How Much Does MBA Degree Cost?
Updated for 2026 — national average costs with state-by-state breakdowns
Low End
$20,000
Average
$65,000
High End
$150,000
total program
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What Does MBA Degree Include?
An MBA (Master of Business Administration) costs vary dramatically between online programs, state schools, and top-ranked programs. Total cost includes tuition, fees, books, and opportunity cost of time.
The national average cost for mba degree is $65,000 total program. Most homeowners pay between $20,000 and $150,000, though costs can vary significantly based on your location, the scope of work, and other factors outlined below.
What Affects the Price?
Program Type
Online: $20K-$60K. State school: $30K-$80K. Top 25: $100K-$200K total
Top Schools
Harvard/Stanford/Wharton: $150K-$200K tuition alone. Average starting salary post-MBA: $150K-$175K
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Key Cost Factors
- ✓School ranking and prestige
- ✓In-state vs out-of-state
- ✓Online vs in-person
- ✓Full-time vs part-time
- ✓Scholarships and assistantships
- ✓Living expenses
💡 Tips to Save Money
- 1.Employer tuition reimbursement covers $5,000-$20,000+ per year at many companies
- 2.Online MBA programs from accredited schools cost 50-70% less
- 3.Consider ROI carefully — a top-20 MBA has different returns than a lower-ranked program
- 4.Apply for assistantships and merit scholarships
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📈 MBA Degree Cost Trends (2020–2024)
Prices have increased +17.7% over the last 5 years
$55,210
2020
$57,529
2021
$61,268
2022
$62,984
2023
$65,000
2024
| Year | National Avg | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $55,210 | — |
| 2021 | $57,529 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $61,268 | +6.5% |
| 2023 | $62,984 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $65,000 | +3.2% |
Based on national averages adjusted for annual inflation. Actual costs vary by location and project scope.
MBA Degree Cost by State
Costs vary significantly by state due to labor rates, cost of living, and local market conditions. Click any state for a detailed breakdown.
| State | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $16,400 | $53,300 | $123,000 |
| Alaska | $25,600 | $83,200 | $192,000 |
| Arizona | $19,000 | $61,750 | $142,500 |
| Arkansas | $16,000 | $52,000 | $120,000 |
| California | $27,000 | $87,750 | $202,500 |
| Colorado | $21,600 | $70,200 | $162,000 |
| Connecticut | $24,400 | $79,300 | $183,000 |
| Delaware | $21,000 | $68,250 | $157,500 |
| Florida | $19,600 | $63,700 | $147,000 |
| Georgia | $18,000 | $58,500 | $135,000 |
| Hawaii | $28,400 | $92,300 | $213,000 |
| Idaho | $18,400 | $59,800 | $138,000 |
| Illinois | $21,000 | $68,250 | $157,500 |
| Indiana | $17,600 | $57,200 | $132,000 |
| Iowa | $17,200 | $55,900 | $129,000 |
| Kansas | $17,000 | $55,250 | $127,500 |
| Kentucky | $16,800 | $54,600 | $126,000 |
| Louisiana | $17,400 | $56,550 | $130,500 |
| Maine | $20,400 | $66,300 | $153,000 |
| Maryland | $23,000 | $74,750 | $172,500 |
| Massachusetts | $26,000 | $84,500 | $195,000 |
| Michigan | $18,400 | $59,800 | $138,000 |
| Minnesota | $20,400 | $66,300 | $153,000 |
| Mississippi | $15,600 | $50,700 | $117,000 |
| Missouri | $17,400 | $56,550 | $130,500 |
| Montana | $19,000 | $61,750 | $142,500 |
| Nebraska | $17,600 | $57,200 | $132,000 |
| Nevada | $20,400 | $66,300 | $153,000 |
| New Hampshire | $22,400 | $72,800 | $168,000 |
| New Jersey | $25,000 | $81,250 | $187,500 |
| New Mexico | $18,000 | $58,500 | $135,000 |
| New York | $26,400 | $85,800 | $198,000 |
| North Carolina | $18,000 | $58,500 | $135,000 |
| North Dakota | $18,000 | $58,500 | $135,000 |
| Ohio | $18,000 | $58,500 | $135,000 |
| Oklahoma | $16,600 | $53,950 | $124,500 |
| Oregon | $22,000 | $71,500 | $165,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $20,400 | $66,300 | $153,000 |
| Rhode Island | $23,000 | $74,750 | $172,500 |
| South Carolina | $17,400 | $56,550 | $130,500 |
| South Dakota | $17,000 | $55,250 | $127,500 |
| Tennessee | $17,200 | $55,900 | $129,000 |
| Texas | $18,600 | $60,450 | $139,500 |
| Utah | $19,000 | $61,750 | $142,500 |
| Vermont | $21,600 | $70,200 | $162,000 |
| Virginia | $21,000 | $68,250 | $157,500 |
| Washington | $23,000 | $74,750 | $172,500 |
| West Virginia | $16,000 | $52,000 | $120,000 |
| Wisconsin | $18,800 | $61,100 | $141,000 |
| Wyoming | $18,400 | $59,800 | $138,000 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is an MBA worth the cost?
Top-20 MBA programs show strong ROI with average starting salaries of $150K+. For lower-ranked programs, the ROI depends heavily on your career goals and how much you pay.
🏙️ MBA Degree Cost by City
Compare mba degree costs in the most popular US cities:
New York City
NY
$94,250
Los Angeles
CA
$89,700
Chicago
IL
$74,750
Houston
TX
$61,750
Phoenix
AZ
$63,700
Philadelphia
PA
$72,800
San Antonio
TX
$57,200
San Diego
CA
$85,800
Dallas
TX
$66,300
San Jose
CA
$98,800
Austin
TX
$68,250
Jacksonville
FL
$59,800
Fort Worth
TX
$61,750
Columbus
OH
$58,500
Charlotte
NC
$61,750
Indianapolis
IN
$57,200
View all 219 cities →
San Francisco, CA
$100,750
Seattle, WA
$84,500
Denver, CO
$74,750
Washington D.C., DC
$87,750
Nashville, TN
$65,000
Oklahoma City, OK
$53,300
El Paso, TX
$53,300
Boston, MA
$91,000
Portland, OR
$76,700
Las Vegas, NV
$66,300
Memphis, TN
$53,300
Louisville, KY
$55,250
Baltimore, MD
$71,500
Milwaukee, WI
$59,800
Albuquerque, NM
$57,200
Tucson, AZ
$57,200
Fresno, CA
$68,250
Sacramento, CA
$76,700
Mesa, AZ
$61,750
Kansas City, MO
$58,500
Atlanta, GA
$68,250
Omaha, NE
$57,200
Colorado Springs, CO
$66,300
Raleigh, NC
$63,700
Long Beach, CA
$87,750
Virginia Beach, VA
$68,250
Miami, FL
$78,000
Oakland, CA
$94,250
Minneapolis, MN
$70,200
Tampa, FL
$66,300
Tulsa, OK
$53,300
Arlington, TX
$61,750
New Orleans, LA
$61,750
Pittsburgh, PA
$61,750
St. Louis, MO
$57,200
Bakersfield, CA
$66,300
Anaheim, CA
$87,750
Honolulu, HI
$97,500
Santa Ana, CA
$85,800
Riverside, CA
$74,750
Corpus Christi, TX
$55,250
Lexington, KY
$57,200
Stockton, CA
$71,500
Henderson, NV
$66,300
St. Paul, MN
$68,250
Cincinnati, OH
$57,200
Anchorage, AK
$83,200
Greensboro, NC
$57,200
Plano, TX
$68,250
Newark, NJ
$81,250
Lincoln, NE
$55,250
Orlando, FL
$66,300
Irvine, CA
$91,000
Durham, NC
$61,750
Chula Vista, CA
$83,200
Toledo, OH
$53,300
Fort Wayne, IN
$53,300
Jersey City, NJ
$87,750
St. Petersburg, FL
$66,300
Laredo, TX
$52,000
Madison, WI
$63,700
Chandler, AZ
$63,700
Buffalo, NY
$59,800
Lubbock, TX
$53,300
Scottsdale, AZ
$72,800
Reno, NV
$68,250
Glendale, AZ
$61,750
Gilbert, AZ
$66,300
Winston-Salem, NC
$55,250
North Las Vegas, NV
$63,700
Norfolk, VA
$63,700
Chesapeake, VA
$66,300
Irving, TX
$65,000
Fremont, CA
$94,250
Richmond, VA
$63,700
Boise, ID
$63,700
San Bernardino, CA
$70,200
Spokane, WA
$61,750
Des Moines, IA
$55,250
Tacoma, WA
$74,750
Modesto, CA
$68,250
Fontana, CA
$71,500
Moreno Valley, CA
$70,200
Fayetteville, NC
$55,250
Birmingham, AL
$53,300
Rochester, NY
$59,800
Salt Lake City, UT
$68,250
Oxnard, CA
$79,300
Knoxville, TN
$55,250
Worcester, MA
$74,750
Brownsville, TX
$50,700
Grand Rapids, MI
$58,500
Newport News, VA
$61,750
Huntsville, AL
$55,250
Amarillo, TX
$53,300
Little Rock, AR
$53,300
Montgomery, AL
$52,000
Akron, OH
$53,300
Augusta, GA
$53,300
Baton Rouge, LA
$55,250
Mobile, AL
$52,000
Shreveport, LA
$52,000
Tallahassee, FL
$58,500
Hartford, CT
$74,750
Providence, RI
$72,800
Charleston, SC
$63,700
Savannah, GA
$57,200
Columbia, SC
$55,250
Chattanooga, TN
$55,250
Fort Lauderdale, FL
$76,700
Dayton, OH
$53,300
Sioux Falls, SD
$55,250
Springfield, MO
$52,000
Jackson, MS
$50,700
Palm Bay, FL
$61,750
Lakeland, FL
$59,800
Cape Coral, FL
$63,700
Pensacola, FL
$57,200
Port St. Lucie, FL
$63,700
Naperville, IL
$74,750
Tempe, AZ
$65,000
Overland Park, KS
$61,750
McKinney, TX
$66,300
Frisco, TX
$68,250
Cary, NC
$66,300
Clarksville, TN
$55,250
Cedar Rapids, IA
$53,300
Peoria, AZ
$63,700
Surprise, AZ
$61,750
Denton, TX
$63,700
Roseville, CA
$74,750
Gainesville, FL
$57,200
Bellevue, WA
$91,000
Murfreesboro, TN
$59,800
Round Rock, TX
$66,300
Columbia, MD
$74,750
Boulder, CO
$81,250
Ann Arbor, MI
$71,500
Santa Fe, NM
$68,250
Wilmington, NC
$59,800
Greenville, SC
$57,200
Fargo, ND
$55,250
Provo, UT
$63,700
Duluth, MN
$57,200
Billings, MT
$59,800
Missoula, MT
$63,700
Cheyenne, WY
$57,200
Burlington, VT
$70,200
Portland, ME
$70,200
Concord, NH
$68,250
Bismarck, ND
$55,250
Rapid City, SD
$55,250
Casper, WY
$57,200
Bangor, ME
$61,750
Charleston, WV
$52,000
Dover, DE
$63,700
Manchester, NH
$70,200
Bridgeport, CT
$78,000
Stamford, CT
$87,750
Wichita, KS
$53,300
Topeka, KS
$52,000
Springfield, IL
$55,250
Rockford, IL
$55,250
Erie, PA
$53,300
Scranton, PA
$55,250
Flint, MI
$50,700
Lansing, MI
$55,250
Syracuse, NY
$57,200
Albany, NY
$61,750
Eugene, OR
$68,250
Salem, OR
$66,300
Fort Collins, CO
$71,500
Pueblo, CO
$55,250
Aurora, CO
$70,200
Santa Barbara, CA
$91,000
Santa Rosa, CA
$83,200
Pasadena, CA
$89,700
Visalia, CA
$65,000
Pomona, CA
$76,700
Myrtle Beach, SC
$57,200
Daytona Beach, FL
$59,800
Sarasota, FL
$68,250
Naples, FL
$76,700
Ocala, FL
$55,250
Athens, GA
$55,250
Macon, GA
$52,000
Lexington, SC
$55,250
Asheville, NC
$66,300
Flagstaff, AZ
$70,200
Rochester, NY
$59,800
New Haven, CT
$70,200
Manchester, NH
$68,250
Augusta, GA
$53,300
Fort Myers, FL
$63,700
Wilmington, NC
$61,750
Arlington, VA
$84,500
Green Bay, WI
$55,250
South Bend, IN
$53,300
Bend, OR
$72,800
Bellingham, WA
$71,500
Midland, TX
$61,750
Waco, TX
$53,300
Newark, NJ
$78,000
Related Cost Guides
💬 What Did You Pay?
Real costs reported by homeowners for MBA Degree
$63,670
Avg Reported
$44,569
Lowest Reported
$92,322
Highest Reported
Recent Reports
$51,758
Dallas, TX · Jan 2024
★★★★☆
$60,512
Chicago, IL · Feb 2024
★★★★☆
$52,776
Phoenix, AZ · Mar 2024
★★★★☆
$69,093
Denver, CO · Apr 2024
★★★★☆
$66,446
Atlanta, GA · May 2024
★★★★☆
$71,994
Seattle, WA · Jun 2024
★★★★☆
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