UNH Today

U.S. News & World Report has ranked the University of New Hampshire’s online MBA program No. 37 in the nation, the highest ranking to date for the program. U.S. News’ ranking of Best Online MBA Programs includes 366 U.S. business schools.

Offered by UNH’s Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, the program has continued to rise in the ranking since it was first ranked at No. 78 in 2017.

The program also ranked No. 31 for Best Online MBA for Veterans. UNH participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which is available for students who are eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill at the 100% benefit level. There are 21 military veterans and service members enrolled in the program.

Among its New England peers UNH tied as the third-highest ranked program. New Hampshire’s only other ranked programs are Franklin Pierce University (No. 162) and New England College (No. 261-334).

“Being ranked among the top three online MBA programs in New England, and achieving this record-high national ranking, is an accomplishment our team is very proud off,” said UNH Paul College Dean Lucy Gilson. “We offer an outstanding program that offers students the flexibility to complete their degree at their pace using multiple different learning modalities. We are the best value for working professionals looking to advance or pivot their careers.”

Paul’s online MBA program has seen steady growth since it launched 10 years ago. As of October 2022, 173 students were enrolled in the program. They come from a variety of industries and have an average of nearly 9 years of work experience.

A distinctive feature of UNH’s online MBA program is that students also can take face-to-face evening courses at either the Durham or Manchester campuses, including hybrid courses that combine both online and face-to-face learning experiences.

According to Victoria Parker, Paul College associate dean for graduate education and faculty administration, the program also stands out in three other areas.

“We are the only online MBA program in New Hampshire to hold AACSB accreditation, the highest accreditation standard for business schools worldwide,” Parker said. “Online students get the same experience as our students who take classes face to face, including being taught by the same accomplished faculty and receiving similar academic and career supports. Our program is small, and small class sizes foster interaction and project-based work among and between students and professors.”

Parker added that professors teaching in the program work continuously to improve delivery of courses by sharing best practices to provide students with a consistent experience. Staff also have worked to make student services more accessible for online students by creating on-demand video content.

U.S. News ranks online MBA programs based on information regarding five dimensions that contribute to the quality of those programs. These categories include the ability of students to engage with faculty and classmates, the academic strength of the student body and graduation rate, the program’s reputation among leaders of peer programs, faculty credentials and training, and student services and technology.