10 Most Affordable Online MBA Programs in Economics under $20K

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Where Exceptional Value Meets MBA Affordability: AACSB-Accredited Economics MBA Programs from $12,294 to $19,908 in 2025

Top 10 Editor’s Picks for Affordable Online MBA Programs in Economics under $20K

Our ranking of the top 10 online MBA Programs in Economics for 2025 identifies programs that deliver exceptional value at an affordable tuition cost. We base our selection on comprehensive data analysis, key metrics (including tuition, graduate salary, and ROI), and expert editorial insight. These programs distinguish themselves through a strong combination of affordability, AACSB accreditation, academic quality, and impressive graduate career and financial outcomes.

Mississippi State University

College of Business

Location:

  • Mississippi State

,

  • MS

Control: Public

Academic Year: Semester

Accredited: AACSB

Accreditation: Business and Accounting

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  • Tuition: $11,670
  • Graduate Salary: $91,600
  • Graduate ROI: 645%
  • GMAT Required: Yes
  • Avg. GMAT: 538
  • Student / Faculty Ratio: 21:1
  • Business School Enrollment: 3,516

Degree Level(s):

  • Doctoral
  • ·
  • Master
  • ·
  • MBA
  • ·
  • Undergraduate

Offered As:

  • Campus
  • ·
  • Full-Time
  • ·
  • Online
  • Concentrations: 1
  • Accounting
  • Corporate Finance
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • General Business
  • Global Management
  • Information Systems
  • International Business
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Supply Chain
  • Taxation
  • Rankings
  • City Rank: 1
  • State Rank: 2
  • National Rank: 183
  • Online Rank: 125
  • Best in:

University of Nebraska at Kearney

College of Business and Technology

Location:

  • Kearney

,

  • NE

Control: Public

Academic Year: Semester

Accredited: AACSB

Accreditation: Business and Accounting

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  • Tuition: $9,603
  • Graduate Salary: $60,296
  • Graduate ROI: 627%
  • GMAT Required: No
  • Avg. GMAT: 490
  • Student / Faculty Ratio: 11:1
  • Business School Enrollment: 718

Degree Level(s):

  • MBA
  • ·
  • Undergraduate

Offered As:

  • Campus
  • ·
  • Full-Time
  • ·
  • Online
  • ·
  • Part-Time
  • Concentrations: 5
  • Accounting
  • Corporate Finance
  • Data Analytics
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • General Business
  • Insurance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Product Management
  • Project Management
  • Supply Chain
  • Rankings
  • City Rank: 1
  • State Rank: 4
  • National Rank: 440
  • Online Rank: 327
  • Best in:

Governors State University

College of Business

Location:

  • University Park

,

  • IL

Control: Public

Academic Year: Semester

Accredited: AACSB

Accreditation: Business

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  • Tuition: $39,798
  • Graduate Salary: $52,811
  • Graduate ROI: 130%
  • GMAT Required: Yes
  • Avg. GMAT: 590
  • Student / Faculty Ratio: 1:1
  • Business School Enrollment: 685

Degree Level(s):

  • Master
  • ·
  • MBA
  • ·
  • Undergraduate

Offered As:

  • Campus
  • ·
  • Distance Education
  • ·
  • Evenings
  • ·
  • Full-Time
  • ·
  • Online
  • ·
  • Part-Time
  • ·
  • Weekends
  • Concentrations: 4
  • Accounting
  • Data Analytics
  • Economics
  • General Business
  • Human Resources
  • Rankings
  • City Rank: 2
  • State Rank: 9
  • National Rank: 193
  • Online Rank: 132
  • Best in:

University of South Carolina Upstate

George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics

Location:

  • Spartanburg

,

  • SC

Control: Public

Academic Year: Semester

Accredited: AACSB

Accreditation: Business

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  • Tuition: $14,224
  • Graduate Salary: $74,302
  • Graduate ROI: 422%
  • GMAT Required: Yes
  • Avg. GMAT: 670
  • Student / Faculty Ratio: 12:1
  • Business School Enrollment: 572

Degree Level(s):

  • Master
  • ·
  • Undergraduate

Offered As:

  • Campus
  • ·
  • Full-Time
  • ·
  • Online
  • Concentrations: 8
  • Accounting
  • Data Analytics
  • Economics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • General Business
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Supply Chain
  • Rankings
  • City Rank: 1
  • State Rank: 4
  • National Rank: 149
  • Online Rank: 104
  • Best in:

Radford University

College of Business and Economics

Location:

  • Radford

,

  • VA

Control: Public

Academic Year: Semester

Accredited: AACSB

Accreditation: Business

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  • Tuition: $18,108
  • Graduate Salary: $91,600
  • Graduate ROI: 500%
  • GMAT Required: No
  • Avg. GMAT: 438
  • Student / Faculty Ratio: 13:1
  • Business School Enrollment: 1,026

Degree Level(s):

  • MBA
  • ·
  • Undergraduate

Offered As:

  • Campus
  • ·
  • Distance Education
  • ·
  • Full-Time
  • ·
  • Online
  • ·
  • Part-Time
  • Concentrations: 1
  • Accounting
  • Corporate Finance
  • Data Analytics
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • General Business
  • Information Systems
  • Insurance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Rankings
  • City Rank: 1
  • State Rank: 12
  • National Rank: 335
  • Online Rank: 243
  • Best in:

Frostburg State University

College of Business

Location:

  • Frostburg

,

  • MD

Control: Public

Academic Year: Semester

Accredited: AACSB

Accreditation: Business

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  • Tuition: $16,740
  • Graduate Salary: $56,600
  • Graduate ROI: 338%
  • GMAT Required: Yes
  • Avg. GMAT: 550
  • Student / Faculty Ratio: 8:1
  • Business School Enrollment: 449

Degree Level(s):

  • MBA
  • ·
  • Undergraduate

Offered As:

  • Campus
  • ·
  • Distance Education
  • ·
  • Evenings
  • ·
  • Full-Time
  • ·
  • Off Campus
  • ·
  • Online
  • ·
  • Part-Time
  • ·
  • Weekends
  • Concentrations: 3
  • Accounting
  • Corporate Finance
  • Economics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • Global Management
  • Hospitality Management
  • Human Resources
  • Insurance
  • International Business
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Rankings
  • City Rank: 1
  • State Rank: 5
  • National Rank: 254
  • Online Rank: 183
  • Best in:

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Richard T. Doermer School of Business

Location:

  • Fort Wayne

,

  • IN

Control: Public

Academic Year: Semester

Accredited: AACSB

Accreditation: Business

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  • Tuition: $17,784
  • Graduate Salary: $77,400
  • Graduate ROI: 362%
  • GMAT Required: No
  • Avg. GMAT: 530
  • Student / Faculty Ratio: 14:1
  • Business School Enrollment: 1,030

Degree Level(s):

  • MBA
  • ·
  • Undergraduate

Offered As:

  • Campus
  • ·
  • Evenings
  • ·
  • Online
  • ·
  • Part-Time
  • ·
  • Weekends
  • Concentrations: 2
  • Accounting
  • Corporate Finance
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • General Business
  • Hospitality Management
  • Management
  • Other
  • Rankings
  • City Rank: 1
  • State Rank: 13
  • National Rank: 307
  • Online Rank: 224
  • Best in:

University of Nebraska at Omaha

College of Business Administration

Location:

  • Omaha

,

  • NE

Control: Public

Academic Year: Semester

Accredited: AACSB

Accreditation: Business and Accounting

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  • Tuition: $13,893
  • Graduate Salary: $89,200
  • Graduate ROI: 410%
  • GMAT Required: No
  • Avg. GMAT: 500
  • Student / Faculty Ratio: 16:1
  • Business School Enrollment: 2,457

Degree Level(s):

  • E-MBA
  • ·
  • Master
  • ·
  • MBA
  • ·
  • Undergraduate

Offered As:

  • Campus
  • ·
  • Evenings
  • ·
  • Full-Time
  • ·
  • Online
  • ·
  • Part-Time
  • ·
  • Partnership
  • ·
  • Weekends
  • Concentrations: 25
  • Accounting
  • Corporate Finance
  • Data Analytics
  • E-Commerce
  • Economics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • Global Management
  • Healthcare Administration
  • Human Resources
  • International Business
  • Law
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Other
  • Real Estate
  • Supply Chain
  • Rankings
  • City Rank: 2
  • State Rank: 3
  • National Rank: 269
  • Online Rank: 194
  • Best in:

Oklahoma State University

Spears School of Business

Location:

  • Stillwater

,

  • OK

Control: Public

Academic Year: Semester

Accredited: AACSB

Accreditation: Business and Accounting

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  • Tuition: $27,192
  • Graduate Salary: $105,000
  • Graduate ROI: 386%
  • GMAT Required: Yes
  • Avg. GMAT: 630
  • Student / Faculty Ratio: 17:1
  • Business School Enrollment: 6,272

Degree Level(s):

  • Doctoral
  • ·
  • Master
  • ·
  • MBA
  • ·
  • Undergraduate

Offered As:

  • Campus
  • ·
  • Distance Education
  • ·
  • Full-Time
  • ·
  • Online
  • ·
  • Part-Time
  • Concentrations: 6
  • Accounting
  • Corporate Finance
  • Data Analytics
  • Economics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • General Business
  • Global Management
  • Hospitality Management
  • Information Systems
  • International Business
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Rankings
  • City Rank: 1
  • State Rank: 7
  • National Rank: 191
  • Online Rank: 131
  • Best in:

Weber State University

John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics

Location:

  • Layton

,

  • UT

Control: Public

Academic Year: Semester

Accredited: AACSB

Accreditation: Business and Accounting

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  • Tuition: $10,332
  • Graduate Salary: $121,000
  • Graduate ROI: 1,170%
  • GMAT Required: No
  • Avg. GMAT: 540
  • Student / Faculty Ratio: 21:1
  • Business School Enrollment: 1,694

Degree Level(s):

  • Master
  • ·
  • MBA
  • ·
  • Undergraduate

Offered As:

  • Campus
  • ·
  • Evenings
  • ·
  • Full-Time
  • ·
  • Off Campus
  • ·
  • Online
  • ·
  • Part-Time
  • ·
  • Weekends
  • Concentrations: 3
  • Accounting
  • Corporate Finance
  • Data Analytics
  • E-Commerce
  • Economics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • General Business
  • Information Systems
  • Insurance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Supply Chain
  • Taxation
  • Rankings
  • City Rank: 1
  • State Rank: 4
  • National Rank: 225
  • Online Rank: 159
  • Best in:

Compere 121 AACSB-Accredited Economics MBAs with Tuition Under the $33,271 National Average

Compare your many options using this sortable table of 121 AACSB-accredited MBA Economics programs with tuition under the national average of $33,271.

Sort programs using Rank, Tuition, Starting Salary, and ROI. Find the program(s) that offers the best potential return for your budget. Click on any school name to view a comprehensive school profile.

Rank University In State TuitionAvg. Starting SalaryROIStateOnline
1 Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi $4,884 $60,000 233.00%TXYes
2 Idaho State University $5,820 $52,872 908.00%IDYes
3 Georgia Southern University $6,802 $88,000 1,290.00%GAYes
4 Angelo State University $7,247 $81,000 1,110.00%TXYes
5 Tarleton State University $7,260 $81,926 1,100.00%TXYes
6 Indiana University Northwest $7,458 $75,000 906.00%INYes
7 Columbus State University $7,950 $74,000 930.00%GAYes
8 Appalachian State University $8,100 $67,833 837.00%NCYes
9 University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras $8,610 $60,000 331.00%PRYes
10 University of Central Arkansas $9,240 $53,700 581.00%ARYes
11 Tennessee State University $9,452 $107,108 1,033.00%TNYes
12 University of Nebraska at Kearney $9,603 $60,296 627.00%NEYes
13 Weber State University $10,332 $121,000 1,170.00%UTYes
14 Stephen F. Austin State University $10,600 $65,950 467.00%TXYes
15 Sam Houston State University $11,520 $69,200 600.00%TXYes
16 University of Arkansas at Little Rock $11,584 $63,300 250.00%ARYes
17 Mississippi State University $11,670 $91,600 645.00%MSYes
17 University of Alabama in Huntsville $11,670 $60,200 515.00%ALYes
19 The University of Texas at Arlington $11,950 $78,000 652.00%TXYes
20 Pittsburg State University $11,970 $45,600 380.00%KSYes
21 Indiana University South Bend $12,180 $60,300 495.00%INYes
22 California State University, Fullerton $12,255 $84,536 689.00%CAYes
23 Jacksonville State University $12,300 $95,570 370.00%ALYes
24 Florida Gulf Coast University $12,322 $59,700 345.00%FLYes
25 Alabama A&M University $12,660 $62,000 489.00%ALYes
26 Southeast Missouri State University $13,530 $59,400 330.00%MOYes
27 University of Nebraska at Omaha $13,893 $89,200 410.00%NEYes
28 Ball State University $13,920 $44,394 318.00%INYes
29 University of Alabama at Birmingham $14,184 $68,800 485.00%ALYes
30 Youngstown State University $14,190 $37,590 264.00%OHYes
31 Troy University $14,725 $83,360 566.00%ALYes
32 University of South Dakota $14,850 $68,000 457.00%SDYes
32 The University of Mississippi $14,850 $75,537 508.00%MSYes
34 New Mexico State University $14,940 $73,500 491.00%NMYes
35 University of South Alabama $15,150 $49,200 242.00%ALYes
36 East Texas A&M University $15,210 $65,300 429.00%TXYes
37 University of Central Oklahoma $15,500 $62,400 402.00%OKYes
38 University of Illinois at Springfield $15,720 $85,000 540.00%ILYes
39 Jackson State University $15,750 $55,900 286.00%MSYes
40 Francis Marion University $15,900 $42,600 168.00%SCYes
41 Slippery Rock University $16,020 $61,100 380.00%PAYes
42 Frostburg State University $16,740 $56,600 338.00%MDYes
43 Salisbury University $16,860 $59,700 354.00%MDYes
44 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley $16,992 $65,600 270.00%TXYes
45 University of Nevada, Las Vegas $17,031 $105,000 616.00%NVYes
46 Louisiana Tech University $17,100 $75,383 440.00%LAYes
47 Missouri State University $17,250 $62,400 313.00%MOYes
48 Tennessee Technological University $17,643 $63,997 362.00%TNYes
49 University of North Florida $17,784 $62,014 348.00%FLNo
49 Purdue University Fort Wayne $17,784 $77,400 362.00%INYes
51 Southern Illinois University Carbondale $17,820 $43,087 241.00%ILYes
52 The University of Texas at El Paso $17,954 $52,900 290.00%TXYes
53 Radford University $18,108 $91,600 500.00%VAYes
54 Western Kentucky University $18,210 $62,000 392.00%KYYes
55 Marshall University $18,320 $49,500 270.00%WVYes
56 University of Northern Iowa $18,344 $50,856 277.00%IANo
57 The University of North Dakota $18,391 $46,200 251.00%NDYes
58 Kent State University $18,410 $69,206 375.00%OHYes
59 Bowling Green State University $18,760 $86,141 450.00%OHYes
60 University of West Georgia $18,900 $70,000 370.00%GAYes
61 University of Alaska Anchorage $19,008 $63,838 330.00%AKYes
62 Baruch College-The City University of New York $19,200 $102,000 531.00%NYYes
63 Midwestern State University $19,503 $52,872 273.00%TXYes
64 Washburn University $19,590 $65,000 260.00%KSNo
65 Georgia College & State University $19,800 $71,800 213.00%GAYes
66 Berry College $20,000 $53,850 156.00%GANo
67 West Chester University of PA $20,100 $89,000 442.00%PAYes
68 Colorado State University-Pueblo $20,700 $49,500 105.00%COYes
69 Oklahoma City University $21,240 $74,000 348.00%OKYes
70 Millsaps College $21,900 $46,750 30.00%MSYes
71 Temple University $21,984 $101,659 460.00%PAYes
72 Kennesaw State University $21,990 $123,000 559.00%GAYes
73 East Tennessee State University $22,000 $52,400 295.00%TNYes
74 University of Tennessee at Martin $22,420 $57,450 417.00%TNYes
75 Middle Tennessee State University $22,506 $89,000 395.00%TNYes
76 State University of New York College at Brockport $22,860 $55,950 273.00%NYYes
77 University of Cincinnati $23,000 $110,000 478.00%OHYes
78 California State University, Los Angeles $23,004 $99,100 430.00%CANo
79 Texas State University $23,365 $56,734 240.00%TXNo
80 Wright State University $23,400 $115,000 310.00%OHYes
81 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater $23,536 $78,000 330.00%WIYes
82 Saginaw Valley State University $24,000 $102,450 373.00%MIYes
83 James Madison University $24,066 $101,349 22.00%VAYes
84 West Virginia University $24,273 $65,000 155.00%WVYes
85 Virginia Commonwealth University $24,300 $85,000 349.00%VAYes
86 The University of Texas at San Antonio $24,512 $78,000 318.00%TXYes
87 The University of Memphis $24,552 $45,882 186.00%TNYes
88 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh $25,740 $87,400 200.00%WIYes
89 Drake University $25,848 $79,500 300.00%IAYes
90 The University of Tampa $26,070 $78,500 301.00%FLNo
91 Old Dominion University $26,273 $93,381 355.00%VAYes
92 California State University, Fresno $26,550 $88,500 228.00%CANo
93 Dominican University $26,670 $113,000 253.00%ILYes
94 William Paterson University $26,752 $70,500 260.00%NJYes
95 University of Scranton $27,180 $78,000 286.00%PAYes
96 Oklahoma State University $27,192 $105,000 386.00%OKYes
97 The University of North Carolina at Greensboro $27,500 $83,200 302.00%NCYes
98 Western Michigan University $27,540 $100,000 363.00%MIYes
99 Oakland University $28,000 $70,800 252.00%MIYes
100 University of Wyoming $28,296 $99,720 352.00%WYYes
101 Boise State University $28,397 $76,444 269.00%IDYes
102 Nichols College $28,440 $55,392 190.00%MAYes
103 Western Connecticut State University $28,638 $80,850 282.00%COYes
104 The University of Alabama $29,194 $77,723 260.00%ALYes
105 University of Tennessee at Knoxville $29,600 $112,000 378.00%TNYes
106 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga $29,700 $82,000 276.00%TNNo
107 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire $30,600 $69,747 227.00%WIYes
107 Palm Beach Atlantic University $30,600 $57,500 180.00%FLNo
109 University of Florida $30,771 $130,000 422.00%FLYes
110 California State University, Northridge $30,897 $77,400 151.00%CANo
111 University of South Carolina $31,014 $105,000 338.00%SCNo
112 The Ohio State University $31,316 $149,006 475.00%OHYes
113 Florida Atlantic University $32,000 $60,000 187.00%FLYes
114 University of Hartford $32,004 $94,500 295.00%CTYes
115 Niagara University $32,040 $59,700-0NYYes
116 Belmont University $32,175 $82,200 19.00%TNNo
117 Central Michigan University $32,472 $62,900 193.00%MIYes
118 Creighton University $33,000 $65,000 190.00%NEYes
119 University of Kentucky $33,264 $112,000 336.00%KYYes
120 University of Dayton $33,300 $96,466 289.00%OHYes
121 Le Moyne College $33,336 $61,100 70.00%NYNo

You might also be interested in the best ranked MBA and Master’s degrees in Economics here:  Online | In-Person

Find Affordable Online MBA Programs Now Accepting Economics Applicants

Our Ranking Methodology for High-Value Affordable Economics MBA Programs

MBAGuide.org’s ranking methodology combines quantitative data (80%) like student-faculty ratio, tuition, enrollment, and post-graduation salaries with qualitative factors (20%) such as editorial ratings and school reputation.

Additionally, for the most affordable and high value programs, we aim to find program tuition well below the national average for that degree, with graduate salaries that are above the national average to competitive to it and graduate ROI of of more than 200% within each degree, enabling prospective students to find high-quality, cost-effective options tailored to their location and career aspirations.

Most Affordable AACSB-Accredited Online MBA Programs by Concentration

Business School Data Sources from

See all data sources including 756 College and University Programs

Compare These National Averages for Economics Programs to the Affordable AACSB MBA Programs Above

$76,266

Average Tuition

$79,708

Average Starting Salary

559

Average GMAT Scores

215%

Average Graduate ROI

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