FAQs for MBA Students and Applicants in California

Earning an MBA is a journey to finding answers to big, highly-consequential questions. The most demanding positions in any industry, the ones that require in-depth research skills, elite analysis, and tough decision-making, all fall to business leaders who have made it their mission to find answers.

That process all starts with finding trusted and reliable resources to fill in missing data and help you see what others miss. And as any business leader can tell you, if you can’t find the answers within your own organization, it’s time to start knocking on doors.

The Three Biggest Questions May Seem Basic, But There’s Enough Here to Unpack that We Link Out to Dedicated Guides for Each

What is an MBA? Of course, an MBA is a two-year graduate degree that covers general principles of scientific management, leadership, and planning. But on top of important technical business and managerial skills, it’s also one of the most powerful venues for business networking and access to life-changing career opportunities in any industry.

What can you do with an MBA in California? MBA programs lead to opportunities in management and executive positions in companies of all sizes. The skillset and contacts you develop can open up career paths that lead you to the top of any industry in the world. Additionally, an MBA offers the business skills needed to start your own company or to take a small business to new heights. The sky is the limit for motivated, well-trained MBA graduates with vision and determination.

Is an MBA worth it? You already know that earning an MBA is supposed to lead to more opportunities and better pay. And most of the time it does. Chances are, what you are really wondering is whether the career prospects and salaries will be good enough to justify the time and money you spend to earn that MBA. The data says that most MBA graduates coming out of most California business schools do end up with a better salary and a better shot at advancement. But with a huge variance in cost, and with you yourself being the biggest variable, just how worth it is, comes down to the MBA you choose and what you end up doing with it.

While you’ll face questions a lot tougher than the ones listed here over the course of your business career, your path to getting there in the first place may very well start with straightforward answers to basic questions about what to expect from an MBA in California. That’s exactly what you’ll find here.

How many classes are in an MBA program online?

Between 16 and 21 classes, or anywhere from 30 to 60 semester credit hours, are commonly required in California online MBA degree programs.

Generally, you’re looking at 30 semester credits per year, so it’s the truncated one-year or executive programs for experienced professionals that typically require 30 credits, while full two-year traditional programs generally come in at 60 credits or more.

There’s no single answer to this question, however, because no two online MBA degrees from California universities are identical. Some are offered on a full-time or part-time basis, which can also impact your course load. Finally, innovation is the name of the game in California MBA programs—unique instructional methods like on-site intensives or flexible capstone projects really shift the idea of what a class even is, particularly in online degrees.

Compared to a full-time MBA program at the same school, an online MBA may have slightly fewer required classes.

How many women in the U.S. have an MBA?

There are no precise figures on how many women in the United States currently hold MBA degrees. What is certain is that, for decades, business schools graduated far fewer women than men from MBA programs.

In 2020, the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business became the first top-ranked business school in the country to enroll more women than men in their MBA program, with a 52 percent female incoming class.

But things are looking up for gender parity. In 2022, the most recent data available, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that graduate degrees conferred in business had finally hit the 50/50 market between males and females. While not all of those are MBAs, other sources, such as an analysis by the Forté Foundation, indicate a steady rise in MBA enrollment that hit a high of more than 42 percent in 2023.

What jobs in marketing can I get after an MBA?

Earning an MBA, particularly an MBA with a marketing specialization, from a California schools unlocks pretty much any sort of managerial or leadership position in the marketing world. That commonly includes positions with titles like:

Client Account Manager
Brand Manager
Product Manager
Creative Director
Brand Strategist
Director of Brand Marketing
Director of Communications

Naturally, the additional leadership and general management training from an MBA will also help you qualify for top marketing roles like CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), CBO (Chief Brand Officers), or VP of Marketing.

How long does it take to get an MBA?

MBA degree programs in California can run anywhere between one year and five years in length. The standard length for a full-time MBA is two years. But other formats allow students to find a program that fits their lifestyle and needs more closely:

What GMAT score do I need for a standard MBA?

There is no universal GMAT score required for MBA programs in California. In fact, the great majority of California business schools have dropped the requirement that you submit any GMAT score at all.

Only 20 of California’s nearly 90 schools offering MBA programs absolutely require GMAT or GRE scores for admissions.

It’s becoming more common for business schools to use a holistic assessment of your academic background (particularly in undergraduate coursework requiring quantitative reasoning skills), work experience, recommendations, and interview outcomes in making admission decisions.

Even for those schools that still absolutely require the GMAT or GRE with your application, however, the range of scores that are accepted vary from year to year and from school to school. Among California’s most competitive MBA degree programs, for example, the median GMAT score for those admitted in 2024 ranged from 640 to 738.

A stellar GMAT score will never hurt you, but it’s also unlikely to be the deciding factor in your admission at any particular MBA program. Rather than attempting to p-hack your GMAT, then, you are probably better off optimizing other factors in your application packet.

What is an executive MBA?

An Executive Master of Business Administration, or EMBA, is a specialized program that delivers the strategic and analytical training of a typical MBA to a very atypical group of students—currently employed senior executives.

The admission requirements for these degrees often have fewer academic standards and drop GMAT or GRE requirements in favor of greater amounts of work experience—a decade or more on the job is not uncommon.

EMBAs usually have a more flexible format to fit the availability of busy professionals. That can include online courses, evening and weekend meetings, or periodic on-site intensives.

They also typically include a different curriculum, one that takes into account the greater level of experience and real-world responsibility that their students have already acquired. The focus may be more on big-picture strategy, and deal with real-life business challenges that students are facing in their current positions. An EMBA aims to build on and improve the high-level management skills of professionals who have already accomplished much in their careers.

Does an MBA count as a STEM degree?

Some MBAs offered by California universities can count as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) degrees for the purpose of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) categories.

The process for designating an MBA degree as a STEM degree runs through each individual university, which can include certain classes with strong quantitative or technological material in the curriculum. They then classify the degree with one of four specific CIP (Classification of Instruction Programs) codes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) that DHS recognizes as part of the STEM field.

This can be important for international students who are looking for OPT (Optional Practical Training) extensions to their student visas which allow them to remain in the United States for work placements related to their degree program. The longer period available for STEM students, up to two years on top of the normal one-year OPT, offers greater experience and a better shot at finding employment on a more long-term visa program.

What is a nurse MBA?

A nurse MBA is simply a registered nurse or nurse practitioner who has also gone on to earn a Master of Business Administration degree. In some cases, they choose to earn both degrees on a dual-degree track, simultaneously studying for their MBA and their MSN (Master of Science in Nursing). This requires finding a university with both a solid business school and strong school of nursing.

The reasons nurses may choose to pursue an MBA are no different than other students, although usually with a specific focus within the healthcare field: they need advanced business and leadership skills to advance their career. This is particularly the case for nurse administrators but may be useful in a range of different nursing specialties.

Are online MBA degrees respectable?

When receiving a Master of Business Administration degree that was earned primarily through online courses, there’s nothing at all on the diploma that shows any difference from traditional programs offered by the same university. So an online degree comes with exactly the same level of respect that any graduate of that school would get with an MBA on their resume.

The truth is that this is a tough question to address on many different levels.

First is the fact that in the post-COVID world, many MBA degrees come with some number of online class options. As hybrid degrees, it’s impossible to generalize about how people might view their respectability. And since many online programs in the MBA world still have at least some residential intensive requirements, it’s also difficult to categorize what online even means.

Next, it’s also the case that many candidates who choose online MBA programs have inherently better qualifications than those in on-campus programs. Working professionals who have demands on their time at work and can’t put their career on pause often select online degrees as their only option. Yet they have more proven business accomplishment behind them than fresh-faced kids with time on their hands… and get more respect in the workforce because of it.

Finally, the schools offering online MBA programs have started to leverage the advantages of the format to pack in learning and experiences that in some ways can exceed more traditional MBAs. In some cases, they offer a wider variety of concentration options. They may also be more affordable, which can create a larger ROI than conventional on-campus MBAs.

What does an MBA teach you? What do you learn in an MBA?

The educational focus of most MBA programs revolves around teaching students the scientific principles of business management, combined with first-class analytical and problem-solving skills that can be applied to any sort of business decision.

This comes with a core of classes in topics like:

With the great variety of different MBA degrees available from California business schools, however, you will also find many different specific courses of study and topics of expertise available with MBA degrees. The content of programs can vary with concentrations such as:

What you learn in each of these specialized courses of study will set you apart from other MBA students, and add value in particular roles or industries.

However, one thing that all MBA students learn is critical analysis and business decision making. This is the primary advantage businesses look for in hiring MBA graduates versus other candidates for management positions.

How much does an MBA cost?

According to our analysis of published tuition and fee information from nearly 90 of California’s accredited MBA programs, the average cost for a master of business administration from a public university in 2024 was $44,606, and the average at private universities was $40,550.

The range of prices are broad, however, with the most expensive programs in each category exceeding $150,000, while the most affordable public programs can be found around the $20,000 range. Some private universities come in even lower, with the absolutely most affordable private MBA in California coming in at a rock-bottom cost of less than $5,000.

How do you get an MBA degree?

Getting an MBA degree requires between one and two years of study in advanced business topics. However, there is a tremendous variety of specific concentrations in which to specialize, and different scheduling options and formats. Each of these can change the process of earning an MBA as well as the specific requirements of the program.

Online MBA degrees - You get these MBAs primarily through remote study, although on-site classes or weekend intensives are also commonly part of them.
Executive MBA degrees - These MBAs are aimed at senior managers with limited time, and primarily are offered in part-time formats. They deal with big-picture coursework and often have more real-world project work and case studies.
Professional MBA degrees - Also offered with a lighter course load, these are usually conducted on evenings and weekends and have more accommodations for busy students. The course work is more aligned with traditional full-time programs than an executive MBA, however. These are sometimes also called part-time MBAs.
Accelerated MBA degrees - At the opposite end of the spectrum from part-time programs, these MBAs are compressed into only a year. They are sometimes combined with undergraduate business programs in a 5+1 format.
STEM MBA degrees - These are programs that may be offered in any other format, but include additional hard science or quantitative reasoning coursework to qualify as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs.

These different ways of getting an MBA degree offer a shot to almost anyone, in any career stage, with any sort of availability for studying.

What do MBA programs look for in applicants?

Every business school has its own unique way of weighing applicants. It’s fair to say that they are all primarily looking for students who will most benefit from the education they offer. They are looking for applicants who show all the potential and drive to absorb lessons and apply them to accomplish great things.

In general, that potential is viewed through a prism of both quantitative and qualitative factors:

Academic background demonstrating learning capabilities and dedication to coursework
Work experience that shows an ability to function as part of a team and handle real-world corporate challenges
Standardized test scores showing an accepted level of statistical and quantitative reasoning skill
Recommendations from individuals who can attest to character and accomplishment in both personal and professional settings
Extracurricular activities that show broad interests, leadership ability, and personal responsibility
A personal interview with admissions committee staff, or current or former students to assess your fit for the culture and goals of the program

There is a lot of variability in how those factors are weighed and in what ways between California business schools, however. For example, some have decided to eliminate standardized testing entirely from their considerations and base their selections on other factors. In other cases, schools actively attempt to build diversity into their class cohorts… meaning they will avoid a particular template for students, instead making offers to those who have strengths in different areas.

One thing that is broadly true is that business schools want to recruit candidates who are likely to make them look good. That means they look for students who they believe have the best chance of completing the program and becoming a success.

How many credit hours for MBA degrees?

California’s MBA programs come in a wide variety of formats and lengths, which can run from a minimum of around 30 credits to as many as 65 semester credits.

Many of the state’s schools use a quarter system, so the listed number of credits can be as high as 94 quarter credits, but all calculations on this site have been converted to the semester system.

Does it matter where you get your MBA?

Where you get your MBA matters for a great number of reasons. Those reasons are not always what people imagine, however.

First, an MBA from a high ROI program will literally pay dividends over the course of your career.
Second, various business schools have different levels of connection with the industries that call California home. Those connections can make a great difference in your career prospects and your education. Internships opportunities, research projects, and professorial expertise all vary from school to school.
Finally, the reputation of each business school and type of MBA format they offer can vary in the business community. This can have an impact on how your degree is viewed by peers and potential employers.

This can make deciding where to apply, and where to attend if you are accepted, a highly personal decision. What really matters is getting your MBA from a school that will build the most value for your career.

How to write MBA on a resume?

A Master of Business Administration degree should be listed in the education section of your resume, at the top of the section.

You may choose to list any concentration or specialization option you selected during the program. Otherwise, all that is necessary is the school at which you earned it and your date of graduation.

It’s also possible to use MBA in the title, with your name, as with other types of credentials. However, this should be done with caution, as it can make it look as if you are relying on it too much versus your other qualifications.

It may also be natural to mention your MBA program in relevant experience listings. For example, if you completed an internship as part of the program, or took part in a notable research or consulting project, it may be worth noting as a part of your professional experience.

Can I get an MBA without a business undergrad degree?

Yes! Most universities are very clear: almost any sort of undergraduate degree is accepted on an MBA program application.

Of course, the official requirements can say whatever they want—you’re interested in who really gets in. But it’s the same story. If you look at MBA admissions, even at the very top graduate business programs in the state, you’ll find that diversity is the big story. Only about a third of UCLA’s 2024 admissions held a business degree; at Stanford, the number was only 15 percent.

Majors as diverse as math, economics, engineering, and the humanities all made the grade at California’s elite business schools. So a business degree is far from necessary.

One exception to this rule, however, is if you are applying to accelerated or professional MBA programs. These fast-track degrees eliminate some of the foundational coursework present in most two-year MBAs. That means you have to pick that knowledge up elsewhere. An undergraduate business program can be required for admission to those programs in lieu of strong professional experience.