Â鶹Éç

An MBA had long been something aspiring entrepreneurs got before launching their businesses, or during pauses in their careers. But more small-business owners are getting an MBA as a booster, applied when someone’s business needs it. Stephen Taylor, assistant dean of graduate programs at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business, says online MBA programs are full of these students –and he regularly sees them using class lessons directly in their work.

“These programs are a relatively safe place for entrepreneurs to learn about how they can manage a business long-term or explore a business opportunity with help from the entire university’s research faculty and other students,” he says. “It’s a whole network of advisers that stays with you for your whole life.”

Another benefit to entrepreneurs seeking an online MBA today: They can take (almost) as long as they like to graduate. Most programs allow students six or more years to finish the degree, which is particularly helpful when an entrepreneur is balancing their growing business with their studies. “We give the students a great deal of flexibility to take as many courses or as few as they would like,” says Temple’s McNamee. “We see this as a lifelong learning approach.”

For those entrepreneurs looking for an online MBA program – either to start a business or scale a company – here is The Princeton Review’s top 25 online MBA programs.

Methodology: The Princeton Review’s ranking comes from a 2016 survey of more than 3,800 online MBA students from more than 90 schools.

* N/A indicates information not available or not applicable.

Getty Images

#1 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Getty Images

#2 Indiana University

Temple University | Facebook

#3 Temple University

ie.edu

#4 IE University

Getty Images

#5 University of Florida

Getty Images

#6 Arizona State University

Rochester Institute of Technology | Facebook

#7 Rochester Institute of Technology

Babson College | Facebook

#8 Babson College

Getty Images

#9 North Carolina State University

jmu.edu

#10 James Madison University

University of Texas at Dallas | Facebook

#11 University of Texas at Dallas

University of South Dakota | Facebook

#12 University of South Dakota

University of Utah | Facebook

#13 University of Utah

Auburn University | Facebook

#14 Auburn University

hofstra.edu

#15 Hofstra University

unl.edu

#16 University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Northeastern University | Facebook

#17 Northeastern University

pepperdine.edu

#18 Pepperdine University

University of Arizona | Facebook

#19 University of Arizona

Syracuse University | Facebook

#20 Syracuse University

University of North Texas | Facebook

#21 University of North Texas

Getty Images

#22 Jack Welch Management Institute (Strayer University)

University of Massachusetts Amherst | Facebook

#23 University of Massachusetts Amherst

Ball State University | Facebook

#24 Ball State University

University of Memphis | Facebook

#25 University of Memphis