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The 62 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Management

Rankings of online master's in management programsWith an online master’s in management, you could land the highest paying leadership careers available today. These degrees can lead to a wide breadth of jobs in industries across the board. Management can encompass hiring, training, planning, solving problems, and thinking critically to pursue and reach organizational goals. If you are ready for this step in your career, an accredited online business management degree is the ticket. The national estimate for management occupation annual salaries sit at an impressive $126,480, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The highest paying management career as of 2020 is computer and information systems management, and almost all leadership professions are projected to grow at a faster rate than the average job.

An online master’s in management is a solid degree choice but it can come with a costly price tag—as high as $70,600! With student loan debt soaring, it pays to do your research before choosing an online management degree.

GetEducated compared 147 management master’s programs from 104 regionally accredited online schools to create this ranking. Below is our editorially independent list of the 62 Best Buys for an affordable online master’s in management. All degrees cost less than $25,500—below the national average for this degree.

ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide

Average Cost (In-state): ~$25,500
Least Expensive: Middle Georgia State University ~$8,859
Most Expensive: Babson College ~$70,600

Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There’s no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest online master’s in management. The online management degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2022 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.

Most Affordable Online Master’s in Management

RankSchool / DegreeStatePriceNote
1
Middle Georgia State University
(GA)
$8,859.00
All Students
2
East Central University
(OK)
$9,577.50
$20,292.00
In-State
Out-of-State
3
University of the Cumberlands
(KY)
$10,165.00
All Students
4
Amberton University
(TX)
$10,525.00
All Students
5
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
(IL)
$11,052.00
All Students
6
Southeast Missouri State University
(MO)
$11,595.00
All Students
7
Minot State University
(ND)
$12,829.20
All Students
8
Tarleton State University
(TX)
$12,962.40
$25,232.40
In-State
Out-of-State
9
Chadron State College
(NE)
$13,680.00
All Students
10
Peru State College
(NE)
$13,770.00
All Students
11
Indiana Wesleyan University
(IN)
$14,100.00
$10,575.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
12
American Public University System
(WV)
$14,450.00
$9,350.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
13
Texas A & M University - Commerce
(TX)
$14,744.00
$26,984.00
In-State
Out-of-State
14
Bryan College
(TN)
$14,760.00
All Students
15
CUNY Graduate School and University Center - School of Professional Studies
(NY)
$14,810.00
$14,455.00
In-State
Out-of-State
16
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
(OH)
$14,940.00
All Students
17
Campbellsville University
(KY)
$14,970.00
All Students
18
Oakland City University
(IN)
$15,000.00
All Students
19
Indiana Institute of Technology
(IN)
$15,525.00
All Students
20
The University of Alabama
(AL)
$15,700.00
All Students
21
Wayne State College
(NE)
$15,746.40
All Students
22
Iowa Wesleyan University
Master of Arts in Management Leadership 14
(IA)
$15,750.00
All Students
22
Troy University
(AL)
$15,750.00
All Students
24
Brescia University
Master of Science in Management 14
(KY)
$15,850.00
All Students
25
Greenville University
(IL)
$15,857.00
All Students
26
Shorter University
(GA)
$16,675.00
All Students
27
Concordia University-Saint Paul
(MN)
$17,100.00
$12,600.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
28
Austin Peay State University
(TN)
$17,782.50
$24,652.50
In-State
Out-of-State
29
Colorado State University-Global Campus
(CO)
$18,000.00
All Students
30
Western Governors University
(UT)
$18,120.00
All Students
31
Wilmington University
(DE)
$18,220.00
All Students
32
University of Maryland Global Campus
(MD)
$18,734.00
$24,314.00
In-State
Out-of-State
33
University of Colorado Denver
(CO)
$18,780.00
$21,930.00
In-State
Out-of-State
34
Marian University
(WI)
$18,810.00
All Students
35
Avila University
(MO)
$19,215.00
$17,889.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
36
Charleston Southern University
(SC)
$19,615.00
All Students
37
Faulkner University
(AL)
$19,650.00
All Students
38
Doane University
(NE)
$19,886.00
All Students
39
Wayland Baptist University
(TX)
$20,046.00
All Students
40
Montreat College
(NC)
$20,140.00
All Students
41
Southern Wesleyan University
(SC)
$20,340.00
$18,540.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
42
Hope International University
(CA)
$20,550.00
All Students
43
Merrimack College
(MA)
$20,712.00
All Students
44
Florida State University
(FL)
$20,795.94
$21,787.92
In-State
Out-of-State
45
Excelsior College
(NY)
$20,850.00
$9,450.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
46
Multnomah Campus of Jessup University
Master of Science in Management & Leadership 14
(OR)
$20,905.00
All Students
47
Coker University
(SC)
$21,052.00
All Students
48
Hardin-Simmons University
(TX)
$21,125.00
All Students
49
Russell Sage College
(NY)
$21,150.00
All Students
50
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
(WI)
$21,640.00
All Students
51
Emmanuel College
(MA)
$21,920.00
All Students
52
Abilene Christian University
(TX)
$21,960.00
All Students
53
Warner University
(FL)
$22,150.00
All Students
54
University of Houston
(TX)
$22,419.50
$37,689.50
In-State
Out-of-State
55
Lasell University
(MA)
$22,536.00
All Students
56
Southern New Hampshire University
(NH)
$22,722.00
$17,070.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
57
Bluffton University
(OH)
$23,000.00
All Students
58
Bellevue University
(NE)
$23,060.00
All Students
59
Salve Regina University
(RI)
$23,710.00
All Students
60
Thomas Edison State University
(NJ)
$24,346.00
All Students
61
University of Hartford
(CT)
$24,540.00
All Students
62
Lake Erie College
(OH)
$24,900.00
All Students
NOTE: The following schools did not make our Best Buy ranking but are also great online options.
School / DegreeStatePriceNote
St. Joseph's University-New York
(NY)
$25,632.00
All Students
Florida Institute of Technology
(FL)
$25,641.00
$23,076.90
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
National American University
(SD)
$25,825.00
All Students
Azusa Pacific University
(CA)
$26,308.00
All Students
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
(FL)
$26,898.00
$22,578.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
ECPI University
(VA)
$27,200.00
All Students
Walsh College
(MI)
$27,270.00
All Students
University of St Francis
(IL)
$27,548.00
All Students
Spring Arbor University
(MI)
$27,652.00
All Students
Webster University
(MO)
$28,180.00
$13,780.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
Maryville University
(MO)
$28,404.00
All Students
Southwestern College - Kansas
(KS)
$28,590.00
$21,960.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
Biola University
(CA)
$28,896.00
All Students
City University of Seattle
(WA)
$29,190.00
All Students
National University
(CA)
$29,750.00
All Students
Ohio University
(OH)
$29,844.00
$30,528.00
In-State
Out-of-State
Duquesne University
(PA)
$30,330.00
All Students
Davenport University
(MI)
$31,238.00
All Students
New Jersey Institute of Technology
(NJ)
$32,460.00
All Students
Michigan State University
(MI)
$32,700.00
All Students
Albertus Magnus College
(CT)
$32,832.00
All Students
American College of Financial Services
(PA)
$33,000.00
All Students
Rider University
(NJ)
$33,810.00
All Students
Marquette University
(WI)
$36,600.00
All Students
Pennsylvania State University
(PA)
$37,080.00
All Students
The University of Texas at Dallas
(TX)
$37,696.00
$69,596.00
In-State
Out-of-State
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
(NC)
$39,533.70
$70,320.60
In-State
Out-of-State
Dallas Baptist University
(TX)
$40,244.00
All Students
Indiana University Online
(IN)
$43,470.00
All Students
Catholic University of America
(DC)
$45,170.00
All Students
Tulane University
(LA)
$46,575.00
All Students
Benedictine University
(IL)
$53,905.00
All Students
Fordham University
(NY)
$54,628.00
All Students
Stevens Institute of Technology
(NJ)
$54,700.00
All Students
The George Washington University
(DC)
$61,464.00
All Students
The New School
(NY)
$67,592.00
All Students
Pepperdine University
(CA)
$68,400.00
All Students
Babson College
(MA)
$70,600.00
All Students

Accreditation & Program Notes

To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.

14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
AACSB  AACSB International
IACBE  International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
ACBSP  Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs

Rankings Note

These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Winter 2021 review of regionally accredited online master’s in management. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the online master degree programs in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules.

The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.

Editorial Note

Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers a master’s degree that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.

These rankings of the cheapest online schools for management may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best online master’s in management for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.

Career Guide: Online Master’s in Management

These degrees teach you leading-edge principles of management and leadership in business. They prepare you for a professional career in virtually any industry, although you can specialize in certain areas. With these fantastic programs, you’ll take a variety of core classes, as well as courses that focus on a specific and detailed topic, such as management in the healthcare industry or managing accounting teams.

What to Expect from an Online Master’s in Management

A master’s degree is a high level of academic achievement. Simply getting into the program can be challenging, as these degrees have rigorous standards for entry. For starters, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as management or business. The specifics will vary by program, but you’ll likely need a prior GPA of 3.0 or better. Once you gain entry, however, you’ll have access to some of the most advanced management classes taught in modern classrooms.

Specific management courses will depend on the school and the program, but you can expect a list of core management courses, as well as electives and concentration courses. During an online master’s in management program, you may take classes on negotiations, management ethics, and business strategies. Some classes will be more technical or precise in nature, and may include business analytics, modeling, accounting technology, and human-resource law.

Management is a broad area of study, one that can be applied to virtually any industry. However, there are concentrations available from some schools that allow you to focus on a specific industry, sector, or subject that you find most interesting. For example, you can find programs that offer master’s of management degrees with concentrations in healthcare administration, marketing, nonprofit, government, sports, military leadership, and more. Once complete, you’ll be prepared for numerous high-paying jobs in management and leadership.

Potential Careers with a Master’s in Management

One of the benefits of an online master’s in management is that you’ll be prepared for almost any management job that you desire. Here are a few examples of potential careers after you complete one of these programs…

Marketing Manager

  • Salary: $141,490
  • Education: Bachelor’s degree
  • Experience: Sales experience required

These professionals are skilled in marketing and advertising, as well as leadership and organizational management. They have numerous responsibilities, which can range from designing a marketing strategy to hiring team members for a marketing staff. Some will work for large companies, guiding an internal marketing team, while others will work for marketing firms that provide service to businesses and organizations on a contractural basis.

The pay for these positions in excellent, and the top 10% can expect salaries over $208,000. The expected growth is also strong, as managers in this sector should see job growth of roughly 10% between 2020 and 2030; there should be plenty of opportunities for managers experienced in advertising, marketing, promotions, and sales.

Healthcare Manager

  • Salary: $104,280
  • Education: Bachelor’s degree
  • Experience: Less than five years

You don’t have to be a surgeon, physician, or nurse to contribute to the ever-important field of healthcare. If you are motivated to use your leadership and organizational skills towards one of the most impactful sector of all, you could become a manager in the healthcare industry. These professionals plan, coordinate, and direct the activities of a healthcare facility or system, helping it serve the most people while providing the highest level of care.

To become a manager in the healthcare industry, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree, although a master’s is preferred by many employers. While experience in the industry is required, this does not mean you have to work as a nurse prior to the career; clinical and administrative roles are common paths to healthcare management.

Requirements to Work in Management

While a degree in management is a great start, and a master’s degree in particular will set you apart from other candidates, you will need professional experience before you can be hired as a manager. Experience in your specific industry is almost certainly required, so if you want to manage in the manufacturing industry, for example, you’ll need experience working for a manufacturing company. Regardless of your education, you should be prepared to work in ground-level careers before taking on a management or leadership role.

Certification can also bolster your career, increase job opportunities, and potentially increase your pay. No matter what your industry, there are likely management certifications available. In healthcare, you could become certified by organizations such as the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management or the American College of Health Care Administrators. In human resources, certification through the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) or HR Certification Institute (HRCI) could be a good addition to your management education.