Top 10 Online MBAs for Employability 2021

In seventh place is Vlerick Business School, which scored a 73.30 for employability. Vlerick’s online MBA programme has a standard duration of 26 months, but can either be shortened or extended depending on candidates’ needs.

This year’s class profile includes the smallest cohort on this top 10 list – 76 students – with 40 percent international and female students respectively. The programme is made up of 12 courses, a practical Knowledge in Action Project and an interactive game, and received high scores in the faculty and teaching and employability indicators. Total fees are €37,500 (approx. US$43,990).

In sixth place, losing a spot from the 2020 ranking, is MIP, whose online offering received an employability score of 77.00 out of 100.

Dean Federico Frattini said: "One of the biggest challenges schools face when switching to online teaching is keeping students engaged, motivated, and part of the school community. Therefore, even when teaching online, we make sure that we take the time we need to build and nurture personal relationships with students - even when we do not meet them face to face.

"Through strong collaboration online with our faculty, students learn how to communicate effectively with each other, even when working with peers across geographic boundaries and time zones. These skills are increasingly required to conduct business around the world and are therefore increasingly valued by employers."

The 24-month programme requires applicants to have at least six years of professional experience, with current students having an average of 13 years’. 29 nationalities are represented in the cohort – accounting for 41 percent of international students – and 17 percent of candidates are women.

Fees are €37,000 (approx. US$43,375).

Halfway through the list, sliding back two spots from last year’s third position, is Kelley School of Business. Kelley’s online MBA programme scored high for both employability (78.90) and class experience.

Professor Will Geoghegan, Interim Chair of the Kelley Direct Program, said: "While it may sound hokey, we believe that when you join Kelley, you join our family. We provide a plethora of career services for both current students and alumni. Our students have access to the Office of Graduate Services which offers personalisesd, one-on-one career coaches who guide students in their professional development and help them attain their career goals.

"We offer other resources, such as job boards and tutorials for cover letter and resume development, offer negotiation and LinkedIn tips, as well as access to company research databases. Another outstanding resource are our six-week career development courses, which allow students to explore opportunities, develop a career plan, or prepare for case interviews. Courses are taught by highly experienced career coaches who provide Kelley students and alumni career guidance for life."

The course is highly customisable: students can build up to 50 percent of their curriculum with electives and choose from seven major specialisations including Business Analytics, Marketing and Finance. This year’s class profile is made up of 17 percent women and 41 percent international students, and students have an average of 13 years of work experience under their belt.

Tuition is US$74,520.

Gaining significant ground from last year’s rankings – jumping from ninth to fourth position – is Warwick Business School. The WBS online MBA received an excellent score of 83.00 for employability.

Pietro Micheli, Professor of Business Performance & Innovation and Course Director for the Distance Learning MBA, said: "The CareerPlus team [at WBS] supports all our MBA students during their course and after they have graduated. It delivers personal support and advice as well as online workshops and lectures for personal development and career enhancement. 

"Students have access to career consultations, executive coaching, as well as career workshops as part of our Careers Festival, held during the two residential weeks, sharing the latest thinking on career management, and covering a range of topics from career transition to negotiation skills."

He added: "There are many other online resources such as job postings, career management modules, 360-degree online feedback, a CV preparation platform and expert insights from industry speakers."

The programme takes between 12 and 24 months to complete, combining eight required modules, two “Warwick Weeks” on campus, four elective modules and a consultancy project. The cohort is diverse, with 79 percent international students and 33 percent female students.

Fees are £34,150 (approx. US$47,000).

Kicking off the top three for employability is the only Australian school on the list, which scored 87.30 in the category.

Professor Nick Wailes, Director of AGSM and Deputy Dean at UNSW, said: "We have made a very significant investment in career development in this programme. All students have access to on demand and one to one career support that is designed to help them clearly identify where they want to go next in their career and the skills and capabilities they need to develop. 

"Our curriculum and assessment focuses directly on industry-relevant issues. We like to think that whatever students learn on a Sunday they can apply directly in their workplaces on a Monday, and that this translates directly into strong career progression."

The school’s online MBA includes a compulsory starter course, followed by five core courses, five specialisation courses, and a capstone course within an elective area of study – Change, Social Impact, Technology or Finance. The class profile includes the second-highest percentage of female students in its cohort in the top 10 with38 percent.

Tuition is US$44,588.

Earning the employability silver medal for yet another year is Imperial College Business School’s online MBA, which received a near-perfect score of 99.20.

Professor Markus Perkmann, Academic Director of the programme, said: "We find that our candidates are highly employable but also highly promotable for several reasons. First, our programme is selective, hence our MBA candidates are all high-calibre professionals, working in top companies around the globe. Secondly, the brand recognition of Imperial as a global top-ten university means many employers will trust in the expertise of our graduates.

"Our teaching is highly interactive and focused on practice-oriented assignments, often as group work which enables our students to not only learn basic knowledge, but also critical thinking and communication skills."

The Global Online MBA cohort is the second-most international on the list, with 85 percent international students and 62 nationalities represented. 36 percent of candidates are women. Most of the teaching during the programme is conducted through The Hub, a virtual learning platform developed by Imperial’s award-winning Edtech lab. Students complete pre-study modules, then attend a five-day compulsory in-person induction week, as well as four core module periods followed by an optional global experience week. The course ends with a capstone business game.

Fees for the 24-month programme are £41,350 (approx. US$56,974).

Retaining the top spot with a perfect score of 100 for employability is the world’s number one online MBA programme, the Global Online MBA at IE Business School.

The programme is made up of three core online periods, one Global Immersion Week (locations include Shanghai, Los Angeles and Mumbai), plus three face-to-face weeks in Madrid. Teaching includes working in interactive small groups on real-world and industry-based case studies.

Known for its diverse cohorts, the class profile for IE’s 18-month course is made up of 95 percent international students (up from last year’s 86 percent), 40 percent women (up from last year’s 34 percent), and an average 10 years’ work experience. Tuition is €51,200 (approx. US$60,094).