Students in online MBA leadership programs gain important knowledge about a wide range of business-related areas and develop skills to inspire and motivate their employees. That combination of business acumen and leadership aptitude makes an online MBA graduate desirable in today’s highly competitive job market.
This guide will help you determine the best online MBA in leadership degree program for you. We’ve also included plenty of useful information on what you’ll learn in your online leadership MBA program, how much you can expect to pay for your degree, and what career opportunities await you once you’ve graduated.
Best Online MBA in Leadership for 2024
Balancing dreams of climbing the corporate ladder while finding an online MBA program that doesn’t cost a fortune, has high program connection, and offers specialization options can be challenging. We’ve compiled a list of the best online MBA leadership programs, from strategic management to leadership development.
The Master of Business Administration leadership concentration degree at Spring Hill College gives students the opportunity to dive into courses that include leadership theory, conflict management and business ethics. The program prepares graduates with the skills and connections they need to build their business career. It can be completed in less than a year with tuition under $17,000. Coursework covers how to effectively manage people and processes, grow analytical skills, develop business strategies, and maximize efficiency. Additional concentrations include project management, logistics and supply chain management, and business analytics. The program offers students flexibility, affordability, community, and attention from expert faculty.
Program Highlights:
Master of Business Administration – Leadership Concentration
- Credits: 30
- Length: 10 months
- Mode: Online
- Accreditation: SACSCOC
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
Concordia University’s MBA in Leadership program allows students to hone their strengths and maximize their talents to lead teams and organizations. Coursework covers leadership, leading change, leadership competencies, and the MBA core. Graduates will be prepared for positions with the skills and knowledge they need to make an impact. The program delivers a strong set of business competencies, an understanding of the qualitative and quantitative data for business decision-making, and the “soft skills” that make an effective leader. The program is offered fully online and scholarships are available.
Program Highlights:
MBA in Leadership
- Credits: 36
- Length: Varies
- Mode: Online
- Accreditation: HLC
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
Graduates of Champlain College’s MBA with Leadership Specialization will develop advanced analytical and communication skills while learning to leverage their strengths and those of their team. Students will develop skills to generate solutions to business-related problems, using systems thinking to inform organizational decisions. Coursework teaches students how to lead change in organizations, collaborate with diverse groups, and create a personal leadership mission statement, among others. The program is delivered fully online and helps prepare students for top leadership roles in business.
Program Highlights:
MBA with Leadership Specialization
- Credits: 33
- Length: Six terms
- Mode: Online
- Accreditation: NECHE
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | NEASC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | WSCUC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
B-School Spotlights: Online MBA Leadership Programs
We’ve spotlighted below three “best-in-class” online MBA in leadership programs to give you an idea of what elements to consider before choosing a program. Our selections are based on a number of important factors, including affordability, curriculum quality, study flexibility and convenience, as well as the time required to complete the degree program.
Liberty University
The online Master of Business Administration in Leadership from Liberty University offers students a Christian-centered education that prepares them for leadership careers in a range of settings, from small business ownership to top-level executive positions with large corporations. The program is offered 100% online with no on-campus classes or other in-person requirements, and the required 45 credits can be completed in as little as two years. Classes are presented in an eight-week, asynchronous format that allows students to access and complete their coursework at any time.
Requirements for admission to Liberty’s online MBA in leadership program include an accredited bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Applicants with a GPA of 2.5 to 2.99 can still apply for they may be admitted on a provisional basis. Students with a previously earned master’s degree will be assessed on that degree’s coursework. Prerequisite undergraduate coursework in business is also required. Current per-credit tuition rates are $565 for full-time students and $615 for part-time students. Discounted rates are available for military and first responders.
Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University’s Master of Business Administration—Leadership program combines coursework in team leadership with courses in business-related subjects such as economics, finance, accounting, and organizational chain management. The curriculum culminates with a capstone project in which students apply the knowledge and skills gained in their studies to develop strategic solutions to management challenges. The fully online program is presented in an accelerated format that allows full-time students to complete all degree requirements in as few as 12 months.
The current tuition rate for this 33-credit program is $485 per credit hour. Students entering the program without an undergraduate degree in business must complete an additional three-credit business foundations course. Admission requirements include a bachelor’s degree earned with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA. A GMAT or GRE test score is also required, but the requirement is waived for applicants with an undergraduate GPA of 3.3 or higher. Other admission requirements include a current resume, a statement of intent (including goals and expectations for the MBA program), and three recommendation letters detailing the applicant’s academic and professional experience.
Youngstown State University
Whether you’re an Ohio state resident or not, the MBA with a Specialization in Leadership from Youngstown State University (YSU) is one of the most affordable online leadership MBA programs available. The current in-state tuition rate for this 30-credit program is $450 per credit hour and the total program cost at $13,500. Non-Ohio residents pay only an additional $5 per credit hour, resulting in just $13,650 for the total program. The leadership-focused curriculum prepares students to apply current best practices in organizational management to a broad range of business-related subjects, including corporate finance and planning, business policy, organizational administration, and cost-based decision-making.
Admission into YSU’s MBA in Leadership program is determined through a holistic evaluation of the applicant’s undergraduate GPA and professional work experience. The program features an accelerated study format designed with the working professional in mind that can be completed entirely in as few as 12 months. The program offers six start dates throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
Advantages of Earning an MBA in Leadership Online
The business world is all about competition, and that includes the job market. You’ve got to keep up with your professional peers to avoid being left behind. One of the best ways to stay ahead of the competition is by earning an MBA in leadership online from a high-quality, fully accredited program, like any of the ones mentioned in this guide. Here are just a few of the valuable benefits your degree will provide:
Gain valuable knowledge and skills focused on the most in-demand areas of business
An MBA in leadership online provides graduates with cutting-edge knowledge and skills in a range of areas to give them the upper hand on their competition. These areas include business technology, strategic planning, cultural competency and global mindset, and many others.
Become a leader in the business field, not just a manager
Managers play an important role in business, obviously, performing tasks as making budgets, allocating resources, and supervising. Business leaders do all of these things, too. But MBA in leadership online graduates go beyond typical managerial duties to provide vision, direction, inspiration, and motivation to team members, resulting in greater business success.
Enjoy the convenience, flexibility, and peer access that only an online leadership MBA program can provide
Online MBA in leadership programs are designed to provide the maximum amount of study convenience and flexibility possible for working business professionals. And because these programs draw so many working professionals, you’ll enjoy valuable networking opportunities and the benefit of studying with other accomplished business peers.
What to Expect from an Online MBA in Leadership Program
The goal of an MBA in leadership online degree is to equip current and aspiring business professionals with advanced knowledge and skills to make them more effective as corporate leaders. Leadership MBA programs accomplish this goal through coursework that develops both hard and soft skills. Hard skills in an online leadership MBA program are those concerning specific business subjects like finance, accounting, marketing, business technology, and management. Soft skills cover the development of leadership competencies through courses in leadership theory, communication, conflict management, strategic planning and thinking, and teamwork. In addition, students in a few online programs have the option of completing a culminating capstone project.
Here are five courses commonly offered by online MBA in leadership degree programs. These courses are similar to those you’ll tackle in your studies:
Common Online Leadership MBA Courses
Corporate Financial Management
This course provides the basic knowledge of financial accounting and management in real-world business settings. Students gain the skills to analyze, interpret, and act on financial information and data resulting in sound decision-making for their organizations. Specific topics include capital budgeting methods, financial statement analysis, long-term and short-term financial management, and international finances.
Effective Leadership
The focus of this course is on leadership theory, techniques, and methods, and their applications to effectively communicate a business’s vision, build trust with employees, and achieve shared goals. Presented in a workshop format, students in this class research and evaluate relevant and various strategies related to contemporary leadership challenges similar to those they will face as business professionals.
Legal and Ethical Issues in Management
This comprehensive review covers common legal issues, including laws, regulations, trade policies, and liability, along with ethical issues facing business leaders in the public and private sectors. Students are presented with a number of hypothetical scenarios that challenge the students to make difficult but necessary legal and ethical choices based on limited factual information and conflicting values.
Managing People
This course focuses on important challenges involved in the effective management of employees as individuals, team members, and on the larger organizational level. Students learn to identify current and emerging human resource issues, recognize and implement best practices for training employees and evaluating their work performance, resolve conflicts between team members, and motivate employees to achieve peak job performance.
Strategic Marketing
Students explore the roles and responsibilities of marketing leaders in private, nonprofit, and public organizations through the use of readings, research, and case studies. Course topics include the creation and development of effective marketing strategies through segmentation, targeting and positioning, identifying and evaluating market trends and transitions, and capitalizing on brand equity to expand the business and maximize profits
What You Can Do with an MBA in Leadership
The MBA is one of the most popular degrees among all graduate programs. That’s because MBA degree holders are in high demand by businesses in all segments of the economy throughout the U.S. and around the world. And that means lots of high-paying jobs with plenty of room for career advancement. Below are descriptions of five careers readily available to online MBA in leadership program graduates. You’ll also find current estimated annual salary figures provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and PayScale.org to give you an idea of what you might expect to earn with your MBA in organizational leadership degree.
Chief Executive Officer
The chief executive officer, or CEO, is the highest-ranking executive in a company’s hierarchy. CEOs are responsible for carrying out a business’s purposes (as established by the board of directors) and supervising all of its activities. CEOs must possess advanced objective-oriented leadership skills in a range of areas, including communication, delegation, team building, strategic planning and thinking, and more.
| 10th Percentile | Median Annual Pay | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|
$74,000 | $155,000 | $308,000 |
Source: PayScale, 2021
Financial Manager
A financial manager is a member of a business’s team principally responsible for its economic health. Depending on the specific business, the duties of the financial manager may include preparing financial statements and reports; analyzing economic data to provide senior management with business forecasts and strategies for maximizing profits; managing business investments, credit, and cash flow; and developing policies for limiting risk and protecting against financial losses.
| 10th Percentile | Median Annual Pay | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|
$68,370 | $129,890 | $208,000+ |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019
Human Resources Manager
Human resources managers are in charge of the administrative activities of an organization. They’re responsible for overseeing all aspects of a business’s workforce, from recruiting and training employees and supervising their work to managing employee compensation and benefits. Human resources managers additionally consult with senior management to develop and implement strategies for maximizing employee efficiency.
| 10th Percentile | Median Annual Pay | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|
$68,300 | $116,720 | $205,720 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019
Marketing Manager
The creation and supervision of an organization’s advertising and merchandising campaigns are marketing manager’s primary responsibilities. They work closely with the sales, public relations, and manufacturing departments of their companies to develop marketing strategies to increase sales and profits. Additional duties include estimating product and service demand, monitoring consumer trends, identifying new markets, creating product packaging, and consulting in the development of products themselves.
| 10th Percentile | Median Annual Pay | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|
$71,010 | $136,850 | $208,000+ |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019
Sales Manager
Not surprisingly, sales managers are in charge of managing the sales of a business’s goods and services. Sales managers direct the distribution of products and services throughout their company’s sales territories and collaborate closely with senior management and department heads to assure that products are delivered on time. Other responsibilities include developing sales strategies and setting sales goals, hiring and training sales staff, and assigning territories to regional sales reps.
| 10th Percentile | Median Annual Pay | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|
$59,810 | $126,640 | $208,000+ |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019
Costs and Financial Aid for Online MBAs in Leadership
All college degrees come with a hefty price tag. Online MBA leadership degrees are no exception. Fortunately, there are a number of valuable financial aid resources you may be able to tap into to help fund your studies. These include scholarships and grants (from both private sources and schools themselves), assistantships and fellowships, work-study programs, employer tuition assistance programs, and—most commonly—student loans. Student loans are available from a number of sources, but the most popular source by far is the federal government. To learn more about funding your MBA in leadership online degree, contact your school’s financial aid department. And be sure to check out OMD’s financial aid webpage.
How Much Your Online MBA in Leadership Might Cost
The chart below provides current tuition prices for three online MBA in leadership programs. Costs vary substantially, so be sure to consider different programs carefully before choosing the one for you. Further, keep in mind that these figures represent tuition prices only. Your total program costs will be higher once you include program fees and the cost of internet access, books, supplies, etc.
| School Name | No. of Credits | Cost/Credit | Est. Total Tuition Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
42 | $1,000 | $42,000 | |
40 | $599 | $23,960 | |
35.5 | $515 | $18.282.50 |
FAQs About Online Leadership MBA Programs
What are the admissions requirements for an online MBA in leadership?
The specific requirements for admission into an online MBA in leadership program vary—sometimes significantly—from program to program. So, it’s worth your time to review requirements for all programs you’re considering right from the start to avoid wasting time on programs for which you don’t qualify. Nevertheless, most programs have requirements similar to the following:
- Bachelor’s degree: Almost all online leadership MBA programs accept bachelor’s degrees in any major, although some (Youngstown State’s, for example) require applicants with a nonbusiness bachelor’s to take prerequisite coursework.
- Minimum GPA: Typically, the minimum GPA requirements range from around 2.5 to 3.0. However, in some cases, applicants with an undergrad GPA below the minimum may be admitted if they meet other criteria.
- Graduate admissions test scores: A few online MBA in leadership programs require applicants to submit GMAT or GRE test scores but most do not. Some programs waive GMAT/GRE score requirements if the applicant meets other criteria like a minimum GPA on undergraduate coursework or documented work experience in the business field.
- Additional requirements: Other common application requirements include professional or academic references or letters of recommendation, a current CV or resume, and a personal essay or statement of intent outlining the applicant’s academic and professional goals.
Are there quality online leadership MBA programs that don’t require the GMAT?
Absolutely. Some schools, like Bethel University, only require the GMAT in certain cases, while other schools, such as Youngstown State University, forgo their GMAT requirement if the applicant meets stated benchmarks. So, before you sign up for a GMAT and start studying, take a close look at the admissions requirements for the programs you’re interested in to see if taking the GMAT is actually necessary.
How long will it take to finish my MBA in leadership online?
Business schools are keenly aware of the busy professional lives of their MBA students and build their online degree programs with that in mind. As a result, most online MBA in leadership programs can be completed in two years or less. In fact, full-time students in several accelerated programs can finish their studies in as few as 12 months. Some students will require more time to complete their degrees, which is why most online MBA in leadership programs allow two years or more for degree completion.
Can I earn an MBA in leadership 100% online or do I need to go to campus?
Graduate-level business academic study lends itself particularly well to the distance learning environment. As a result, the vast majority of online MBA in leadership programs feature coursework that is accessed and completed 100% online. In most cases, students are able to complete their entire degree program without ever stepping foot on their school’s physical campus. If you prefer some face-to-face interaction, however, programs such as Regent University’s MBA – Leadership offer the option of combining online and on-campus classes.
What’s the difference between an MBA in leadership and a master’s in leadership?
The difference between the two degrees comes down to whether you want to work in business or in another area, such as education or with a nonprofit. An online MBA in leadership features a mix of business skills and leadership courses. A master’s in leadership, on the other hand, provides students with leadership courses that are applicable to various industries.
Does a master’s in leadership sound like the better choice for you? Then, check out OMD’s guide to online master’s degrees in organizational leadership.