A master of business administration (MBA) is a postgraduate professional degree that has long functioned as the gold standard in the business world. MBA programs teach versatile business management and leadership skills. Accredited business schools also offer concentrated MBAs in targeted areas of professional practice.
Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are educational institutions specifically founded to serve the higher learning needs of Black students. Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 defines HBCUs as Black-serving institutions established prior to 1964.
As of June 2024, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports 39 HBCUs offer graduate-level degrees in business administration and related areas. This degree guide and ranking profiles the top HBCU online programs in business administration for graduate students.
Popular Online MBA Programs
Best Online MBA Programs at HBCUs
How We Choose Programs
At OnlineMBA.com, we rely on reputable sources to rank the best MBA programs. We use trusted sources like the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to find standout programs. We consider four metrics: affordability, reputation, academics, and program availability.
This list has not been updated for 2025. Visit our rankings methodology page to learn more about how we rank programs.
Why Get Your MBA at an HBCU?
Enrolling in an HBCU online MBA program can be a good option for any business major — not just Black students. Attending an HBCU can expose learners to diverse perspectives, which can expand learners' understanding of the world and teach them to work more effectively with people from different backgrounds.
We explore the benefits of attending an HBCU below.
Diversity: Although historically created to serve Black Americans, HBCUs value diversity. Attending a diverse college offers educational benefits and prepares students for success in a multicultural world after graduation. Diversity is increasing at HBCUs: In 2022, non-Black students comprised 24% of HBCU enrollment, compared to 15% in 1976.
Student Experience: HBCUs offer a student experience rooted in the schools' role as part of the history and culture of Black America, including resistance to racism and inequality. Black students, as well as enrollees of other races, can expect HBCUs to offer supportive, respectful learning environments.
Strong Alumni Network: HBCUs often boast robust alumni networks that offer great value to learners. Alumni can offer mentorship, provide career assistance, and encourage their employers to recruit at HBCUs for interns and employees.
Affordability: According to a 2022 analysis from The Century Foundation, HBCUs cost an average of 28% less than non-HBCU institutions. The same analysis found that HBCUs provide nearly double the level of college access to low-income students as other higher education institutions. These factors heighten their appeal to students seeking an affordable online MBA program.
How Online HBCU Programs Diversify Business
Workplace diversity supports creativity by embracing a broader set of perspectives. It can also improve employee and customer engagement. Yet statistical data indicates persistent racial disparities in corporate leadership, small business ownership, and entrepreneurship.
According to 2023 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Black people accounted for 12.8% of the total U.S. labor force. Despite this fact, they held only 8.4% of general and operations management roles and just 5.2% of chief executive positions.
Similarly, Pew Research Center data for 2021 found that Black-owned businesses accounted for only 2.8% of all enterprises that could be tracked according to the race or ethnicity of their primary owners. When calculating the total revenue that all surveyed companies earned that year, Black-owned businesses only accounted for 1.1% of that money.
However, trends are beginning to shift: A USA Today analysis from 2023 evaluated the number of Black professionals appointed to executive officer roles in companies on the Standard & Poor 100 list. The USA today report found that in 2022, Black executives secured these top-level appointments at rates more than one-third higher than they did in 2020.
A June 2023 Deloitte analysis reported similar findings — Deloitte noted an increase of more than three percentage points in the number of Fortune 500 board seats held by Black members from 2020 to 2022, growing from 8.7% to 11.9%.
By attracting promising students of color, HBCU online programs in business administration can help rectify these representational gaps. Continued progress holds the potential to uplift historically underrepresented communities and advance the goal of socioeconomic racial parity.
Why You Should Get Your HBCU MBA Online
Earning an MBA degree online offers convenience, especially for working professionals. Instead of attending classes at prescheduled times, online students can often learn anytime and anywhere, especially in asynchronous programs. We explore other benefits of distance education — including networking, affordability, and global opportunities — below.
Flexibility: An online MBA can provide greater flexibility than an on-campus program. Instead of adjusting work schedules or family life to fit class times, online MBA candidates can complete some or all of their coursework at their convenience from the comfort of their own home.
Networking: Many online MBA programs attract students from different states and other countries. This geographic diversity in online MBA cohorts means networking can span wider areas than on-campus programs that attract only local learners. Some online degrees also offer in-person intensives that foster connection between classmates and instructors.
Affordability: Students seeking an affordable MBA can sometimes save money by choosing an online degree. Distance programs that offer accelerated tracks and let students graduate more quickly sometimes cost less than in-person MBAs. Schools may also offer discounted tuition for online programs, including in-state rates for all enrollees. Online learners can also save money by continuing to work while in school.
Global Opportunities: Online MBA programs may offer global opportunities like study abroad trips, international business internships, and fieldwork projects in foreign countries. Schools that offer MBAs online sometimes enroll students from around the world, which also allows for global perspectives in class discussions.
Source: NCES College Navigator
HBCUs Programs Then and Now
Groups like the Quakers and the Episcopal church started founding historically Black colleges and universities in the 19th century. Some of the earliest recognized HBCUs existed before the Civil War — Richard Humphreys established the first HBCU, the African Institute (later Cheyney University), in Pennsylvania in 1837.
Miner Normal School (now the University of the District of Columbia), the Ashmun Institute (today called Lincoln University), and Wilberforce College (the present-day Wilberforce University) followed suit in the decades after.
These schools and others like them served an important function: inviting Black students and learners of other races to earn college degrees when other institutions of higher learning across the country often denied people of color access. HBCUs became centers of Black cultural, political, and economic activity and influence.
HBCUs still play an important role in educating Black students in a supportive environment that fosters community and leadership. Though HBCUs only make up 3% of all U.S. colleges and universities, nearly 20% of Black college graduates attend an HBCU. A 2023 Brown University study also found that Black HBCU students are 15% more likely to graduate from bachelor's programs than Black students who attend non-HBCU institutions.
Traditional programs at early HBCUs focused on basic education and training that prepared students for trades or to become teachers and ministers. Business programs started at HBCUs in the 1930s and now exist at a majority of these schools: Of the 102 historically Black institutions included in the NCES College Navigator database as of June 2024, 94% offered business education.
NCES identifies 102 HBCUs across the country, though three are currently closed. Most institutions are located in southern states, with Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina hosting the highest numbers of HBCUs.
Scholarship Resources for HBCU MBA Students
FAQ About HBCU Online MBA Programs
Yes, many HBCUs offer online programs. Like public and private schools throughout the United States, HBCUs have increased their support for online learning in recent years. HBCU students can pursue online and hybrid degrees in an array of academic disciplines.
