Top Accelerated Online MBA Programs of 2025

Most full-time online MBA programs take up to two years to complete. Part-time, asynchronous MBA programs that allow you to work toward your degree around your schedule can take even longer.

If you want to earn your MBA and start advancing your degree faster, there are online options — some business schools have accelerated programs that allow you to finish an MBA in as little as a year.

Accelerated programs aren’t for everyone. They feature intensive, fast-paced classes to condense 2-3 years of learning into 12-16 months. If you have a good work ethic and want to quickly see the benefits of your degree, an accelerated online MBA might be for you.

MBAs aren’t one size fits all. You’ll need to weigh factors like accreditation, affordability, and flexibility when looking for a program.

You’ll need to evaluate whether a program meets your career prospects. Accelerated MBAs, in general, offer less room for specialization than a typical online MBA, but some programs still offer concentrations in fast-growing fields. Check out a program’s curriculum to make sure it fits your career goals.

You’ll also see the words “synchronous” or “asynchronous” used. Synchronous means classes are at set times and feature real-time lectures, while asynchronous modules usually allow you to work through classwork whenever you want.

Accelerated MBAs usually aren’t all that different from a traditional online MBA in terms of curriculum or credit requirements. Where they differ is in customizability and intensity.

An accelerated MBA typically truncates the material from a regular MBA into intensive, short-term courses of six or seven weeks. That means courses are more fast-paced. It can also mean you’ll have less time to take electives and specialize your degree.

In general, an accelerated MBA is best if you want to quickly tack on an MBA to your resume while advancing in your current career. A general MBA with a concentration can also help boost your career or give you leeway to explore other career options.

Here’s a commonality between them: Both usually require some level of work experience in order to effectively boost you into leadership positions.

There are a few general trends to keep in mind with MBA costs. An online MBA is usually cheaper than an in-person MBA. Likewise, a part-time MBA is usually cheaper than a full-time MBA.

We say “usually” because MBA costs, perhaps more than any other degree type, vary significantly by school.

An MBA can cost upwards of six figures at private, elite institutions like the M7 business schools. Major research universities and selective private schools almost always cost more than regional universities. However, some institutions, like the University of Illinois’ iMBA, offer disruptively priced online MBA programs for less than $30,000.

It’s an unsatisfying answer, we know, but you’ll have to check each potential school’s tuition and fees in order to get an accurate idea of what you’ll be paying. The average cost of an online MBA program is a little over $11,000, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

Of course, you might not have to pay the full price. Fellowships, scholarships, and company scholarships are all ways to help pay for your MBA.

Most accelerated programs offer an MBA in between 12 and 16 months. Some, like Benedictine University’s accelerated MBA program, take up to 18 months, although those usually include concentrations to offer you a more customizable degree.

Some MBA programs offer additional credits for work experience. Taking a non-degree offering, like a micro-credential or mini-MBA from a school, can also count toward an eventual degree.

Programmatic accreditation is a good way to ensure an MBA program is teaching relevant skills and has qualified faculty.

Accreditors are third-party organizations that evaluate student outcomes, faculty expertise, and curricula to make sure that students are getting good value out of their degrees.

Here are some prominent business-specific accreditation bodies:

An MBA can lead to a more specialized, advanced role or help you advance your career into leadership positions.

MBA graduates work in all fields, although consulting and management tend to be popular options. The management field is booming: The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 1.2 million job openings each year in management occupations, with a median annual wage of more than $122,000 as of May 2024.

Here’s a sampling of some of the jobs MBA holders land after graduation.

An accelerated online MBA, coupled with work experience, can help advance your career and land you leadership roles.

If you want to add business fundamentals to your skillset to advance in your field, an accelerated online program can help you quickly add an MBA to your resume and introduce you to key management concepts. A fast completion will also mean a faster ROI.

Accelerated MBA programs aren’t for everyone, and classes will be more intensive than a typical MBA. If you want to slowly chip away at an MBA as you continue working full time, a traditional online MBA might be a better option.