Auburn University online MBA students.
Most people pursue an MBA for its impact on their careers. That’s also true for online MBA students, the vast majority of whom are working professionals able to apply what they’re learning in real time, often long before they graduate.
That focus is why Career Outcomes account for one-third of the total score in Poets&Quants’ annual ranking of the Best Online MBA Programs in the U.S. (See the full 2026 ranking here.)
Each year, we ask recent graduates a series of questions about their career results and their satisfaction with the career services and resources provided through their online MBA programs. These questions capture both measurable outcomes and how well schools support students as they navigate job changes, promotions, and career growth.
For the 2026 ranking, we surveyed alumni from the Class of 2025, defined as students who graduated between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. Surveys were sent to 7,957 eligible alumni at 61 ranked programs, with 1,325 returned. That’s a 16.7% response rate.
Below and on the following pages you’ll see how Class of 2025 alumni from each of the participating schools rated their programs on career impact. Click through each page, or jump directly to a specific category below:
- PAGE 1: SALARY AND PROMOTION
- PAGE 2: PROGRAM’S CAREER SERVICES
- PAGE 3: MEETING CAREER GOALS
- PAGE 4: PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
SALARY AND PROMOTION
According to alumni responses, 31.6% of alumni secured a promotion during the course of their degree or soon after graduation. At least 50% of graduates gained promotions as a result of their degree at 11 of the 61 schools in our 2025 ranking.
Hofstra University (Zarb) scored the highest in this category, with 71.4% of its alumni reporting a promotion either during their online MBA program or shortly after.
PAY RAISES
Salary increases were even more prevalent, with 46.8% of responding alumni getting a raise during their degree or soon after. Half or more of the graduates from 29 programs reported a pay bump.