Best Online MBA Programs in West Virginia

An online master of business administration is ideal for busy individuals. Explore online MBA programs in West Virginia to take your career to the next level.

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Woodburn Hall at West Virginia University on a sunny autumn day Credit: LawrenceSawyer / E+ / Getty Images

West Virginia's Online MBA Programs

Each of the schools below offers an accredited MBA program that you can pursue primarily online, in your after-work hours, from the comfort of home. Pay attention to the degree timeline, noting whether the program offers accelerated and/or part-time attendance options that synchronize with your own timeline. Check whether these programs have on-campus or residency requirements and whether you can attend class synchronously (at a set class time) or asynchronously (anytime).

Meanwhile, keep in mind that some programs hold more prestigious accreditation than others. Take the time to learn more about MBA accreditation standards, including regional, national, and programmatic accreditation status. Accreditation ensures educational quality, and it can affect access to federal financial aid, credit transfer, and job opportunities.

Careers and Salaries for MBA Graduates in West Virginia

West Virginia's economy boasts a variety of thriving industries. With notable companies like DuPont, Bayer, PGG, and Dow all operating in the state, it has become a nationally and globally recognized hub for chemicals and biotechnology.

West Virginia is also one of the top U.S. energy producers. In 2017, the state ranked No. 2, second to Wyoming in coal production. Oil, natural gas, hydroelectric power, and wind power make significant contributions in the state, as well. The oil and natural gas industries have seen particular growth over the last decade, and they have positive growth projections, as well.

West Virginia also supports thousands of jobs in other industries, including automotive and aerospace manufacturing, forestry, metals and steel, healthcare, distribution and fulfillment, and tourism. Of these, the healthcare and social services industry has one of the highest projected growth rates from 2016-2026: nearly 15%, according to Workforce West Virginia.

Students pursuing MBAs with a specific industry in mind can feel confident about securing future employment in this economically diverse state. Specific MBA-related careers with moderate or high demand projections from 2016-2026 include logisticians, management analysts, and marketing specialists.

CompanyLocationMain IndustryNumber of Employees
West VA Department of TransportationCharlestonTransportation10,000
CAMC Memorial HospitalCharlestonHealthcare5,000
West VA University Student LifeMorgantownEducation4,000

Source: Career One Stop

Earning an MBA with a concentration in healthcare management may prove especially beneficial to West Virginians, as each of the state's three top employers are healthcare providers. Several other major employers in the state also work in the medical field. Hospitals and outpatient care centers need strong, qualified professionals to fill key leadership positions, including project managers, marketing directors, community relations specialists, and healthcare administrators.

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Careers for MBA Grads in West Virginia

Logistician

Logisticians work to streamline supply chains, usually by improving the design, production, and transportation efficiency of raw materials and goods. These professionals may supervise purchasing, storage, and delivery, using computer software to plan and oversee these movements. Aspiring logisticians may pursue an MBA with a supply chain management concentration.

West Virginia's logisticians made a mean annual salary of $69,620 as of 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) projects a 4% growth in logistician positions in the state from 2016-2026. Logisticians find work in many West Virginia industries including aerospace, automobile manufacturing, and energy resource extraction.

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Management Analyst

Management analysts or consultants study organizations carefully, identifying problems and generating solutions. These professionals gather and/or analyze organizational data, finding ways to make company operations more efficient and profitable. Management analysts typically benefit from MBA coursework related to operations management, finance, and managerial economics. According to May 2018 projections, management analysts in West Virginia make a mean annual salary of $75,980.

The DOL projects an 11% growth in management analyst positions between 2016 and 2026.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing managers conduct market research and collaborate with advertising, financial, and artistic teams to generate effective marketing campaigns and programs. These professionals negotiate contracts, supervise marketing staff, meet with clients, and make artistic and media choices. Although many marketing managers hold just a bachelor's degree, an MBA in marketing offers excellent preparation for this career path.

Marketing MBA graduates may find themselves working for West Virginia's top employers in manufacturing, hospitality, education, and other industries. The DOL anticipates an 8% growth in West Virginia marketing manager positions between 2016 and 2026.

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Medical and Health Services Manager

Employed by hospitals and other top West Virginia employers, medical and health services managers perform diverse leadership duties including budgeting, hiring, scheduling, and representing their department or facility. MBA students interested in healthcare often opt for an MBA track concentrated on health management or administration. BLS data indicates that medical and health services managers in West Virginia earned a healthy mean salary of $110,130 as of May 2018.

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Top Executive

Employed in all of West Virginia's top industries, these executives perform high-level decision-making and strategic planning. These professionals hire and supervise departmental leaders, set goals, and create policies that influence the direction of the organization. Many top executives hold advanced degrees and boast considerable industry experience.

An MBA focused on leadership, finance, or management proves relevant to this career, though top executives may also seek an MBA concentration in their industry of choice, such as information technology or healthcare. Top executives' salaries vary widely by industry and organization, but according to BLS data from May 2019, general and operations managers in West Virginia made a mean annual salary of $87,430, with chief executives earning $153,880.

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MBA Concentrations for West Virginia Students

General MBA courses on communications, leadership, or finance prove useful in most positions. Still, pursuing an MBA concentration with a more tailored curriculum often creates the best path for students aspiring to a particular career path or industry with some of the highest paying MBA jobs. Many schools offer multiple MBA specialization options, most of which are geared toward cross-industry leadership roles, such as marketing or consulting, or a specific industry context, such as MBA programs in hospitality management or healthcare.

MBAs concentrated on healthcare, hospitality, supply chain management, or operations management may prove particularly useful in obtaining work with West Virginia's top employers, which currently aggregate in the healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors.

The Best Online MBA Programs in West Virginia

  • American Public University
    Location

    Charles Town, WV

    Tuition

    $13650

    American Public University online master’s degree in business administration offers advanced coursework in entrepreneurship, accounting, finance, and management to cultivate future executives and entrepreneurs. APU’s 39-credit program offers rolling start dates each month and can be completed in two years.

    Students learn to assess business documentation, develop business strategies, and analyze business laws and regulations as they apply to real-world scenarios. The program's various specializations, including sports management, homeland security, healthcare administration, and government contracting, give learners the opportunity to pursue personal interests and goals as they develop the professional knowledge and skills needed for successful careers.

    Applicants to APU’s MBA program must hold a bachelor’s degree in a business-related field or have completed prerequisite coursework in managerial analysis, quantitative analysis, and global management perspective. There is no fee to submit APU’s online graduate school application.

    Concentrations

  • Salem University
    Location

    Salem, WV

    Tuition

    $51480

    Salem International University offers online MBA degrees with concentrations in areas such as accounting and management. An MBA in management provides students with advanced coursework in leadership, organizational behavior, and project management; while an MBA in accounting trains students in auditing, forensics, and accounting ethics. Management students study business law, global challenges to communication, and management technology.

    Accounting students complete 36-credits of coursework, providing them with expertise on accounting documentation, supervision, and decision-making. This program prepares business leaders to understand management and accounting principles and practices, Salem’s curriculum also includes practical exercises for students to apply what they've learned and develop problem-solving expertise.

    Salem admits students monthly on a rolling basis. Applicants to Salem’s graduate business program must provide transcripts of their regionally-accredited undergraduate degree that demonstrates a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.

    Concentrations

  • University of Charleston
    Location

    Charleston, WV

    Tuition

    $25000

    An online MBA degree from the University of Charleston includes synchronous coursework that students can complete in as few as 16 months to develop the problem-solving, analytical, and writing techniques applicable to business. Available as an online or hybrid program, the UC’s cohort-based degree provides learners with the knowledge and skills needed to advance their personal and professional business goals.

    Through group activities and team-building exercises, students cultivate professional relationships and business communication skills. Core coursework includes managerial accounting and finance, quantitative methods, and applied marketing. Students also participate in an international business practicum, a ten-day experiential learning activity during which learners observe business practices in a foreign country.

    Admission to the University of Charleston’s program includes a formal interview after students submit their application, official undergraduate and graduate transcripts, a resume, and three letters of recommendation.

  • West Liberty University
    Location

    West Liberty, WV

    Tuition

    $13500

    Located in West Liberty, West Virginia, West Liberty University offers a 30-credit master’s degree in business administration to students who want to develop business competencies while advancing personal and professional goals. Students can specialize in management or accounting, completing the former in as little as one year and the latter in 20 months.

    West Liberty’s MBA program includes core coursework on social responsibility and business ethics, global economics, information technology management, and strategic human resource management. Management-focused students complete additional work in finance, and public and nonprofit management while accounting students study auditing, forensic accounting, and fraud detection.

    Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 2.5 or above. Upon admission, students complete a placement exam to identify business proficiencies. In-state and out-of-state students pay a $460 flat tuition rate with no additional fees.

    Concentrations

  • West Virginia University
    Location

    Morgantown, WV

    Tuition

    $25200

    West Virginia University’s online MBA offers learners a two-year, 48-credit hybrid program to advance their business careers. With two start dates per year, learners can specialize in forensic accounting and fraud examination, energy finance, or integrated marketing communications. In addition to online coursework, students participate in four residencies, including one in District of Columbia.

    Core coursework in WVU’s program includes coursework in managerial and team skills, financial statement analysis, and integrated global business. Students also complete an executive project during which they prepare and submit a feasibility study and implement a business plan. Forensic-focused students compete courses in fraud investigation and criminology; energy finance students take classes on energy law and energy accounting; and integrated marketing students study audience insights, media and the market, and brand equity.

    Applicants to WVU’s program must submit an online application with up to three letters of recommendation, a resume, a statement of purpose, and GRE or GMAT scores.

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