Best Online MBA Programs in Arizona

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Your most affordable online MBA options will usually be those offered in your home state. Find the online MBA program in Arizona at a school you and employers will trust.

Key Takeaways

  • An online MBA program in Arizona can open leadership role opportunities in accounting, finance, human resources, organizational administration.
  • An online MBA degree in Arizona is a perfect option for busy working professionals because of the flexibility.
  • There are a limited number of schools with an online MBA program in Arizona, but students can pursue online MBAs from neighboring states.

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Arizona

Both traditional and online students hoping to attend college in Arizona have a lot to choose from. With both in-person and online degrees at every level of education, Arizona offers educational variety and excellence. Students can choose from associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs anywhere in the state.

The state’s largest university, the University of Arizona located in Tucson, offers a competitive tuition rate, at $12,000, for its 39,000 students.Moreover, Arizona’s most affordable schools, such as the tribally-owned Diné College, offer tuition as low as $1,000.

Private schools make up about one third of the higher education institutes in Arizona. Arizona’s private schools offer a comprehensive range of traditional and online degrees from fine arts to naturopathic medicine.

Arizona’s public universities and colleges, such as Northern Arizona University located in Flagstaff, offer both on-campus and online students a variety of study concentrations, including mathematics, education, political science, and psychology. If you’re looking for flexibility, Arizona has 14 colleges and universities offering entirely online degrees.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Arizona is also home to three religiously affiliated schools: Arizona Christian University, Phoenix Seminary, and International Baptist College. While tuition varies greatly among these three schools, each school provides unique degree programs, such as music ministry at International Baptist College.

Arizona boasts year-round sunshine, the Grand Canyon, award-winning restaurants, and several professional sports teams? With more than 30 colleges and universities to choose from, Arizona allows students to get their degrees while cashing in on some of life’s greatest pleasures.

If you want to experience the state of Arizona while taking some online courses, you may be able to take a hybrid degree program. Many Arizona colleges and universities allow you to earn a degree through a combination of online learning and on-campus courses.

Arizona offers a variety of excellent and affordable colleges and universities for on-campus and online students at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree level.


What are Arizona’s Colleges & Universities?

Arizona’s Best Overall

What’s the Difference between an Online MBA and Traditional MBA?

Learn more about what you can do with an MBA.

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Best Online MBA Programs in Arizona

  1. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Acceptance

    90%

    Graduation

    67%

    Student body

    85K

    Career Outlook for MBA degree at Arizona State University

    Cost of Degree: $13,389
    Expenses: $21,219
    Starting Salary: $93,701
    Salary after 4 years: $106,769
    Cost Recoup Time: 4 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    ASU Online Master’s Degrees

    MBA in Business Analytics
    • Required Credits: 30
    • Completion time: 2-3 years
    • Format: Online
  2. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Acceptance

    87%

    Graduation

    68%

    Student body

    54K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1255/25

    Career Outlook for MBA degree at University of Arizona

    Cost of Degree: $14,389
    Expenses: $19,500
    Starting Salary: $94,545
    Salary after 4 years: $107,731
    Cost Recoup Time: 4 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Master’s Degrees

    Master of Business Administration (MBA)

    Concentrations

    • Entrepreneurship
    • Finance
    • Marketing
    • Management
    • MIS/ Privacy and Security
    • Healthcare
    • Required Credits: 45
    • Completion time: 14-30 months
    • Format: Online
  3. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $18K

    Acceptance

    78%

    Graduation

    45%

    Student body

    155K

    Career Outlook for MBA degree at Grand Canyon University

    Cost of Degree: $11,124
    Expenses: $16,212
    Starting Salary: $86,289
    Salary after 4 years: $97,982
    Cost Recoup Time: 4 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Master’s Degrees

    Online MBA (no GMAT)
    • Required Credits: 34-46
    • Completion time: 2-3 years
    • Format: Online
  4. #4

    Ottawa University

    Ottawa , KS
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $33K

    Acceptance

    78%

    Graduation

    28%

    Student body

    <1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    980/20

    Career Outlook for MBA degree at Ottawa University

    Cost of Degree: $12,562
    Expenses: $17,000
    Starting Salary: $70,948
    Salary after 4 years: $80,563
    Cost Recoup Time: 5 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Ottawa University, Phoenix Online Master’s Degrees

    Master of Business Administration (MBA)

    Concentrations

    • Accounting Concentration
    • Business Data Analytics Concentration
    • Health Care Management Concentration
    • Information Technology Concentration
    • Operational Effectiveness Concentration
    • Finance Concentration
    • Human Resources Concentration
    • Leadership Development Concentration
    • Population Health/Health Care Management Concentration
    • School Business Operations Concentration
    • Sports Business (Coming Fall 2021) Concentration
    • Strategic Innovation Concentration
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: 2-3 years
    • Format: Online

Career Outlook for Students with MBA Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Business Administration And Management

Degree Level: Master's

  • Location: Arizona (Private Schools)
  • Avg. Cost of Degree*: $14,166
  • Avg. Expenses*: $19,249
  • Avg. Starting Salary*: $101,789
  • Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $107,783
  • Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 4 years
  • Job Growth: 6.72%
  • Number of Jobs: 12,486,499
  • * denotes ‘annually’
  • ** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Arizona has a limited number of online MBA programs, but if you want to explore some of the online MBA programs in states outside Arizona, consider one of the best online MBA degrees in a neighboring state like New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. An online education can be a great option no matter your state of residence.

Frequently Asked Questions About MBA Degrees

MBA degrees are the most popular advanced degree in American higher education. This versatile degree offers a variety of specializations that can help working professionals build leadership skills, expand their network, and enhance their overall business knowledge. MBA degrees are excellent options for anyone needing business fundamentals covered while having the chance to study more in a selected concentration. An MBA in Marketing is different than a MS in Marketing because the MBA degree doesn’t assume previous business education, whereas the MS program likely would.

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Go to Online MBA programs with no GMAT requirements

The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a computer responsive test designed to assess certain analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and English reading skills used by graduate management programs, such as MBA programs, to assist with admissions selections.

The GMAT is still required by many graduate schools of all shapes and sizes – elite research universities, public universities, liberal arts colleges, online colleges, etc. There’s no real common denominator for which types of schools require the GMAT, or don’t.

If you are considering a graduate business school that requires the GMAT, then you certainly want to do well on the exam. Even if schools you’re considering don’t require it, you may want to take the test because a high score could still help your application, and because there may be another college that suddenly interests you, and it might require successful completion of the GMAT.

If you’re going to take the test, at minimum you’ll want to study with solid guidance provided by quality resources. People have many different opinions about which GMAT test prep resources are the best, therefore we recommend that you start looking at and comparing the best-selling GMAT test guides.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you are aspiring to be admitted into an elite university’s program, you may want to work with a graduate or business school admissions expert. An admissions consultant can give you the most customized information about your prospects and many will work with you on whatever specific need you might have – test prep, applications, personal essays, and even help with finding meaningful internships.

There is a growing number of high quality MBA programs that don’t require the GMAT. Furthermore, there are a lot of highly reputable colleges and universities offering online MBA programs that do not require the GMAT. If standardized testing simply isn’t a strength of yours, you may want to move your search to focus specifically on online MBA programs with no GMAT requirements.

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Typically, online MBA degrees can be earned in about 2 years. However, specializations range from healthcare management to entrepreneurship to international business. Because MBAs offer so many educational paths, program requirements can vary greatly, from 30 to 60 credits, which means this degree may take anywhere between two and four years to complete.

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MBA courses are available both online and on campus, and many programs require a thesis or professional experience component. Students will study topics like corporate law, organizational behavior, and negotiations. Most online MBA programs will be asynchronous for maximum flexibility. This means students watch lectures and read when they can, and likely join web forums for class discussions. While online MBA courses can be “self-paced”, there usually are still mid-term and end of term deadlines. Typical online MBA courses will have multiple deadlines throughout the semester for various assignments.

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MBA graduates can advance to leadership roles in accounting, finance, human resources, organizational administration, and more. MBAs are popular because of their versatility. With so many choices of concentrations, your MBA can prepare you for leadership or executive roles in virtually any industry.

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Students’ Submitted Questions on the Best Online MBA Programs in Arizona

Lawson asks, “Are there any courses that focus on issues relevant to Arizona’s economy, such as border trade, tourism, or water resource management?”

Dr. James Barham’s answer: This will depend on the program, but often times yes. The programs typically have their courses listed online, so make sure to check out the program’s curriculum. Most MBA programs will also have industry partners that you can complete internships with, so make sure that these partners align with what you want to study as well.

Mariah asks, “What kind of internships or job placement services are available specifically in Arizona’s job market for MBA graduates?”

Dr. Jed Macosko’s answer: This will vary depending on the specific institution’s network and partnerships with local businesses. Almost all colleges will have a career services center so that students can become familiar with what is available to them. It’s also wise to look into the school’s internship programs to see which businesses you will have the opportunity to learn from. Alumni networks are also a crucial part of students finding jobs upon graduating.

Trey asks, “Are there any specializations or electives focusing on environmental management or sustainability issues?”

Dr. James Barham’s answer: Some common specializations or electives students might encounter include sustainability management, environmental economics, corporate social responsibility, green marketing and consumer behavior, environmental law and ethics. However, make sure to refer to the program catalog to see what is available at your specific college or university.

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Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And in many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Resources for Prospective Grad Students

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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