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#Top 50 Best Value MBA Programs 2015

These days, a lot of people are going back to school. If you re in business, maybe in middle management, what you ve heard is true the best way for you to advance is an MBA. Workers with an MBA make much more than those without, get to higher positions, and have more job security.

Because of the world that we live in, you ve likely considered an online program to get your MBA, and those have their benefits, but stop and think for a moment. Online programs aren t for everyone. You have to be extremely self-motivated, comfortable with technology, and satisfied with not really getting to know your instructors and classmates face-to-face. And if that s you, go for the online degree it s flexible, convenient, and usually fast.

But maybe you re not that person. If you value real-world contact more than convenience, or like the give-and-take motivation that working directly with others gives you, you may look forward to the community that a residential MBA program offers. Because your real strength is networking, you re at your best face-to-face; real life is where you shine. If that s you, the Best Value Top 50 MBA list is for you.

All schools in our listing are AACSB Accredited. Schools were ranked using following metrics:

• Total cost of program
• Average salary of graduates
• National rankings

We ve made one limiting decision: all of these schools have program costs at or below $100,000. While that decision, unfortunately, artificially counts out some colleges that, because of their superior scholarship and financial aid packages, would be considered great values, we stand behind the decision because it allows us to highlight some top values that don t always get their due.

Salary data was sourced from 2014-15 Payscale.com ’s Annual College Salary Report. We chose to use Master in Business Administration for statistical purposes, as all our schools have general Business Administration as a Major. Degrees in, for example, Accounting or Management, will slightly change the outcome. In the event an MBA salary was not reported, we took the median MBA salary reported from the city in which the school is headquartered.

Brigham Young University, Marriott School of Management

Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah, is our #1 pick for best value MBA program. Several factors work together to make BYU a great value. They are one of the most affordable schools in their class (large, private research universities), with robust financial aid opportunities, and, for residential students, Provo s affordable cost of living means students can get their degrees with minimal, if any, debt. BYU graduates benefits from a massive, extremely close-knit and loyal body of alumni, meaning that the Marriott School of Management does precisely what a good business school should do help students network and make connections to get well-paid employment after graduation. Thanks to their excellent preparation, and this network of alumni, around 95% of graduates are employed within three months, with a median salary of $97,000. Specializations for the MBA include Entrepreneurship, Finance, Global Supply Chain, Marketing, and Organizational Behavior/Human Resources Management. With so many factors in their favor (and that s not even mentioning accolades from U.S.News World Report and the Princeton Review), it s no wonder Brigham Young University comes in as a great investment for your MBA.

The Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business

The Smeal MBA, from Penn State s Smeal College of Business, is one of the best investments you can make in a graduate degree, if you re looking for a job that will start paying off your student loans right away; according to Bloomberg Businessweek, Smeal is one of the business schools that the Fortune 500 is more keen to actively recruit, and their massive corporate network grows every year. Concentrations include Healthcare, Sustainability and Social Innovation, and Strategic Leadership, among others, and with a one-week global immersion experience students are prepared for a career in today s international business world with trips to locations such as China, India, and South Africa. Numerous student organizations, access to several major business hubs, and a rewarding life in State College, PA, creates an environment of camaraderie, collaboration, and community, making an investment in the Penn State MBA an investment in every aspect of your life.

Texas Tech University, Rawls College of Business

Texas Tech, located in Lubbock, Texas, offers affordable tuition for both in and out-of-state residents, and has outstanding job placement statistics with MBA graduates having 92.3% placement upon graduation, based on December 2014 graduates.