Top Online MBA Programs in Mississippi

Taken from the Native American word meaning “Father of Waters,” Mississippi joined the United States on December 10, 1817 as the 20^th state in the Union. Known as the Magnolia State, Mississippi is commonly known as the birthplace of the blues and is the birth state of musicians Bo Diddley, B.B. King, and Elvis Presley. The state produces more pond-raised catfish than any other in the U.S. and is the second-leading producer of cotton. Not always regarded for its medical advancements, some may be surprised to know that “in 1963 the University of Mississippi Medical Center accomplished the world’s first human lung transplant and, on January 23, 1964, Dr. James D. Hardy performed the world’s first heart transplant surgery.”

The state of Mississippi also features some of the nation’s best online Master’s of Business Administration programs in the United States. Many of the top-ranking online degrees in leadership and business for online students have been designed at the business schools of the state’s most highly-respected universities.

One of the best advantages to the top online MBAs in Mississippi is tuition price. Out of the top five programs in the state, four are either listed as affordable or very affordable in total tuition rates. Each of these programs deliver a high-quality curriculum taught by top-notch instructors and allow students to design a course schedule that works with demanding professional and personal schedules. All five degrees listed are also backed by their business schools’ business accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, which shows they each have a history of academic transparency and integrity valued by students within these programs and the employers who will hire them. Each of these top five programs have also been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as some of the best online MBAs in the nation.

Let this ranking of the best online MBA programs in Mississippi help guide you in the important decision of finding an online degree that will serve you well.

For more information about other online MBA programs, check out our article on the top MBA specializations and explore our other Online MBA Rankings.

Note: A detailed explanation of the methodology we used to determine the best online MBA programs in Mississippi can be found at the end of the ranking.

#1 Mississippi State University College of Business – Mississippi State, Mississippi

Photo creditThe College of Business at Mississippi State University features the state’s best online Master’s of Business Administration with an emphasis in Project Management or delivered as a general MBA. This program is classified as very affordable with a total tuition price of less than $14,999. The business school receives its stellar business accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The business school has designed this 100% online, 30-credit hour MBA to not only offer students sound business theory, but also practical real-world application. Courses within this program include Leadership Skills, Strategic Marketing Management, Economics for Managers, Corporate Finance, Financial & Accounting Report Analysis, Management Information Technology & Systems, and Law, Ethics, and Dispute Resolution. U.S. News reports that graduates of the College of Business have an average base salary of a healthy $50,844, reflecting the potential for a solid return on the investment of education associated with this program. This 30-credit hour degree has been divided between 27 required hours of core courses and three hours of electives.

Home of the Bulldogs who wear the school colors of maroon and white, the athletic department at Mississippi State University supports men’s and women’s varsity sports teams which compete at the NCAA Division I level as members of the Southeastern Conference. The university is a four-year, public institution of higher learning with a main campus located in Champaign, Illinois. The university delivers degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels to the 21,622 students currently enrolled there. MSU was founded in 1878 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of the State of Mississippi before becoming Mississippi State College in 1932. The school achieved its university status in 1958. Mississippi State receives its regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges and features “Learning, Service, Research” as its official school motto.

Affordability Score: Very Affordable
OMBAT Ranking Score: 100.00

#2 University of Mississippi School of Business Administration – University, Mississippi

Photo creditThe University of Mississippi offers an incredible online Master’s of Business Administration at the School of Business Administration. U.S. News reports that graduates of the business school have an average base salary of a healthy $58,647, reflecting the potential for a solid return on the investment of education associated with this program. This 100% online program is classified as average in affordability with a total tuition price between $20,000 and $29,999. The School of Business Administration receives its excellent business accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The AACSB is the gold standard for accrediting bodies in higher education. This degree has been designed to be completed in as few as two years and allows students needing a slower pace the opportunity to work through the program within six years. The business school has recently been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as offering the 22^nd best online MBA in the nation. Courses within this program include Leadership and Ethics, Managerial Economics, Financial Analysis, Managerial Accounting, Organizational Behavior, Business Planning and Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Marketing Management, Project Analysis, and Management of Technology and Innovation.

Established in 1848, the University of Mississippi is a four-year, public institution of higher learning with a main campus located in University, Mississippi. Operating under the school motto of Pro scientia et sapientia “For knowledge and wisdom,” the university was chartered by Mississippi legislature and opened its doors to an inaugural class of 80 students. For nearly a quarter of a century, Ole Mis was the state’s only institution of higher learning and for over 100 years was Mississippi’s exclusive comprehensive university. Receiving its regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, the university delivers degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels to the student body of 23,610 currently enrolled. Home of the Rebels, the athletic department at the University of Mississippi supports men’s and women’s varsity sports teams which compete at the NCAA Division I level as members of the Southeastern Conference. The school’s official colors are cardinal red and Navy blue.

Affordability Score: Average
OMBAT Ranking Score: 90.00

#3 Jackson State University College of Business – Jackson, Mississippi

Photo creditAn excellent online Master’s of Business Administration is delivered by the College of Business at Jackson State University. This 30-credit hour program is classified as very affordable with a total tuition price of less than $14,999. The business school receives its excellent business accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and has recently been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as offering the 205^th bets online MBA in the country. This 100% online degree has been designed “to develop students in all functional areas of business and economics from an applications standpoint, to train them in business research methodology, and to prepare them for professional management positions. Additionally, the MBA Online program is designed to enable working adults to obtain a quality education while still maintaining their commitments to family and work.” In addition to completing an Application to the Graduate School, students interested in this program are encouraged to submit the following items into the admissions office in order to begin the acceptance process, a current GMAT/GRE score, three letters of recommendation, all undergraduate transcripts, work experience, and a $25 fee.

Jackson State University was founded as Natchez Seminary by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York City. The school was moved to Jackson in 1882 and renamed Jackson College. Today the school is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and is classified as a research university. Receiving its regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, the university exists today as a four-year, public institution of higher learning with a main campus in Jackson, Mississippi. Delivering degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, Jackson State oversees a student body of 9,811. Home of the Tigers, the official school colors of the university are Navy blue and white. The athletic department at JSU consists of men’s and women’s varsity sports teams which compete at the NCAA Division I level as members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Affordability Score: Very Affordable
OMBAT Ranking Score: 73.53

#4 University of Southern Mississippi College of Business – Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Photo creditThe College of Business at the University of Southern Mississippi offers an online Master’s of Business Administration with a specialization in Sport Event Security Management or delivered as a general MBA. The business school was recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report as offering the 136^th best online MBA in the nation. This 33-credit program is classified as very affordable with a total tuition price of less than $14,999. The College of Business receives its stellar business accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Students lacking an undergraduate degree in business may need to take up to nine credit hours of foundational coursework. This program is divided between 24 core credits and nine elective credits. The courses within this program include Organizational Behavior and Leadership, Marketing Management, Analytical Decision Making, Managerial Accounting, Global Economy, Financial Management, Global Business Systems, and Global Business Strategy.

Home of the Golden Eagles and Lady Eagles who wear the school colors of black and gold, the athletic department at the University of Southern Mississippi supports men’s and women’s varsity sports teams which compete at the NCAA Division I level as members of Conference USA. USM is a four-year, public institution of higher learning with a main campus located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The university delivers degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels to the 14,552 students currently enrolled there. The university was established in 1910 with a mission to “cultivate intellectual development and creativity through the generation, dissemination, application, and preservation of knowledge.” The school receives its regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges and features Seymour d’Campus as its official school mascot.

Affordability Score: Very Affordable
OMBAT Ranking Score: 73.17

#5 Mississippi College School of Business – Clinton, Mississippi

Photo creditMississippi College’s School of Business features one of the state’s best online Master’s of Business Administration programs with concentrations in Accounting and Finance or delivered as a general MBA. This 30-credit hour degree is classified as affordable with a total tuition price between $15,000 and $19,999. The School of Business receives its excellent business accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This program has been designed “to provide a broad-based, rigorous curriculum that develops competency in general management skills and in the key functional areas of business. Designed primarily for working professionals who desire to further their careers, the MBA program prepares its students to have an understanding of the core business disciplines: accounting, finance, marketing, organizational behavior, economics and statistics.” Divided between 24 core credits and six general MBA credits, the core credits within this degree include Consisting of 12 courses that take eight weeks each to complete, the core courses within this program include Accounting Issues in Business Decisions, Managing in a Global Economy, Financial Management, Quantitative Management, Law and Ethics in the Business Environment, and Policy Formulation and Administration. U.S. News & World Report has recently recognized the business school as offering the 205^th best online MBA in the nation.

Established in 1826 as Hampstead Academy, today’s Mississippi College is a four-year, private not-for-profit institution of higher learning with a main campus located in Clinton, Mississippi. Operating under the school motto of Veritas et Virtus “Truth and Virtue,” the college stands as the second-oldest Baptist-affiliated college in the U.S. and the oldest in Mississippi. MC is also the largest private college in Mississippi. Receiving its regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, the college delivers degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels to the student body of 5,048 currently enrolled there. Home of the Choctaws, the athletic department at MC supports men’s and women’s varsity sports teams which compete at the NCAA Division II level as members of the Gulf South Conference. The school’s official colors are blue and gold.

Affordability Score: Affordable
OMBAT Ranking Score: 72.43

Methodology

To find the top Online MBA programs in Mississippi, a list of 480 online MBA programs was evaluated, and each program was analyzed first for a location in the state of Mississippi, and then ranked on the following factors:

Estimated Tuition Cost (25%): Each MBA was assessed to find the estimated total base tuition cost. All data was gathered from the most recent financial information on each program or school website. The base tuition was calculated for the total degree, but does not included fees, books, or room and board; with the exception of MBA programs that use all-inclusive figures. For colleges that offer a lower in-state tuition, the in-state pricing is used. Twenty-five percent of the final ranking score is calculated from this figure.

Based on this base tuition data, each program is given an Affordability Score:

Very Expensive = $100,000+
Expensive = $50,000-$99,999
Above Average = $30,000-$49,999
Average = $20,000-$29,999
Affordable = $15,000-$19,999
Very Affordable = $0-$14,999

Accreditation (25%): Accreditation plays an important role in the education world, because it shows prospective students which school has gone to extensive measures to attain high national and global standards in its research and delivered education. Each program in this top online MBA list is evaluated on whether it holds a regional accreditation from one of the six institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Additionally, business accreditations affect an MBA’s brand and prestige, so each school was evaluated on if the online MBA program is accredited from one of the top business accrediting institutions: ACBSP, IACBE, or AACSB. AACSB is regarded as the highest standard of business accreditation in the world, and thus schools that hold this accreditation are given the highest marks. Twenty-five percent of the final ranking score is calculated from this figure.

Average Base Salary (25%): The salary data is highlighted in this ranking because it allows prospective students to explore the affect an online MBA degree can have on a professional’s salary. The average base salary is collected from the 2018 Best Business School Ranking by US News and World Report. Programs without a recorded average base salary from US News and World Report was calculated at zero because of no available third-party data. Twenty-five percent of the final ranking score is calculated from this figure.

Prestige (25%): The prestige for each program is calculated by evaluating lists from some of the most prestigious educational rankings systems for online MBA programs: US News and World Report’s Online MBA Ranking, the Princeton Review’s Online MBA Ranking, the Financial Times’ Global Online MBA Ranking, and Quacquarelli Symonds’ Distance Online MBA Ranking. Each online MBA was evaluated on how many rankings included their program. Twenty-five percent of the final ranking score is calculated from this figure.

All of the data was weighted equally. The scores were averaged and then calculated on a 100-point scale. This score is the OMBAT Ranking Score, which provides the ranking order for this list. By evaluating the tuition cost, accreditation, average base salary, and prestige, this ranking helps prospective students find the highest quality online MBA programs in Mississippi.