Top 10 Online MBA Programs for Career Outcomes

Warwick Business School in the UK is well-known in online business education, it    s Warwick MBA by Distance Learning program having been ranked top by the Financial Times for the past few consecutive years. What’s more, the program is ranked top for career progress, or alumni moving into higher positions in bigger companies over three years. Graduates also boast the highest salary of all FT-ranked Online MBAs: $214,141 after three years. 

USC Marshall School of Business, of the US, has an Online MBA that is rated highly by Poets & Quants. The publication surveyed 1,200 graduates to find out which digital degrees were the best in terms of whether alumni reached their goals, had access to a career coach, and received a salary raise or a promotion. USC Marshall came up trumps on these metrics. 

Durham University Business School, in the UK, scored second on career progress in the FT’s Online MBA Ranking 2019. It also came fifth on the career services rank, with Durham’s Online MBA students enjoying the same access to support as students in the school’s traditional, in-class MBA. The school is triple-accredited by the AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA awarding bodies, so a high quality of education is assured.  

Spain’s IE Business School, based in Madrid, scores exceptionally well for the career progress of its Global (online) MBA candidates, according to the most recent Online MBA Ranking from the FT. In this ranking, IE’s course also came second globally for international mobility. This reflects the high degree of diversity in the cohort, 94 percent of whom are from outside Spain. They form strong bonds, thanks to IE’s high ranking on online interaction, forming a truly global alumni network.

Graduates from the Isenberg Online MBA at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management have enormous salaries after three years: more than $170,000. This represents the biggest salary increase of all ranked courses in the FT list, 39 percent. So you can be sure that Isenberg offers a solid return on investment. 

Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business has the world’s best career service for Online MBA students, according to the FT. The US-based school’s Graduate Career Center pairs students with a dedicated careers advisor who works to expand their network and identify new career opportunities for them. Little wonder that 93 percent of students seeking a job post-graduation accepted an offer within three months. 

The Kelley Direct Online MBA at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business also scores very well for the strength of its career services team. At 31 percent, the average salary increase is among the highest as well. In addition, 81 percent of the Kelley Direct Online MBA students achieved their aims. What’s more, the Kelley Direct Online MBA is ranked first in America, in the most recent Best Online MBA Programs ranking from US News. That branding and prestige may help students secure new jobs, or land promotions. 

Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business runs an Online MBA that is virtually the same as its campus version, giving students equal access to programming and career services that can help them get hired. Some 75 percent of those seeking jobs get offers within three months of graduating. The average salary is $116,800, a 38 percent bump on pay of $84,500 before the MBA. Also, the course is ranked third overall in US News’ Best Online MBA Programs ranking.

The Distance Learning MBA at the UK’s University of Bradford School of Management punches above its weight on career outcomes, outscoring scores of higher-ranked institutions. It came fourth on career progress and global mobility in the FT ranking of the world’s best Online MBA programs, so it’s a good option for internationally-minded managers. 

The Hofstra University Zarb College of Business is less well known than the other institutions on this list. However, its Online MBA scored second on Poets & Quants’ survey of career outcomes for graduates. The degree can be taken from anywhere around the world, but a big advantage is an immersion in New York City, meeting industry leaders and global corporations—a valuable networking opportunity.