Best Online MBA Programs in Houston
Updated September 26, 2023
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Houston is one of Texas' largest metropolitan areas, with a bustling business sector and multiple higher education institutions. One of the most popular ways for working professionals in the city to seek career advancement is by earning an MBA. Several business schools in Houston offer MBAs on campus, but many graduate students prefer to earn their master's through distance learning. In addition to the convenience of studying from home, online MBAs often provide students with the flexibility to choose from various pacing options, including part-time, full-time, or accelerated MBA programs.
Prospective Texas residents who want to take advantage of online learning but enroll in a school close to home -- to utilize the on-campus services and local name recognition -- can choose from the three online MBA programs Houston has to offer at Rice University, University of Houston-Clear Lake, and Texas Southern University. Explore the rankings below for a detailed look at each of these top MBA programs in Houston.
Online MBA Programs for You
Grow your career, leadership, and business acumen with an accredited online MBA program.
Career Outlook With an MBA in Houston
Houston supports one of the state's and nation's most dynamic industrial sectors. Top industries include manufacturing, energy, digital technology, and transportation and logistics. Texas' business-friendly regulations and low corporate tax burdens contribute to Houston boasting one of the highest concentrations of corporate headquarters in the country. More than 20 Fortune 500 headquarters call the city home, and multiple global companies operate their U.S. headquarters within the metro area.
Online MBA graduates who earned a concentration in supply chain management or international trade may find Houston an especially rewarding place to pursue work. Houston is a well-known capital of national and global trade. The city boasts the largest sea port on the Gulf Coast and is geographically equidistant from the east and west coasts of the U.S. In addition, Houston is well-connected with major interstate highways, railroads, and the Houston Airport System.
Graduates of the best online MBA programs in Houston can pursue managerial and leadership positions in these and other industries, but the benefits of earning a full-time or part-time MBA in Houston don't start and end with career opportunities. Houston features unique, top-ranked institutions offering attainable graduate degree options for every business professional.
Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business ranked #26 in the nation in Bloomberg Businessweek's 2018 Best B-Schools report. The University of Houston-Clear Lake offers a low-cost, high-flexibility online MBA that can be completed entirely online or in a hybrid format in as little as 14 months. Texas Southern University is the only historically black university offering online MBAs in the state.
Visit our page dedicated top online MBA programs in Texas for a detailed look at the various accredited offerings available across the state.
| Metro Area | Percentage of Open Business Positions | Percentage of Remaining Discretionary Income After Expense | Average Unemployment Rate for Individuals 20-29 Years Old |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 5.2 | 64.2 | 9.5 |
Source: Move.org, 2019
MBA Salary in Houston
| Occupation Group | Annual Mean Wage | Examples of Job Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Management | $139,820 | Chief Executives, General Operations Managers, Sales Managers |
| Business and Financial Operations | $85,950 | Buyers/Purchasing Agents, Compliance Officers, Human Resources Specialists |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Average Salary for MBA Graduates in Houston, TX
MBA Employment in Houston
| Occupation Group | Employment | Examples of Job Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 126,330 | Chief Executives, General Operations Managers, Sales Managers |
| Business and Financial Operations | 152,260 | Buyers/Purchasing Agents, Compliance Officers, Human Resources Specialists |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Online MBA Programs in Surrounding States
Online MBA Programs for You
Grow your career, leadership, and business acumen with an accredited online MBA program.
Houston's Best Online MBA Programs
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Rice UniversityLocation
Houston, TX
Tuition$104490
Nationally known for its research and science education, Rice also ranks among Houston's top business schools. This prestigious private college, located near the city's Museum District and the Texas Medical Center, serves more than 7,000 students annually, offering an MBA with online and on-campus options. The program combines Rice's flair for innovation with practical business skills and knowledge, preparing graduates for positions at the highest levels of organizations.
MBA candidates complete at least 54 credits, including a significant business core that introduces key topics such as organizational behavior, negotiations, business law, and business-government relations. The curriculum also includes elective courses that explore specialized topics including mergers and acquisitions, corporate investment policy, and the geopolitics of energy.
Experiential learning forms another major part of the curriculum, with students required to complete at least one campus residency session and one global field experience.
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Texas Southern UniversityLocation
Houston, TX
Tuition$36000
A prominent historically black college located in Houston's Third Ward, TSU enrolls over 10,000 students annually, offering a wide assortment of academic programs both on-campus and online. The school's online executive MBA serves the needs of midcareer professionals who wish to pursue graduate education without disrupting their careers. Using a flexible, fully online format, the degree combines synchronous and asynchronous delivery modes, holding live class meetings during evenings and weekends.
The 36-credit degree offers two concentration options: general business and energy finance. The unique energy finance concentration centers on the city's signature industry, making it one of the best MBA programs in Houston for candidates already employed in or looking to enter the energy sector. Some of the concentration's unique courses include energy trading and energy financial evaluation/modeling.
The MBA program does not require GRE or GMAT scores for admission, though applicants must demonstrate significant professional business experience for admissions consideration.
Concentrations
- Executive MBA
- Executive MBA - Energy Finance
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University of Houston-Clear LakeLocation
Houston, TX
Tuition$20844
Serving nearly 9,000 students annually, UHCL operates a main campus southeast of Houston, near the planned community of Clear Lake. The school offers one of the top MBA programs in Houston, with four concentration options available in environmental management, finance, human resource management, and management of technology. This 36-credit program offers courses in accelerated, eight-week sessions, enabling MBA candidates to finish in as few as 14 months of full-time, year-round study.
The MBA curriculum includes 24 credits of core courses and 12 hours of concentration credits. The core introduces key business topics, such as corporate finance and the global environment of business. Concentration courses explore specialized topics that build a professional focus. In the technology track, for example, students complete courses such as entrepreneurship and corporate venturing, management of technology, and leading technology.
All students conclude the program with a strategic management capstone seminar.
Concentrations
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