San Bernardino County has one of the world’s most diverse economies and is the site of massive logistics and distribution hubs along with manufacturing operations that rival anything in the world.
The kind of companies that set up shop here like to stretch out and throw elbows when necessary to open-up space. This makes them right at home in the nation’s biggest county. At more than 20,000 square miles, San Bernadino County offers more than enough room for operations to grow.
With a workforce of nearly one million, and no fewer than 20 universities and vocational schools, San Bernardino County gives the Fortune 500 companies that have lived here for decades plenty of reasons to remain loyal to the region.
Career opportunity for freshly minted B-school grads is natural in a place that invests as heavily in infrastructure as San Bernadino County does. And there is nothing that carries as much weight as an MBA when you’re looking to tip the scales toward the business career you’re made for.
Industrial Expansion is San Bernardino's New Frontier
An outstanding transportation network, complete with three airports, six interstate highways, and one the busiest rail corridors in the U.S.; along with a huge labor pool and an abundance of low-cost land and leasing space make San Bernardino County a natural place for distribution.
Amazon fulfillment centers in San Bernardino and the Redlands are major contributors to the regional economy. And thanks to the continued buildout and leasing of industrial space here, this slice of the economy is only going to get bigger.
The High Desert region of California is prime real estate for companies looking to add distribution facilities and warehouses in the Inland Empire. Communities like Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, and Adelanto are growing to meet the demand. More than 4.5 million square feet of new construction was completed here between 2019 and 2023. In the fourth quarter alone, two construction projects totaling more than one million square feet were announced.
For many companies, it just makes good sense to bring facilities to the workforce and infrastructure instead of the other way around.
In 2024, Goodyear alone signed a deal to expand its current warehouse in Victorville from 800,000 square feet to more than 1.3 million. Activity in Hesperia is also just as strong. According to the city’s economic development manager, projects totaling more than 13 million square feet are in the works.
Why San Bernardino Has Some of the Best Online MBA Programs and Campus Options in California
More than 3,700 manufacturers operate out of San Bernardino County, many involved in global commerce. And the region serves as one of the nation’s largest logistics, warehouse, and distribution markets for major multinationals like Frito-Lay, Tesla, Michelin, and GE. As a business student here, you’ll find opportunities for field learning and internship placements with just about every one of them.
San Bernardino County is also where you’ll find outstanding resources and services aimed at regional startups, including incubators, accelerators, and partnerships between the city and area universities.
The Entrepreneurial Development Services and Resource Center in downtown San Bernardino, a partnership between the city and Cal State University, provides supportive services and programs to new startups at every stage. Some of the programs operating out of the center include the Inland Empire Small Business Development Center and the Women’s Business Center.
MBA programs in San Bernardino reflect the county’s clear focus on creating business professionals with the talent and flexibility to keep the plates spinning in an area with a rapidly expanding industrial base. For example, Cal State San Bernardino, recognized by U.S. News & World Report and the Princeton Review for offering some of the top business programs in the nation, offers traditional and executive MBAs. Students here choosing the traditional MBA have options to specialize in areas that include cybersecurity, finance, entrepreneurship, and global supply chain, all well aligned with industries that operate in greater San Bernadino County area.
Accredited Online MBA Programs and Campus Options in San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, and Throughout San Bernardino County
The three MBA programs available in San Bernardino provide both emerging and established business professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs with the education it takes to make it in a competitive business environment.
Today’s MBA programs are not a one-size-fits-all course of education. Options often include opportunities to specialize through concentrations in finance, global business, HR management, and more. Many of the MBA programs in the greater San Bernardino area also offer more flexible delivery options, allowing students to earn part or all MBA courses online. Executive and professional MBA programs are also standard here, aimed at providing mid- and senior-level business professionals with more challenging courses and more collaborative learning opportunities.
University of Phoenix-California
College of Business and Information Technology
Ontario, CA
Website
- MBA (Project Management, HR Management, Accounting) (online)
- Accreditation: ACBSP
University of Redlands
School of Business and Society
Redlands, CA
Website
- California State University, San Bernardino
- Presidio MBA in Sustainable Solutions (on-campus)
California State University Northridge
Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration
San Bernardino, CA
Website
- Executive MBA (hybrid)
- Online Executive MBA (online)
- Accreditation: AACSB