Top 30 Ranked Affordable Online Master’s in Management in 2021

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Updated June 28, 2021

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In this article, we list the top 30 ranked and affordable online master's in management degree programs.

Advanced leadership and administration roles in public and private sectors often require graduate degrees in management. According to the occupational outlook for administrative managers, the U.S. Department of Labor–Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the projected job growth will increase by 8% over the next several years. Competition for new jobs is also expected to increase. This means that employers will value an advanced degree over a job candidate with a bachelor's in management degree.

Explore these promoted online degree programs.

These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online graduate degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these online Master’s or PhD programs.

Top 10 Ranked Affordable Online Master’s in Management in 2021

  1. American Public University
    Location

    Charles Town, WV

    Tuition

    $6600

    American Public University's online master's in management is the most affordable management graduate degree program on our list. This 36-hour degree takes two years to complete and is designed for working and busy individuals who balance life obligations such as employment and families. All courses are delivered online and include ethical practices for the business world, human resources management, management information systems, organizational behavior and management, and strategic planning. Three concentrations are offered to help students tailor their degree towards personal interests or career goals. These specializations include human resource management, organizational leadership, and public administration. APU has been ranked in recent years by major publications like U.S. News and World Report as a top regional university in the South. American Public University offers our #1 ranked and most affordable online master's in management degree program.

  2. Western Governors University
    Location

    Salt Lake City, UT

    Tuition

    $6790

    Western Governors University offers an accredited online master's in management and leadership program designed for experienced business professionals and managers looking for upward career mobility. The program requires 15 or more hours of study time per week and offers flexible classes entirely online. Courses include change management and innovation, data-driven decision-making, ethical leadership, management and leadership, managing organizations and leading people, and strategic management. Successful completion of a capstone project is also required for satisfaction of the degree program. Major publications like U.S. News and World Report rank the institution among the top regional universities in the West.

  3. Southeast Missouri State University
    Location

    Cape Girardeau, MO

    Tuition

    $7270

    Southeast Missouri State University's accredited online management degree is one of the most affordable programs on our list. Designed with the working student in mind, all classes are delivered online and taught by the same professors who teach on campus. A wide range of management courses explores various leadership roles in private and public sectors. Courses include applied human resource management, entrepreneurship, liability risks in products and services, organizational behavior in practice, organizational theory and design, and quantitative and qualitative research methods. Admission to the program requires at least three years of appropriate full-time work experience, a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college, and submission of GRE or GMAT scores. U.S. News and World Report ranks the university's online graduate business programs #87 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs.

  4. University of Colorado
    Location

    Denver, CO

    Tuition

    $7804

    University of Colorado offers an online master's in management and leadership degree program designed for busy and working students. This flexibly designed program offers online classes so that students may attend at any time of day or night. The management program emphasizes theory and technique which prepares students for upper-level management roles in public and private sectors. Ten specializations are also offered so that students may tailor their degree to better suit career goals or personal interests. Some of these specializations include business strategy, change and innovation, enterprise technology management, global management, leadership, or strategic management. UC-Denver is a nationally ranked institution by major publications like U.S. News and World Report. In fact, U.S. News ranks the school #197 for best national universities.

  5. Liberty University
    Location

    Lynchburg, VA

    Tuition

    $8000

    Another type of online master's in management degree program offered entirely online is the master's in executive leadership at Liberty University. This program is designed to prepare individuals to succeed in all types of management positions. Up to six credits may be transferred into the program, and a total of 30 credit hours satisfy the degree. All courses are delivered online and include accounting for non-financial managers, corporate responsibility, effective executive communication, ethical leadership, leading organizational change, managing and leading across cultures, and strategic leadership and management. Liberty is a nationally ranked institution by major publications like U.S. News and World Report. Also, the online graduate business programs are ranked #92 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs.

  6. Minot State University
    Location

    Minot, ND

    Tuition

    $8024

    The College of Business at Minot State University offers a type of online master's in strategic management degree program designed for working students interested in completing a master's level management program in 12 to 24 months. The program is flexible, offering evening classes one or two nights per week. Classes are taught by the same professors who teach on campus, and include financial management and accounting, international management, management principles and practices, statistical and quantitative applications, and strategic management. During the last semester of the program, an individual or group research project is completed. For those who opt for the individual research project, a thesis may be completed based on work previously done. Minot State's online graduate business programs are ranked #75 out of more than 1,200 programs surveyed by U.S. News and World Report.

  7. University of Maryland University College
    Location

    Adelphi, MD

    Tuition

    $8514

    University of Maryland offers an accredited online master's in management degree program with 15 specializations that allow students to tailor their degree toward career goals and personal interests. This 36-credit hour program accepts up to six hours of transfer credit; otherwise, credits should be completed at University of Maryland. Classes are available online, onsite, or with a hybrid format, although the program is designed to be completed entirely online. Classes include financial decision making for managers, organizational theory and behavior, and statistics for managerial decision making. The institution is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the 60th best national university.

  8. Concordia University
    Location

    Saint Paul, MN

    Tuition

    $8550

    Concordia University's online master's in management and leadership degree is a 36-credit hour program offered entirely online. Courses are seven weeks in length and designed with a flexible format that allows busy and working students to complete their advanced degree without stepping on campus. Required courses include applied moral and ethical leadership, financial management for leaders, legal issues of today's leaders, organizational culture management, project and quality management, and strategic leadership and process improvement. Concordia is an accredited and top-ranked regional institution. According to U.S. News and World Report, Concordia is ranked #103 among the best regional universities in the Midwest. Also, online graduate business programs rank #87 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs.

  9. University of Wisconsin
    Location

    Madison, WI

    Tuition

    $8680

    University of Wisconsin's master's in management online degree program emphasizes project management and the relationships between project teams and customers. Courses are delivered 100% online and taught by the same professors who teach in the classroom. Foundational and core courses include business communication, interpersonal skills for virtual and co-located project teams, managerial accounting, organizational behavior, project management techniques, and project scope management. A minimum of 30 graduate credits is needed to satisfy degree requirements. The institution is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the 94th best regional university in the Midwest and the 24th top public school. Also, the online graduate business programs (including management) are ranked #101 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs.

  10. Southwestern College
    Location

    Chula Vista, CA

    Tuition

    $9495

    Southwestern College's master's in management online degree program is designed for working students who want to advance their leadership roles in various organizations. Admission requires a complete application, including a current resume, two professional letters of recommendation, a one-page essay, and official transcripts. No GRE or GMAT test scores are required for admission. The management degree offers classes entirely online, including ethics in the global marketplace, financial analysis and management, leadership styles and theories, organizational behavior and human resource management, and quality management and statistical analysis. Southwestern College is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the 115th best regional university in the Midwest. Also, the online graduate business programs have also received rankings.

Grad School Hub compiles rankings based on public data released from educational, commercial, and government databases. Sources such as the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics play a significant role in how we source our educational data. After collecting insight for each institution, we organize information into five weighted categories.
Metric Data Used Percentage
Academic Quality Full-time faculty percentage, student-to-faculty ratio, student retention and graduation rates 30%
Affordability Tuition rates, median student debt, and financial aid 10%
Reputation Admission and enrollment rates 30%
Program Offerings Number of program options 20%
Online Enrollment Score Portion of learners taking at least one online course 10%
A more comprehensive evaluation of how each category is determined and scored is accessible on our Ranking Methodology page.

This concludes our list of the top 30 ranked and most affordable online master's in management programs.

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GradSchoolHub.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

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