U.S. News & World Report calls the state of Massachusetts one of the most highly-educated states in the nation. Half of the state’s population is college-educated, and state citizens report a median household income of more than $75,000. With a large number of well-respected universities and colleges within Massachusetts, it is no wonder the state provides distance learners with some of the best online MBA programs in the nation.
The State
Massachusetts became the sixth state in the Union, and the state is one of the most celebrated in the history of the United States. As a member of the original 13 colonies, Massachusetts led the charge in resistance against British oppression, and much of the protesting came to a head in 1773 with the Boston Tea Party. Just two years later, Lexington and Concord were the sites of battles between British troops and the Minute Men that sprang the American Revolution into action.
The state of Massachusetts has been the setting for many of America’s firsts, including the first public park known as the Boston Common in 1634 and the introduction of the first university in the country with the establishing of Harvard the following year in 1635. Other notable firsts of the state include first sewing machine to be introduced to the country, the first public library, subway, public school, and newspaper. Massachusetts is credited by many as the birthplace of the sport of basketball in 1891 and today is still home to one of the most successful sports franchises in America, the Boston Celtics.
The Online MBA
There are more employees working in the fields of health services and education than any other fields of employment in the state. With some of the nation’s most prestigious university systems, Massachusetts is a great place to work and study. And as the online MBA continues to grow in popularity among business professionals desiring a convenient degree in business management, more professionals across the nation are able to take advantage of the best online MBA programs in Massachusetts.
Each one of the five programs listed below is backed by excellent accreditation through the AACSB-International and will provide their graduates with excellent professional opportunities in the future.
Methodology
To find the best Online MBA programs in Massachusetts, we researched over 570 online and hybrid MBA programs from around the country and ranked them based first upon their location in Massachusetts, and then upon convenience, affordability, and reputation.
Convenience
Each MBA program’s convenience criteria is based upon if it can be completed in a 100% online format and if the GMAT/GRE score requirement is waived or omitted during the application process. Each school has an online format score and GMAT score that is averaged to make the Convenience Score. This attributes to 33% of the final ranking score.
Affordability
All base tuition data is taken directly from each program or university website and accounts for the entirety of the online MBA degree. This figure does not include fees, books, or lodging. To find the Affordability Score, this data is placed on a 100-point scale and then inverted. This attributes to 33% of the final ranking score.
Reputation
This reputation for each online MBA is based upon national MBA ranking sources: US News and World Report, Bloomberg Businessweek, and The Economist. Scores were converted to a 100-point scale and then averaged to find a balanced consensus for each online MBA’s reputation. This data was placed on a 100-point scale for the Reputation Score. This attributes to 33% of the final ranking score.
The best online MBA program in Massachusetts is provided by the Charlton College of Business at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Coming in as the most cost-effective program in this ranking, this 30-credit hour degree can be pursued with a base tuition less than $20,000. The attractive tuition rate is by no means an indication of poor quality when it comes to curriculum and the business school’s faculty. The AACSB-International accredits the Charlton College of Business, placing it among the top business schools from around the world. There are no campus visits associated with this program, allowing an online MBA student to take courses from anywhere in the country without ever having to step foot on the campus in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Business school candidates who complete the online Business Foundations certificate program and maintain a 3.30 GPA or better are exempt from producing GMAT or GRE test scores during the application process. Accounting for Decision Making, Strategic Management, Marketing Strategy, Finance for Decision Making, Advanced Organizational Behavior, Information Technology Management, and Advanced Operations Analysis are just some of the exemplary courses provided within this 100% online MBA.
Affordability Score: 100.00
Convenience Score: 75.00
Reputation Score: 15.46
The Sawyer Business School at Suffolk University delivers an online MBA with Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management, Finance, International Business, and Marketing emphases. You As a Leader: Self-Awareness, Feedback, and Decision-Making, Business Law, Values Based Decision Making, Information Technology, Understanding World Class Clusters, Innovate: Entrepreneurial Thinking, and Collaborate-Teams and Project Management are some of the top-shelf courses the business school has designed for this online MBA. Students lacking the GMAT or GRE will be happy to know the business school does not require placement test scores to be submitted during the application process. The Sawyer Business School is granted its business accreditation through the AACSB-International, giving the business school a boost in the area of academic integrity and reputation. Up to fifteen credit hours of prerequisite courses may be waived by graduate students with the proper academic credentials. Suffolk University dates all the way back to 1906 when it was established as Archer’s Evening Law School. Today, the university maintains a student body numbering over 7,000.
Affordability Score: 69.35
Convenience Score: 100.00
Reputation Score: 15.46
The University of Massachusetts Lowell offers an online MBA with specializations in Accounting, Information Technology, Healthcare, International Business, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Managerial Leadership, General, and Finance at the Robert J. Manning School of Business. Every one of the business courses within this stellar program is delivered 100% online with no visits required to the school’s campus in Lowell, Massachusetts. Candidates with the proper academic credentials may be able to waive up to 12 hours of preliminary courses and finish this degree as a 30-credit hour program. The business school prides itself by providing a 10-course program for less than $20,000 in tuition. The AACSB-International accredits the Robert J. Manning School of Business, and a waiver for the GMAT/GRE is made available for online MBA applicants. Accounting Information for Management Decisions, Strategy Formation and Implementation, Corporate Finance, Managing Organizational Change, Customers and Markets, Management Information Systems, and Operations Management are just some of the excellent courses the business school provides to distance learners within this 100% online MBA in Massachusetts.
Affordability Score: 96.33
Convenience Score: 75.00
Reputation Score: 15.46
Northeastern University delivers one of the best online MBA programs in Massachusetts, with concentrations in Finance, Healthcare Management, Sustainability, High Technology Management, Innovation Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain Management, International Management, and Marketing. Through the D’Amore-McKim School of Business, this excellent online MBA has a long history of awards and recognitions from America’s most-trusted ranking entities. Bloomberg Businessweek’s Best Business Schools Ranking shows Northeastern as the 78th among the nation’s best B-schools, and they also show up as the 58th best MBA in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The business school values candidates with at least five years of professional work experience. Although graduate students lacking the prerequisite work experience may still apply to the program and produce other eligibility requirements, including a competent GMAT score and proper certifications showing business education competencies. This 50-credit hour program gives distance learners the option of studying abroad in Russia, China, and Peru. Students may also attend a one-week long campus residency and receive credit for three credit hours.
Affordability Score: 21.58
Convenience Score: 100.00
Reputation Score: 100.00
An online MBA with emphases in Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Sport Management, Finance, Healthcare Administration, and Marketing is provided at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The business school offers an interesting feature to get graduate students started quickly in the program: incoming students can register and begin taking up to two courses before even being officially accepted into the program. There are zero campus visits required for this online MBA in Massachusetts, so distance learners can take classes from virtually anywhere in the world. This online MBA is 39 to 45 credit hours in length, depending on what electives the graduate student chooses and what academic experience she brings to the program. The AACSB-International accredits the Isenberg School of Management, which affirms this excellent online MBA as one of the nation’s best. This 100% online MBA can be pursued for just over $35,000 in tuition, revealing a strong value for higher business education.
Affordability Score: 77.81
Convenience Score: 75.00
Reputation Score: 32.31
What are the Driving Forces in Massachusetts’ Economy?
The state of Massachusetts is no stranger to leading the way for other states, and even the federal government, to follow. Following the Boston Massacre of 1770, the Boston Tea Party was in response to a growing distrust and uncertainty in British rule over the colonists. The colony of Massachusetts was the site for the beginning of the American Revolution, and today the state continues to set precedence.
Massachusetts led the way in 2006 with universal health care coverage that would later help to inform President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. The state was also first in legalizing gay marriage and one of the first states in the nation to pass laws to protect people identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Besides its strong political roots, Massachusetts also influences the country’s economy, and here are three economic areas that Massachusetts thrives within.
Education Is a Major Industry in Massachusetts
Education is a high priority for the state of Massachusetts. Harvard University was the first college established in America, and the state has been the birthplace of many famous politicians, thinkers, and American artists. John F Kennedy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Paul Revere, Norman Rockwell, Emily Dickinson, and Edgar Allan Poe all hail from the Bay State. The state also maintains well-known colleges like Tufts University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The high school graduation rate in Massachusetts is higher than the national average at 87.5 percent.
Health Services Is a Major Industry in Massachusetts
The world of healthcare is vibrant and active in Massachusetts. With so many top-notch colleges and universities, the state is able to train healthcare providers at many different levels. Massachusetts ranks as the second-best overall state in the nation in healthcare with excellent health care access, quality, and public health. The state’s 25 percent obesity ranking is also one of the lowest in America.
Technology is a Major Industry in Massachusetts
Tech-based jobs continue to grow across all fields of business, and Massachusetts is one state that is staying ahead of the curve. While the state ranks as fifth in tech sector employment with over 300,000 jobs in the field, it also is the site for the fifth-best city for tech jobs: Boston. Many technicians move on to become managers of technical teams, and a degree like the online MBA is a great way to prepare for jobs like that.
What Are the Prerequisites Business Schools Look for in Online MBA Candidates?
A business school providing an online MBA will want a business professional with some work experience and educational background, which will ensure a good match between student and program. Here are some things business schools look for in MBA students.
Online MBA Students Should Have an Undergraduate in Business
While some programs do allow students lacking a degree in business to apply for their programs, the easiest transition for an online MBA student is when she has a solid foundation of business education at the undergraduate level. Introductory courses in business are best taken at the undergraduate level, so time and expense can be saved during the online MBA.
Online MBA Students Should Have Work Experience
Some of the nation’s best business schools that have designed online MBA programs require that program candidates have at least two years of work experience before being able to apply for their degrees. Time in the actual job market allows a student to grow and see how business theory is put to work in real time. A graduate degree requires a graduate student to be good at managing time and getting assignments done without excuses. Business schools want to do everything in their power to ensure that students graduate from their programs successfully.
Online MBA Students Should Have a Willingness to Grow
Online MBA students do not only need to know how to express their ideas to lead well, but they also need to be able to listen to others. The art of compromise and the skills needed to get the best out of a team come from being a good team player, and the curriculum for many online MBA programs is designed for this purpose.
Related Resources:
Best Undergraduate Business Programs
Best No-GMAT Online MBA Programs
Best 1-Year Online MBA Programs