If we’re being honest, “MBA” looks and sounds impressive on any resume, but you may be wondering, “What does MBA stand for?” Let’s dive in, shall we?

MBA stands for Master of Business Administration. This graduate degree prepares you to enter management and leadership positions in the business field. The need for individuals with strong business acumen has been evident since the early 20th century, and Harvard University was the first educational institution in the world to answer that need. Their MBA program set the training standard for business administrators across all employment fields and industries. No pressure, right?

As society and business have evolved, so has the MBA. Today, most MBA programs strive to enhance candidates’ leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. Many programs offer specialization or concentration options in order to more finely tune the learning outcomes and to allow students to choose their own entrepreneurial path.

Earning your MBA provides an invaluable opportunity to build your professional network and hone your business acumen for your future entrepreneurial endeavors. These two assets generally enable MBA holders to attain more senior roles. Some of the most sought after positions for MBA graduates in 2018 were:

• Business operations manager
• Marketing manager
• Operations research analyst
• Management analyst

Suffice it to say, another answer to “What can I do with an MBA?” is: earn more money. In 2017, MBA graduates earned an average starting salary of $110,000, compared to just $60,000 for those with only a bachelor’s degree.

At their base, most MBA programs offer the same types of courses and have similar goals for their candidates. So when you’re considering your choices, don’t just ask yourself “what’s an MBA program like,” but also ask yourself what an MBA program offers. Accounting is accounting; no matter where you go, math doesn’t change. But things like a strong alumni network, school reputation, and the quality of the curriculum will help serve as an extra boost when you’re searching for a job after graduation.

We won’t dance around this subject: An MBA program is meant to be challenging for the candidates. The coursework is time-consuming and rigorous, and balancing a full-time career and a full-time MBA program could make it difficult to give your best effort at either endeavor. As we mentioned earlier, some MBA programs offer specializations or concentrations. Traditionally these tend to include marketing, finance, accounting, leadership, and international business. Choosing a concentration allows you to become a specialist in a particular field, and will further set you apart from your peers.

As society evolved, so did MBA programs. Nowadays, there are several different methods to attain your MBA. You could go the traditional route and attend a full-time on-ground program, or you could choose a part-time on-ground program that you attend at night after work. You could also attend a hybrid program that mixes in-person meetings with online work. Another attendance option is a part-time online MBA, which allows you to complete your coursework in your spare time while you continue to actively further your current career.

There are also more targeted MBA options depending on the student’s work experience, schedule, and goals. Some of these include: executive MBAs that are targeted toward professionals who have been working for at least 10 years in the business industry, accelerated MBAs that allow students to finish the program more quickly, and global MBAs that function a bit like foreign exchange programs and allow students to get a global perspective on business.

Our Featured MBA Programs!

To help you get started – we have compiled a list of some of the top online programs. Earn while you learn and gain the education you need to back your experience and advance your career.