The Best MBA Programs in Columbus for 2027

Ohio State University's Master of Business Administration for Working Professionals is run through the Fisher College of Business and totals 48 credit hours. Students take 11 core courses and choose 21 credits of electives, in areas such as marketing, leadership, nonprofit management and organizational behavior, or draw courses from the university's other graduate programs. The school says classes can be taken entirely online, in person or in any combination, with at least 30% delivered live. Applicants need a four-year bachelor's degree, a 3.0 cumulative GPA and two years of work experience. Taking 6 credits a term finishes the degree in about three years, and 9 credits a term in as little as two. Optional experiences include the Global Applied Projects Program and Global Business Expeditions, and the school reports AACSB accreditation for Fisher.

On the federal numbers, 88% of students at Ohio State finish, and the university admits 61% of applicants. The program earns a Program Score of 94.2 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. The format suits employed professionals who want to keep working while they study, and who value a wide elective menu over a fixed specialty. Applicants with fewer than two years of experience are not the intended audience, though the school says it reviews applications holistically. Spring, summer and autumn starts mean you rarely wait long to begin.

Capital University's Master of Business Administration is designed for new graduates and early-career professionals from any academic background. Students choose a completion path: a one-year accelerated full-time track, a 4+1 option for Capital undergraduates, or part-time study. Core courses run seven weeks in a hybrid format with weekly in-person meetings and asynchronous content, and full-semester case courses use real companies. All courses meet in the evening, which leaves daytime hours for work, internships or athletics. The program opens with a seven-week MBA Foundations course, which recent business graduates can petition to waive, and the school also provides professional development support for resumes and local networking.

Federal data show a 70% admit rate and a 60% graduation rate at Capital, which enrolls 2,263 students. The Program Score of 75.9 out of 100 is the basis of its ranking. The program fits career starters, including those who did not study business, who want a short, structured route to an MBA in Columbus and can attend evening classes in person each week. Students who need a fully online format or a long self-paced schedule should look at how the hybrid meetings fit their calendar.

Ohio Christian University offers a Master of Business Administration delivered 100% online in a 5-week, as-you-go format designed for busy adults. Courses use forum discussions and weekly assignment deadlines. The program page says the MBA emphasizes critical and strategic thinking, business management skills, ethics and real-world application. Stated outcomes include applying management principles that coordinate people and processes, analyzing legal and ethical aspects of business through a Christian worldview, building strategies to create and deliver offerings in a global environment, and evaluating operations with qualitative and quantitative analysis. The school describes its courses as HLC accredited and its learning community as supportive and non-competitive.

Federal data show a 34% graduation rate and a 38% admit rate at Ohio Christian. The program's ranking rests on its Program Score of 69.6 out of 100. The format fits working professionals who want a short-course online MBA grounded in a faith-based framework and who value a flexible schedule over a cohort model. Applicants who want a program without a religious worldview built into its ethics and law coursework should weigh that before applying, and anyone comparing options will want to look closely at the school's overall graduation figure.