Choosing an Online MBA Program: Infographic

It’s a well-known facet of the business school research conducted by MBA applicants that the ‘best’ MBA program for an individual isn’t necessarily simply the one available at the top-placed school in the eyes of international rankings.

As much as rankings provide a crucial window onto how an MBA program is internationally-regarded – in QS’s case, by global pools both of those who hire MBA graduates and of academics in the field of business and management – the perfect MBA program for an individual is the one that can best match an individual’s aims and aspirations for the future, their distinct circumstances regarding their working background and plans upon graduation, and even their personality.

So, why shouldn’t the same be equally true for those who want to undertake an online MBA program?

Breaking down the online MBA rankings in different areas

The top 25 online MBAs available around the world were recently named in QS’s new set of dedicated rankings. But, among these 25, different programs have different strongpoints across the 18 indicators assessed by the rankings’ methodology – some of which might just hold more significance for an individual with a specific requirement in mind.

For example, if you have over a decade of prior work experience already under your belt and want to join a class that can match this, then the online MBA program at George Washington University – where students with an average of 15 years’ prior work experience enrolled in 2013 – is worth a look. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a class where the level of previous work experience is more akin to that found on a full-time on-campus MBA, well then IE Business School’s online MBA program – where the average was four years among students who enrolled in 2013 – could be more suitable.

If, on the other hand, you’re most interested in an online MBA program’s completion rate as a signifier of quality, then the EuroMBA reported 99% completion among its students, as at January 2014. (Although, here we should mention that 10 schools under consideration for QS’s top 25 this year reported completion rates of 90% and above.)

Check out which schools caught our eye elsewhere among the program statistics on which the QS Distance Online MBA Rankings 2015 are based and see if one piques your particular interest:

Please note: Class data submitted by business schools, from average GMAT scores to proportion of female students etc., pertain to students who enrolled over the course of 2013.