Given the popularity of business degrees, as well as how well they work in the remote learning context, online bachelor’s degrees in business remain in demand. Yet with so many programs to choose from, you might need help getting started with the selection process. To help, we’ve examined hundreds of schools with online business bachelor’s degrees and ranked the best in terms of education quality, learning flexibility, and a personalized education experience. We also took into account the affordability of the program, accreditation, and student learning and career services. See which schools stand out for 2024.
- Create List of Eligible Schools and Programs
- Institutional accreditation from an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
- At least one program in the subject area offered partially or fully online.
- Assign Weightings
- Number of online programs in subject area reported by school to the U.S. Department of Education. Because exact numbers change often and can be difficult to verify, we use a range-based scoring system: 0-5 online programs = 1 star; 6-10 = 2 stars; 11-15 = 3 stars; 16-20 = 4 stars; 21+ = 5 stars. In our design, laptop icons = stars.
- For degree-specific pages, ex: Psychology degrees, we list the current number of online programs available at that school for that degree type, as self-reported by the schools.
- Cost – Relative cost of attendance compared to peer schools on the list. Based on tuition and fees per academic year.
- Students w/ Institutional Aid – Percentage of students who receive financial aid from the school itself.
- Academic Counseling – Existence of this service on campus or online.
- Career Placement – Existence of this service on campus or online.
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University Park, PAPublic $$$$
The Pennsylvania State University offers a flexible, online bachelors of science in business. This program is ideal for those looking to enter the field and take 100% of their courses online. The majority of the program covers the foundations of business administration, though students can choose a specialization and take 18 credit hours in that field. Specializations include entrepreneurship, accounting, financial services, health services, marketing and management, and an individualized option where students can work with an academic advisor to create their own specialization. To help tailor the degree to students’ professional goals further, the Pennsylvania State University offers online career and professional development resources and tools. Anyone looking to build a strong foundation in project management or business should consider this program.
Program Highlights:
Bachelor of Science in Business
- Credits: 120
- Length: 4 years
- Cost: $620 per credit in-state | $664 per credit out-of-state
- Mode: Online
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
15/1
-
Springfield, MOPublic $$
Missouri State University-Springfield offers three online business degrees in general business, business analysis, and international business administration. No matter which program a student chooses, they can complete the degree in as little as four years and can take flexible, online courses which suit their schedule. Additionally, the university offers an easy transfer process into all three programs and transfer students can complete any of these three degrees in as little as two years. No matter which program a student chooses, they have the opportunity to take business coursework which teaches the most up-to-date practices and theories in the business world. They also have access to online professional development resources so they can formulate a career plan before graduating.
Program Highlights:
Bachelor of Science in General Business
- Credits: 120
- Length: 4 years
- Cost: $267.00 per credit in-state | $572.00 per credit out-of-state
- Mode: Online
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Bachelor of Science in Business Analysis
- Credits: 120
- Length: 4 years
- Cost: $267.00 per credit in-state | $572.00 per credit out-of-state
- Mode: Online
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration
- Credits: 120
- Length: 4 years
- Cost: $267.00 per credit in-state | $572.00 per credit out-of-state
- Mode: Online
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Online Programs
3
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
20/1
-
Stillwater, OKPublic $$
Anyone looking for a general degree in business administration should consider the online bachelors from Oklahoma State University. In this program, students get a foundational overview of working in business as well as some opportunities to explore specific specializations in their elective courses. For maximum flexibility, online courses are offered asynchronously; lectures can be watched whenever a student has time and assignments can be done on a student’s schedule. All coursework and online academic and professional development resources can be accessed 24/7. By the end of the program, students will be prepared to start careers in a variety of fields including law, human resources, small business, account representation, and consulting. A career planning course is also part of the curriculum so students can receive extra guidance on how to shape their professional journey.
Program Highlights:
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
- Credits: 120
- Length: 4 years
- Cost: $432.40 per credit resident | $949.75 per credit nonresident
- Mode: Online
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Comission
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Columbia, MOPublic $$
The University of Missouri-Columbia offers a flexible online degree that’s perfect for both transfer students and those pursuing a bachelor of science in business administration without any prior higher education coursework. If a student is transferring, they can complete their coursework in as little as 60 credit hours and 8 semesters. No matter if a student is transferring or not, all students get robust, modern business education in a 100% online format. Along with foundational courses, students can also explore classes in accounting, finance, logistics, human resources, and more. To increase students’ employability, the University of Missouri-Columbia has an online professional development center that helps students tailor their education to the most in-demand business fields.
Program Highlights:
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
- Credits: 120
- Length: 4 years
- Cost: $439.41 per credit
- Mode: Online
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission | Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Crookston, MNPublic $$$
The University of Minnesota-Crookston offers three bachelors degrees for those interested in international business. While the curriculum is similar and all have one common goal – to develop business professionals with a global mindset – the course delivery differs between the three. One is fully online, the other fully in-person, and the third is hybrid with some courses in-person and others online. No matter which option students choose, all courses are synchronous, offered at a specific time, and require in-class participation. The curriculum will cover the same skill sets too and by the end, students will be prepared to help coordinate the global pursuits of companies, understand global business operations, and be ready to enter a multicultural workplace.
Program Highlights:
Bachelor of Science in International Business
- Credits: 95
- Length: 4 years
- Cost: $437.00 per credit
- Mode: Online
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Bachelor of Science in International Business
- Credits: 95
- Length: 4 years
- Cost: $437.00 per credit
- Mode: In-person
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Bachelor of Science in International Business
- Credits: 95
- Length: 4 years
- Cost: $437.00 per credit
- Mode: Hybrid
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Online Programs
3
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Logan, UTPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
19/1
-
Fort Collins, COPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
16/1
-
Howell, MIPrivate not-for-profit $$$$$
Online Programs
3
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
-
Valley City, NDPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
13/1
-
Bismarck, NDPrivate not-for-profit $$$$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
11/1
-
Muncie, INPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
14/1
-
Hays, KSPublic $
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
19/1
-
Lewiston, IDPublic $$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
15/1
-
Philadelphia, PAPublic $$$$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
13/1
-
Macomb, ILPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
13/1
-
Saint Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profit $$$$$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
13/1
-
Houston, TXPublic $$
Online Programs
3
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
20/1
-
Mount Olive, NCPrivate not-for-profit $$$$$
Online Programs
3
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
16/1
-
Maryville, MOPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
19/1
-
Alamosa, COPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
13/1
-
Minot, NDPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
11/1
-
Birmingham, ALPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
20/1
-
Manhattan, KSPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Grand Rapids, MIPrivate not-for-profit $$$$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
13/1
-
Oswego, NYPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
16/1
-
Pensacola, FLPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
20/1
-
Saint Louis, MOPublic $$$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
19/1
-
Fort Wayne, INPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
13/1
-
Canyon, TXPublic $$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
15/1
-
Billings, MTPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
15/1
-
Silver City, NMPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
12/1
-
Manchester, NHPrivate not-for-profit $$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
21/1
-
Chadron, NEPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
-
Canton, NYPublic $$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
19/1
-
Morgantown, WVPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
21/1
-
Rapid City, SDPrivate for-profit $$$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
7/1
-
Baltimore, MDPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
13/1
-
Winston-Salem, NCPrivate not-for-profit $$$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
10/1
-
Louisville, KYPublic $$$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
19/1
-
Norfolk, VAPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
16/1
-
Columbia, MOPrivate not-for-profit $$$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
23/1
-
Mayville, NDPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
13/1
-
La Grande, ORPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
15/1
-
Martin, TNPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
16/1
-
Toledo, OHPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
21/1
-
Lynchburg, VAPrivate not-for-profit $$$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
-
Parkville, MOPrivate not-for-profit $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
15/1
-
Columbus, GAPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
-
Louisville, KYPrivate for-profit $$$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
10/1
-
Tahlequah, OKPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
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Base Methodology for OnlineColleges.me’s 2024 Online College Rankings
To be eligible for this ranking, schools were required to meet the following criteria based on government data provided by The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
After creating the list of eligible schools, OnlineColleges.me data scientists assigned weights and ranked schools based on a mix of affordability, support services, and online program availability metrics. Online program availability and overall affordability metrics received the heaviest weightings.
Online Program Availability
Affordability
Support Services
About Our Data
OnlineColleges.me’s rankings use the latest official data available from The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Most recent data pull: July 2024
What You’ll Get Out of an Online Bachelor’s Degree in Business
While schools have different approaches to how they create their business degree curriculums, they must each offer similar core business content to receive programmatic accreditation. As a result, many online business bachelor’s degree programs will have similar learning goals and desired outcomes with respect to what they want you to learn and be able to do before graduation. As you embark on your search, take a look at some of the more common outcomes from bachelor’s degree business programs.
Communication Skills
Communicating well is important in almost every career, so it’s no surprise that business school students will learn how to convey information as effectively as possible. The specific skills taught in an online bachelor’s degree business program will focus on communication methods and mediums that are more common in the corporate or business setting. Therefore, students can expect to develop public speaking and writing skills, especially involving terminology and formats that are applicable to finance, marketing, accounting, and production environments.
Business Analysis Proficiency
One of the most important skills business students learn is how to process information and apply it to a particular situation. Doing this starts with learning various methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis. The business education process begins with learning how to read and understand business metrics and analytics. You should then move on to applying that information to long-term and short-term business decisions. You’ll also learn how to process data to turn it into a more useful form with the use of statistical tools.
Leadership Abilities
The business world requires a large amount of team effort. Students will learn how to both work well with fellow team members and also how to effectively lead a team. Some of this training comes implicitly through the use of group assignments and some of this training will be more explicit, such as learning about worker motivation and different workplace communication styles.
Understanding Business Environments
The business world is constantly changing. Many of these changes come from technological advancements, but changes can also come from updates to the regulatory environment and shifts in global consumption and production trends. Students learn about all of these factors, both from a historical and predictive perspective. There should also be discussion on the current business environment, how it works, and where it might be in the foreseeable future.
Courses You Can Expect to Take in Your Online Bachelor’s in Business
One of the best ways to understand what to expect in an online bachelor’s degree business program is to see what kind of classes you’ll take and how they all fit together to prepare you for a career in business. While it’s true that schools have some liberty developing their curriculums, such as what sort of general education requirements or specializations to offer, much of the core curriculum for an undergraduate business degree will be similar for most schools. Below are some of the classes you can expect to see in a typical online bachelor’s business degree program.
Business and Professional Writing
This class teaches you about the different formats and writing styles for various mediums used in a business environment such as white papers, presentations, online social media posts, and internal business documents. Special emphasis is placed on analytical writing based on statistical analysis and research, and you’ll also learn how to effectively organize your writing and find an appropriate voice for your audience.
Financial Accounting
Financial accounting is one of the core business classes almost all students have to take. Managers and analysts in business use the insights gleaned from financial accounting to help them make large and small business decisions. In this course, you’ll learn how to understand, recognize, create, and analyze various types of financial statements such as cash flow documents, balance sheets, and income statements.
Business Analytics
Because business analytics classes rely on statistics to perform core analytical operations, you should take this class after you complete a statistics course. In this class, you’ll be exposed to the various types of mathematical tools business professionals use to interpret past trends and predict future ones. You’ll learn about risk analysis, linear regression, how to run simulations, and data mining, and you’ll also get a taste of the many business analytics technologies used by companies to extract key business insights and build models that aid in making complex business decisions.
The Ethical and Legal Business Environment
In this class, you’ll learn both the state and federal laws that control how businesses operate as well as the professional rules that guide business decisions. You’ll review various legal sources, such as the Uniform Commercial Code, landmark legal cases, and civil law principles such as contract and tort law. You’ll learn how to apply these standards to determine what are and aren’t ethical business practices and how to decipher the difference between legal and ethical behaviors and policies.
Organizational Theory and Behavior
This class is essentially the application of human psychological principles to the workplace. You’ll learn about how individual, interpersonal, and group behavior manifests in a work environment. Concepts like worker motivation, company hierarchy, conflict management, and effective management techniques will also be addressed, and you’ll see how concepts such as company culture and workplace environment affect a business’s bottom line.
Management Information Systems
You’ll receive an overview on how businesses use information systems and technology to carry out their operations. Much of the course will focus on software tools, such as spreadsheet and database software to store and manage information. There will also be coverage of hardware and how recent advances can increase the operational efficiency of certain company activities such as production, marketing, and communication.
Principles of Finance
If you’re enrolled in an online business bachelor’s degree program, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll take an introductory class that covers finance. You’ll learn the basics of financial theories and the mathematical formulas that support them, along with recent developments in the field. There will also be discussion on what tools and methods are used in business finance and how they help companies measure and understand their performance and make sound business decisions.
FAQs About Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees
The internet is a convenient way to earn an online bachelor’s degree in business. And even as ubiquitous as online learning is today, you might still have some questions. The following section addresses some of the more common concerns prospective students like yourself have about bachelor’s degree in business online programs.
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Are online bachelor’s programs in business offered fully online?
Yes, in most cases. Because a business degree doesn’t typically teach hands-on skills, most online bachelor’s degree business programs are offered 100% online, with no in-person training or campus visits required. Sometimes schools will offer options such as on-campus orientation or coursework for students who live nearby and wish to add some face-to-face interaction to their learning.
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What careers are available for bachelor’s degree in business grads?
An online bachelor’s degree in business is one of the most popular degrees because it can serve as a gateway to a wide range of careers. Below is an extensive but not exhaustive list of potential careers that are possible with a bachelor’s degree in business.
- Financial analyst
- Budget analyst
- Management analyst
- Market research analyst
- Human resources specialist
- Fundraiser
- Financial examiner
- Compensation specialist
- Benefits specialist
- Job analysis specialist
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What accreditation should I look for in an online bachelor’s business degree program?
When picking among multiple online business bachelor’s degree programs, you want to look for two types of accreditation. First, you want to find a program that has programmatic accreditation. This applies not to the school, but business program you’re interested in. There are two major organizations that accredit online business degree programs at the bachelor’s level: the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). You’ll also want to make sure the program of interest belongs to a school that has institutional accreditation. This often comes from a national or regional accrediting organization the U.S. Department of Education recognizes.
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What can I expect from the admissions process?
For most online bachelor’s degree business programs, there are two primary components to the admissions process. First, there’s the online application, which will sometimes require applicants to pay a fee. Second, you’ll be providing an official copy of your high school transcript or other documentation to show you have a high school diploma or GED. While some colleges and universities may require you to provide ACT or SAT scores to be admitted into an online undergraduate program, many won’t.
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How much does an online bachelor’s degree in business cost?
How much your online business degree costs will depend on whether you apply to a public or private school. If you apply to a public school, there’s the variable of whether you enroll as an in-state or out-of-state student. For some online bachelor’s degree business programs, residency won’t matter as all students will pay the same tuition rate as remote learning students. To give you an idea of what to pay in terms of tuition, rates can range from $129.18 per credit as an in-state resident at the University of Florida and $552.61 per credit as a non-resident to $500.00 per credit at Maryville University for all students regardless of residency status.
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How long will it take me to complete a bachelor’s degree in business online?
The majority of online bachelor’s degree business programs will require you to complete anywhere from 120 to 128 credits to graduate. As a typical full-time student straight out of high school who takes classes in the fall and spring semesters, you can expect earning the bachelor’s degree in business to take four years. But it’s possible to take as little as two years if other factors apply. For example, if you already have an associate degree, it’ll probably take two or maybe three years to graduate depending on how your degree credits transfer into your bachelor’s program. You can also accelerate your degree by taking an additional class or two each semester and attending class year-round.
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What specializations can I choose from for my bachelor’s degree in business?
An online bachelor’s degree in business will provide you a wide range of skills and knowledge so you can make an immediate contribution to almost any business or company. If you want to work in an area of specialization, you might want to focus on a particular concentration while earning your online business degree. Some of the more widely offered business specializations include:
- International business
- Sport management
- Accounting
- Marketing
- Public administration
- Finance
- Entrepreneurships and small business management
- Industrial organizational psychology
- Human resources
- Management information systems
- Hospitality management
- Project management
- Global supply chain management
Demand and Earnings for Your Bachelor’s Degree in Business
Earning an online bachelor’s degree in business can make you eligible for many in-demand jobs that not only pay well but have great potential for advancement. These are careers with projected growth and median salaries that often exceed the national average. Check out the professions below to get an idea of what you can expect the job market to be like soon after graduating from an online business bachelor’s degree program.
| Career | Median Annual Earnings (2021) | Job Growth (2020-2030) |
|---|---|---|
| Human resource specialist | $62,290 | 10% |
| Management analyst | $93,000 | 14% |
| Market research analyst | $63,920 | 22% |
| Financial examiner | $81,410 | 18% |
| Fundraiser | $60,660 | 16% |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics