Best Online DBA Doctorate in Business Administration Degree Programs

Best Online DBA Doctorate in Business Administration Degree Programs

By James Barham

Published: Jun 22, 2021
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Find top-ranked online DBA – doctorate in business degree programs to help students to meet the unique educational and career goals of working professionals.

Top Online DBA Degree Programs

Liberty University

40%

Saint Leo University

29%

University of the Incarnate Word

29%

Lincoln Memorial University

28%

Keiser University

27%

Concordia University Wisconsin

27%

Wilmington University

26%

Belhaven University

25%

California Baptist University

24%

Thomas Edison State University

24%

Liberty University

99%

Keiser University

96%

University of the Incarnate Word

94%

Concordia University Chicago

88%

Trevecca Nazarene University

78%

University of West Alabama

74%

Saint Leo University

71%

Lincoln Memorial University

70%

Concordia University Wisconsin

69%

California Baptist University

64%

Thomas Edison State University

20 to 1

California Baptist University

19 to 1

Liberty University

17 to 1

Saint Leo University

17 to 1

Bellevue University

16 to 1

Keiser University

15 to 1

University of West Alabama

14 to 1

Trevecca Nazarene University

13 to 1

Lincoln Memorial University

13 to 1

Southern Wesleyan University

13 to 1

California Baptist University

$37,018

Concordia University Chicago

$34,310

University of the Incarnate Word

$33,100

Concordia University Wisconsin

$31,952

Belhaven University

$27,825

Trevecca Nazarene University

$26,898

Southern Wesleyan University

$26,498

Saint Leo University

$26,050

Lincoln Memorial University

$24,210

Liberty University

$22,713

Keiser University

$29,632

Lincoln Memorial University

$19,654

University of the Incarnate Word

$18,540

Saint Leo University

$15,218

California Baptist University

$13,590

Southern Wesleyan University

$13,560

Thomas Edison State University

$12,024

Concordia University Wisconsin

$11,628

Trevecca Nazarene University

$11,235

Bellevue University

$10,980

Southern Wesleyan University

19%

Concordia University Chicago

20%

University of West Alabama

20%

Trevecca Nazarene University

22%

Bellevue University

23%

Thomas Edison State University

24%

California Baptist University

24%

Belhaven University

25%

Wilmington University

26%

Concordia University Wisconsin

27%

Southern Wesleyan University

57%

Belhaven University

64%

California Baptist University

64%

Concordia University Wisconsin

69%

Lincoln Memorial University

70%

Saint Leo University

71%

University of West Alabama

74%

Trevecca Nazarene University

78%

Concordia University Chicago

88%

University of the Incarnate Word

94%

Belhaven University

8 to 1

Concordia University Wisconsin

11 to 1

University of the Incarnate Word

12 to 1

Concordia University Chicago

12 to 1

Wilmington University

12 to 1

Trevecca Nazarene University

13 to 1

Lincoln Memorial University

13 to 1

Southern Wesleyan University

13 to 1

University of West Alabama

14 to 1

Keiser University

15 to 1

Thomas Edison State University

$7,182

Bellevue University

$8,310

University of West Alabama

$9,100

Wilmington University

$11,760

Keiser University

$22,000

Liberty University

$22,713

Lincoln Memorial University

$24,210

Saint Leo University

$26,050

Southern Wesleyan University

$26,498

Trevecca Nazarene University

$26,898

University of West Alabama

$6,678

Liberty University

$7,847

Wilmington University

$9,000

Concordia University Chicago

$9,090

Belhaven University

$10,530

Bellevue University

$10,980

Trevecca Nazarene University

$11,235

Concordia University Wisconsin

$11,628

Thomas Edison State University

$12,024

Southern Wesleyan University

$13,560

Key Takeaways

The best online doctorates in business administration programs will prepare you for leadership roles and career advancement opportunities.
PhD programs prepare business professionals for postsecondary teaching positions, while online DBA programs are for executive positions in the business industry.
Many DBA programs delivered online end in a dissertation, requiring students to fulfill a comprehensive research project related to their field of study.

Featured Programs

Looking Closely At Today’s Doctorate in Business Administration Programs

Earning a degree from a doctor of business administration program implies that you can successfully handle the challenge of a business career that needs high-level business theory and advanced research skills. Most of the time, established corporate officers and business executives pursue an Online DBA program as an academic “capstone” that signifies their accomplishment of real-life, practical experience.

With so many amazing schools across the US that offer an online DBA degree, earning a doctorate in business administration has never been cheaper or easier.

As business sectors like healthcare and technology continue to expand, the demand and value for talented business leaders in healthcare management and project management are continuously growing as well.

The online business administration doctorate program will not only allow you to study right in the comfort of your home around your schedule, but it also gives you the chance to pursue your doctorate without compromising your present job.

Common Online Doctorate in Business Administration Courses

Accounting
Applied Statistical Analysis
Becoming an Applied Researcher
Business Strategy and Innovation for Competitive Advantage
Contemporary Challenges in Business
The Craft of Research and Writing
Doctoral Colloquium
Finance
Leadership and Followership
Marketing
Organizational Leadership: Doctoral Theory and Practice
Qualitative Methods for Diagnosis and Assessment
Qualitative and Case Study Methodology for Business Analysis Research
Supply Chain Management
Technology Entrepreneurship

Earning a doctorate in a business program with a transcript that includes any of the classes above can be a big help to becoming a distinguished leader in your field.

Online Ph.D. in Business Administration Careers

The majority of students pursuing a degree through a DBA online program are active business professionals interested in progressing within their present area of employment. On the other hand, students that pursue the degree online may also secure a career in academia.

Below are five of the best careers awaiting graduates who earn an online doctor of business administration.

Top Executives: These Ph.D. degree holders manage companies at the highest level. They make plans for success to guarantee that their company will enact strategies, policies, and operations needed to achieve its ultimate goals.

Top executives are also the ones that manage the financial activities of a company, appoint employees to major positions, negotiate contracts, and identify where to cut costs. This position is very demanding and often requires frequent travel.

Human Resources Managers: These professionals bridge between the employers and employees of an organization. They help in the recruitment process, the interview, and hiring. They also compensate employees and communicate with the organization’s management about hiring needs.

Human resources managers handle interpersonal issues among employees and staff, oversee benefit programs for employees, mediate conflicts, and manage compensation issues.

Economists: Economists hold a Ph.D. in business administration, and they are those that study data, assess economic problems, conduct studies and surveys, and predict trends in economics to advise organizations and businesses about financial decisions. Economists are also assets in the private sector as they handle consumer sales and demands to maximize profit.

Financial Analysts: These business administration Ph.D. degree holders advise organizations and businesses when it comes to making financial decisions, especially in investments. They study bonds, economic trends, and stocks so they can endorse profitable portfolios and investments. Financial analysts work at least 40 hours every week.

Postsecondary Teachers: Teachers holding a Ph.D. in business administration can teach and handle business-related topics in higher education. They can conduct research in their field, publish books or papers, and even manage their own business once in a while. Postsecondary teachers can work in either private or public universities, professional schools, and community colleges.

Professional Organizations for Business Administration Professionals

Professional business organizations allow students to earn their doctorates and connect with other professionals in the field. There are three major professional organizations in the field of business administration, including:

Sales and Marketing Executives International
American Management Association
American Marketing Association

Frequently Asked Questions About Business Degrees

To maximize your business education and your paycheck, you may want to consider earning a doctoral degree in business. This terminal degree can often be customized to meet the unique educational and career goals of working professionals.

With options available online and in person, as well as specializations and concentrations offered in many different business doctoral degree paths, working professionals are sure to find a degree path that complements their current knowledge, skill set, and goals.

Most doctorate degrees in business require between 45-60 credits and take between three to five years to complete.

Students may take courses that cover advanced concepts in topics like marketing, entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, international business, and corporate finance. Programs also typically require a thesis or dissertation for graduation.

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s degree in business administration (MBA).

Best Online DBA Programs — Download Badge

15 Best Online DBA Degree Programs

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.

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.