Does MBA Accreditation Matter?
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An MBA is a big investment, and enrolling in an accredited program can help ensure you get your money’s worth.
With online and part-time programs on the rise, you have more degree options than ever. Enrolling in an accredited MBA program helps ensure you receive a quality education that teaches relevant, high-demand skills in the field.
Ensuring that an MBA program is accredited is the first step in deciding whether to apply. Learn more about MBA accreditation and why it matters.
Featured Online MBA Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
What Is MBA Accreditation, and Why Does it Matter?
A business program accreditor is a third-party organization that evaluates MBA programs based on criteria like student outcomes, faculty, and curriculum.
Program accreditors assess whether business schools teach relevant skills for students to excel in the workforce and employ qualified faculty. Accreditors also weigh a school’s strategic planning, leadership, mission, and student outcomes.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the Department of Education typically recognizes business programs and institutions.
You can attend a non-accredited MBA program, but it might not be worth the effort and money. It might be difficult to transfer credits to other schools, and many employers are only interested in hiring candidates who graduated from accredited schools.
Look for These 3 MBA Accreditors
Several reputable accreditors recognize MBA programs that meet educational quality standards in the business field.
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
The AACSB is a prominent and reputable organization that accredits some of the world’s top business schools. It weighs factors like student learning and progression, faculty qualifications, and the program’s impact and strategic planning. The AACSB withdrew from CHEA in 2016 but is still widely considered a key accreditor of business schools.
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
The ACBSP focuses on individual program accreditation, whereas the AACSB accredits both institutions and individual programs. The ACBSP heavily focuses on teaching and faculty excellence when accrediting a program. It also reviews student learning outcomes and a program’s strategic planning and viability.
International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE)
The IACBE is another programmatic accreditor that focuses on individual programs across the globe. The IACBE uses a principles-based process that prioritizes student success and outcomes, as well as a university’s mission.
15 Popular Accredited MBA Programs
Various types of schools offer accredited MBA programs, from major public universities to regional colleges and elite private institutions.
Here’s a sampling of some accredited MBA programs from across the country.
- Azusa Pacific University School of Business and Management, IACBE
- Davenport University, IACBE
- Florida A&M University School of Business and Industry, ACBSP
- Harvard Business School, AACSB
- Indiana University Kelley School of Business, AACSB
- Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, AACSB
- Purdue University Global, ACBSP
- Southern New Hampshire University Business School, ACBSP
- Stanford Graduate School of Business, AACSB
- University of Chicago Booth School of Business, AACSB
- University of Maryland Global Campus Department of Business Administration, IACBE
- University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, AACSB
- University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, AACSB
- University of Washington Foster School of Business, AACSB
- Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, AACSB
Institutional vs. Programmatic Accreditation for MBA Programs
The two types of accreditation you’ll encounter when researching MBA programs are institutional and programmatic.
Institutional accreditation focuses on the institution as a whole, whereas programmatic accreditation focuses on programs within a school. You’ll want both an accredited program and an accredited school.
The AACSB, ACBSP, and IACBE accredit business programs and schools. Some reputable institutional accreditors include the Higher Learning Commission, the New England Commission of Higher Education, and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, among others.
Frequently Asked Questions About MBA Accreditation
AACSB, ACBSP, and IACBE are all reputable accreditors of MBA programs.
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