50 Affordable Online MBA Programs with No GMAT

(Updated for 2017) By earning a master’s degree in business administration, you will enjoy a ton of exciting job possibilities. As the global economy expands and competition increases, more companies want their employees to have an advanced business management education.

Today there is a huge number of online MBA degree programs available in many specializations – with no GMAT exam required or a waiver option. Below are some of the most affordable online MBA programs, some cheapest others most expensive, in the most exciting specializations and concentrations today. You can easily request more information from each school by clicking on their direct link.

Note: All MBA degree programs mentioned have a No GMAT requirement or waiver and is AACSB, ACBSP or regionally accredited. *Indicates Featured School Partner.

Are you a school or University with an MBA program which should be included on this page? Contact us now.

Narrow by MBA Specialization

• Accounting/Finance
• Information Technology
• General Business
• Executive
• Human Resources Management
• Healthcare Management
• Marketing & Advertising
• Supply Chain Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Operations Management
• Leadership Management
• Information/Cyber Security
• Big Data Analytics
• International Business

✔ MBA in Accounting/Finance

Earning an MBA in accounting will provide you with a complete, in depth review of accounting theories and taxation. You can expect to explore tax ethics, estate planning, research, auditing, forensic accounting and personal and corporate income taxation. The most popular career choices with an MBA in accounting are public accountant, auditor and bookkeeper. Job demand for accountants will rise by 11% by 2024, and the median salary is $67,100.

✔ MBA in Information Technology

Getting an MBA in information technology is the ticket to make you a highly in demand IT manager or analyst. You will learn how modern technology and information technology today is being used to best support essential organizational needs in data, research and communication. These types of MBA programs will give you the skills to increase the efficiency and profitability of your employer. Job demand will increase by 15% by 2024, and the median salary is $131,000.

✔ MBA in General Business

Students who want to earn a degree that will build excellent, general business and managerial skills should consider getting an MBA in general business. The general business MBA is built upon the essential business areas of finance, management, economics and marketing. While many students choose to specialize in a certain area for their MBA, earning a general MBA will provide you with the foundational skills you need to succeed in most businesses. All business operations occupations will see an 8% increase in demand by 2024, and the median salary for all positions is $65,700.

✔ Executive MBA

For business professionals with at least 7-10 years of business experience, the best MBA option may be an executive MBA. This type of business degree is exclusively designed for senior professionals and executives who want to continue working full time while they earn their master’s degree. Professionals in this high level MBA program will learn both from their professors and from their fellow business professionals. Many who earn this MBA become top executives; this job position will increase 6% in demand by 2024, and the median pay is $175,000.

✔ MBA in Human Resources Management

An MBA in human resources management is a good fit for a business professional who wants to enhance her business and interpersonal skills to advance in an HR setting. An MBA focused on HRM will deal with all types of employee-related subjects, such as hiring, recruiting, benefits, training, OSHA compliance, company culture and compensation. US News and World Report states that HR is the #15 best job in the US, and employment growth is 15% or more. HR managers earn a median of $104,000 per year.

✔ MBA in Healthcare Management

Getting an MBA in healthcare management provides healthcare and/or business professionals with the essential leadership and business skills that they need to be effective leaders of all types of healthcare facilities and systems. This also is a good choice for an experienced business manager who wishes to transition into the healthcare field. Typical workplaces with this degree are hospitals, nursing homes, doctors’ offices and outpatient care centers. Job demand in this field will rise 17% by 2024, and median pay is $94,500.

✔ MBA in Marketing & Advertising

An MBA in marketing is becoming increasingly popular, as global competition in the business world requires the latest marketing and advertising acumen to stay on top. Your marketing MBA will teach you many skills that you can apply to most business leadership roles. Common career goals for MBA in marketing students include marketing management, operations management, sales force management and marketing channels strategies. Marketing managers will see 5% increase in job demand by 2024, and the median salary is $95,800.

✔ MBA in Supply Chain Management

An MBA in supply chain management will prepare you for many exciting positions in the growing field of supply chain management or SCM. Companies all over the globe need to have excellent supply chain managers with solid operations skills. They need to be able to pay close attention to detail, but also be able to take a few steps back and see the larger picture. Strong supply chain managers help their organizations deliver products less expensively, faster, better and cheaper. This field will increase in demand 30% by 2024, and the median salary is $78,600.

✔ MBA in Entrepreneurship

Many employers today are putting more of an emphasis on their business hires having entrepreneurial talents and skills. While many people who earn an MBA in entrepreneurship to start their own companies, earning this type of master’s degree will give you the skills to find revenue in difficult economic times. Earning this degree also will teach you how to handle many different areas of business and to be a team player. Professionals with this MBA work in many fields, but the small business optimism index skyrocketed at the end of 2016.

1. *Online MBA Innovation Entrepreneurship – Northeastern University – Customize your Online MBA in Entrepreneurship. Ranked #4 for its Online MBA in the U.S. by the Financial Times in 2016. Accredited by AACSB International-the hallmark of excellence in management education.
2. Online Entrepreneurship MBA – Ball State University – Muncie, Indiana – The entrepreneurship program here has been ranked among the top 15 in US News and World Report since 2000. Complete hands-on work in this program to teach you how to solve problems for your company and customers. Learn how to innovate and manage projects that you devise. Also learn how to manage great change and bring new solutions to market.
3. Online Entrepreneurship MBA – Fayetteville State University – Fayetteville, Arkansas – This entrepreneurship MBA program is designed for experienced business professionals who seek hands on learning about how to most effectively run a thriving small business. The degree also is appropriate for those who wish to introduce leading entrepreneurial principles into their workplace.
4. Online Entrepreneurship MBA – University of Florida –  Gainesville, Florida – This entrepreneurship MBA is ranked number 16 among public universities according to US News and World Report. It was one of the first programs to offer an online MBA that was fully accredited. It also is highly ranked by Financial Times, offering students a one year and two year online option. Students come from Fortune 500 companies, government and non profits.

✔ MBA in Operations Management

An MBA in operations management has become a very in demand degree as more organizations are trying to streamline their operations for maximum efficiency. This type of degree is focused on learning how to plan, organize and supervise production, manufacturing or how services are provisioned. An MBA in this field will focus largely on supply chain management and logistics principles. The field of operations management will grow by 30% by the end of 2024, which is much faster than average. The median salary is $78,600.

1. *Online Operations Management MBA – University of Scranton – Scranton, Pennsylvania – This operations management MBA arms you with the analytical and problem solving tools that you need to be successful in a technology and IT intensive field. Courses are focused on supply chain management, production control and planning, and other vital subject areas in operations management. Ranked among the Top 10 Universities in the North and Top 20 Best Value Schools by U.S. News & World Report.
2. Online Operations Management MBA – University of Alabama – Birmingham, Alabama – Earning your operations management MBA online will provide you with the credentials and the skills that you will need to provide effective oversight of people, resources, equipment and materials that businesses need to deliver goods and services. This program provides both an operations management and decision analytics track.
3. Online Operations Management MBA – University of South Dakota – Vermillion, South Dakota – This online MBA program is ranked as one of the best programs according to US News and World Report. It also has been ranked as the #12 online MBA program according to Princeton Review. GetEducated.com has ranked it as the best affordable MBA as well.

✔ MBA in Leadership Management

A leadership management MBA teaches the business professional about how to develop and execute the most creative strategies for managing change in the fast paced business world today. Graduates of this type of MBA will know how to transcend routine decision making methods so that they can better capitalize on the latest, innovative business opportunities. This MBA specialty is also very useful for professionals who want to work in management consulting. This field will expand by 14% in the coming years. The median salary is $81,000.

1. Online Executive MBA – Howard University – Washington, DC – This executive MBA has been ranked as the #1 school of business for minority students for 12 years in a row by the Princeton Review. This program is renowned for its offering its students a stellar management education in a highly dynamic and stimulating environment that prepares graduates to compete in the global economy.
2. Online Executive MBA – George Mason University – Fairfax, Virginia – For professionals who have worked for years in business management, this online MBA is designed with the flexibility and strength that most experienced business executives need. This is a 20 month MBA program that is focused on global, national security and infrastructure protection that allows you to finish the degree in two years.
3. Online Executive MBA – University of Nevada – Reno, Nevada – This program has been ranked as one of the top online business programs according to both the Princeton Review and US News and World Report. It is a 12 course curriculum that is being offered as a two year, full time cohort program. This means that you will take your classes live with your fellow students. This provides a highly stimulative learning environment and excellent networking.

✔ MBA in Information Security

This MBA specializes in teaching you skills and technology to maintain the privacy of company and/or client information. You will be required to take classes in disaster recovery, network security, forensics, and IT governance. This type of graduate degree will teach you how to best protect personal information and sensitive material from being hacked and getting into the hands of criminals. Much of this MBA program will be about increasing your knowledge of technology and computers and the most current cybersecurity measures. Many professionals in this field will work as a type of computer and information systems manager. This field will see strong growth in the coming years at 15% by 2024. The median salary is $131,600.

1. *Online MBA in Cybersecurity – Florida Tech University Online – Ranked by Forbes among America’s Best Colleges + Ranked a Tier 1 Best National University by U.S. News & World Report. Gain specialized knowledge regarding the interconnections between security solutions and the enterprise, security-related aspects of host-based computer security, as well as secure networks and communications.
2. Online Information Systems MBA – Stevens Institute of Technology – Hoboken, New Jersey – This prestigious online MBA in information systems is only a few minutes from downtown New York City. This university has been ranked #11 in the US by Princeton University for colleges that pay you back. It also has been ranked as #12 in the nation for colleges that pay you back over 20 years, according to Payscale.com.
3. Online Information Systems MBA – Cameron University – Lawson, Oklahoma – This online MBA is made for working professionals in information systems to finish in two years. It consists of 33 credit hour that will give you the skills needed to enjoy a successful information systems career. Core courses include Applied Business Statistics, Managerial Finance, Accounting for Management, and Applied Business Strategy.
4. Online Information Systems MBA – Dallas Baptist University –  Dallas, Texas – This MBA will prepare you for a visionary and exciting career in information systems, so that you can enjoy maximum success in a global business environment. This MBA features a highly experienced team of educators and practitioners who are dedicated to helping you to grow into the best information systems professional that you can be.

✔ MBA in Big Data Analytics

With the growing importance of big data and business analytics, businesses require smart, experienced managers who have a good grasp of how to handle and interpret massive amounts of data. An MBA in big data analytics is critical because  you will understand how to sort, collect and understand the implications of large amounts. This degree program will then allow you to grasp how you can leverage the data to meet your company’s strategic goals. The field for financial analysts with this degree is strong, with 12% increase in demand anticipated by 2024.

✔ MBA in International Business

One of the most rapidly growing MBA specialties currently is the international business MBA. A strong MBA in this discipline will prepare you to compete in a highly global world of business. These programs will provide you with complete business management training from an international perspective. Typically these programs cover complex economic, financial and management challenges of doing business abroad. International business management analysts will see 14% rise in job demand by 2024; median salary is $81,320

1. *Online MBA International Business Concentration – Washington State University – Ranked among the Best National Universities in 2015 by U.S. News & World Report. Designated as a 2014 Military Friendly School by Victory Media. Our online MBA program can be completed in as few as 22 months and is delivered in a flexible, 100% online format, making it especially accommodating for those who will be balancing military, family and professional obligations with their academic responsibilities.
2. Online International Business MBA – University of North Dakota –  Grand Forks, North Dakota – This affordable, online MBA in international business will provide you with the business management skills in planning, organizing, and operating an international business enterprise. Ranked #1 by TopManagementDegrees.com as most affordable online MBA program.
3. Online International Business MBA – University of Wisconsin Oshkosh –  Oshkosh, Wisconsin – This international business MBA can be completed by meeting each Saturday and finishing in 16 months, or by taking classes online and part time in the evenings. Work with a group of 25-30 colleagues who work in your business area. You also can participate in international study tours of 10-12 days that offer an insider look at international companies.
4. Online International Business MBA – University of Michigan Dearborn – Dearborn, Michigan – This international MBA program is ranked #5 in the US for admissions selectivity by US News and World Report; #1 in Michigan online MBA programs; #2 in Michigan part time MBA programs; and #68 overall for online MBA programs according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

What Makes a Great Online MBA Program

Students and professionals who choose to earn an online MBA need to ensure that they are investing in a high quality program. It is important that the MBA program provides you with an excellent business management education so that you can improve your career prospects.

To ensure that you choose a good online MBA program, experts recommend looking at the below factors:

Affordability

Whether or not going to MBA school is worth it depends in part upon what the degree costs and what your starting and mid-career salary will be. While most professionals who attended MBA school state that they think it was worth it, the financial value of the degree varies tremendously from place to place.

In some MBA programs, the average business graduate will have more student loan debt than their starting salary. On the other hand, there also are online MBA programs where one’s starting salary is much higher than the MBA student debt load.

One of the interesting aspects of MBA affordability is that some of the best-known MBA schools may have a very high debt-to-income ratio. Meanwhile, schools that are not as well known may turn out to be excellent choices in terms of total debt compared to starting salary after graduation.

U.S. News and World Report recently had a report that showed the top 10 schools where salaries often dwarfed the debt load graduates had. This survey found that the top MBA program in this category was the University of Texas-Dallas; there students had a median starting salary post-graduation of $86,644, and a total MBA student debt of just $7,132.

Accreditation

It is important to select an online MBA program that has been accredited by a highly respected education accreditation organization. Accreditation organizations look closely at business programs to determine if they meet a high level of academic quality.

In business education at the bachelor’s and master’s level, the primary and best-known accreditation agency is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB. This organization was begun in 1916, and is the oldest business education accreditation agency. It is recommended that when possible to attend an online MBA program that has been accredited by the AACSB.

Faculty

A high quality faculty also is critical for online MBA programs. Students should prefer faculty who are very well educated and experienced in the business management field. A large number of instructors should preferably possess a Ph.D. in business or a related field. They also should have extensive, successful work experience in the business world.

It is advised that students should beware of an online MBA program where the teachers are more like course managers than actually are teaching the business class.

Students also should expect that the instructors are experienced in teaching online courses; they should be mostly the same instructors that are teaching the business program on campus.

Many good online MBA programs make very strong efforts to ensure that all instructors are properly trained so that they use all of the available technology and tools to teach online MBA students.

After you find a program that is of interest, conduct some research about the professional and educational backgrounds of the professors you may have in the MBA program.

Curriculum

A high quality, online MBA program should have the identical business curriculum as the campus-based program. It should have the same types of assignments, readings, projects, papers, research and activities. While the manner of delivery for the material will differ, the material should be substantially the same.

Students should not be under the impression that an online MBA is less work. It may in fact require more effort from the student because the entire learning process is up to the drive and discipline of the individual.

You may verify if the online MBA program has the same curriculum quite easily. Simply review the required courses for the school’s online and campus-based MBA programs to see if the material is the same. You also may inquire with the director of the MBA program to see if the same curriculum is used for the online and campus MBA.

Program Ranking

Each year, major publications and websites release lists of top-performing MBA programs. These lists include both online and on campus programs, as well as MBA programs in specific specialities.

These rankings are intended to demonstrate how MBA programs compare to each other in terms of curriculum, cost, quality of instructors, peer reputation and diversity of the student body.

Each publication will use its own specific formula or methodology to determine what rank it assigns a particular MBA program. Common factors used to determine rankings include:

• Admissions selectivity
• Faculty quality
• Instruction methods
• Technology use
• Satisfaction of past students
• Employment results
• Debt load at graduation

No student should choose an online MBA just by the ranking, but it is a helpful tool to consider. Top ranking publications include The Princeton Review and US New and World Report.

Research that is focused on the above factors will help you to choose the ideal online MBA program. As you review various online MBA options, make sure to review the above attributes so that you can make the best choice for your business career.

——–

Here is a summary of the MBA programs listed above by affordability:

*last updated March 10, 2017

References

• Kowarski, I, 10 MBA Programs Where Grads Make More Money Than They Owe. (2017, April 25). Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/the-short-list-grad-school/articles/2017-04-25/10-mba-programs-where-new-grads-make-more-than-they-owe