B-School Search
With a ranking of #42 on Chief Executive’s 2019 list of Best and Worst States for Business, #46 on the Forbes 2018 list of Best States for Business, and #47 on U.S. News and World Report’s Best States for Business Environment, Hawai’i is one of the worst states in the US in which to do business. The reason for the low rankings is a strict regulatory environment, high business costs, and of course, one of the highest costs of living in the country.
Key industries in Hawai’i include small business, filmmaking, digital production, tourism, and manufacturing. There are no Fortune 500 companies with headquarters in Hawai’i, but major business influences in the state include Albert C. Kobayashi Inc., Continental Airlines, John Hancock Life Insurance, Hansen Distribution Group, Pflueger Automotive Group, Delta Construction, and Alexander & Baldwin. Recently, the High Tech Development Corporation invested heavily in research and development, which is anticipated to create 80,000 new tech and innovation jobs in the state.
For those looking to capitalize on the business opportunities in Hawai’i, choosing to pursue an online MBA offered by a business school based out of Hawai’i can create important connections in the Hawai’ian business community. Taught by the same distinguished professors and held to the same accreditation standards as their on-campus counterparts, online MBAs can help busy professionals to advance their careers without relocation, ceasing to work, or sacrificing quality of professional development. In addition, online MBA programs give those with packed schedules control over when and where they engage in learning.
Keep reading to learn more about business school in Hawai’i offering flexible online MBA programs; the qualified professors providing guidance, wisdom, and knowledge; and options to study in a way that blends online and on-campus learning.
Featured Online MBA Programs in Hawai’i
The distance learning executive MBA offered through the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa is a rigorous and challenging program designed to create sharp, refined leaders who operative from a global mindset.
Students can choose a general MBA track or a healthcare management track. Coursework in the 48-credit program includes marketing management, accounting for decision making, leadership and organizational behavior, and digital transformation with information systems technology.
As this MBA is primarily designed to help students living across the Hawai’ian islands to participate, this MBA is synchronous, meaning classes happen at a specific time and day throughout the program. In addition, all distance learning students are expected to attend a five-day in-person residency at the beginning of the program. GMAT or GRE scores are required to apply and waivers are not available. Applicants also must have five or more years of work experience to apply.
Location: Honolulu, Hawai’i |
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
Expected Time To Completion: 22 months |
Estimated Tuition: $1,015 per credit hour |
For students interested in building a better world, the online MBA offered through the School of Business & Communication at Catholic Marianist Chaminade University prepares graduates for business leadership on a platform of individual growth, innovation, and forward-thinking, community-oriented social stewardship.
Students interested in the program can choose a general MBA or one of five MBA concentrations: accounting, healthcare administration, island business, not-for-profit business, and science and technology innovation. Coursework in the 36-credit-hour program includes leading people in organizations, strategic management, managerial ethics and decision making, and economic analysis for managers. GMAT scores are not required to apply.
Location: Honolulu, Hawai’i |
Accreditation: International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) |
Expected Time To Completion: As few as 18 months |
Estimated Tuition: $1,035 per credit hour |
The online MBA offered by the College of Business at Hawai’i Pacific University prepares graduates for a wide range of career possibilities in traditional and cutting edge-fields through the development of strong leadership, communication, teamwork, and critical thinking skills. The program is rated as number one in overall diversity nationwide by College Factual and has small class sizes, despite large incoming classes.
Coursework in the 32-credit program includes leadership of self and others, complex financial decision-making in the new age of technology, economics of global competitiveness and strategy, and managing across borders in the 21st century. GMAT scores are required to apply to Hawai’i Pacific, although waivers may be available for those with an undergraduate ‘B’ grade in the equivalent of four foundation courses or a graduate degree with a 3.0 GPA.
Location: Honolulu, Hawai’i |
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
Expected Time To Completion: Two years |
Estimated Tuition: $1,200 per credit hour |
Hybrid MBA Programs in Hawai’i
For many prospective students choosing an MBA program, flexibility is as important as the networking opportunities that can arise from career development. For students living close to a college campus, hybrid online on-campus programs can be an attractive option. With the flexibility of online coursework to give students the choice over where to attend courses and in-person opportunities to network, hybrid programs can offer a best-of-both-worlds MBA experience.
The following school of business in Hawai’i offers a hybrid on-campus/online MBA program: