As online MBA programs continue to soar towards popularity, ratings continue to be a helpful source of information when choosing the right program for you. Following the U.S. News rankings (read our full analysis here), we wanted to discover which programs were—or continued to be—the best rated over the years.
U.S. News: Best Rated Online MBA Programs 2021-2025
To get an understanding of which programs have consistently been highest ranked, let’s take a look at the top 5 best rated online MBAs (according to U.S. News) over the last five years.
| Rank | 2025 | Rank | 2024 | Rank | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana Kelley | 1 | Indiana Kelley | 1 | Indiana Kelley |
| 2 | UNC Kenan-Flagler | 2 | UNC Kenan-Flagler | 1 | UNC Kenan-Flagler |
| 3 | Carnegie Mellon Tepper | 3 | Carnegie Mellon Tepper | 3 | USC Marshall |
| 4 | University of Florida Warrington | 3 | University of Florida Warrington | 4 | University of Florida Warrington |
| 5 | Washington Foster | 3 | Washington Foster | 5 | Carnegie Mellon Tepper & Washington Foster |
There are some clear patterns over the years—Indiana University’s Kelley Direct Online MBA program is ranked in first place four years running, for example, while Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper Online Hybrid MBA program and UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA@UNC Online MBA program vie for second and third place over the last two years. Clear Admit’s Graham Richmond notes that many of the best rated schools that we see here can also be found on the “top-20 ranked” lists for “full-time, in-person MBAs.” Comparing the five years side by side, you’ll notice that four programs show up every year, without fail—specifically:
- Indiana University–Bloomington (Kelley)
- University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)
- Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
- University of Florida (Warrington)
There are two further programs that consistently feature in the top five:
In 2021 only University of Southern California is included, then in 2022 and 2023 both are included, then in 2024 and 2025 only the University of Washington (Foster) is included.
| Rank | 2022 | Rank | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana Kelley | 1 | UNC Kenan-Flagler |
| 1 | UNC Kenan-Flagler | 1 | Carnegie Mellon Tepper |
| 1 | USC Marshall | 3 | Indiana Kelley |
| 4 | Carnegie Mellon Tepper | 4 | USC Marshall |
| 5 | Washington Foster & University of Florida Warrington |
5 | University of Florida Warrington |
6 of the Best Rated Online MBA Programs
Let’s look more closely at the six programs that U.S. News consistently rates amongst the five best online MBAs (the list below is in no particular order).
Indiana University–Bloomington (Kelley)
Indiana Kelley’s Direct Online MBA Program takes two years to complete (with the option to extend the study time longer if needed). Students are taught via two live evening classes each week, each lasting 75 minutes. The Kelley Direct Online MBA claims to offer more electives than any other online MBA. The program splits learning 50-50 between core curriculum and electives, with more than 80 available for students to choose from. Its flexibility isn’t all at which it excels; Kelley’s faculty leaves little room for improvement. Those who teach the MBA program are the same who teach Kelley’s in-residence programs. Online faculty members also teach in person at over 12 annual immersions throughout the U.S. and internationally, facilitating networking and relationship building for the students who attend them. Whilst enrolled in the program, 70% of Kelley Direct Online MBA students started a new job or reported receiving a promotion or raise. Not only that, but students also have access to experienced, accredited career coaches with years of real-world leadership experience.
Post-graduation, the average salary for online MBA graduates was $145,000.
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)
The UNC Kenan-Flagler Online MBA puts active engagement front and center. Via its bespoke online platform, students can collaborate with peers, participate in interactive classes, and join discussions. Due to the four annual start dates that it offers, students have access to maximum flexibility. UNC will also waive the GMAT/GRE requirement, provided that candidates have at least five years of professional full-time work experience. The program is STEM-designated degree, packed with challenging and skill-building coursework, and rife with opportunities for global learning experiences. UNC’s online MBA program can be completed in as few as 18 or as many as 36 months.
Post-graduation, students earned an average of $142,513 (without bonus) or $183,696 (with bonus).
Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
The Carnegie Mellon Tepper Hybrid Online MBA prioritizes technology. It is STEM-designated and roots its curriculum in analytics, data and emerging technologies. Tepper conducts teaching via twice-weekly live evening classes and places a precedence on self-paced asynchronous learning, conducted via pre-recorded lectures, assignments and group-work. The program’s Immersive Access Weekends (both online and on-campus)—which cultivate opportunities for professional development, relationship-building and networking—lend it its ‘hybrid’ designation. The online MBA is exactly the same as the one delivered on campus, offering concentrations such as:
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- Marketing
- Production/Operations Management
- Technology
To enhance their careers, students enrolled in Tepper’s online MBA work with leadership coaches to develop personalized plans. Immediately post-graduation, Tepper MBA students report an average salary of $161,474; three years after graduation this increases to $195,304.
University of Florida (Warrington)
Florida Warrington’s Online MBA takes two forms: the one-year and the two-year version. The former takes just 16 months to complete and is suitable for those who have completed an undergraduate degree in business in the last seven years; the latter takes 24 months and uses course materials developed by the same faculty as Warrington’s full-time MBA. Class cohorts are international and hail from a variety of backgrounds, while class sizes are limited to 65 students to ensure optimal support for all. Warrington’s online learning environment is coupled with co-curricular programming and Global Immersion Experiences. Career services and support offered by Warrington include:
- “Career assessments by CareerLeader
- Remote video interviewing through HIREWarrington
- Opportunity to participate in future career development webinars
- Career development related events
- Access to MBA Focus and related content such as:
- A dedicated MBA resume book
- Job board contains hundreds of the world’s biggest and best employers”
University of Washington (Foster)
University of Washington Foster’s Online MBA takes just under two years to complete. The program is technically a hybrid one, since Foster splits teaching into 95% online and 5% in-person. Foster delivers the online component via live classes and self-paced work, with a mix of mandatory and optional live classes to allow students to choose their workload intensity. A quarterly in-person meet up, allowing students to network and build connections, makes up the 5% offline component. The Foster program mixes core curriculum and electives to balance foundational knowledge and specificity, and includes many “evidence-based challenges” that teach immediately-applicable practical skills.
91% of graduates from Foster’s Online MBA change roles within two years, 100% of 2024 graduates secured a salary increase, and 57% of 2024 graduates secured a promotion.
University of Southern California (Marshall)
USC Marshall’s Online MBA delivers teaching via a mix of real-time sessions (twice weekly) and self-paced coursework. USC also offers a one-week long on-campus kick-off at the start of the program. The program is highly flexible, providing students with the offer of semester-long pauses if needed. The online MBA takes two years to complete and is populated mainly by fully-employed early-career, mid-career, and senior-level professionals. Marshall’s greatest career support feature is The Marshall Trojan Network: an alumni network boasting a community of over 90,000 alumni who participate in a “proactive pay-it-forward culture.” The network boosts the career outcomes of all its members, offering a uniquely supportive environment for career development.
A Note on U.S. News’ Methodology
U.S. News identified its best rated online MBA programs using five categories:
- Engagement (30%): student interaction with classmates and instructors, paired with “accessible and responsive instructors”, leads to high marks in this category.
- Peer Assessment (25%): high-ranking academic officials at MBA programs are surveyed, capturing details on quality that statistics cannot.
- Faculty Credentials and Training (15%): programs that employ instructors of a similar academic standing to those on their campus-based programs will score highly here, as will ones who train their instructors to properly deliver distance learning.
- Student Excellence (15%): the accomplishments and ambitions of incoming MBA student bodies are measured here, alongside the job-market legitimacy that schools gain from awarding students where appropriate.
- Services and Technologies (15%): online MBA programs which facilitate flexibility by harnessing technology for online learning will score highly here, as will programs that offer robust career guidance, learning assistance, and financial aid.
You can read more about U.S. News’ Ranking Methodology here.
