The Miller
College of Business MBA—an Intentionally Designed Degree Tailored to the Needs
of Today’s Online Learners.
Attend a Live Webinar to Learn More
Want to learn more? Join us for a free, virtual information session. After you attend, you will be eligible for an application fee waiver.
Our
nationally ranked MBA is structured to meet the needs of contemporary learners
who aspire for career advancement and lifelong learning. Our accomplished
faculty collaborate with professional instructional consultants to create
meaningful courses that equip you with the knowledge and skills to LEAD and
succeed. Our quality program is challenging and meaningful and offered to you at
a lower cost than other highly ranked programs.
The MBA is a
flexible online program that fits your schedule. You can take full advantage of
this flexibility while retaining the option of real-time online engagement with
our teacher-scholar instructors and peers on a weekly basis. You can select
from a variety of high-demand concentrations and from a range of electives.
A High-Value MBA with a Competitive Cost
The image above, titled "Compare Online MBA Tuition in Indiana," highlights Ball State University's online MBA program as the most affordable option among four major Indiana universities. A bar chart compares the four Indiana universities. The horizontal axis measures tuition costs, ranging from $0 to $100,000. The chart compares the online MBA costs of the four universities, ordered from least to most expensive:
- Ball State University: Less than $17,000 (Ranked #14 by U.S. News)
- Purdue University: More than $34,000
- Butler University: More than $37,000
- Indiana University: More than $94,000
Compared to other online MBA programs in Indiana, your Ball State University MBA will give you a competitive edge in the workforce for significantly less cost. Consider what you'll gain for less than $17,000 tuition cost:
- Nationally ranked, recognized, and respected MBA degree
- AACSB-accredited (less than 5% of the world’s business schools have this!)
- Diverse and high-demand concentrations to tailor your degree to your career path
- Foundational knowledge and skills in all areas of business
Additionally, our online MBA alumni report that they earn an average salary increase of $20,346 within four months of graduation—enough for Indiana residents to recoup their investment in the MBA in just four months.
Cost of tuition and fees will depend on factors such as prior credits, place of residence, and whether you take a part- or full-time course schedule. We encourage you to compare the cost to other institutions in the state.
Accredited Online MBA Program in Indiana
We are among the world's top five percent of all business schools to have accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, placing the quality of our instruction among the best in the world. Learn More.
Quick Facts
Next Start Date:
May 11, 2026
- Delivery: 100% Online
- Major Credits: 30 to 39
- Seven concentrations
- Nationally Ranked: 14th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report
Flexible Delivery
We understand that many of our students have families, full-time professions, and countless other responsibilities outside of their schoolwork. That is why our program offers flexibility in how you complete your degree.
Earning your MBA at Ball State means you may:
- Take classes online with flexible scheduling options
- Complete your degree either full-time or part-time
- Begin your program in the fall, spring, or summer
How Online Learning Works
Our MBA students earn their degrees completely online. We don’t have a residency requirement, so you never have to come to campus.
With Ball State, you don’t have to sacrifice quality to pursue an MBA online. As a virtual learner, you’ll access the same quality coursework and distinguished faculty as on-campus students. Supported by our robust technical support and student services, you’ll enjoy the type of flexibility and convenience that empowers you to continue working a full-time job while pursuing your studies. Most of our students are working professionals who enroll in an average of two courses each semester and finish within two years.
Learn more about how online learning works at Ball State.
Program Requirements
Ball State’s MBA includes 21 credits of core courses and 9 credits of MBA electives covering in-depth knowledge of business analytics, healthcare, finance, leadership, marketing, and more.
Also, if you don’t already have equivalent undergraduate business course work on your transcript, you might need to take certain foundation courses.
Total Credits
- You have a business degree—30
- You do not have a business degree—up to 39 (depends on how many foundation courses you need and which concentration you choose)
Core courses are the heart of a Ball State MBA and will give you the advanced skills you need for strategic thinking, decision-making, leading, and communicating. You will take seven core courses for a total of 21 credits.
- MBA 601 Leadership
- MBA 611 Statistics and Quantitative Methods
- MBA 631 Accounting and Decision Making
- MBA 651 Economic Analysis for Managers
- MBA 661 Managerial Finance
- MBA 671 Marketing Management
- MBA 691 Global Strategic Management
If you do not have an undergraduate degree in business or certain undergraduate courses in business-related topics, you will need to take up to three courses designed to give you foundational business knowledge that will prepare you for the rigorous courses that are within the Ball State MBA program.
You may need all or only some of the following courses, depending on your academic background. After you apply, your transcript will be reviewed and you will be notified which foundation courses you may need.
- BUSA 601 Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance
- BUSA 602 Fundamentals of Economics and Statistics
- BUSA 603 Operations Management
Master of Business Administration Concentrations
Choose from 7 concentrations in high-demand fields. The Ball State MBA concentrations help customize a plan of study to meet your goals.
If you’d like to work for a firm where artificial intelligence (AI) play a critical role, where you can find a management or leadership position in an emerging field, Ball State’s MBA, with a concentration in artificial intelligence, could be the option you are seeking.
The artificial intelligence concentration will provide you with a broad understanding of the fundamentals and importance of artificial intelligence.
Your course work will cover the foundations of artificial intelligence including approaches, algorithms, platforms, and uses for AI. You’ll also get an overview of the knowledge necessary to understand, evaluate, adopt, or oversee artificial intelligence operations or initiatives. Information and communication strategies are presented through class lectures, research and presentations, and hands-on labs.
Required Courses
Choose three courses from:
- ICS 620 Information and Communication Technologies, Standards and Lab I
- ICS 625 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- ICS 698 Problems in Information Systems
- ISOM 621 Contemporary Business Information Systems
Are your career plans pointing you to positions such as . . .
- Business Analyst
- Business Analytics Manager
- Market Analyst
- Risk Analyst
- Network Security Analyst
- Business Consultant
- Business Intelligence Project Manager
- Information Systems Manager
- Supply Chain Analyst
- Digital Product Manager
Ball State’s MBA concentration in Business Analytics—one of several concentrations available within the MBA—will direct you in the study of theories, techniques, and applications of business analytics. You will learn to use data-based discoveries to alleviate organizational risks and the skills to interpret large data sets. You’ll grow your career as you cultivate an analytics-based leadership mindset. You’ll develop both quantitative and analytical skills as you work with real-world problems from the business domain.
Required Courses
- ISOM 608 Business Analytics
- ISOM 610 Data Visualization for the Professions
- ISOM 613 Systems and Data Management: Analysis and Design
About This MBA Concentration
The construction management concentration is for you if you work in a field that’s related to the construction industry and want to understand how the broader industry functions and make your contributions more meaningful.
For example, if you’re accountant working for a large general contractor, you would be a more integrated team member if you understood how the project has been estimated, scheduled, bid, and selected.
In other words, you would better understand how your role affects the overall project success. Our MBA construction management concentration is a specialized business degree that supports a significant market segment. Or you might take these courses as electives that you find useful as part of the general MBA track.
A Driving Force for Jobs
Construction is a driving force in today’s national economy. Consider: the construction industry is composed of more than 680,000 employers, who employ more than seven million employees, who build almost $1.3 trillion worth of structure each year, according to Associated General Contractors (AGC).
Meanwhile, the job outlook for construction managers is upbeat, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics, after forecasting in 2018 a job growth of 10 percent by 2028.
Required Courses
All courses are delivered completely online or on campus with an online option.
- CM 610 Construction Leadership
- CM 611 Construction Cost and Time Control
- CM 612 Construction Quality and Risk Control
Learn More
If you’re on track—or in search of a track—to positions such as financial analyst, budget analyst, financial manager, corporate treasurer/controller, or management consultant, Ball State’s Finance concentration can give you the analytic and theoretical tools needed once you get there.
Finance professionals are needed to provide critical input to businesses, governments, not-for-profit entities, and financial institutions. Your track may lead you into such fields as commercial banking, corporate finance, insurance, private equity, real estate, or financial planning. You will need the analytic and theoretical tools required to master practical issues in finance.
Employers Watch for Master’s Degrees
Although financial managers typically need at least a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics, or business administration, many employers prefer to hire candidates who have a master’s degree in those same fields, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
While you may bring a bachelor’s in business to the MBA program, the Finance concentration actually requires little or no knowledge of finance and welcomes students from outside the discipline.
Required Courses
- FIN 650 Investment Management
- FIN 680 Global Financial Policy
- RMI 670 Risk Management and Insurance
Apply Your Business Skills to Healthcare
If you’re a healthcare professional and eager for advancement, the MBA program offers a healthcare administration concentration that provides you with the knowledge and experience that will move you into an administrative role. In addition to developing a comprehensive understanding of state-of-the-art business practices, you’ll learn to apply business knowledge to the healthcare field.
Concentration Fulfills ACHE Core Competencies
The concentration is designed to fulfill the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Core Competencies for Healthcare Management, ensuring that it provides the skill set necessary for advancement in the field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The demand for healthcare managers and administrators is growing at a rate faster than most other industries.
As a student in the healthcare administration concentration, you will enroll in the following courses:
Required Courses
- MBA 640 Introduction to Healthcare Administration
- MBA 647 Financial Management and Performance Evaluation in Healthcare Organizations
- MBA 649 Health Care Policy and Strategy
Learn More
If you’ve always wanted to work for a technology company, or a highly tech-enabled company, but also fascinated by organizational leadership, our MBA concentration in information technology leadership can help make it happen.
This IT leadership concentration, one of eight offered through the Ball State MBA, will provide you with an understanding of the fundamental technologies and technology-related processes essential to organizational leadership. Your courses will cover key emerging technologies including IoT, coding, cloud services, and technology fundamentals. You’ll also learn how to apply leadership practices and skills in the context of technology and technology-enabled firms.
Required Courses
Choose three courses from:
- ICS 601 Foundations of Information and Communication Sciences
- ICS 620 Information and Communication Technologies, Standards and Lab I
- ICS 699 Problems in Information and Communication Management
- ISOM 621 Contemporary Business Information Systems
If you’ve ever thought about the flow of materials, supplies, and products from suppliers to clients—and ways to the improve that flow—you might think about Ball State’s MBA concentration in logistics and supply chain management.
This concentration prepares you for positions such as logistics manager, supply chain manager, procurement manager, or supplier manager. Different companies give these positions different names. For example, you could be a marketing analyst working on an organization’s supply chain.
As a logistician, you play a major corporate role because you are pursuing profitability in an increasingly complex and global economy. Because you’ll need to have knowledge of supply chain management, project management, and quality management, while managing the life cycle of a project, our course work is exactly what supply chain professionals need.
Required Courses
- ISOM 651 Supply Chain Management
- ISOM 654 Project Management
- ISOM 655 Quality Management
Supply Chain Rewards
A survey by the Association of Supply Chain Management (ASCM) suggests that the field has its rewards. The ACSM survey said 80 percent of supply chain professionals rated their careers as an 8, 9, or 10, on a 0-10 scale, while 95 percent gave an average rating of 8.5
Those rewards are also financial, according to the survey, with logistics professionals holding graduate degrees or higher reporting a median salary 25 percent more than those with only an undergraduate degree.
More than half, or 57 percent, reported having the option to work from home as needed.
Looking for a more general approach to your MBA studies? This 30-credit option is designed for professionals to develop knowledge and skills in fundamental business disciplines. This program will provide you with the most flexibility to customize your program to your career and educational goals.
Graduate Certificates
Not sure if you are ready for an MBA? Our business administration certificate is an excellent way to earn credits toward an MBA by completing the foundation courses. Or if you’re interested in a more specialized area, consider our certificates in business analytics or healthcare administration. Explore our certificates.
MBA Dual Degree Options
If your interests run beyond what the MBA offers, you can earn a second master's degree with nine shared credits from the online MBA program. Ball State’s online MBA program already shares credits with the following programs:
Online Master’s Degrees
On-Campus Master's Degrees
You can find more information about the admissions requirements and credits for earning a dual degree in the Graduate Catalog. If you still have questions after reviewing the Graduate Catalog, contact Allison Logan, assistant director of graduate business programs.
Meet Our Students
Leslie Hurst
“I definitely wanted something that offered flexibility with my rigorous work schedule and family life. So, being able to take asynchronous classes, I looked at some of the colleges nearby in Kentucky, and I wasn’t able to find a healthcare concentration or an asynchronous format in those.”
Read Her Story
Becky Hultberg
"The business knowledge I received from the MBA program has enabled me to manage my organization more effectively and deepened my understanding of the business challenges faced by my hospital members."
Read Her Story
Ashley Sims
“My students actually were very appreciative of the fact that I was in the game with them. They said, ‘Oh, you have a quiz this weekend. You got finals too.’ I remember how you feel because I’m doing it now. It was fun,”
Read Her Story
Timothy Finnegan
"I would join the live class, but if I couldn’t, it was very nice to be able to catch up on the recorded version. Ball State was so adaptable to my current lifestyle."
Read His Story
Amy Collins
“You don’t have to wait until your degree is complete to begin to use the knowledge."
Read Her Story
Kendra Martz
"I’m a big believer in getting a degree in the hopes that you can apply your knowledge for a future job... I didn’t want to get an MBA just to pad my resume."
Read Her Story
Terry Pharaon
An electrical engineer for Marathon Petroleum Corporation, he’s always on the lookout for efficient ways to complete projects, access energy, and limit waste.
Read His Story
Previous
Next
Paying for Your Education
Financial Aid for MBA Students
On top of the many financial aid options offered through our Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, we have graduate assistantships and scholarships for our students. Learn more.
Ready to Apply?
If you’re prepared to take the next step in your academic or career journey, then we want you for the Ball State MBA. Learn more about our admission requirements and how to apply, or go directly to our graduate admissions office by clicking below.
Get Started
More Information
Have questions? Want to learn more about our program or schedule a visit?