The Most Affordable MBA Programs of 2023

Based in Gainesville, Florida, UF enrolls nearly 54,000 students annually. Established in 1853, UF houses 16 academic colleges. UF also offers educational programming at dozens of locations around the state and online.

Online MBA

Offered through the Warrington College of Business, learners can complete the University of Florida's online MBA on an accelerated or traditional timeline. The 16-month MBA accommodates students with an undergraduate degree in business within the requisite timeframe. The 24-month program maximizes flexibility for students and incorporates additional foundations coursework. 

Both online MBAs include on-campus orientations, are cohort-based, and include at least one experiential learning requirement. The 16-month MBA incorporates 32 credits of coursework on topics including corporate finance, operations management, and professional writing. The 24-month curriculum explores additional areas such as organizational behavior and managerial statistics.

All MBA students receive career development assistance throughout their program.

UF's Specializations

N/A 

UF's Affordability

Enrollees pay all-inclusive tuition and fees based on their specific program. This holds true for residents and nonresidents alike.

Program at a Glance

• School Type: Public
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); business programs accredited by the AACSB. 
• Tuition: $49,205 for the 16-month program; $59,807 for the 24-month program
• Required Credits: 32 for the 16-month program, 48 for the two-year program
• Program Length: 16-24 months
• Delivery Format: Online, cohort-based
• Admissions
  • Process: Fill out initial pre-application form; complete UF graduate school application; submit transcripts, recommendation forms, essays, and optional GMAT or GRE scores for consideration; three start dates per year
  • GPA: Not specified
  • Standardized Tests: None required
• Cost: $30

Chartered by its namesake William Marsh Rice in 1891, Rice first offered classes in 1912. With a main campus in Houston, Texas, and extensive online offerings, Rice enrolls more than 8,000 students annually. 

Online MBA

Rice University's  online MBA includes 54 credits of coursework. Ten-week core classes emphasize financial accounting, data analysis, marketing, and finance fundamentals. The curriculum also integrates five-week core classes on more specific subsets of business such as competitive strategy, organizational behavior, and enterprise acquisition. 

Elective courses let learners choose an optional career-focus area. As part of the program, learners take part in an MBA capstone. The capstone gives students opportunities to apply degree knowledge and skills to a real-world managerial problem. Student teams are paired with executives from non-profit and community based-organizations. 

Rice's Specializations

Through elective options, students can choose a career-path focus area:

Corporate strategy | Corporate finance | Investment management | Marketing | Entrepreneurship | Energy | Healthcare

Rice's Affordability

All online MBA students pay the same per-credit tuition. The tuition enrolled pay at the start of their online MBA is locked in for the entirety of their program. 

Program at a Glance

• School Type: Private
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); business programs accredited by the AACSB.
• Tuition: $2,100 / credit
• Required Credits: 54
• Program Length: Two years
• Delivery Format: Online, synchronous, cohort-based, residencies required
• Admissions
  • Process: Submit test scores, transcripts, a professional essay, and a resume with recommendations in anticipation of an admissions interview; four application deadlines each year
  • GPA: Not specified
  • Standardized Tests: GRE or GMAT
  • Cost: $150

Established as a collective effort of 19 U.S. governors in 1997, WGU offers affordable and accessible education to meet the needs of today's workforce. WGU has nine state-based universities and provides online undergraduate and graduate programs in business, education, information technology, and health and nursing.      

Online MBA

Western Governors University's online MBA includes 11 courses. Students study management, leadership, and strategy alongside economics, marketing, accounting, and finance. The comprehensive curriculum is designed to match the needs of the current workforce and build relevant, practical skills.

At the end of the online MBA, learners complete a capstone project. The cumulative project allows students to apply degree knowledge to identify a solution to a real-world business problem. 

Most students take classes one-at-a-time, moving from one class to the next at their own pace. At the end of each course, learners complete an assessment.

WGA's Specializations

Healthcare management | Information technology management

WGU's Affordability

Students pay per-term tuition. This allows for completion of as many courses as possible within any term and accelerates degree completion time. At the end of each course, learners complete an assessment and move forward in the curriculum. 

Program at a Glance

• School Type: Private
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); business programs are accredited by the ACBSP.
• Tuition: $4,530 / term
• Required Credits: 33
• Program Length: 1-2 years
• Delivery Format: Online, asynchronous
• Admissions
  • Process: Students submit transcripts for consideration
  • GPA: Not specified
  • Standardized Tests: N/A
  • Cost: $65

Located in Laredo, Texas, the school traces its origins to 1970. The institution became part of the Texas A&M University System in 1989 and adopted its current moniker, TAMIU for short, in 1993. TAMIU offers more than 100 academic programs to nearly 9,000 students annually.

Online MBA

Texas A&M's online MBA programs incorporate core business coursework with elective classes that match specific areas of concentration. The core curriculum covers business research methods, strategic management, economics, and finance. Students also complete two seminars in management, one on management concepts and one in marketing management.

Five specialization areas allow learners to gear their degree to specific career goals. Each of TAMIU's online MBAs includes 30 credits of coursework. 

Courses span seven weeks and TAMIU has six start dates each year. TAMIU also offers preparatory modules to accommodate students with limited business knowledge and experience.

TAMIU's Specializations

Management  | International banking and finance | International business | International trade and logistics | Criminal justice | Healthcare administration 

TAMIU's Affordability

TAMIU's tuition falls below the average tuition rates in the five most populous states other than Texas, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. 

Program at a Glance

• School Type: Public
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); business programs accredited by the AACSB.
• Tuition: $11,010/ degree ( residents); $30,900 / degree (nonresidents)
• Required Credits: 30
• Program Length: Two years
• Delivery Format: Online
• Admissions
  • Process: Six start dates each year
  • GPA: 3.25
  • Standardized Tests: GRE or GMAT (in some instances)
  • Cost: $35

Offering healthcare and business-related programs, Parker was originally a chiropractic college. Based in Dallas, Texas, Parker remains dedicated to its initial mission and operates a chiropractic wellness center in Irving, Texas. 

Online MBA

Parker University's online MBA combines business coursework with health-related classes to prepare individuals for careers in healthcare management. Core classes explore topics such as organizational behavior, business research methods, accounting and finance, and marketing management. 

Focus areas within the program include healthcare management, management, information technology, and practice management. Students complete 12 credits of coursework in their chosen concentration area.

Each degree includes 36 credits. Enrollees without previous business coursework and experience take an additional six credits of prerequisite classes and earn a degree in 42 credits. 

Parker's Specializations

Healthcare management | Management | Information technology | Practice management

Parker's Affordability

Parker offers the same per-credit tuition for resident and nonresident students alike. This is true for part- and full-time learners. 

Program at a Glance

• School Type: Private
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• Tuition: $775/ credit (full time)
• Required Credits: 36-42
• Program Length: Two years
• Delivery Format: Online
• Admissions
  • Process: Applicants submit transcripts and test scores for consideration
  • GPA: 2.7
  • Standardized Tests: GRE, GMAT, MAT
• Cost: $50