Many students seek out financial assistance to advance their education. For too many students, financial assistance equates to student loan debt. The issue of student loan debt has received growing scrutiny in recent years. The Pew Research Center noted that as of June 2024, Americans owed about $1.6 trillion in student loans. This total debt is 42 percent larger than what students collectively owed a decade earlier. Increasing participation in higher education and increasing costs of such education have both contributed to the student loan debt crisis.
Financial literacy, or the lack thereof, has also proven to be a problem. Yahoo! Finance noted in a 2019 study by LendKey Technologies that essentially half of polled borrowers did not know what their debt obligations would be once their loans became due. This lack of financial literacy all too often results in students not clearly understanding the immense future debt strain they may be assuming. The long-term consequences of such indebtedness can be profound, with implications for individuals’ ability to start a family, buy a home, and save for retirement. Huffington Post has noted that student loan debt leads to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. In fact, of those surveyed:
- 10 percent say student loan debts are their top worry
- 65 percent of those with student loans lose sleep from the stress
- 67 percent have “physical symptoms of anxiety due to the stress from their student loan debt”
Given the aforementioned circumstances it’s only natural to wonder how the student loan debt crisis can be resolved. One answer is to provide more affordable academic programs to students that will not necessitate them assuming a level of indebtedness that seriously threatens their financial futures.
Below appears a listing of online MBA programs ranked by affordability for the 2024-2025 school year. These rankings are based on tuition data our sister site, BSchools.org, collected in 2024 from over 500 online MBA programs. Each concentration of an MBA program is considered a program. Tuition information is as current as possible and is taken from the 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 school years as published by each institution.
Most Affordable Online MBA Programs (2024-2025)
Prospective students may choose from a number of affordable online healthcare MBA programs. Most of the programs are accredited by reputable organizations (AACSB, ACBSP, or IACBE) and are 100 percent online. Below is a listing of the 20 most affordable online MBA programs ranked by overall cost. Please note that the average is used when a cost range is indicated.
1) Fitchburg State University Online MBA
Fitchburg State University offers an IACBE-accredited online MBA program with eight concentrations: accounting, business analytics management, finance, healthcare management, human resource management, management, marketing, and supply chain management. This program can be completed in one year or more with accelerated seven-week courses.
Courses for all concentrations include organizational behavior and development; management information systems; marketing management; corporate finance; accounting practices for managers; and strategic management.
- Cost per credit: $436/credit
- Number of credits: 30 credits
- Total cost: $13,080 + fees
2) Lamar University Online MBA
Lamar University offers many AACSB-accredited accelerated online MBA programs designed to prepare professionals with the skills necessary for success in many business specializations. Students choosing a general MBA program complete coursework in subjects including core managerial finance, accounting, marketing, strategic management, economics and international management courses. MBA program specializations include accounting, business analytics, construction project management, criminal justice management, healthcare administration, and more.
Students may complete their degree in as little as 12 months. Lamar University strives to make its programs accessible through affordable tuition rates and a decrease in the required number of leveling courses. A leveling course provides an overview of all core subjects associated with a particular program of study.
Affordable tuition, multiple available start dates, interactive courses, and the flexibility inherent to an online learning delivery model make Lamar University’s MBA program offerings highly competitive within the higher education marketplace. In addition, the many MBA specializations make it possible for graduates to pursue various careers across multiple industries.
- Cost per credit: $438/credit
- Number of credits: 30 credits
- Total cost: $13,140 + fees
3) University of South Carolina Aiken Online MBA
Recognized among the “Best Online MBA Programs” by U.S. News & World Report, 2024, the University of South Carolina Aiken is another top-ranked university known for its MBA degree program featuring a wealth of MBA specializations and low tuition rates.
Students can choose a general MBA degree or one of several specializations. The MBA General program features an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to provide graduates with knowledge in many business skills. Students seeking to customize their education for careers in niche industries benefit from the university’s many MBA specializations. Available specializations include:
- Accounting
- Business analytics
- Cybersecurity management
- Finance
- Healthcare administration
- Human resource management
- Management information systems
- Supply chain
- Project management
Students can complete their degree in as little as ten months. For students whose bachelor’s degree GPA upon graduation was at least 3.0, no entrance exam is required for admission.
- Cost per credit: $464.93/credit
- Number of credits: 30 credits
- Total cost: $13,947.90 + fees
4) University of Southern Indiana (USI) Online MBA
The University of Southern Indiana (USI) is located in Evansville, Indiana, and offers a very affordable, AACSB-accredited online MBA to both IN residents and non-residents. Offering concentrations in accounting, data analytics, engineering management, healthcare administration, human resources, marketing, and project management, the USI online MBA can be completed in just 11 months with accelerated 8-week courses.
Focus areas include effective leadership skills, accounting, strategic management, information systems, current technology, managerial economics, marketing, and international management.
Notably, the project management concentration courses align with the Project Management Institute (PMI) standards and prepare students to earn project management certifications in the industry.
- Cost per credit: $465/credit
- Number of credits: 30 credits
- Total cost: $13,950 + fees
5) University of West Alabama Online MBA
The University of West Alabama (UWA) offers an affordable online MBA with 14 concentrations through the College of Business and Technology. With accelerated eight-week courses, the MBA can be completed in just 12 months. MBA concentrations include:
- Accounting
- Computing and data analytics
- Computer information systems
- Cybersecurity, cybercrime, and policy
- Entrepreneurship and innovation
- Finance
- General business
- Healthcare administration
- Human resource management
- International business management
- Marketing
- Rural business
- Sports management
The accounting concentration includes courses that help students satisfy the 150-hour Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure requirement. Key topics covered for all concentrations include research methods and design, managerial economics, financial management, business law and ethics, strategic management, marketing management, emerging business technologies, and business policy. The online MBA is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and UWA is located in Livingston, Alabama.
- Cost per credit: $429/credit
- Number of credits: 33 credits
- Total cost: $14,157 + fees
6) Virginia Wesleyan University Online MBA
Virginia Wesleyan University (VWU) offers a 30-credit online MBA with a general track or a concentration in finance, healthcare administration, and marketing. VWU seeks to prepare business leaders focused on sustainable business, socially and environmentally ethical business practices, economic value, and global business.
The university is committed to the Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME), developed by the United Nations. It is the first liberal arts institution in the US to sign the UN Global Compact for ethical business practices, human rights, environmental responsibility, and fair labor.
Courses last 7.5 weeks with start dates six times annually in the fall, spring, and summer. The online MBA can be completed in as few as 12 months with full-time study. Core course topics include marketing management, managerial economics, business analysis, planning, and control, managerial finance, organizational behavior, business leadership, and information management systems. The program also focuses on global business, global responsibility, and sustainable business practices throughout the courses through dialogue, debates, research, and partnerships.
- Cost per credit: $499/credit
- Number of credits: 30 credits
- Total cost: $14,970 + fees
7) University of Mount Saint Vincent Online MBA
The University of Mount Saint Vincent provides a general online MBA and four concentrations: healthcare management, international business, nonprofit management, and risk management. This ACBSP-accredited program has instruction in accounting, finance, and economics; foundations of management, human resources, and business law; and foundations of marketing and the management of information systems. (Please note that those with a BBA can have these courses waived.)
This program can be completed in one year or more and is 100 percent online. Application requirements include two letters of recommendation, official transcripts, a resume, and a personal statement.
- Cost per credit: $524/credit
- Number of credits: 30 credits
- Total cost: $15,720 + fees
8) Eastern Washington University Online MBA
Eastern Washington University offers a fully online, accelerated, AACSB-accredited MBA with concentrations in general business, finance, accounting, international business, and health services administration. This affordable degree can be completed in as few as ten months with seven start dates and six-week courses. A capstone course completes the core curriculum. Topics covered include essential skills in operations management, marketing management, leadership and ethics, data-driven decision-making, corporate finance, and advanced accounting for managers.
Applicants without a bachelor’s degree also take courses on quantitative analysis in business, finance, and accounting. Course delivery runs asynchronously through Canvas. Graduates may pursue careers in multinational marketing, health services administration, banking and finance, human resources, sales, financial analysis, import/export, international trade, policy analysis, and pharmaceuticals.
- Cost per credit: $400/credit
- Number of credits: 44 credits
- Total cost: $17,600 + fees
9) William Paterson University Online MBA
William Paterson University University provides a general online MBA program and several specializations, including accounting, applied business analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, healthcare economics and management, human resource management, marketing, and sales strategy.
This AACSB-accredited program offers instruction in areas such as financial accounting for decision-makers; economic analysis for decision-makers; finance for decision-makers; statistics for decision-making; foundations of management; and marketing for decision-making. Additionally, general MBA students must take one of the following concentration courses: global marketing; international financial statement analysis; seminar on the problems in international business; or global sales management.
- Cost per credit: $595.75/credit
- Number of credits: 30 credits
- Total cost: $17,872.50 + fees
10) Avila University Online MBA
Avila University offers an online MBA in several specializations: accounting, executive leadership, finance, healthcare administration, international business, management, marketing, project management, and strategic human resources. This IACBE-accredited program has courses that run eight weeks each with six start dates each year, two in the fall, two in the spring, and two in the summer.
All concentrations feature instruction in financial accounting for decision-making; behavior, well-being, and ethics; applied microeconomics; financial management; global strategic management; marketing management; and an MBA capstone.
- Cost per credit: $600/credit
- Number of credits: 30 credits
- Total cost: $18,000 + fees
11) Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Online MBA
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) offers a 100 percent online MBA with a general business path or concentrations in accounting, data analytics, finance, healthcare administration, and international business. Offering accelerated seven-week courses, students can earn their general MBA in 12 to 20 months, and an MBA with a concentration in 12 to 24 months. Topics covered for all pathways include topics such as financial analytics, team leadership and collaborations, accounting, financial statement analysis, application, and interpretation, conflict management, organizational behavior, technology-based management, marketing, and managerial economics.
Start dates land six times annually in the fall, spring, and summer. Applicants with a non-business bachelor’s degree may need to take up to four foundational courses. The TAMU-CC online MBA is delivered asynchronously through Blackboard and includes discussion boards, videos, and interactive apps and tools. TAMU-CC is located in Corpus Christi, TX, and the online MBA is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
- Cost per credit: $507/credit
- Number of credits: 30 to 36 credits
- Total cost: Up to $18,252 + fees
12) New Mexico Highlands (NMHU) University Online MBA
New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) offers an ACBSP-accredited, fully online MBA with a general business track or concentrations in healthcare administration or entrepreneurship. Core topics include managerial finance, accounting, business research, ethics and law, quantitative methods, ethical decision-making, business strategy, and marketing management. Accelerated courses last eight weeks each and the degree can be completed in just one year at two courses per eight-week session.
NMHU’s curriculum includes a multicultural focus and a focused problem-solving approach. The asynchronous curriculum includes case studies and simulations covering various decision-making areas in business organizations. Graduates will be able to apply quantitative and qualitative analysis to real-world problem-solving, understand and work from legal regulations and ethical issues that affect businesses and apply that understanding to real-world business situations, and lead with effective teamwork, communication, and presentation skills needed to promote a positive work environment.
- Cost per credit: $525/credit
- Number of credits: 36 credits
- Total cost: $18,900 + fees
13) Campbellsville University Online MBA
Campbellsville University offers an online MBA with a general track or choices of accounting, church management, computer science, entrepreneurial leadership, financial planning, healthcare management, human resource management, information technology, international business, marketing, and supply chain and logistics management. Campbellsville University seeks to prepare MBA graduates who become servant leaders, living out Christian values in their business practices, ethics, and decision-making.
The program can be completed in as little as one year; however, most students attend part-time and complete the MBA in two years. Courses last eight weeks each and start dates land twice each in the fall, spring, and summer. Core topics include marketing management, organizational theory, managerial accounting, management information systems, business ethics, human resource management, business strategy, and managerial finance and economics. The Campbellsville online MBA is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).
- Cost per credit: $529/credit
- Number of credits: 36 credits
- Total cost: $19,044 + fees
14) Southern New Hampshire University Online MBA
Southern New Hampshire University is a well-known provider of online academic programs designed to meet the particular needs of working adults. Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, SNHU offers a very large number of MBA specializations. Applicants are not required to have a GRE or GMAT score and can transfer up to six credits into the program. Students can complete many programs in approximately a year but also have the option to set their own study pace.
Students seeking to start careers in very niche industries may ultimately find a specialization at SNHU. MBA specializations include accounting, engineering management, human resource management, international business, leadership, music business, sports management, and sustainability and environmental compliance.
- Cost per credit: $637/credit
- Number of credits: 30 credits
- Total cost: $19,110 + fees
15) Murray State University Online MBA
The Murray State University Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business offers affordable, fully online MBA degree programs that may be completed in as little as 12 to 18 months. Graduates are well prepared to work in several settings, including business, information technology, and data analytics in both the private and public sectors. The curriculum is robust regarding academic training and emphasizes leadership, ethics, sustainability, and diversity in the modern global marketplace.
Students may pursue an MBA General program or select one of several specializations. The MBA general online program provides students with the foundational knowledge to effectively work in all aspects of a business environment. Students may nonetheless specialize their skills through their choice of electives. The core curriculum focuses on developing skills in accounting, business analytics, managerial economics, and more. In addition, required capstone courses enhance students’ understanding of organizational behavior and strategic management.
- Cost per credit: $581.50/credit
- Number of credits: 33 credits
- Total cost: $19,189.50 + fees
16) Southern Oregon University (SOU) Online MBA
Southern Oregon University (SOU) offers a fully online, ACBSP-accredited MBA with concentrations in accounting, business analytics, finance, healthcare administration, information analysis and decision-making, and marketing. The program can be completed in as few as 16 months with seven-week courses. Start dates land in the fall, winter, and spring, plus two summer starts.
Key focus areas include teamwork, ethical leadership, and effective communication. Learned skills include critical thinking and effective problem-solving, conflict resolution, change management, financial decision-making, the use of emerging technologies, and research-based planning.
Core courses cover managerial accounting for decision-making, economic analysis, information systems, strategic operations management, strategic marketing management, legal and ethical business issues, and advanced organizational behavior. A capstone and graduate research project are also included.
- Cost per credit: $430/credit
- Number of credits: 45 credits
- Total cost: $19,350 + fees
17) University of St. Mary
The University of St. Mary offers what it describes as Kansas City’s most flexible MBA with multiple concentration options in accounting, business analytics, finance, general management, healthcare management, human resources management, leadership and organizational health, and marketing and advertising management. The healthcare management concentration provides its students with the education necessary to successfully sit for the ACHE Board of Governors Examination in Health Care Management. Students may choose from six start dates available each calendar year. Those start dates are in January, March, May, July, August, and October. Students can generally complete this program in one to two years.
The healthcare management concentration features three core courses. These courses are health care informatics and technologies, leadership and business operations in health care, and legal and ethical issues in healthcare. Students also have the option to complete a graduate internship. The internship is a supervised practical experience developed through collaboration between the faculty internship coordinator, the organization, and the student. Students complete a minimum of 150 site hours in a substantive business position for three credit hours.
- Cost per credit: $605/credit
- Number of credits: 33 credits
- Total cost: $19,965 + fees
18) Utica University
Utica University offers an online MBA accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. Recognized as one of the best online MBA programs in New York State and the entire country, this program is flexible, affordable, and customizable to meet students’ various needs. Students may choose a general track or from several specializations, one of which is healthcare management. No GRE or GMAT test is required for admission. Students may choose one of three start dates, namely in January, May, or August, and can typically complete the program at a part-time study pace in two years or less.
High-quality educators, experiential learning, career advising, success coaching, and other resources provide a solid foundation for student success. The curriculum comprises 15 business core credits, 12 credits in the health care management specialization, and three credits earned from two capstone courses. Graduates have skills in problem analysis, application of best practices, and key business principles from subjects such as accounting, finance, economics, management, operations, marketing, statistics, and ethics. Utica University’s MBA graduates are known to outperform their regional peer group according to a standardized assessment of knowledge and skills developed in the program.
- Cost per credit: $700/credit
- Number of credits: 30 credits
- Total cost: $21,000 + fees
19) UNC Pembroke
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, an accredited member of AACSB International, offers an MBA program with concentrations available in business analytics, finance, financial services, forensic accounting, healthcare administration, and supply chain management. This fully online program can be completed in as little as 12 months.
All students complete a core MBA curriculum designed to provide foundational knowledge in accounting, economics, managerial finance, marketing, and international business. Concentration courses in the healthcare administration track focus on topics including human resources, legal and ethical issues for healthcare professionals, health insurance economics, and the role of government in healthcare. Students learn from the same faculty who teach on campus. Healthcare leadership roles that graduates of this MBA concentration may fill include hospital administrator, healthcare consultant, pharmaceutical brand manager, and medical director.
- Cost per credit: $648.05/credit
- Number of credits: 36 credits
- Total cost: $23,329.80 + fees
20) Carlow University
Carlow University offers students an online MBA program featuring concentrations in project management, fraud and forensics, human resources management, leadership and management, and healthcare management. Applicants must submit proof of receipt of a bachelor’s degree as evidenced by transcripts indicating a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4 point scale, any transcripts from additional study, a personal essay describing academic objectives, a current résumé or curriculum vitae (CV) and two letters of recommendation. Carlow’s MBA programs are accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).
Students of the MBA in healthcare management program complete coursework in topics including business writing, healthcare project management, and healthcare innovation A total of 12 courses must be completed to graduate. Students can complete their MBA program in as little as 15 months. Graduates are well prepared to apply their skills to positively contribute to the business of healthcare.
- Cost per credit: $675/credit
- Number of credits: 36 credits
- Total cost: $24,300 + fees
Bernd Geels
WriterBernd Geels is a Berlin, Germany-based freelance writer and artist. He holds an undergraduate degree in atmospheric science and two graduate degrees. He completed his most recent graduate degree in international environmental studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in 2011. He is interested in healthcare, climate change, marine conservation, indigenous science and refugee issues.