MBA programs through optional participation in conferences, symposia, seminars, and other virtual or in-person events.

This list includes 15 online MBA programs that offer a variety of concentrations in high demand within the business world today.

Fully Online MBA Programs

Cevia Yellin
Cevia Yellin
Writer

Cevia Yellin is a freelance writer based in Eugene, Oregon. She studied English and French literature as an undergraduate. After serving two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer, she earned her master of arts in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Cevia’s travels and experiences working with students of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds have contributed to her interest in the forces that shape identity. She grew up on the edge of Philadelphia, where her mom still lives in her childhood home.

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