How Online MBAs Rate The Degree's Career Impact

How does the online MBA progress your career?

It might be the most core and central question to someone considering the degree. So each year as part of our ranking of online MBA programs, we ask recent graduates eight questions about their career results from the program and their satisfaction with the career services and resources offered to them through the online MBA program.

The answers to these questions are revealing. At only 16 of 52 programs, for example, did 50% or more of the graduates gain promotions as a direct result of studying for their MBA online. Three business schools really delivered on this front: Graduates of the online offerings at Carnegie Mellon, Santa Clara University and Rice University recorded the highest likelihood of promotion: In excess of 70%, with Carnegie Mellon at the 76% level, well above the 40% median for the programs.

Salary increases were more prevalent, with half or more of the graduates from 33 programs reporting that they received a salary bump as a result of their online MBA degrees. MBAs from Rice, the University of North Texas and Carnegie Mellon led this category with eight of every ten graduates from Rice and North Texas having received raises. The median was 55%.

GRADUATES OF ONLINE MBA PROGRAMS REPORT ACHIEVING THEIR PRIMARY CAREER GOALS

Career impact, of course, goes beyond a promotion or a raise. An MBA can also result in increased self-confidence on the job, greater respect and admiration from colleagues, or a change that leads to a more fulfilling job. That’s why we also ask graduates of online MBA programs if they achieved their primary goal in getting the degree without being overly specific.

Graduates at Worcester Polytechnic Institute reported the highest rating of achieving their primary career-related reason for obtaining an online MBA degree. On a ten-point scale, with ten reflecting the highest possible score, they gave Worcestera 9.83%. Following WPI was Auburn University, the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, North Carolina State University, and the University of Southern California. Overall, the schools fared relatively well. The median score on this question for all the online MBA programs whose graduates were surveyed was an impressive 9.13.

Some 52 schools were included in this year’s ranking — a new record. Last year, 47 schools participated, up from 35 two years earlier, and 25 in the inaugural year. All schools met the minimum alumni survey response rate, which was a first. Among the 52 schools to participate, we sent an alumni survey to 6,824 graduates. Of those, 1,229 responded for an overall response rate of about 18%.

Click through the questions and pages below to see how each of the 52 schools did this year.