These 7 online MBA programs cost less than $50K—and grads make more than six figures

In fact, MBA graduates earn a median base salary of $115,000, according to the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC). This figure applies to all MBA students, despite the modality of their study, because “schools offer the same diploma to those graduating from in-person programs as the diploma to those from online programs,” a GMAC spokesperson previously told Coins2Day. “Employers, therefore, do not necessarily know which programs the hired graduates are from.”

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For example, online MBA graduates from both the No. 1 and No. 3 schools on Coins2Day’s ranking of the best online MBA programs—Indiana University–Bloomington (Kelley) and Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)—report earning $135,000 median base salaries, according to data reported to Coins2Day for its ranking of best online MBA programs. But these are two of the more expensive online MBA options, costing a respective $82,000 and $145,000 to complete. 

Graduates from many online MBA programs featured on Coins2Day’s ranking, however, can go on to earn six-figure salaries—and without the higher price tag. In fact, graduates from the University of Kentucky (Gatton) earn $140,000 median salaries with an investment of about $35,000. MBA grads from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst (Isenberg) make median base salaries of $137,500 and spend about $36,000 on their education. 

For additional examples of online MBA degrees that have high return-on-investment rates—the ratio of income to amount spent on the degree—Coins2Day has compiled a list of seven online MBA programs that cost less than $50,000 to complete. 

Note that not all schools provide salary statistics during the reporting process, therefore, this list is not exhaustive.

1. Regent University

Coins2Day online MBA ranking: No. 67
Total tuition cost: $25,020
Median base salary post-graduation: $119,000
Return on investment: 375.6%
Average GMAT score: did not report
Acceptance rate: 37%

2. University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium

Coins2Day online MBA ranking: No. 38
Total tuition cost: $29,700
Median base salary post-graduation: $137,500
Return on investment: 362%
Average GMAT score: 630
Acceptance rate: 96%

3. Xavier University

Coins2Day online MBA ranking: No. 61
Total tuition cost: $34,125
Median base salary post-graduation: $105,000
Return on investment: 207.7%
Average GMAT score: does not report
Acceptance rate: 83%

4. University of Kentucky (Gatton)

Coins2Day online MBA ranking: No. 53
Total tuition cost: $35,864
Median base salary post-graduation: $140,000
Return on investment: 290.4%
Average GMAT score: does not report
Acceptance rate: 80%

5. University of Massachusetts—Amherst (Isenberg)

Coins2Day online MBA ranking: No. 10
Total tuition cost: $36,075
Median base salary post-graduation: $137,500
Return on investment: 281.2%
Average GMAT score: 641
Acceptance rate: 92%

6. University of Delaware (Lerner)

Coins2Day online MBA ranking: No. 49
Total tuition cost: $41,800
Median base salary post-graduation: $100,000
Return on investment: 139.2%
Average GMAT score: 569
Acceptance rate: 78%

7. Virginia Commonwealth University

Coins2Day online MBA ranking: No. 47
Total tuition cost: $42,000
Median base salary post-graduation: $109,000
Return on investment: 159.5%
Average GMAT score: does not report
Acceptance rate: 90%

Check out all of  Coins2Day’s rankings of degree programs, and learn more about specific career paths.