50 Most Popular Online MBA Programs

Online MBAs are seeing a surge in popularity. Here’s 50 of the world’s top Online MBA programs ranked by their popularity

The Kelley Direct Online MBA from Indiana University Kelley School of Business is the most popular Online MBA program in the world, according to research from MBA.com.

Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business offers the second-most popular Online MBA among business school candidates, followed by UNC Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School.

MBA.com’s list of top online MBA programs is based on the number of GMAT scores sent by candidates to each program in the last testing year (July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021).

US Online MBA programs are the most popular

US business schools come out strong in the list, as do programs that have also performed well in online MBA rankings.

Only five programs in the top online MBA programs list are based outside the US. The most popular European Online MBA program, IE Business School’s Global Online MBA, is the 21st most popular overall.

Warwick Business School, whose Online MBA was ranked the best in the world in the Financial Times Online MBA Ranking this year, is the 43rd most popular program.

The only other UK business school on the list, the University of Manchester Alliance Business School, sits ahead of Warwick at 39.

However, other schools that appeared in the top 10 of the FT’s ranking do appear high on the list, including University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School (3rd) and the University of Florida Warrington College of Business (8th).

Indeed, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), 86% of online MBA programs in the US saw a growth in applications in 2020.

Why do an Online MBA?

While online MBAs have seen more growth in the last year due to the pandemic, not all of the increase in applications can be attributed to this. In previous years, online MBA programs also outperformed other MBAs when it came to applications.

Online MBA programs allow a level of flexibility that an on-campus program doesn’t, meaning students can still manage full-time jobs and other commitments they might have around studying.

The Online MBA is also popular among older candidates, who may have settled family lives and careers but still want to enhance their career with an MBA degree.

As technology advances and the widespread acceptance of online learning increases, the popularity of online MBA programs will only continue to grow.

List of top Online MBA programs

Ordered by the number of candidates who sent a GMAT score report to a program in the last testing year.

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Student Reviews

Carnegie Mellon: Tepper

Abby

Verified

30/11/2022

On Campus

Honest Opinion on CMU

Finding yourself in CMU is such a great blessing. The amazing and great professors and lots of networking opportunities. I was in the faculty of engineering and here the course work was very interesting. The lecturers were very strict and couldn't accept late submission of assignments and work given. This made us very focused. The students are generally good and friendly

Joel

Verified

8/11/2022

On Campus

Excellence and Academic Integrity

CMU is one of the top class universities in Pittsburgh. It is a multi-diverse university with high regard for academic integrity, excellence, and innovation. It consists of different programs and departments that work together to achieve a common goal. I enjoy the convenience of moving from one building to the other. The faculty and staff are super friendly. It is relatively easy to make connections with other students, especially where collaboratory research is necessary. I would definitely recommend CMU to anyone looking for a muti-diverse academic experience.

Student

Verified

15/08/2023

On Campus

Stressful yet worthwhile

I've been genuinely impressed with the fusion of creativity and innovation at CMU. The professors are a mixed bag-- some are great and life-changing, but I had a couple (mostly gen eds in freshman year) that were really frustrating. The workload can be intense, and it's no joke. Campus was very lively; clubs, events, etc. – there's something for everyone. Pittsburgh in general has some areas that are great, and others that disappoint-- Oakland is a very nice university town area. Overall, CMU is a hotbed of innovation and learning, but the pace and location do come into play.

Tom

Verified

1/03/2023

On Campus

Quite demanding here

Carnegie Mellon is a demanding academic institution where students are expected to put in a lot of effort. Despite the challenging coursework and constant workload, this environment teaches you how to speak for yourself and stand up for what you believe in. The institution also has a strong graduate network, which helps you succeed in the job hunt both while you are enrolled there and after