Finding The Best Affordable Full-Time MBA Programs
Earning an MBA is a great way to ensure some level of financial security in the future. However, if earning the degree leaves you with mountains of debt, that security can start to seem like a pipe dream. Fortunately, there are business schools that provide some of the best affordable full-time MBA programs in the country.
Analyzing the full-time MBA rankings from U.S. News & World Report, we outline ten of the best MBA programs throughout the country that don’t come with the hefty price tag. Check out the ten programs that cost less than $25,000 per semester below.
The Best Affordable Full-Time MBA Programs
The D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University charges $1,600 per credit for their 55-credit program. The cost comes to about $22,000 per semester, which is not bad considering the average starting salary for recent grads is $88,000. The Boston school also offers its students a corporate residency while pursuing their degree, which helps alleviate financial pressure. The average salary for the Corporate Residencies was a respectable $32.52 per hour in 2018. Moreover, 91 percent of MBAs receive job offers within three months of graduation. Students with an interest in international business can participate in the Global Consulting Project or International Field Study.
At $11,855 per semester, going to La Salle University allows students to earn their MBAs without breaking the bank. The length of the program varies depending on a student’s previous credits and scheduling choices. Students who majored or minored in business can complete their degree in 12 months, whereas students without a business major or minor may take up to 24 months. Options for specialization include: accounting, business systems and analytics, finance, general business administration, management, and marketing.
Despite the reasonable price tag, La Salle grads have gone on to work high-level positions at well-known companies like Deloitte LLP and Morgan Chase.
The University of Colorado, Boulder Leeds School of Business ranks 65th overall among the best full-time MBA programs on U.S. News, and has a welcoming price tag to back it up. For in-state residents, the program is only $900 per credit ($1,200 for out-of-state residents). Over the course of 55 credits, this comes to just $49,500 for in-state residents over the entire two years of the program: $24,750 per year.
Leeds emphasizes entrepreneurship and a global outlook. The degree electives encourage students to concentrate on finance, marketing, management, or systems-operations. Students can complement this “functional focus” with a more tailored specialization like entrepreneurship, real estate, or sustainability. MBAs are not limited to MBA courses, as the program allows them to take up to four electives in other schools at CU Boulder. Additionally, students earning their MBA in Sustainability have the opportunity to take courses in University of Colorado’s Environmental Studies, Engineering, and Law Schools.
Upstate New Yorkers will be pleased to learn that the Binghamton University School of Management costs about $17,205 (with fees) per year for in-state residents. Non-residents pay about $26,745 (with fees) per year. Binghamton also does not require that entering MBAs have a business background, though they recommend a rudimentary knowledge of calculus, as well as strong skills in English and IT. The standard four-semester MBA is open to students from all undergrad majors. The school is currently 76th on the U.S. News list. Binghamton, NY may also be a strategic career-launch location, as the city made the Forbes list of “The Best Small Places For Business And Careers.”
Internships and opportunities to hobnob abound in the U.S. capital, making DC an excellent place to earn an MBA. However, with the cost of living on the rise, finding a relatively affordable school is key to maximizing return on investment. The cost of pursuing an MBA at the Kogod School of Business at American University comes out to about $20,923 per semester, for a total cost of $83,692. And, with a mean graduate salary of $84,725, it should not take grads long to see a respectable ROI. Kogod offers features like weekly Business Leadership Luncheons, wherein local business pioneers share their experiences and insights with students. Speakers have included senior executives from PayPal, IBM, and Marriott International. Graduates of the program have gone on to work at companies like Amazon, Deloitte, and Ford Motor Company.
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MBAs at the Argryros School of Business—the 79th overall school on the U.S. News list—pay $1,655 per credit. Which, for the 50-credit program, averages to about $20,687 per semester. The Orange County, CA school offers tracks in accounting, business analytics, entertainment and media management, entrepreneurship, finance, global business, marketing, and strategic management. The school also offers a variety of dual degrees, including an MBA/MFA in Film & TV Producing.
The University of San Diego School of Business Administration MBA currently costs $1,420 per credit. With a 56-credit requirement for the two-year program, the cost without fees comes to around $19,880 per semester. It is tied with the aforementioned Argyros School of Business at 79th overall on the U.S. News list of the country’s best business schools.
USD’s curriculum is based on four pillars: Leadership development; business function core; corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and ethics; integrative problem solving. For students with a global mindset, the International MBA has the same cost per credit, but requires only 44 credits.
In addition to being affordable, the Lerner College of Business is located in Delaware, where tax-free shopping makes the cost of living far less daunting. The Lerner MBA costs just $825 per credit for Delaware residents, and $1,000 per credit for those from out of state. This puts total cost per semester in a range from $9,075-$11,000.
Lerner MBAs can choose from a variety of concentrations, including (but not limited to): business analytics, international business, and sport management. Students can pursue a full-time, part-time, online, or hybrid MBA. Pursuing a hybrid of online and on-campus courses may also be fiscally helpful, since online credits tend to be more cost-effective.
The CSU College of Business offers several options for students pursuing an MBA. The school has a nationally renowned online MBA program, and also offers a Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise MBA, an Executive MBA, and an Evening MBA.
According to U.S. News, tuition for the full-time program is $757 per credit for in-state students and $1,557 per credit for out-of-state students. Given the huge cost cut for Colorado natives, CSU may be a prudent choice for residents of the state.
Students who are NYC-bound might consider applying to the Pace University Lubin School of Business. The total cost of an MBA education at Lubin education can vary, as different tracks require a different number of credits. However, at $1,267 per credit, the cost can be very manageable, particularly considering its prime spot in downtown Manhattan and all of the internship and job opportunities this location presents. Particularly for those with a bent toward accounting or finance, Lubin may be the perfect launching pad for a career in the big city. A substantial 92 percent of recent grads found jobs upon graduating.
HBS Announces 2018 Goldsmith Fellows, and More – Boston News
Let’s explore some of the most interesting stories that have emerged from Boston business schools this week.
Hope in the Face of Climate Change Catastrophe – MIT Newsroom
The MIT Sloan Podcast “Data Made to Matter” hosted Professor John Sterman who used the platform to discuss the simulator he and his Climate Interactive colleagues put together to benefit both the general public and policymakers.
“We’re finding new mechanisms that can lead to potential tipping points and the possibility of runaway climate change. So that’s a little discouraging. It’s getting worse and worse,” Sterman says.
“But on the economic and technology side the news is getting better every day, every day it’s getting cheaper to deploy wind, solar, efficiency. Every day we find out that it’s getting easier to do these things. Every day we find out more and more people understand that the climate is changing.”
You can read the full article here.
Harvard Business School Announces 2018 Goldsmith Fellows – Harvard Business School Blog
HBS unveiled this year’s Horace W. Goldsmith Fellowships, which put $10,000 toward the tuition of 7-10 incoming students from the nonprofit and public sectors that “demonstrate a strong commitment to continued career paths in these areas.”
Here is a complete list of the 2018 Goldsmith Fellows:
- Rishabh Agarwal, a former financial analyst and principal at charter school network Success Academy.
- Mollie Breen, a former Applied Research Mathmatician at the NSA.
- Kaushal Jain, who “oversaw malaria supply chain planning for multiple countries in Asia, Southern Africa, and Mesoamerica” as part of the Clinton Health Access Initiative
- Micah MacFarlane, cofounder of the Clinton Health Access Initiative’s global tuberculosis program, Asian Development Bank specialist, and principal at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
- Pratik Matai, who previously led “due diligence and capacity building” for Dasra, India’s “leading strategic philanthropy foundation.”
- Peggy Ochola, founder of PACE, which “serves students in under-resourced schools in informal settlements and rural areas in Nairobi.”
- Sophia Richter, former Assistant VP of Strategy at the NYC Economic Development Corporation.
- Emily Schlichting, whose past experience includes the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Blue Cross Blue Shield Nebraska.
- Viria Vichit-Vadakan, Chief Strategy Officer at Learn Corporation.
- Mandy Zhang, former COO for the Social Innovation Hub, a Beijing social enterprise incubator.
You can read more about the Harvard Goldsmith Fellows here.
Israel, the Startup Nation – D’Amore-McKim Blog
D’Amore-McKim recently profiled the 20 cross-disciplinary students that took part in the second annual “Dialogue of Civilizations: Entrepreneurship and Global Consulting in Israel” program, which combined historical sightseeing with “big business and young startup visits [for] students to experience the many facets of Israel.”
In a recent D’Amore-McKim Blog entry, DMSB Associate Professor of Marketing and Trip Leader Amir Grinstein says;
“Students got fantastic exposure to the booming Israeli ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as to the Israeli culture, history and social fabric. They made life long experiences and friendships. Especially of value were their ties with Israeli students from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev who partnered with us on this program.”
Of the experience, Manting Hong, (’21) writes, “The entrepreneurial spirit in the startup Nation is very unique. How Israelis view entrepreneurship, startup projects, and how they start a project are different. Bravery, perspective, close collaborations, open-mindedness, and crazy, are probably words that I would describe the startup culture there.”
D’Amore-McKim undergrads on their recent trip / Photo via http://www.damore-mckim.northeastern.edu
Hong adds, “And I do believe these are five factors that increase the possibility of successfully launch a business. The way of looking at each project in an “ecosystem” way is something that enhanced my business mindset the most, and I’m bringing it back to my startup. With all experiences in Israel, I believe it will help me to grow my startup in the following months.”
You can read the full article here.
The Best New York City Accelerated MBA Programs
When the decision is made to pursue an MBA, there are a number of questions one must ask themselves: how will I afford this degree? How will I make time for class? And can I keep my current job? Thankfully, most business schools acknowledge that not every student has the time or money to devote to a full-time curriculum. With flex or accelerated MBA options, students today have a number of different options for earning their degree on their terms.
If you’re looking to pursue an advanced business degree in the center of the world—New York City—but are concerned about the time and money it will take to complete an MBA, you might want to consider an Fast-Track or accelerated MBA program, some of which allow you to complete your degree in half the amount of time of a full-time program.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the top New York City accelerated MBA programs:
Zicklin School of Business – Baruch College
At Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business, students have the option of enrolling in the One-Year MBA program, a 42-credit degree that is completed in 12 consecutive months.
The One-Year MBA at Zicklin provides students with the same rigorous academic experience as the full-time MBA program, but in half the time. The program is perfect for students with an undergraduate business degree and at least two-to-five years professional work experience in a business-related field, who can use their strong knowledge of business fundamentals to move quickly through the degree. Beginning in June, the program consists of two Summer Blocks, a fall and spring semester and Winter Intersession with the option of studying abroad.
Anisfield School of Business – Ramapo College of New Jersey
An Accelerated MBA is available at Ramapo College’s Anisfield School of Business in New Jersey, just outside of the New York metro area. Recognized as one of the top quality business schools accredited by the AACSB in New Jersey, Ramapo College accelerated MBA allows working professionals to earn their MBA in just 20 months while still maintaining a career. Anisfield’s Accelerated MBA also allows students the option to take two Project Management electives which will prepare them to sit for the Project Management Profession (PMP) exam along with their degree.
The Accelerated MBA at Anisfield can be completed in 20 months, which consists of 2 evenings per week on campus, three hours online and just two classes per ten-week term. The degree focuses on a foundational and functional core of knowledge, while also requiring courses on leadership, global business, and offering the chance to take electives like Supply Chain Management, Marketing Research and many more.
Binghamton University School of Management
At the Binghamton University School of Management, students with an undergraduate business degree can accelerate their MBA timeline with one of Binghamton’s three Fast-Track MBA programs.
Any student possessing a bachelor’s degree in business from an AACSB-accredited institution may apply for the Management Fast-Track MBA, which can be completed in just one year. Accepting only students from AACSB institutions means all students entering the program have a similar strong business foundation, which allows the program to move quickly and allow more flexibility when it comes to elective courses. Undergraduate Binghamton students also have the option of enrolling in Fast-Track MBAs offered through the Harpur College of Arts and Sciences and Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science. Both of these programs last only a year by combining a student’s undergraduate degree with graduate coursework.
Lubin School of Business – Pace University
The Lubin School of Business at Pace offers students the opportunity to take a Fast-Track MBA in Marketing Management or Financial Management. At 39 credits, both programs cut the amount of time to earn a traditional MBA in half—which also significantly cuts the cost. Students who have graduated from an AACSB-accredited business school are eligible to apply with a 3.30 cumulative GPA or higher—those with a GPA higher than 3.5 may also be able to waive the GMAT requirement.
Students in these programs also have the opportunity to take advantage of student housing, fully immersing themselves in their Fast-Track program. The Marketing Management MBA emphasizes Professional Core Courses, such as Organization Behavior and Leadership or Managing Innovation, but also offers Specialization Electives, Breadth Electives and a Capstone Course. The Fast-Track Financial Management MBA offers many of the same foundational courses, but differs in required specialization courses and special electives.
Top Online MBA Programs in New York City
It used to be that online schooling was less useful and well respected than on-campus learning. It was thought that online students took the easy path to their education, but no longer. Now, for many graduate programs, their online MBAs are just as exceptional as their on-campus counterparts. Students take the same classes with the same professors and the same benefits.
So, considering all of that, what graduate business schools in New York City have the best online MBA programs? We’ve compiled a list of the top online programs in the city. Continue reading…
Entrepreneurship Centers and Resources For NYC MBAs
Think you have enough moxy, bravado, gumption, etc. to be the next Elon Musk, Warren Buffett or Richard Branson? There are more resources and opportunities than ever before to go rogue and start your own business, especially in New York City
