Business leaders across industries need strong skills in communication, problem-solving and management. These professionals tackle conflicts among employees and use financial forecasts to make informed long-term and short-term business decisions. To develop these skills, aspiring professionals can complete online business administration bachelor’s degrees.
Business administration programs prepare students for roles across various business sectors or to advance into graduate degrees. Distance education allows learners to complete their degrees without having to relocate or commute to campus, and asynchronous courses offer even more scheduling flexibility.
Explore information on online business administration degrees with this helpful guide, including coursework, tuition costs, delivery methods and student outcomes.
- Best Online Bachelor's In Business Administration Options
- Featured Partners
- Featured Partners
- How to Find the Right Online Bachelor's In Business Administration Degree for You
- Cost of an Online Bachelor's In Business Administration Degree
- Methodology
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Online Bachelor's In Business Administration Degrees
Best Online Bachelor's In Business Administration Options
How to Find the Right Online Bachelor's In Business Administration Degree for You
Know Your Time Commitment
To find the program that best aligns with your personal and professional needs, take a big-picture view of your available time. If you can attend school without having to maintain employment, full-time enrollment is probably your best bet.
If you’re juggling familial or professional obligations, you might prioritize business administration programs with part-time enrollment options. You can also research schools with courses during the evenings and on weekends. Online programs may feature asynchronous delivery, allowing you to complete coursework at any time and from any location.
Along with these factors, consider how long you plan to spend earning your bachelor’s in business administration. Learners looking to quickly enter the workforce can seek accelerated programs, which allow for shorter graduation timelines.
Look at Accreditation
Prioritize schools with institutional accreditation. This status, conferred by third-party organizations, indicates that a school meets stringent educational standards. Institutional accreditation can affect your ability to receive federal aid transfer credits between schools.
Within institutions, programs and departments may also earn accreditation. For example, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) accredit business administration bachelor’s degrees.
Programmatic accreditation ensures that a program offers high-quality education with excellent faculty. Graduates of accredited programs can stand out from their competition in the job market. Some certifications may require candidates to hold degrees from accredited business programs.
Consider Your Future Goals
While researching potential schools and programs, take inventory of your personal and professional goals. If you intend to pursue employment in a specific position after earning your bachelor’s in business administration, seek out programs offering concentrations that align with your preferred role.
For example, prospective market research professionals can look for schools with courses and concentrations in marketing analytics. Learners planning to pursue roles as actuaries or risk analysts can research programs with strong statistics coursework.
Some students plan to complete a graduate education after earning their bachelor’s degrees. When choosing their undergraduate programs, these students can prioritize universities featuring relevant master’s programs, which may allow for a smoother transition between undergrad and grad school. Graduate programs may also offer tuition discounts for alumni.
Cost of an Online Bachelor's In Business Administration Degree
The National Center for Education Statistics provides annual reports on college costs at various levels. According to its 2020-21 school year data, undergraduate students at public institutions paid an average of $9,375 for in-state tuition and $27,091 in out-of-state tuition. Private school students paid an average of $32,825 in the same period.
The average annual net price for the online business administration degrees in our ranking amounts to about $15,000. This figure accounts for costs beyond tuition, including room and board, and considers financial aid in its overall cost.
Fortunately, online schools may offer some benefits over in-person programs in this regard. For example, some programs offer in-state rates to all learners regardless of their location. Distance programs may also charge online or tech-related fees for online students.
Methodology
We scored 222 accredited, nonprofit colleges offering online bachelor’s in business administration degree programs in the U.S. using 16 data points in the categories of credibility, affordability, student outcomes, student experience and application process. We pulled the data for these categories from reliable resources such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System; private, third-party data sources; and individual school and program websites. We weighted each category as follows:
Student Outcomes: 38%
Affordability: 28%
Student Experience: 15%
Credibility: 10%
Application Process: 10%
Specific characteristics we considered within each category include accreditation, nonprofit status, average net price per year, median earnings among graduates, overall graduation rate, socioeconomic diversity, online offerings and Common App participation.
We chose the 10 best schools to display based on those receiving a curved final score of 82.2% or higher.
The highest-ranking schools are fully accredited, nonprofit institutions with relatively high graduation rates. Schools that rank well have high retention rates and higher median earnings among graduates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Online Bachelor's In Business Administration Degrees
What is the difference between a BBA and a BA in business administration?
A bachelor of business administration offers a more business-focused approach than a bachelor of arts (BA) in business administration. Both degrees typically require four years of full-time enrollment, but BAs feature a broader scope of coursework, including more humanities and general education courses.
Is an MBA better than a BA in business?
Depending on your career goals, an MBA may offer a better option than a BA in business. As a graduate degree, MBAs dive deeper into topics like organizational leadership, business ethics and macroeconomics to prepare individuals to pursue management roles.