Best Online Associate Degrees In Business Management Of 2024

Consider Your Future Goals

An online associate degree in business management can lead directly to entry-level roles in business fields like marketing, human resources and finance. If you aspire to more advanced roles, you should take a few factors into consideration when choosing your associate program.

If you want to continue on to a four-year business program—and maybe even an M.B.A. degree—you should investigate community colleges with transfer pathways to four-year universities. In general, credits from Associate of Science and Associate of Arts degrees are more transferable than college credits from Associate of Applied Science programs, but this is not always the case.

Moreover, if you eventually want to work in a specific business field, you should investigate programs that include internship opportunities. By completing an internship in your desired subfield, you’ll gain work experience and build connections with future employers.

Understand Your Expenses and Financing Options

Per-credit tuition rates for the 10 programs in our guide range from $77 to $176. Extrapolated over a typical 60-credit associate degree, these rates translate to approximately $4,600 to $10,600 in total tuition costs. Keep in mind that these are typically in-district or in-state tuition rates, and you will likely have to pay higher rates if you are an out-of-state student.

As a point of comparison, the National Center for Education Statistics found that during the 2022–23 academic year, public, two-year universities charged an average annual tuition rate of $3,598, which translates to around $7,200 for a two-year associate degree.

Submit the FAFSA to ensure your eligibility for federal student aid opportunities like loans, grants and scholarships. Your college might offer financial aid as well, and you can also pursue scholarships and grants through third-party organizations like nonprofits.