A Michigan Ross online MBA student presents to Subaru during her team’s MAP Project. Courtesy photo
AT ROSS, A HANDS-ON ONLINE MBA
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at University of Michigan debuted at No. 4 in our online MBA ranking completed in 2022, an impressive finish for a program that welcomed its first cohort in Fall 2019. It finished at No. 4 again in 2023 ranking and moved up two places to tie for second this year.
Ross modeled its online MBA after its highly ranked full-time program, which is highly experiential. The same is true of its online version.
“We are a rigorous Online MBA program that gives working professionals maximum schedule flexibility,” says Lizette Korn, Program Manager.
“Students are taught by our world-renowned Ross faculty, who also teach in our residential programs and influence research and public policy. Students are able to seamlessly connect with their peers and faculty through synchronous classes with our revolutionary Digital Education Studios.
“They can capitalize upon the collaborative experiences that the Ross MBA is known for, while also working around their demanding schedules.”
Ross provides a blended OMBA program with about 70% of the content delivered asynchronously and 30% delivered through live online sessions. It requires three in-person residencies lasting between three to five days.
University of Michigan Ross School of Business’ Convatec Digital Learning Studio. Courtesy photo
Just like its full-time MBAs, online students are required to take a Ross signature Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP) course after completing most of the core. In MAP, students apply their MBA skills to solve a real-life business challenge. Up to 10% of the courses, or projects, MBAs can choose from have an international component..
Ross also offers at least one international residency each year for its OMBA students, or they may elect to participate in short-term semester exchanges through the Michigan Ross Global Initiatives.
In our alumni survey, Class of 2024 graduates said they travelled around the world as part of Ross’ extensive selection of international offerings. One created a comprehensive business plan and strategy for an expanding eye clinic in Kisumu, Kenya. Another studied business transformation in Italy, and yet another studied global strategy in Berlin.
A healthcare executive told us they went to Santiago, Chile, to study the region’s economy. “We met with professors, young advocates, trade ministers and top companies to understand from a broad lens the promise and challenges the region faces. It was the absolute highlight of my experience.”
In our ranking for 2025, Ross finished just one point behind category leader University of Texas at Dallas (Jindal) for career outcomes. 75% of its responding graduates reported getting promotions as a result of their online MBA – higher than any other schools, while 81.25% reported getting pay raises.
It’s still true that most online MBA candidates hope to leverage their degree to advance in their current organizations, many can and do use it to change employers and even industries. Some 56.25% of Ross survey respondents changed employers as a result of the program while 43.75% reported changing industries.
This is evidence of Ross’ supportive career services for its online students. All OMBAs have the ability to recruit for either internships or full-time positions. They can also seek help in their off-campus job searches and have access to industry-specific career coaches.
And, of course, all online MBAs get access to that powerful Ross network.
“One of the things that makes Ross so special is the community,” Korn tells P&Q. “Though it is an online program, students are intentional about forging relationships that will be carried forward long after they graduate from the program, and we are proud of the positive impact our OMBAs have on the Ross community.”
The program is always looking for ways for its online students to make connections outside of the program, including inviting Weekend and Executive MBAs to in-person residencies.
Kelley Direct students on a global immersion trip in Athens, Greece. Courtesy photo
KELLEY, A CONSISTLY STELLAR ONLINE MBA
After two years at No. 1 in our overall ranking, the Kelley Direct Online MBA tied for second this year, ending its mini streak. Kelley Direct also topped the list in 2021, making it the most dominant program of the ranking so far.
Kelley developed its learning platform in-house and uses its $10 million Jellison Studios to connect students to live classrooms with the same faculty that teach in its in-person MBA programs. But if the hallmarks of a great online MBA (compared to a good one) are opportunities to get out of the virtual classroom, Kelley’s in-person immersive experiences set it apart.
First, there’s Kelley on Campus which brings all first-year students to Bloomington for a week of face-to-face learning, including a live case study with a real-world client. Kelley On Location in the program’s second year takes students on an industry deep-dive to various cities. Also in their second year, Kelley Direct students can choose from more than a dozen optional global and/or domestic trips. Recently, the program added a new in-residence opportunity – Kelley On Innovation, focused on entrepreneurship and creativity in the corporate space.
Indiana University was an early mover in the online MBA space. In 1999, when dial-up internet was still the norm, Kelley School of Business became the first top-ranked business school to offer an online MBA. The program celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024.
That experience is reflected in its highly engaged alumni network. The Kelley School of Business has over 135,000 living alumni, including nearly 6,000 online MBA alumni.
“Kelley is hands-down a premier experience. Kelley attracts brilliant students who are working in all areas of business,” a 2024 graduate told P&Q. “Plus, the opportunities to study abroad and visit on location is a nice change of pace for online students.”
The results of our ranking of the Best Online MBA Programs for 2025 can be found on the following pages:
- PAGE 4: The Full Ranking
- PAGE 5: How Schools Ranked on Admissions Standards
- PAGE 6: How Schools Ranked on Career Outcomes
- PAGE 7: How Schools Ranked on Academic Experience
