A Master's in Business Administration, which is commonly referred to as an MBA degree, is a diverse and robust degree that allows students the chance to pursue many different business and management-related careers. It's common for MBA students to come from financial backgrounds such as finance and accounting, but students are also drawn from non-business backgrounds like creative writing or even chemistry! These programs use each student's unique skill set and train them to apply it ton managing teams of people and guiding businesses through the complex, modern world. Online students enjoy the added bonus of keeping their families and careers moving while working on their MBA, often at a lower cost than associated with traditional programs.
FINDING AN MBA DEGREE
MBA programs may share these same three initials, but they vary significantly in the ways they deliver core content and concerning which students best fit these programs. It all begins with the overall program set up, where some schools pre-set all coursework for students and assign peer cohorts. These programs limit flexibility, but this doesn't limit their students' learning. The cohorts help to build personal and professional connections quickly, and the pre-set curriculum ensures that students learn about every facet of business in an in-depth way. Programs that allow their students to choose electives or concentrations are often geared toward very focused learning, which is especially beneficial to students who know exactly what segment of business they wish to enter. Almost all MBA programs offer core coursework and concentrations in fundamental business topics such as Finance or Human Resource Management, but other programs offer up to 20 different areas of emphasis to choose from!
It's up to prospective MBA students to figure out whether or not flexibility or structure will be best for them. They may also pursue internships or global business experiences that can offer a peek into possible career paths. For MBA students, those previews can show a bright and lucrative future. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs such as Marketing Manager will see 24,000 new positions opening up over the next ten years. Employees in this position report a median annual salary of around $132,000, and this is just one of the myriad options that MBA graduates may choose to pursue.
RANKING THE 8 BEST ONLINE MBA PROGRAMS IN NEBRASKA
Online MBA Today uses eight metrics to grade each school: Quality of online programs from U.S. News & World Report; Mid Career Pay from Payscale.com; student review scores from Rate My Professor; aggregate reputation scores from other ranking sites; and the percentage of online programs, SAT scores, average net price, and retention rate from the National Center for Education Statistics. For a comprehensive breakdown of how we categorize and source data, please visit our methodology page.
#1. UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA – LINCOLN
Thanks to its location near corn country, Lincoln's athletic teams are known as the "Cornhuskers." The University of Nebraska – Lincoln offers both a Flex Master of Business Administration program, which allows students to blend on-campus and online classes and a fully online MBA. The MBA program is a 48 credit-hour program, with classes divided between 30 hours of core classes, nine hours of breadth electives, and nine hours of electives. Core courses cover Business Strategy, Managerial Finance, and Business Analytics. Electives are then drawn from any business areas, or even from courses outside of the College of Business (with advisor approval). At least one elective chosen must have an International Overlay component (e.g., Multinational Financial Analysis). Students with limited work experience are expected to find and participate in an internship during the program.
Online MBA applicants are required to have one year of accumulated professional work experience, though this does not apply to those pursuing the Flex MBA. Applicants to the program should have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. It is recommended that applicants also have a GMAT score of at least 600, though this can be waived with sufficient work experience (seven+ years) or previous graduate degrees. Nebraska- Lincoln also offers dual degree programs that can be paired with the Master of Business Administration program. Two examples of these programs are joint programs with the Juris Doctorate (law degree) and a Master of Architecture. Nebraska – Lincoln also offers graduate certificate programs in Business Analytics and Supply Chain Management.
Format: Hybrid
#2. CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY
Creighton University is one of the 28 member schools of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The school offers a 33 credit-hour Master of Business Administration program that can be completed fully online. Courses in the program are divided among nine hours of core courses, 15 hours of functional core courses, and nine hours of electives. Core courses cover leadership, managerial action, and ethics. The functional core covers foundational knowledge in finance, economics, and related subjects. Students with undergraduate business degrees will have flexibility in tailoring the functional core curriculum to meet their professional goals and needs. Students may also choose to earn a concentration by taking multiple courses in a given area, such as finance, leadership, accounting, business intelligence, financial psychology, or personal finance planning.
Creighton's MBA program is also available in on-campus and hybrid formats. Other graduate programs offered by Creighton include a Doctor of Business Administration and an Executive Healthcare MBA. There are also a number of dual degree programs, including both master's and professional degrees, as well as graduate certificate offerings in Business Analytics, Financial Psychology, and Negotiation & Conflict Resolution, among others. Admission to the program requires a minimum GPA of 3.0. Some applicants may be required to complete a personal interview. Students without an undergraduate statistics course must complete a noncredit tutorial.
Format: Online
#3. BELLEVUE UNIVERSITY
Bellevue University specializes in adult and continuing education, with 80% of its undergraduates aged 25 or older. Bellevue offers an online Master of Business Administration program designed to focus on leadership at all levels of organizations. The online MBA uses a cohort structure that helps to build tight-knit relationships among students, each of whom enters the program with unique personal and professional backgrounds. Students complete one six-week course at a time, with courses focused on critical skill areas such as Finance, Marketing, Strategy, Operations, and Opportunity. There are 36 credit-hours of coursework in the program, which are delivered in 12 courses that progress in a pre-set order. These courses lead to a capstone course, "Strategy Innovation & Integration.
Graduates of Bellevue's MBA program have gone on to pursue positions in fields such as Business and Financial Operations, Financial Analysis, Human Resource Management, and Management Analysis. Applicants to the program should have an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5 for their most recent 60 hours of coursework. Students may also meet the GPA requirement by having at least a 3.0 GPA in any previous graduate-level coursework. Letters of recommendation and personal essays are required only for some applicants meeting specific requirements. Sample courses from the program include Business Performance Management; Marketing & New Media Strategy; Financial Management & Strategy; and Opportunity, Analysis, Creativity, and Sustainability.
Format: Online
#4. UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY
The University of Nebraska at Kearney was founded in 1905 as the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney, to help prepare future teachers for the state of Nebraska. UNK is home to an online Master of Business Administration program, which is delivered in a hybrid format. This format combines fully online courses with blended courses, which can include up to six evening meetings per term. Students have the option of video-conferencing into a class or attending a physical classroom. The program's 33 credit hours are split between core courses (18 hours) and concentration/program track courses. Each program track allows students to pick an area of emphasis, such as marketing or human resources, which comprises the final 15 hours of the program.
General, Marketing, and Human Resources concentrations are available fully online with blended coursework, while the Accounting concentration requires in-class attendance and therefore cannot be taken fully online. Students with a baccalaureate degree from an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited program and an undergraduate GPA of 3.7 or higher may be granted full admission without submitting GRE/GMAT scores. Students with GPAs below this threshold need either at least two years of work experience, sufficient GMAT test scores (around 480), or to have completed a previous graduate degree program. Students without undergraduate coursework in business may be required to complete up to 18 hours of foundation courses in economics, accounting, finance, and statistics.
Format: Online
#5. CHADRON STATE COLLEGE
Chadron State College has a number of historic sites on its campus, and five of its major buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Chadron State offers an online Master of Business Administration program made up of 36 credit hours of coursework. The first nine courses are pre-set core courses such as Information Systems for Managers, Corporate Finance, High Performance, and Organizational Behavior. Students then select three elective courses (for their final nine credit hours), which can be drawn from subject areas such as accounting, finance, and management. Samples of these elective courses include Entrepreneurship-New Venture Creations, Finance for Managers, and Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting. Classes are delivered in eight-week sessions, with two eight-week blocks per semester. Courses rotate each semester, which generally means the program cannot be completed in less than two academic years.
To qualify for the program, students should have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited university. New applicants need to complete the Inbound Peregrine Exam; the exam does not require any preparation and takes roughly two hours to complete. Students who do not meet the department's minimum score are required to take the Academic Leveling Course (ALC) offered through Peregrine Academic Services. The ALC is delivered through 15 modules and must be completed by the end of a student's first MBA course, or they will be converted to non-degree seeking status. Some courses in the program are double-listed in different areas of emphasis; these courses can be repeated for credit if the student's area of emphasis changes.
Format: Online
#6. UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
The University of Nebraska at Omaha was originally founded as the Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary, before eventually becoming a public university in the mid-1960s. Omaha's Master of Business Administration offers an online pathway option for students. This program delivers the same curriculum as the on-campus MBA, with 33 credit hours of courses divided between 24 hours of core courses and nine hours of electives. Elective courses can lead to one of ten different MBA concentrations, such as Business Analytics, Collaboration Science, Investment Science, Risk Management, or Sustainability. MBA students are also required to attend two events in the MBA Leadership Seminar series, which allows students the opportunity to interact with top executives and leaders from the local business community.
Omaha's MBA program can be completed in either a full-time or part-time format. The program is structured to keep classes small and interactive. Applicants can earn unconditional admission to the program if they earned a 2.85 GPA in their final two years (60 academic credits) of undergraduate coursework. They must also have a minimum GMAT score of 500 or be granted a waiver by having a relevant professional certification, graduate degree, or an undergraduate GPA of 3.33 or higher. Students who need to complete foundation courses will be granted provisional admissions status until their foundation work is complete. Start dates are available at the beginning of the fall, spring, and summer terms.
Format: Online
#7. WAYNE STATE COLLEGE
Wayne State College is a public university located in Wayne, a small town of around 5,000 people in the eastern part of the state. Wayne State offers a fully online Master of Business Administration program. Course materials are delivered through PowerPoint presentations, lecture notes, essay and multiple-choice testing, case studies, group work, and papers. The program also relies on the online course management software Sakai, which helps with things such as assignment uploads and online testing. The Wayne State MBA is a 30-credit, non-thesis based program divided among 24 credits of core courses and six credits of electives. Core courses from the program include Financial Administration and Decision Science, while some of the electives offered are Managing in Turbulent Times, Dispute Resolution Management, and Coaching Business Champions.
Class discussions occur through discussion boards, and all group work is completed online. Sakai also features an online messaging service that allows students to chat with one another and helps students to schedule formal chats with their professors. Students do not identify a concentration as a part of the program, though they can choose elective courses based on their professional interests. For instance, students interested in the global side of business will likely take International Business and then either the Leadership Seminar or Government and Industry as their two elective courses. Students may transfer up to nine credit hours into the program, and students have up to seven years to meet the requirements for graduation.
Format: Online
#8. MIDLAND UNIVERSITY
Midland University is a Lutheran university that was associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America until 2010. Located in Omaha, Midland is home to a hybrid online Master of Business Administration program, which can be taken as either an accelerated 16-month program or an extended version of the program. Students can earn an MBA concentration in Accounting, Business Intelligence & Data Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Human Capital Management, or Project Management. Students meet in person about once per month on campus, and then complete online coursework in between meetings. It is a cohort-based program delivered in three stages: Required Core, Electives, and Global Consulting and Strategic Communications. Students also complete a final-term consulting project during which they solve real-world management problems for a company with global operations.
Applicants to the program complete an initial admissions interview, intended to ensure that the Midland MBA will help them reach their personal and professional goals. The Midland MBA program does not require a business degree, prerequisite courses, or a GMAT score as a part of the admissions process. Students with significant experience in certain program material can earn "prior path credit," in which they take a one-credit version of a course covering familiar material, in exchange for three full credits. Sample courses from the program include classes such as Operations Management, Managerial Accounting, Financial Models, and Entrepreneurship.