Top Online MBA Programs in Oregon

Oregon is well-known for its unique and interesting culture in the Pacific Northwest. A few uncommon facts about the state of Oregon include its housing 25% of the country’s llama community, it being the only state in the U.S. with different images on each side of its state flag, and its maintaining the world’s tiniest park which exists in Portland. Mill Ends Park takes up just over 450 square inches and consists of one small tree growing from a mulched circle of dirt encased in a concrete curb. Although many people across the globe know that the mega-brand Nike was conceived in Oregon, few may know that the city of Stanfield, Oregon features a law prohibiting more than two people to share a drink.

Situated between Washington to the north and California to the south, the state of Oregon entered into the United States on Valentine’s day, 1859. Besides the amazing national and state parks with beautiful mountains and clear lakes and rivers, the state of Oregon also features some of the most respected and high-quality online MBAs in the nation.

Some factors affecting a business school’s reputation can be considered by taking note of business accreditation and rankings by such entities as U.S. News & World Report and the Princeton Review. Three of the most prestigious accrediting bodies today are the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Oregon’s top online MBA programs receive their business accreditation through one of these organizations. In addition to this, some of the state’s best programs have also been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the best in the country.

There has never been a better time to pursue an online MBA program in Oregon. Our hope is that this ranking will help you find the distance education you are looking for.

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 Oregon can be found at the end of the ranking.

#1 Portland State University School of Business Administration & OHSU School of Medicine – Portland, Oregon

Photo creditThe School of Business Administration at Portland State University, in cooperation with Oregon Health and Science University’s School of Medicine, delivers Oregon’s top online Healthcare Master’s of Business Administration. This 72-credit hour program is classified as above average in affordability with a total tuition price between $30,000 and $49,999. The potential for a solid return on the investment of education is associated with this program is apparent with U.S. News and World Report’s Best Business Schools Ranking revealing a healthy annual salary of $65,296 among PSU’s business school graduates. The School of Business Administration receives its stellar business accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. “Designed for working professionals from all parts of the healthcare industry, The Healthcare MBA offers a robust business curriculum designed for the changing healthcare industry. Students in this program develop mindsets and networks that transform the business of healthcare.” This hybrid program pairs online coursework with two campus visits each term allowing students to network with faculty and other MBA students. U.S. News & World Report has recently recognized the business school as offering the 76^th best online MBA in the nation.

Home of the Vikings who wear the school colors of green and white, Portland State is a four-year, public institution of higher learning with a main campus located in Portland, Oregon. The university delivers degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels to the 26,627 students currently enrolled there. Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is a four-year, public university delivering bachelor’s through doctorate degrees to a student body of almost 3,000. PSU was founded in 1946 as the Vanport Extension Center in order to provide a quality education to veterans utilizing the G.I. Bill after World War II. OHSU dates back to 1887 when the University of Oregon started a medical school in Portland. Both universities receive its regional accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Affordability Score: Above Average
OMBAT Ranking Score: 100.00

#2 Oregon State University College of Business – Corvallis, Oregon

Photo creditOregon State University offers one of the state’s best online Master’s of Business Administration degrees with concentrations in Business Analytics, Innovation Management, Organizational Leadership, Supply Chain and Logistics Management at the College of Business. Although advertised as a 60-credit hour program, qualifying students with the proper academic experience may waive up to 15-credit hours of Organizational Leadership prerequisites and complete all requirements for this degree by completing just 45-credit hours. This 100% online program is classified as above average in affordability with a total tuition price between $30,000 and $49,999. U.S. News and World Report Best Business Schools Ranking reports a healthy annual salary of $81,416 among business school graduates, reflecting the potential for a solid return on the investment of education associated with this program. The College of Business 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. Courses included in this program are Financial and Cost Analysis, Corporate Finance, Organizational Leadership and Management, Practical Business Analysis, Supply Chain Management, Advanced Strategic Management, Advanced Information Systems, and Managing Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Established in 1868, Oregon State University is a four-year, public research institution of higher learning with a main campus located in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU is Oregon’s Land-grant, Sea-grant, Space grant, and Sun-grant university. The university was originally founded as Corvallis College and was designated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly as the “agricultural college of the state of Oregon.” Receiving its regional accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the university delivers degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels to the student body of 30,354 currently enrolled. Home of the Beavers and featuring the mascot Benny Beaver, the athletic department at OSU supports men’s and women’s varsity sports teams which compete at the NCAA Division I level as members of the Pac-12 Conference. The school’s official colors are orange and black.

Affordability Score: Above Average
OMBAT Ranking Score: 99.03

#3 Northwest Christian University Business Department – Eugene, Oregon

Photo courtesy of Northwest Christian UniversityAn online Master’s of Business Administration is delivered by the Business Department at Northwest Christian University. This 36-credit hour program is classified as average in affordability with a total tuition price between $20,000 and $29,999. The business school has recently been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as offering the 205^th best online MBA in the nation. The Business Department receives its excellent business accreditation through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education. This high-quality, online MBA has been “designed for professionals seeking to expand their knowledge and increase their career opportunities. This program is offered in a Christian context that champions wisdom, faith, and service.” Students seeking an accelerated experience will appreciate the ability to graduate in just 12 months while others can take two years to graduate. This program features six start times each calendar year. Candidates interested in this program are encouraged to submit proof of an undergraduate degree from an accredited university including a GPA of 3.0, 500-word essay, and a current resume to the admissions office in order to begin the acceptance process. Core courses within this program include Leadership Strategies, Marketing Strategy, Managerial Statistics, Business Ethics, Strategy and Managerial Decision Making, Managerial Economics, Organizational Behavior, and Operations and Service Management.

Northwest Christian University was originally founded as Eugene Divinity School by church leader and educator, Eugene Claremont Sanderson. The school opened its doors in 1895. The school went through several name changes over the years and merged with Spokane University in 1934. The college was awarded its university status in 2008. Receiving its regional accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the university exists today as a four-year, private not-for-profit institution of higher learning with a main campus in Eugene, Oregon. Delivering degrees at the associate, undergraduate, and graduate levels, NCU oversees a student body of 766. Home of the Beacons, the official school colors of Northwest Christian University are blue and gold. The athletic department at NCU consists of men’s and women’s varsity sports teams which compete at the NAIA level as members of the Cascade Collegiate Conference.

Affordability Score: Average
OMBAT Ranking Score: 78.68

#4 Eastern Oregon University College of Business – La Grande, Oregon

Photo creditThe College of Business at Eastern Oregon University features one of the state’s best online Master’s of Business Administration degrees. This 45-credit hour program is classified as affordable with a total tuition price between $15,000 and $19,999. The College of Business receives its excellent business accreditation through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education. The business school has designed this program with flexibility in mind, allowing students to take as few as three credits each term while remaining eligible or completing all coursework in as few as five terms. Divided between 30 credits of core courses and 15 credits of electives, the core courses within this program include Managerial Communication, Organizational Management and Leadership, Marketing Strategies and Techniques, Entrepreneurial Finance, Creativity and Innovation, Global Business Intelligence, Sustainable Competitive Advantage, and Operational Decision Making. Admission requirements for this program include the completion of the EOU Graduate Admission to the University and the MBA Program Admission Application and the submission of all transcripts, two professional letters of recommendation, professional resume, and a personal essay.

Home of the Mountaineers who wear the school colors of gold and blue, the athletic department at Eastern Oregon University supports 10 men’s and women’s varsity sports teams which compete within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics as members of the Cascade Collegiate Conference. Eastern Oregon is a four-year, public institution of higher learning with a main campus located in La Grande, Oregon. The university delivers degrees at the associate, undergraduate, and graduate levels to the 3,176 students currently enrolled there. EOU was established in 1929 as Eastern Oregon Normal School with the express intent of training future public school teachers in the region. The school would later become a college before being awarded its university status in 1997. Eastern Oregon University receives its regional accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and set a world record when graduated the oldest student to receive a degree in June 2011. The student’s name was Leo Plass who was 99 years old when he walked the stage.

Affordability Score: Affordable
OMBAT Ranking Score: 70.88

#5 Corban University Hoff School of Business – Salem, Oregon

Photo creditCorban University’s Hoff School of Business features one of Oregon’s best online Master’s of Business Administration degrees. This 30-credit hour degree is classified as affordable with a total tuition price between $15,000 and $19,999. This degree features start times every eight weeks and allows students to graduate in just one year by taking one course at a time as a full-time student. Admission requirements for this program are as follows: “Profess faith in Jesus Christ and live a consistent Christian lifestyle, have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree at an accredited institution, have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or have a full-time professional experience with a progression in responsibility, demonstrated on your resume or submit passing GMAT scores of 500 or higher.” Core courses within this program include Marketing & Analytics, Finance, Reporting and Control, Business Strategy & Entrepreneurship, Technology & Operations Management, Leadership & Organizational Behavior, and Contemporary Issues in the Marketplace.

Established in 1935, Corban University is a four-year, private not-for-profit institution of higher learning with a main campus located in Salem, Oregon. Operating under the school motto of “Dedicating Heart and Mind to God,” the university was originally founded as the Phoenix Bible Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. Eleven years later the school would move to Oakland, California and get rebranded as Western Baptist Bible College. In 1969, the school moved once more to Salem where it currently offers classes. Receiving its regional accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the university delivers degrees at the associate, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels to the student body of 1,193 currently enrolled there. Home of the Warriors, the athletic department at Corban University supports men’s and women’s varsity sports teams which compete within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics as members of the Cascade Collegiate Conference. The school’s official colors are Navy and Gold.

Affordability Score: Affordable
OMBAT Ranking Score: 65.08

Methodology

To find the top Online MBA programs in Oregon, a list of over 480 online MBA programs was collected, and each program was evaluated first for a location in the state of Oregon, 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 given on each program or school website. The base tuition was calculated for the entirety of the program, 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 education. It attests to which school and program have attained 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, which can thus affect a graduate’s competitive advantage in the job market. Each school is 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 were 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 factors were weighted equally, averaged, and then calculated on a 100-point scale. This final 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 Oregon.