Going to an accredited business school is a must, as accreditation bodies assure you that the quality of the MBA program has been checked carefully to gain approval. Accrediting bodies like the AACSB periodically re-assess each program to make sure that the faculty, curriculum, finances, student policies, and organization remain strong. Opting for an AACSB online MBA no GMAT requirement program allows mid-career working professionals to easily take their career to the next level without spending extra time fulfilling entrance exam requirements.
JUMP TO THE PROGRAM LIST: AACSB Online MBA No GMAT Programs
Going to an accredited business school is a must, as accreditation bodies assure you that the quality of the MBA program has been checked carefully to gain approval. Accrediting bodies like the AACSB periodically re-assess each program to make sure that the faculty, curriculum, finances, student policies, and organization remain strong. Opting for an AACSB online MBA no GMAT requirement program allows mid-career working professionals to easily take their career to the next level without spending extra time fulfilling entrance exam requirements.
What is AACSB Accreditation?
The AACSB (Association for Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business) is the oldest, and many believe most prestigious, accreditor of business and accountancy colleges and universities. Many of the world’s top ranked business schools and MBA programs hold AACSB accreditation.
The AACSB is considered the best accrediting agency for business schools, with a focus on the mission, strategic management, innovation, thought leadership and societal impact of the programs it approves. The AACSB has high standards, and therefore employers will be impressed with a degree that comes from a program that aligned with these values.
Why Would I Want to Spend More for an AACSB Online MBA?
Getting an AACSB online MBA no GMAT will give you the best return on your investment. No matter what school you go to, you are going to be spending a chunk of money, and even more precious, many hours of your time. You want that time and money to count for something when you complete your degree. You might save a little money going to a lesser business school, but you will still have invested all of your time and will have a less valuable credential to show for it.
An AACSB accredited online MBA program will give you a degree that is not only educationally excellent, but that will have more weight in the business world. Getting your degree from an AACSB accredited business school is a must if you want to advance your career in a competitive field like finance or at a Fortune 500 company, and it is also the best if you want to teach business at the university level. For those who aren’t competing for jobs in the most competitive cities or companies, they may still find that the AACSB accreditation of their business school degree will get them looked at by better companies, for better jobs, and at higher salaries.
In most cases, the AACSB online MBA will cost you more than degrees from schools who have a different accreditation, but the cost difference may not be as great as you imagine. And there can be real benefits in your professional life in the future. You will never look back and regret the AACSB attached to your MBA degree, while you might kick yourself if you opt for a degree from a less prestigious school and end up getting shut out of a job opportunity or raise that you seek.
What is the GMAT?
The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a test that is required for admission into most top tier AACSB accredited business schools. For adult students, graduate admissions exams can be daunting, especially if it has been a few years since completing your undergraduate education.
The good news? More and more prestigious business schools are waiving the GMAT requirement.
AACSB Online MBA No GMAT Makes Sense
Increasingly, both undergraduate and graduate schools have been removing the requirement for standardized tests in their admissions decisions. Some will still use tests like the SAT, GRE, or GMAT as one of many factors in their decision on whether a student is ready for the program, but will give exam scores less weight in the decision. This means that essays, academic records, recommendations, and extracurricular or work experience becomes more important to admissions departments in making these decisions.
There are many arguments against standardized tests, including that low-income students are disadvantaged because they cannot afford the expensive test-prep classes or tutoring that almost always increase student scores. Others argue that tests aren’t the best predictor of how people will perform in school or in life. Some people have test anxiety or dyslexia that can lower their scores, while other people shine in more situations that outside the somewhat artificial testing environment.
The real world may have high-pressure situations, but few of them have you sitting at a desk in timed segments answering questions. Even in academic settings, there are projects, papers, participation in discussions, and other activities that are important parts of the learning environment.
In many classes, students who have done well on the projects and assignments during the term may not be required to take a final exam because they have already demonstrated mastery of the material. Real world success does not always correlate to good scores on standardized tests.
For AACSB online MBA no GMAT students, the advantages are many in being able to skip the test. Exams require preparation, especially if you have been out of a school setting for many years. Preparation and the exam itself can cost some money, but more importantly, take up time that you would rather be devoting to studying the exact topics that will help you get ahead in your career.
Especially for professionals who are returning to school to take an AACSB online MBA, results on an exam may not be the best way to judge a potential student. Years of experience in business can yield strong skills that will help a dedicated online student succeed in the program. For students who want an MBA credential, taking away the barrier of studying for and then taking a graduate exam can make your journey to the master’s degree quicker and less bothersome.
How To Get the GRE or GMAT Waived
For programs that offer an AACSB online MBA no GMAT, each one will have slightly different criteria for who qualifies for the exam waiver. For some schools, they have done away with the requirement for all applicants. But for most schools, whether or not you qualify for the GMAT waiver comes down to two factors: your educational and professional experience.
Schools that don’t require the GMAT score for admission often have other requirements that you must fulfill to apply. For instance, Rochester Institute of Technology’s online Executive MBA program doesn’t require any test scores, but it does require that you have six or more years of professional work experience and that you hold advanced technical, managerial, or technical responsibilities.
If you have a doctorate or professional degree such as a PhD, JD, MD, or DO, that is often enough to get the waiver. Having an undergraduate GPA over 3.0 or 3.5 may be what can qualify you for that waiver from other schools. Each school will have a different threshold for what GPA will qualify.
For some, it might be over 3.5, but you can still find schools that will allow a waiver for lower GPAs with the addition of some work experience. One example would be Boise State University, which will allow a waiver of GMAT test scores if an applicant has an undergraduate GPA over 3.0 plus 3 years of management experience or at least a 2.75 GPA plus 5 years of management experience.
Many institutions will grant you a waiver for a certain number of years of professional experience, which can vary from three to ten years of provable business experience. Sometimes, it is a combination of a certain undergraduate GPA plus a specified number of years of experience. The type of experience will make a difference to many programs, so demonstrating progressively more responsible leadership experience in the business world will be the most likely experience to qualify for a waiver. For example, George Washington University allows applicants for the online Professional, Accelerated/Cohort, Online and Healthcare programs to apply for a waiver if they have at least three years of relevant, full time, professional work experience.
Some universities who offer the AACSB online MBA will have a holistic application process where there is no advertised score or number of years of experience that you must have, but they consider each waiver request on an individual basis. Pennsylvania State University considers each waiver request on a case-by-case basis with an application including resume and academic transcripts.
To get the waiver, you will need to provide transcripts to prove your GPA scores or documented work experience. Many schools will accept a resume as proof of work experience, but check on what is required by the schools you are applying to. The idea is that the AACSB online MBA no GMAT program will want to make sure that you have the quantitative and analytical skills that will be required for you to successfully complete the degree requirements.
How Was This List Compiled?
We surveyed 164 online schools offering a total of 645 different MBA options to find the best AACSB online MBA no GMAT requirement programs. Of these schools, we found 111 online MBA programs that do not require GRE or GMAT testing.
You won’t need to take the GRE or GMAT for the online degree programs profiled below, but you will need to demonstrate, on average, about eight years of managerial experience. In some cases, the GRE or GMAT is waived only if you already hold another advanced graduate degree.
With no admission test standing in your way, you can quickly move in your chosen online MBA program and into a well-paying career. According to the Monster.com, the average salary for an MBA holder working in finance is roughly $103,000. Depending on your concentration, the compensation may be a great deal higher. That’s very promising for anyone getting an AACSB online MBA.
Click on any of the AACSB online MBA programs featured below for more information.
AACSB Online MBA No GMAT Programs
| School / Degree | State | Note |
|---|---|---|
American University Master of Business Administration / International Business 14 | (DC) | |
Arkansas Tech University | (AR) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Auburn University | (AL) | |
 Babson College | (MA) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Barry University | (FL) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Baylor University | (TX) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Bentley University Master of Business Administration / Economics of Financial Markets 14 | (MA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Boise State University | (ID) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Central Michigan University Master of Business Administration / ERP using SAP Software 14 | (MI) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Citadel Military College of South Carolina | (SC) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Clarion University of Pennsylvania | (PA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Coastal Carolina University | (SC) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
College of William and Mary | (VA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Colorado State University | (CO) | |
Creighton University | (NE) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Creighton University | (NE) | |
Delaware State University | (DE) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Drexel University Master of Business Administration / Healthcare Management 14 Master of Business Administration / Entrepreneurship Management 14 Master of Business Administration / Accounting 14 Master of Business Administration / Supply Chain & Logistics 14 | (PA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
East Carolina University | (NC) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Emporia State University | (KS) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
 Fairleigh Dickinson University | (NJ) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Fayetteville State University | (NC) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Florida Atlantic University | (FL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Florida Gulf Coast University Master of Business Administration / Accounting/Taxation 14 Master of Business Administration / Entrepreneurship 14 Master of Business Administration / Information Systems 14 | (FL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Florida International University | (FL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Florida International University | (FL) | |
Florida Southern College Master of Business Administration 14 Master of Business Administration / CPA Licensure 14 | (FL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Florida State University | (FL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Frostburg State University | (MD) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
 George Mason University | (VA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Georgia Southwestern State University | (GA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Governors State University | (IL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Hofstra University | (NY) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Howard University | (DC) | |
Indiana University Online | (IN) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Jackson State University | (MS) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Jacksonville University | (FL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Kansas State University | (KS) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
La Salle University | (PA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Lamar University | (TX) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Lawrence Technological University | (MI) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Lehigh University | (PA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Longwood University | (VA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | (LA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Louisiana State University-Shreveport | (LA) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Marist College | (NY) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Marquette University | (WI) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
McNeese State University | (LA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Mercer University Master of Business Administration / Economics 14 Master of Business Administration / Human Resources 14 | (GA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Midwestern State University Master of Business Administration / Accounting 14 | (TX) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Mississippi College | (MS) | |
Missouri State University | (MO) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Morehead State University | (KY) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Murray State University Master of Business Administration / Human Resource Management 14 | (KY) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
New Jersey Institute of Technology | (NJ) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
New Mexico State University | (NM) | |
North Carolina State University at Raleigh | (NC) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
 Northeastern University | (MA) | |
Northern Kentucky University | (KY) | |
 Ohio University | (OH) | |
Oklahoma State University | (OK) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Old Dominion University | (VA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Oregon State University | (OR) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Pace University | (NY) | |
Pennsylvania State University | (PA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Pepperdine University | (CA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Prairie View A & M University | (TX) | |
 Queens University of Charlotte | (NC) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Quinnipiac University Master of Business Administration / Finance 14 Master of Business Administration / Health Care Management 14 Master of Business Administration / Supply Chain Management 14 | (CT) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Radford University | (VA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Rider University Master of Business Administration / Global Business | (NJ) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Robert Morris University | (PA) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Rochester Institute of Technology | (NY) | |
Rowan University | (NJ) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Rutgers University | (NJ) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Saint Cloud State University | (MN) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Saint Joseph's University | (PA) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Saint Joseph's University Master of Business Administration / Business Intelligence Master of Business Administration / Finance Master of Business Administration / Health & Medical Services Administration Master of Business Administration / International Business Master of Business Administration / Leading Master of Business Administration / Marketing | (PA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Salisbury University | (MD) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Sam Houston State University | (TX) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Santa Clara University | (CA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
 Seton Hall University | (NJ) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | (PA) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Southeast Missouri State University Master of Business Administration / Sport Management 14 | (MO) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Southeastern Oklahoma State University Master of Business Administration / Hospitality Management 14 | (OK) | |
Southern Arkansas University | (AR) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | (IL) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Master of Business Administration / Agribusiness Economics | (IL) | |
Southern Utah University Master of Business Administration / Business Analytics Master of Business Administration / Cybersecurity | (UT) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
St. Bonaventure University | (NY) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
St. John's University | (NY) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Stetson University | (FL) | |
Stevens Institute of Technology Master of Business Administration / Corporate Innovation | (NJ) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Suffolk University | (MA) | |
SUNY Polytechnic Institute | (NY) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Syracuse University | (NY) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Temple University Master of Business Administration Master of Business Administration / International Management Master of Business Administration / Management Consulting | (PA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Tennessee Technological University Master of Business Administration / Accounting 14 Master of Business Administration / Human Resource Management 14 Master of Business Administration / International Business 14 Master of Business Administration / Management Information Systems 14 | (TN) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Texas A & M University - Commerce Master of Business Administration / Entrepreneurship | (TX) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | (TX) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Texas A & M University-Texarkana | (TX) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Texas A & M University-Kingsville | (TX) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Texas A & M International University | (TX) | |
Texas Southern University | (TX) | |
The George Washington University | (DC) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga | (TN) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
The University of Tennessee - Martin | (TN) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
The University of Texas at Dallas Global Leadership Executive Master of Business Administration / Negotiations & Mediation | (TX) | |
The University of Texas at Dallas | (TX) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
The University of Texas at Tyler | (TX) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
The University of Texas Permian Basin | (TX) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | (TX) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of West Florida | (FL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Union University | (TN) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Alaska Fairbanks | (AK) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Baltimore | (MD) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
University of Central Arkansas | (AR) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
 University of Cincinnati | (OH) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Colorado - Colorado Springs | (CO) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Colorado Denver | (CO) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Dallas Master of Business Administration / Accounting Master of Business Administration / Technology Management | (TX) | |
 University of Delaware | (DE) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Denver | (CO) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Hartford | (CT) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
University of Houston - Clear Lake Master of Business Administration / Management of Technology-Leadership | (TX) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
University of Houston-Victoria | (TX) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | (IL) | |
University of Kentucky | (KY) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Louisiana at Lafayette | (LA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Louisiana at Monroe | (LA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Maine | (ME) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Maryland-College Park | (MD) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | (MA) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | (MA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Memphis | (TN) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Michigan - Dearborn | (MI) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | (MN) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Nebraska at Kearney | (NE) | |
University of Nebraska-Lincoln | (NE) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of New Hampshire | (NH) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of North Alabama | (AL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of North Alabama | (AL) | |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | (NC) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of North Carolina at Pembroke | (NC) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of North Carolina-Wilmington | (NC) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Northern Colorado | (CO) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
 University of Scranton | (PA) | |
University of South Carolina-Aiken | (SC) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
University of South Dakota | (SD) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
University of South Florida | (FL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Southern California | (CA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Southern Indiana | (IN) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Southern Mississippi | (MS) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Utah | (UT) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Wisconsin System-eCampus | (WI) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | (WI) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
University System of Georgia - College of Business Administration - Graduate | (GA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Washington State University | (WA) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
West Chester University of Pennsylvania | (PA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
West Texas A & M University | (TX) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
West Virginia University | (WV) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Western Illinois University | (IL) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Western Kentucky University | (KY) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Western New England University | (MA) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Widener University | (PA) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Winthrop University | (SC) | GMAT: Waiver may be available |
Wright State University | (OH) | |
Xavier University | (OH) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
Youngstown State University | (OH) | GMAT/GRE: Waiver may be available |
NOTE: Results are based on the Get Educated National Review Survey of 645 online MBAs in the USA that hold AACSB accreditation (Fall 2019). These rankings may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated.com, Approved Colleges, LLC. (TM). Bloggers and editors who would like to use this information can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best AACSB accredited online MBA programs with no GRE or GMAT requirement for use on their website. Our mission: Help consumers Get Educated® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.
Related Resources
NO GMAT Regionally Accredited Online MBA Programs
2019 Best AACSB Online MBA Programs
2019 Best Regionally Accredited Online MBA Programs