Corporate employers widely consider MBAs as the gold-standard qualification for senior management and C-suite executive positions. These professionals command high salaries, putting Florida at a significant advantage, given its lack of state-level income tax.
A 2019 Kiplinger analysis cited Florida as having the third-best job growth rate in the United States. Kiplinger counted business services — a sector that employs MBA degree-holders in large numbers — among the occupations with the Sunshine State's fastest growth rates.
Business schools continue to innovate and add long-term value to their MBA programs. Cutting-edge curricula, abundant networking opportunities, strong access to job recruitment pipelines, and opportunities to work with acclaimed instructors bolster an MBA's value. MBA programs also build versatile, transferable skill sets.
According to PayScale data from 2021, an MBA degree-holder can expect to earn 46% more than most Floridians. This guide introduces the top online MBAs in Florida and provides detailed information on what to expect from a graduate business program.
Why Get an Online MBA in Florida?
The top online MBA programs in Florida deliver strong career opportunities and earning potential for graduates. Most candidates already know that MBAs tend to command high salaries, but these degrees have more to offer than money. Other benefits include:
Transferable Skills: MBA programs deliver adaptable abilities within business management contexts, allowing degree-holders to pursue many careers. These benefits extend to learners pursuing specialized MBAs, as most MBA concentrations remain relevant across industries and sectors.
Direct Access to Employers and Jobs: The best online MBA programs in Florida support student career development with recruitment campaigns and other employer-focused partnerships. These valuable opportunities can fast-track graduates' success in the job market while delivering stronger returns on educational investment.
Upward Career Mobility: Many learners pursue MBAs during their mid-career years to accelerate their advancement potential. MBAs help ambitious professionals break through barriers to achieve prestigious senior-level positions.
Enrolling in an online MBA in Florida offers multiple additional advantages, including a strong presence of Fortune 500 employers. The 2020 edition of the annual Fortune 500 list included 18 corporations headquartered in Florida, with even more companies maintaining offices and operations in the state.
Florida also features relatively low tuition rates. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the typical cost of attending a Florida public college was more than 25% lower than the national average, while the state's private schools were an average of 12.5% cheaper.
Online MBA Programs for You
Grow your career, leadership, and business acumen with an accredited online MBA program.
5 Best Online MBA Programs in Florida
Our ranking of the best online MBA programs in Florida lists affordable, accredited distance-learning programs. This ranking features the 10 best programs, highlighting current data and information to help learners find the right school.
All the programs in our rankings hold national or regional accreditation. Business programs often hold additional programmatic accreditation. The schools on our list are accredited by at least one of the following agencies:
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE)
What To Expect From Florida's Online MBA Programs
Online MBA programs in Florida cater to busy professionals working toward graduate degrees in their spare time. Their flexible structures and asynchronous course delivery models support customization, often shortening typical graduation timelines. Most programs lead to graduation in 1-3 years of full-time study, with two years as the typical pathway.
Most programs require MBA candidates to earn a minimum of 30-36 credits, or 10-12 semester-long courses, to qualify for graduation. Students encounter classes in three forms: required courses that form the program's core; electives that deliver specialized learning opportunities; and culminating experiences, such as capstone or thesis projects.
Along with classroom-based programs, Florida's business schools support fully online and hybrid/blended delivery models. All three formats deliver a complete set of MBA concentrations and specializations, with some schools offering accelerated programs.
Admission Requirements for MBAs
All schools set distinct MBA admission standards, but a few requirements apply in practically all cases. An applicant to a Florida online MBA typically needs a four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Many institutions admit candidates from non-business backgrounds, but these candidates may need to complete foundational prerequisites before proceeding into the MBA program with full standing.
GPA minimums usually fall in the 3.0-3.3 range but vary among institutions, with some Florida schools forgoing the requirement entirely. Some programs look for GRE or GMAT scores. Many colleges and universities employ test-free admissions policies for all applicants or individuals with high grades or extensive levels of professional experience.
Most business schools look favorably upon applicants with strong employment histories, often preferring individuals with 3-5 years of experience. Professional recommendations, personal statements, and resumes or CVs round out the list of common admission materials.
Specialized MBAs
Online schools in Florida offer a complete set of MBA specializations in two broad categories: traditional concentrations and emerging, innovative alternatives.
Traditional concentrations include MBA programs in accounting, finance, supply chain management, healthcare management, and international business. These specialties appeal to learners seeking to balance specialized education with career versatility. Innovative alternatives feature stronger focuses on emerging economic sectors and novel business concepts. Examples include MBAs in machine learning, cybersecurity, information technology, and environmental management.
Other concentration options straddle the two categories. MBAs in entrepreneurship, agribusiness management, human resource management, and project management offer common examples. These are not novel concepts in business, but schools have only recently begun offering MBA concentrations focusing on them.
Non-specialized MBA programs lead to generalist degrees. Generalist programs typically offer customization options through electives. These programs develop a common set of core proficiencies that apply to business management in practically all industries.
Rankings for Best Online MBAs by Concentration
Popular MBA Program Courses
MBA coursework varies widely, especially when comparing generalist and concentrated programs. However, most schools cover a similar set of essential concepts in their required courses, including:
Students usually encounter this required course during their first year. Instructors introduce the fundamentals of business finance, focusing on the ways investors and managers determine the value of assets.
The MBA Capstone or Thesis
Online MBAs in Florida typically build toward culminating projects. Capstone courses can occupy a single semester or take place across a student's final year. Programs including experiential learning opportunities, such as internships and field placements, usually position the capstone to occur after these components. Students draw on their practical knowledge to design and execute their projects.
Most capstones require each enrollee to identify and solve specific theoretical or real-world business problems. Some schools depart from convention by requiring learners to complete their projects in teams.
More rarely, a thesis serves as a program's culminating experience. Thesis projects require the synthesized application of previous coursework, prompting students to perform original academic research on a topic rather than solve a particular problem.
How Much Do MBAs Cost in Florida?
Many factors influence the cost of an MBA in Florida, including learning format, the student's residency status, and the institution type (public or private). Generally, online learners, Florida residents, and learners at public institutions benefit from the most affordable tuition rates.
Tuition rates vary widely among Florida MBA schools. Recent data suggests the most affordable MBAs start as low as $10,000 for the entire program and rise as high as $60,000 or more. Average rates fall in the $15,000-$30,000 range, but remember: the "sticker price" tells only part of the story.
Florida's cost of living aligns with national averages, but online programs do not require physical relocation, so this figure may not apply to most students. Regardless, financial aid options play a significant role in making MBAs more affordable. Scholarships, bursaries, fellowships, grants, and student loans represent the most common aid options.
Online MBA Programs for You
Grow your career, leadership, and business acumen with an accredited online MBA program.
What Jobs Can MBAs Get You?
An MBA unlocks doors to corporate upper management and C-suite executive roles. Entrepreneurs also benefit from advanced business administration studies, as they teach essential strategic and organizational management skills that have valuable applications in practically all industries and economic sectors.
A 2019 Business Insider article profiled the 30 highest-paying jobs in Florida. Of the 18 non-medical career paths profiled in the piece, eight were open to candidates with MBA degrees. Completing an online MBA in Florida can fast-track ambitious learners into rewarding careers in as little as one year.
Examples of popular, prestigious, and lucrative jobs available to MBA degree-holders include:
Florida's Top MBA Employers
COVID-19 has heavily affected Florida's economy, along with most other U.S. regions. However, economists and experts remain optimistic that Florida will recover relatively quickly and return to its pre-pandemic outlook, which received a top 10 national ranking from U.S. News & World Report.
As of May 2019, BLS data indicated that business and financial operations occupations accounted for about 5.7% of all jobs in Florida. Management occupations were close behind at approximately 5.4%. These robust figures demonstrate strong employment opportunities in the Sunshine State for job-seekers with MBAs.
Regarding specific careers, BLS reports that Florida employs general and operations managers, human resource managers, healthcare and hospital managers, personal financial advisors, and entertainment and recreation managers in particularly large numbers. Each of these careers paid average annual salaries exceeding $100,000 as of May 2019.
Florida continues to enjoy high popularity among retirees, ranking as one of the top tourism and entertainment destinations in the United States. Given these trends, MBA candidates intent on working in the state may prefer programs with specialized course content in healthcare management, media and entertainment, or marketing.
The following Florida employers hire MBA degree-holders:
Top MBA Employers in Florida
NextEra Energy
Based in the Miami-area suburb of Juno Beach, NextEra Energy employs approximately 14,000 people across the United States and Canada. This publicly traded energy conglomerate generates about $17 billion per year and regularly hires MBA degree-holders in finance, operations, and strategic capacities.
Wellcare Health Plans
Tampa-based Wellcare Health Plans operates in the healthcare sector and provides managed health insurance and prescription drug plans to more than 4.4 million people through Medicare and Medicaid. Wellcare Health Plans hires many women (61.2% of its workforce) and people of color (44.5%).
Tech Data Corporation
Clearwater-based Tech Data Corporation offers a strong fit for job-seekers with general or specialized MBA degrees. Its employee base of about 14,000 members includes MBA degree-holders with technological and non-technological concentrations. The company maintains partnerships with Google, Apple, IBM, Microsoft, Samsung, and other major technology companies and consumer electronics manufacturers.
Selecting Your Florida MBA Program
Ranked lists offer a convenient way to compare leading programs at a glance. However, the methodologies used to compile them usually prioritize a relatively narrow set of factors, some of which may not apply to your situation. As such, education experts stress the importance of performing your own research. Consider factors such as:
Program flexibility, including accelerated or decelerated learning options
Program costs, the availability of financial aid, post-graduation job placement rates, and average salaries earned by program graduates
The availability of rare or particularly desirable MBA specializations
Job recruitment programs and strong relationships with local employers
Experiential learning opportunities, such as field placements, practicums, work-study programs, and internships
Regardless of the evaluation criteria you prioritize, always ensure that each prospective school holds regional accreditation. Voluntary endorsements from specialized programmatic accrediting agencies are also valuable.
Why You Should You Consider Online Schools in Florida
Online education continued to grow in popularity even before COVID-19, and the pandemic has vastly accelerated its adoption rates. MBA programs translate particularly well to the virtual classroom. The flexibility of online learning appeals to busy professionals upgrading their education while maintaining employment.
Higher education in Florida tends to cost less than many other states, and many Florida schools feature fixed, flat tuition rates available to all online learners, regardless of their location. The best online MBA programs in Florida tend to deliver superior educational investment returns.
Despite its advantages, online learning is not for everyone. Some people struggle to maintain self-discipline and focus in these highly independent learning environments, while others simply prefer the traditional classroom experience. Virtual classrooms can impact the depth, quality, and frequency of faculty and peer interactions.
Before committing to online learning, conduct an honest assessment of your learning style and preferences. Many people new to internet-based education also find value in trying it out for a course or two before fully investing in online education.
Online MBA Programs In Nearby States
Online MBA Programs for You
Grow your career, leadership, and business acumen with an accredited online MBA program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are online MBAs respected?
Yes. Online MBAs carry every bit as much prestige and value as in-person degrees, and employers make no distinction between the two learning formats. Most institutions do not indicate online vs. on-campus delivery of degrees when awarding diplomas.
How much does an MBA cost in Florida?
Total tuition costs for a Florida MBA start around $10,000 and rise to $60,000 or more. Most fall in the range of $15,000-$30,000.
Is getting an MBA online worth it?
Yes. Education experts widely consider an MBA as one of the most valuable degrees a student can earn, both in terms of employability and earning potential. Flexible program structures make it convenient for working professionals to earn their MBAs online.
How long do online MBA programs take?
Schools usually configure their MBA curricula to lead to graduation in the equivalent of about two academic years of full-time study. Accelerated MBA programs feature fast structures that shorten timelines, but many online learners attend school part-time, leading to graduation in 3-5 years.
