A Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) degree is arguably one of the most well-recognized and respected qualifications in the world today. It covers all the core aspects of business, leaving you well-equipped to work in almost any business sector – whether it’s manufacturing and quality control, marketing, accounting, IT, customer relations, HR, senior management, or even starting your own company from the ground up. And another great thing about studying for your MBA is that there are options allowing you to tailor your degree to suit your career requirements, with elective modules that allow you to focus more heavily on some subjects compared to others, if they are closely in line with the career path that you are hoping to take.

However, getting your MBA can be costly and time-consuming, and will require a lot of hard work and dedication on your part. If you’re hoping to get your MBA while working full-time, running your own small business, raising a family or even doing all three, you might feel that fitting classes in around your busy schedule is going to be impossible. The good news is that flexible study options are becoming increasingly available and popular. Online MBAs are rapidly growing in popularity, and for very good reasons. Click here for more information on how to enroll.

We’ve listed some of the top reasons to think about taking your MBA degree online.

#1. Broader Choice of Schools:

If you’re unable to leave your job to study or have family commitments that must take priority, you’re probably worried about being limited to only the business schools in your area when it comes to getting your MBA, or even the prospect of commuting to a college outside of town. This is why studying for your MBA online can be so handy, as it allows you to choose from a much broader range of schools when it comes to where you’d like to get your MBA from. There are several reputable online-only business schools now established, and with many great colleges nationwide now offering online learning options, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find an establishment that you are happy with. And no matter how far away it is, it won’t matter because you’ll be distance learning – studying from home.

#2. Enjoy More Flexibility:

One of the best aspects of online degree programs in general is the additional amount of flexibility that they provide to students. When you are studying for your MBA online, you won’t need to worry about getting to lectures and classes on time every day. Instead, you will be able to set the times that you would like to study yourself, and fit it around your current commitments. So, if you’re currently working 9-5, Mon-Fri, you can study at lunch, in the evenings, or at the weekends – enabling you to continue your commitment to your career and minimize any financial worries that come with cutting down your hours. If you have children, you can study from home – so there’s no need to be concerned with getting extra childcare for when you’re at class.

#3. Save Money:

Are you worried about your student debt burden? If you’ve already gained an undergraduate degree and had financial help, you might be wondering if you’ll ever be in a position to pay it all back. For many would-be MBA students, the prospect of getting into even more student debt can be massively off-putting. However, while online MBA degree programs are not free of charge for the most part, you can expect them to be significantly cheaper compared to studying for your MBA traditionally on campus and attending physical classes. For most colleges, the cost to run online degree programs is relatively low compared to teaching students on-campus and for this reason, most can afford to drive tuition prices down to around one-third less than you’d normally expect to pay. And, it’s certainly worth the investment for an MBA degree where the potential ROI is massive.

#4. Same Credibility:

Many students wonder if studying for their MBA online will somehow mean that they will finish off with less of a degree than they would if they had studied for it on campus instead. However, the stigma attached to online degrees has long faded; online programs have become far more credible and trustworthy, and many employers are beginning to recognize the amount of self-control, self-motivation and commitment that online students put in to achieve their goals. When you graduate with an online MBA, you will have exactly the same well-known and well-respected qualification that you would if you had studied on-campus, but with a far lower price tag and much more flexibility around learning. What’s not to love?

#5. Networking Opportunities:

The idea of studying online might seem, at first glance, that you’ll not be afforded the same opportunity to socialize and meet other people compared to studying on campus. However, while you will not be attending classes with other students each day, there will certainly be plenty of opportunities for you to expand your network as an online MBA student. Many online students have set up social media groups so that those taking the program can meet with and get to know one another virtually, and you may be able to enjoy, or even arrange, regular student meet-ups throughout the academic year and during breaks. And, as an MBA student, you will likely be able to attend a range of conferences and networking events where you can meet fellow students, professionals, entrepreneurs and other influential people who can help you meet your goals.

#6. Your Own Pace:

Are you worried about the implications that studying for an MBA is going to have on your current career, financial situation or your family life? Studying for an MBA online is far more self-led and there will be more opportunities to slow down or speed up your studies, depending on what is best for you. Unlike classroom-based programs, there is often no set time to have modules completed by, so if you feel you can do it quickly, or need a little extra time, the option to do so is there.

Studying for your MBA online is definitely a smart choice!