Business degrees are enticing online bachelor’s options for working adults to build practical, problem-solving skills for their desired management promotions. The Princeton Review named business the #4 best major given to roughly 364,000 graduates in the Class of 2015. Poets & Quants celebrated this choice for its hefty 17 percent average ROI. In fact, Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a mean starting salary of $54,019 for business administration students.
The payoff is obvious, but paying for a BBA or its equivalent upfront isn’t always easy. The U.S. News & World Report listed Columbia, UChicago, Tufts, Amherst, and USC among its most expensive B-schools with full-time tuition over $50,000 per year! Your business dreams don’t have to be out of financial reach though, especially online. This article will highlight the 20 Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degree that won’t hurt your wallet.
Featured Schools
Methodology: Ranking the Most Affordable Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Business
To find the best cheap online business degree programs, we used the National Center for Education Statistics NCES College Navigator advanced search to filter public and nonprofit private institutions with bachelor’s degrees for maximum tuition of $10,000. We browsed for programs in the Business/Management category of 94 majors and checked the box for only distance education.
Our results found 50 universities that were exported to Microsoft Excel to compare. All options were properly vetted for regional or national accreditations recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. Each viable BA, BS, or BBA had to provide at least two entire years of online content too.
Next, we recorded the average yearly out-of-state undergrad cost since online students are usually based elsewhere. If you pick in-state colleges, the price for the cheapest business degree online will be even lower!
Our final move was arranging our picks from low to high for the 20 Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees under $9,000.
1. University of the People
Endorsed by Olympic Gold Medalist Simone Biles, the University of the People is a private, DEAC-accredited nonprofit online school and MasterCard ISIC Award winner worth $1.3 million that’s grown since 2009 to enroll 14,000 adults from 200 nations with minimal fees. Its 120-credit Bachelor of Science in Business Administration utilizes Open Educational Resources (OER) to engage small cohorts of 25 in cheap managerial prep.
Annual Tuition: $1,000
2. Brigham Young University-Idaho
Ranked the West’s 78th best bet by Forbes, Brigham Young University-Idaho is a private, Mormon NWCCU-accredited institution in Rexburg that’s endowed for $71.9 million to affordably educate 17,980 full-time Vikings from 50 states each 14-week term. Undergrads who pass the 15-credit PathwayConnect with 3.0 GPAs can enter the BS in Business Management with an Emphasis in Entrepreneurial Management on Blackboard to innovate new ventures.
Annual Tuition: $4,018
3. City Vision University
Founded in 1998, City Vision University is a nonprofit, fundamentalist Christian DEAC-accredited distance hub that’s managed by the $1.52 million TechMission in Kansas City to serve 226 adults for 95 percent lower tuition. The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration was placed 318th nationally by College Factual for starting eight-week Moodle courses five times yearly in three tracks: General, Nonprofit Management, or Technology & Entrepreneurship.
Annual Tuition: $5,600
Learn more about the Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees at City Vision University here.
4. Central Methodist University
Home to the 2013 GBHEM Exemplary Teacher Award winner, Central Methodist University is a private, Protestant HLC-accredited college that’s celebrating its 160th year and netting nearly $50 million to train 4,252 off-campus Eagles from Fayette. In eight-week modules, the 124-credit Bachelor of Arts in Business immerses students with minimum 2.5 GPAs in cheap online concentrations like Banking & Finance, Advertising, or Business Education.
Annual Tuition: $5,760
5. America Evangelical University
Devoted to Matthew 9:37-38, America Evangelical University is a private, four-year Christian ATS member awarded ABHE accreditation in February 2015 that’s budgeting $2 million under Dr. Jongkil Ryu in Los Angeles to teach in English or Korean. Integrating a strategic plan project, the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration accepts $50 applications year-round to begin a 128-unit, faith-based curriculum of Moodle courses from Pentateuch to Finance.
Annual Tuition: $5,770
6. Morthland College
Crowned America’s sixth best Christian choice in Faith on View, Morthland College is a small private, coed Biblical-based school founded in 2009 by Tim Morthland in Metro Lakeland to present TRACS-accredited liberal arts degrees to less than 400 Patriots. Maintaining an 8:1 learner-faculty ratio, its 120-credit Online BA in Business Administration embraces the Word of God to introduce ethical leadership principles in Moodle classes like Managerial Accounting.
Annual Tuition: $6,000
7. Georgia Military College
Attracting 14,363 Bulldogs for 56 percent retention, Georgia Military College is a public, coed Armed Forces prep USG member founded in 1879 in Milledgeville that’s ranked 12th nationally by Washington Monthly for its 26 SACS-accredited majors. The Online BAS in Business Management chaired by Prof. Tianna Marynell logs AAS transfers into Moodle to finish a 180-unit curriculum specialized in Supply Chain Management, Team Management, or Logistics.
Annual Tuition: $6,124
8. Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Gifting $4.53 million in financial aid, Oklahoma Panhandle State University is a public, STEM-centric bachelor’s school formed by the Legislature in 1909 that ranked 735th nationally for diversity on Niche by enrolling 1,720 Aggies beyond its Goodwell site. The HLC-accredited Electronic Campus lets Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, and Computer Information Systems majors complete the 124-credit B.B.A. online as Phi Beta Lambda members.
Annual Tuition: $6,196
9. Mayville State University
Granted a 2018 DECA Chapter Service Award, Mayville State University is the Midwest’s fourth top public, coed college on the U.S. News & World Report that’s led by Dr. Gary Hagen in North Dakota’s Traill County to enlighten 1,110 Comets on a $16.05 million budget. Associate transfers enter average Moodle classes of 20 for the 68-credit, tech-enriched B.A.S. in Business Administration degree completion that spans topics from Real Estate to Auditing.
Annual Tuition: $6,456
Learn more about the Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees at Mayville State University here.
10. University of Texas of the Permian Basin
Accredited by the elite AACSB in 2016, the University of Texas of the Permian Basin is a publicly funded, coed Hispanic-serving Lone Star member in Ector County that’s welcoming 7,628 Falcons into 53 degrees ranked 311th nationally according to Washington Monthly. Its 120-credit Online Bachelor of Business Administration boasts 99 percent satisfaction in eight-week Blackboard courses tailored for Marketing, Management, or Industrial Technology.
Annual Tuition: $6,622
11. Amridge University
Placed in America’s top 346 online programs by the U.S. News & World Report, Amridge University is a private, SACS-accredited Congregationalist school based in Montgomery since 1967 that’s worth $1.7 million for enrolling 712 adults with 100 percent admission. Its 128-credit BS in Business Administration utilizes Canvas for affordable eight, 10, or 14-week courses concentrated in General Business, Communication, or Information Systems Management.
Annual Tuition: $6,900
Learn more about the Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees at Amridge University here.
12. Faith International University
Located in Forbes’ 25th best business city, Tacoma, Faith International University is a private, evangelical Christian online seminary established in 1969 that’s accredited by the TRACS and ranked 59th regionally by Faith on View for educating 500 believers. In English, Korean, or Chinese, the Bachelor of Arts in Business orients tomorrow’s strategic leaders with a 180-unit, online curriculum of Canvas courses like Statistics, Human Resources, and Bible.
Annual Tuition: $7,236
13. Peru State College
Chosen for 13 PBL National Leadership Awards in 2017, Peru State College is Nebraska’s third cheapest public, coed HLC-accredited institution that’s endowed for $10.5 million and accepting free applications for 11 online degrees serving 3,458 Bobcats. Headed by Dr. Greg Galardi, the 120-credit Online BSBA checks into Blackboard for six tracks: Public Administration, Marketing, HR Risk Management, Accounting, Computer Systems, or Management.
Annual Tuition: $7,260
14. Kansas Christian College
Ranked 394th for most male-female diversity on College Factual, Kansas Christian College is a private, ABHE-accredited Holiness Protestant school opened in 1938 in Overland Park that’s awarding over $410,000 yearly to support 139 Falcons. The Adult & Online Division confers the 120-credit Bachelor of Arts in Business to build portfolios on Blackboard in cheap, anytime classes like Personnel Development with a 12:1 student-professor ratio.
Annual Tuition: $7,640
Learn more about the Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees at Kansas Christian College here.
15. Bellevue University
Named the 2017 NSPA Scholarship Provider of the Year, Bellevue University is a cheap, private HLC-accredited virtual institution endowed for $28 million at Omaha’s Lozier Professional Center that ranked 172nd nationally on Niche for training 5,789 online Bruins. Its Bachelor of Science in Business has an accelerated, 2+2 format on Blackboard with the nine-credit Kirkpatrick Signature Series for working adults to boost enterprise efficiency.
Annual Tuition: $7,752
Learn more about the Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees at Bellevue University here.
16. SUNY Alfred State College
Offering the full-tuition Excelsior Scholarship for incomes below $100,000, SUNY Alfred State College is a public, polytechnic MSCHE-accredited Southern Tier campus formed in 1908 that’s declared Niche’s 110th best standout school for teaching 3,500 Pioneers in 70+ majors. On Blackboard, the 60-credit Online BBA completion led by Dr. Karla Black lets associate transfers major in Technology Management with internships for 100 percent placement.
Annual Tuition: $8,327
Learn more about the Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees at Alfred State College here.
17. Warner Pacific University
Prized the 2013 CCCU Andringa Award, Warner Pacific University is the West’s ninth best college on the U.S. News & World Report that holds $2.95 million to deliver private, Christ-centered liberal arts education in Portland or online for 1,121 Knights from 19 states. Its Bachelor of Business Administration transfers cohorts of 22 adults with 2+ years of experience into 14 five-week Moodle courses like Operations Management, Policy Analysis, and Employment Law.
Annual Tuition: $8,520
Learn more about the Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees at Warner Pacific University here.
18. Bemidji State University
Reporting a PayScale 20-year net ROI of $167,000, Bemidji State University is a Minnesota state-funded, HLC-accredited higher learning school opened in 1919 by Manfred Deputy that’s trained 25,805 alumni across 49 nations as Washington Monthly’s 128th best buck. The Extended Learning Office has a May 1st priority deadline for its 68-credit Online Business Administration B.S. major with Blackboard tracks in Finance, Marketing, or Management.
Annual Tuition: $8,677
Learn more about the Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees at Bemidji State University here.
19. Bismarck State College
Included in the U.S. News & World Report’s top 80 Midwest schools, Bismarck State College is the third-largest public, coed NDUS System member opened in 1939 that’s budgeting $36.6 million near the North Dakota Capitol to serve 3,781 Mystics with 150+ online courses. Its unique Business Administration Major organized by Dr. Kevin Cavanaugh involves 61 credits on Blackboard before seamless transition to the affordable Dickinson or Minot State.
Annual Tuition: $8,896
Learn more about the Cheapest Online Business Bachelor’s Degrees at Bismarck State College here.
20. Nicholls State University
Linked to 22,067 LinkedIn alumni, including CEO Billy Tauzin, Nicholls State University is a public, bachelor’s-level UL System constituent founded in 1948 in Thibodaux that’s endowed for $8.5 million and ranked 251st nationally by Niche to train 6,366 Colonels. On Moodle, the AACSB-accredited College of Business grants the Online BSBA under Dr. Ronnie Fanguy with a 120-credit curriculum concentrated in General Business, Multinational Business, or Pre-Law.
Annual Tuition: $8,979
Can I Trust the Cheapest Online Business Degrees?
Sure, you can find a cheap business degree online, but will it be worth it? Business school rankings look for the big names, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a good online business degree cheap. Cheap online business degrees just mean lower tuition rates.
You can save on your cheapest online bachelors degree in business with online learning. An associate degree allows you to transfer credits and helps business students save on their general education coursework. Transfer students get ahead on their college credits by getting fundamentals out of the way cheaper. Working business professionals in a bachelor’s completion program can also earn credit hours for work experience and by demonstrating competency in the business environment.
Whether you’re an established sales manager or an entry-level worker right out of high school, a full-time or part-time business administration program can make all the difference. Online education from an established online college can also lead to a master’s degree. Some of the top affordable online programs come from the University of North Carolina, the University of Florida, the University of Missouri, and others.
Can I Get a Specialization from the Cheapest Online Bachelors Degree in Business Administration?
Cheap business degrees online even give you specializations like:
- Business law
- Human resource management
- International business
- Project management
- Healthcare management
- Strategic management
- Financial management
- Financial accounting
- Small business management
- Marketing management
- Management information systems
In some cases, electives like microeconomics, organizational behavior, decision-making, and research methodology build on general management courses, helping business majors find their career path.
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