Which Business Schools Have Part-Time MBAs & Which Are Top-Ranked?

A full-time MBA provides an immersive business education. With one to two years spent on a campus, building community and learning among (and from) accomplished professionals is a priceless experience. However, not everyone can uproot their lives to move or take a break from their careers. That’s when a part-time MBA is worth considering.

So, where do you start? Does a part-time MBA fit into your life better? Wondering which programs are considered top-ranked? Not sure what sort of price tag to be looking at? We’re here to help. We’ve put together this guide on part-time MBA programs so that you need wonder no more!

Before we dive in, a quick note on part-time MBAs themselves and why many candidates consider them. In short, this comes down to flexibility. An MBA is a game-changer for many people’s careers, and gaining one can accelerate progress through the ranks of both salary and promotions. But, time is limited for so many, and the prospect of going back to school full-time can be a daunting—or impossible—one. A part-time MBA program, on the other hand, allows students to study for an MBA around their schedule, gaining access to the best of both worlds. 

Throughout this article, we’ll be referring only to part-time MBAs that are delivered in an in-person or hybrid format and are not Executive MBAs. For wholly Online MBAs, check out our guide to such programs here. 

Which Business Schools Have Part-Time MBA Programs?

Here’s a quick look at which business schools on Clear Admit also have part-time MBA programs:

Note: We are not including part-time Executive MBA options or Online MBA programs.

Part-Time MBA Rankings 

Each year, various organizations collate rankings on the best MBA programs. This is no different for part-time MBA programs. Employment rates, application statistics, curriculum content and faculty members are considered, and the business schools with the top-ranked part-time MBAs are announced. These rankings can be a really helpful tool when deciding which MBA program is right for you, as it allows you to directly compare information on faculty, curriculum, and alumni outcomes between each school. 

As always when reviewing rankings, be sure to keep in mind your own personal preferences and requirements. Rankings are a helpful tool when considering what a part-time MBA can offer you, but they aren’t everything. You should also consider the culture, the location, or the alumni network of a school—and you may find a better fit for these in a school lower down on the rankings. 

U.S. News & World Report

The U.S. News and World Report is one such ranking. It is, in fact, one of the most comprehensive rankings out there, highlighting hundreds of business schools across the United States. U.S. News organizes programs according to a weighted average based on factors that include career placement, student excellence and expert evaluation.

U.S. News Top 10 Part-Time MBA Programs 

1. Chicago Booth
2. Berkeley Haas
3. Northwestern Kellogg
4. NYU Stern 
5. UCLA Anderson
6. Michigan Ross
7. Texas McCombs
8. USC Marshall
9. Georgetown McDonough 
10. The Ohio State Fisher 

There are a few factors that make part-time MBAs eligible to compete for top-ranking spots. First, business schools need to be accredited in summer 2023 by the AACSB International, named by U.S. News as “the gold standard of business program accreditation.” Second, they need to have enrolled at least 10 part-time MBA students for fall 2022 and fall 2023 and reported this when responding to U.S. News‘ survey. 

The survey in question is an annual survey, run by U.S. News between fall 2023 and early 2023. The survey collected data on business schools’ part-time MBA programs in order to rank them. Data was collected on the following points, which were used to rank the MBAs:

• Peer assessment score (weighted 50% of the school’s overall score)
• Part-time student ratio (12.5%)
• Part-time students total (12.5%)
• GMAT/GRE scores (10%)
• Undergraduate grade point average (10%)
• Work experience (5%)

In total, 269 schools were eligible for the 2024 part-time MBA ranking. This is a slightly lower number than last year, due to the fact that only in-person and hybrid learning programs have been included this year. 

Read more on U.S. News’ Methodology here. 

Fortune

Fortune’s ranking of top part-time MBA programs aims to reveal the best. Those on its list boast excellent curriculums, delivered by industry-leading and expert faculty. They also have, Fortune explains, “a track-record of seeing their alumni climb to the tops of the Fortune 500 world.”

Fortune Top 10 Part-time MBA Programs 

1. Chicago Booth
2. Michigan Ross
3. Texas McCombs
4. UCLA Anderson
5. Indiana Kelley 
6. NYU Stern 
7. Rice University Jones
8. Washington University St. Louis, Olin
9. Florida Warrington
10. Minnesota Carlson

The ranking takes into account a wide range of factors, considering (among other things) the cost of each part-time MBA, the backgrounds of its students, and the outcomes its alumni achieve. With the assistance of an expert panel, Fortune have collated the following rankings for part-time MBA programs. 

Part-Time MBA Costs and Fees

The average tuition cost of a part-time MBA in the U.S. sits around $70,000. A full-time MBA, for comparison, costs $52,000 per year for two years, making the part-time MBA a considerably cheaper option.

That said, the costs of part-time MBAs vary just like they do for full-time MBAs. Top programs wield a far heftier price tag than those sitting nearer the bottom of the rankings, with highly ranked part-time MBAs sitting closer to $150,000–$160,000 in total tuition. 

In addition to tuition, incoming MBAs need to be aware of the additional costs and fees that accompany a program. These might include, for example, fees for instructional materials, or for university services and support—just like with a full-time MBA. Unlike a full-time MBA, students on a part-time program may also need to consider commuting costs—how often they need to get to campus, how far away it is, and how expensive transport is in their school’s location. 

The numbers appear to add up quite quickly, but there is one sizable caveat to consider here. Studying part-time offers the significant benefit to its students of enough time to continue working in some capacity, an opportunity that can go a long way in helping to balance the costs of a part-time MBA. 

Tuition and Fees for Top-Ranked Programs

According to Fortune, the tuition costs for programs at their top-ranked part-time MBAs are as follows: 

1. Chicago Booth – $160,000+
2. Michigan Ross – $153,000
3. Texas McCombs – $130,000
4. UCLA Anderson – $143,200
5. Indiana Kelley – $83,484