MBA program climbs to No. 18 in national rankings

James Madison University’s College of Business has announced that its Master of Business Administration program continues to rise in the set of rankings published annually by U.S. News & World Report. It weighed in at No. 18 in the 2024 edition of “Best Online MBA Programs,” up one notch from last year.

“All of us in the MBA program at JMU are pleased to be recognized again as one of the best programs in the nation,” said Matt Rutherford, program director. “This ranking reflects the tremendous amount of talent and hard work devoted to the program by our students, faculty, staff members and alumni. There’s no better time than now to get your MBA at JMU.”

Rankings such as those published by U.S. News & World Report can be helpful to prospective students who wish to compare costs of attendance, student-body makeup and mode of instruction, among other factors, when seeking a high-quality MBA program.

JMU’s MBA program has been on a steady upward trajectory in the U.S. News & World Report rankings for several years. It gives full-time working professionals the opportunity to earn an advanced business degree while taking classes within a small, diverse cohort of about 30 students. They enjoy the benefits of a blend of teaching methods, with classes conducted online and in-person. In addition, students may choose among several distinct course concentrations, including Executive Leadership, Information Security and Innovation.

Schools are ranked according to their performance across a number of different metrics — including faculty credentials and training and student excellence, among others. Indicators distinct to the “Best Online Programs” rankings include measures of services offered remotely, available technologies and course-delivery best practices.

Ultimately, the “Best Online Programs” rankings measure whether online-degree programs have academic standards commensurate with those for quality brick-and-mortar programs, and which are properly adapted for the unique pedagogy of distance education.

The JMU College of Business MBA program and its concentrations in Executive Leadership, Innovation and Information Security are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business — a credential granted only to the top five percent of business programs worldwide.

The program’s climb in the U.S. News rankings comes as no surprise to a pair of 2023 graduates who renewed their friendship there after having fallen out of touch nearly three decades earlier.