The University of Wisconsin-Parkside designed its online Master of Business Administration degree programs with the objective of creating one of the nation’s best values in business education. As an AACSB-accredited school of business within the University of Wisconsin System, UW-Parkside meets standards that place it in the top 5 percent of the world’s business schools.

Astute online MBA candidates seek the most value available for an MBA that matches their career focus, while making the fewest possible sacrifices in opportunity costs. The point at which these objectives intersect is where you will find UWP’s six accelerated, affordable MBA online options. Students can complete any of our six programs in as few as 12 months. And at a cost of $18,000, UW-Parkside’s tuition ranks among the nation’s most affordable for MBA online programs.

  1. Master of Business Administration With a Concentration in General Management Online:This program trains aspiring executives and managers in a variety of essential business leadership concepts. Learn how to obtain and evaluate relevant information; approach tasks logically, systematically, and in teams; analyze problems; develop creative solutions; work in diverse environments; and act to achieve concrete results.
  2. Master of Business Administration With a Concentration in Data Analytics Online:This concentration is designed to develop high-demand data analytics skills, including the capabilities to assimilate, interpret and present information and data for effective decision-making with any organization.
  3. Master of Business Administration With a Concentration in Finance Online:Train for high-demand roles in finance with a program that empowers you with expertise in investments, international financial management tools and applications to manage financial institutions.
  4. Master of Business Administration With a Concentration in Global Management Online:Students in this program develop highly valued management skills for multinational corporations in areas including global finance, marketing, supply chain, and cross-cultural management.
  5. Master of Business Administration With a Concentration in Marketing Online:Aspiring marketing leaders receive preparation in digital marketing and social media, integrated marketing communications, global marketing management, and sales and key account management.
  6. Master of Business Administration With a Concentration in Supply Chain Management Online:This program deepens your practical background in the vital field of global supply chain management and provides in-demand training in network planning, inventory management, risk pooling, strategic alliances, ethics, logistics and sustainability.

Weighing Expenses Against On-Campus Options

Investopedia reports that MBA students can accumulate between $100,000 and $200,000 in debt and expenses in traditional on-campus programs. The debt can quickly spiral into six figures because many students enrolled in on-campus programs leave their jobs in order to become full-time students. The College Board estimates that the typical living cost for a full-time student ranges from $12,550 on a low budget to $18,730 on a moderate budget for a 9-month academic year, with the bulk of these expenditures going to housing. Online MBA students, by comparison, often balance their jobs with school and do not have to sacrifice income. Students in accelerated online programs have the additional benefit of being able to accomplish this in a shorter time frame.

If you are currently earning below six figures, the magnitude of the traditional on-campus MBA investment presents considerable risk and years of projected debt, while the online, accelerated format minimizes the risks. This shifts the opportunity for many working professionals from something to save for tomorrow to a choice that can — and should — be made as early as possible. That is because every year post-MBA is financially so much more valuable than the years preceding this accomplishment.

Weighing Expenses Against Future Earnings Potential

According to the GMAC Alumni Perspectives Survey Report 2017, both compensation and demand for MBA graduates is historically strong. Entry-level graduates with little management experience can expect to start at an average yearly compensation of $75,513, while mid-level graduates can expect to start at $123,950. The ranks of executives and C-suite executives — overwhelmingly populated with MBA and master’s degree holders — earn far more, with C-suite executives starting at an average of $440,122.

The Math Is Clear

If you would rather not spend years saving for a traditional on-campus program while you lose out on career opportunities and financial quality of life in the near-future, then an accredited online MBA program from UW-Parkside may be the right choice for you.

Learn more about UW-Parkside’s online MBA programs.

Sources:

U.S. News & World Report: Estimate Living Expenses to Determine College Affordability

GMAC: Which Specialized Business Master’s Pays the Most?

Best Business Schools: AACSB-Accredited Business Schools

Investopedia: The Real Cost of an MBA

The College Board: Nine-Month Academic Year 2018-2019