The programs on this list of top 10 online MBA programs are the cream of the crop, offering top rated highest-quality education from top professors, at well-respected and time-tested institutions. Their graduates are among the most sought-out MBAs on the planet. Some of the programs offer the flexibility to start or complete a degree on campus, and others require students to attend a mandatory on-site learning sessions a few times as part of the requirements for completing their degree.

Having taken a look at the rankings we have to agree that these are some of the best with schools like Carnegie Mellon, Lehigh University and Saint Joseph’s University appearing at the top. While these schools may be more selective than most, and thus not available to everyone, going to one of these schools would ensure you of a great MBA education from a reputable business school.

Here’s the top 5:

#1- Carnegie Mellon Distance Learning MBA
#2 – Lehigh University Online MBA Programs
#3 – Saint Joseph’s University Online Professional MBA
#4 – Thunderbird School of Global Management Distance Learning MBA
#5 – University of Michigan Online MBA

See the rest by clicking here.

Here are the top 10 online accredited business degree programs according to TBD:

• Bachelor of Science in Accounting (Southern New Hampshire University)
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (University of Nebraska at Kearney)
• Bachelor of Business Administration – Management (UMassOnline)
• Bachelor of Science in Marketing (Grand Canyon University)
• Bachelor of Science in Business – Human Resource Management (University of Phoenix)
• Bachelor of Business Administration – Organizational Management (Tiffin University)
• MBA (The University of Scranton)
• MBA (Sacred Heart University)
• MBA (Quinnipiac University)
• MBA (Arizona State University)

US News and World Report 2010 Best Colleges

US News and World Report recently updated its annual Best Colleges ranking and research tool The 2010 Best Colleges interactive search tool allows students to search a database to find the best colleges based on the following criteria:

• public/private
• campus setting
• enrollment
• tuition and fees
• basis for financial aid awards
• test scores
• acceptance rates
• student to faculty ratios by major
• student population stats by gender and ethnicity
• student activities

Click here to access the US News and World Report 2010 Best Colleges ranking.

Forbes America’s Best Colleges

Like the US News and World Reports list, Forbes America’s Best Colleges resource provides an overall best colleges ranking based on many of the same factors. The August 2009 list of best colleges provides an at-a-glance listing of some of the best higher learning in the country.

Click here to access the Forbes America’s Best Colleges ranking.

Top Community Colleges

University’s have their place, but community colleges are also a valuable resource for many students. Washington Monthly’s Top Community Colleges ranking looks beyond the typical mainstream college guide to help students shop for a community college just as they would a larger school. Community colleges represent a significant portion of overall higher, with 43 percent of college freshmen beginning their education at two-year institutions.

Click here to access the Washington Monthly’s Top Community Colleges ranking.

Princton Review’s Best Value Colleges 2009

Few things most of us purchase will be as costly as our college educations. The Princeton Review Best Value Collegesranking helps students find the best school at the best price. The Princeton Review selects schools based on 30 factors in three areas: academics, costs and financial aid. Tuition, room and board, and required fees, as well as book costs and other factors, are included in the financial measurement.

Click here to access the Princeton Review Best Value Colleges ranking.

Best Engineering Colleges

Because so many business students come from the engineering department, it seemed appropriate to include PayScale.com’s Best Engineering Colleges ranking here. Their focus on how much you’ll make after graduation sealed the decision. Their list of best engineering schools is ranked by post-graduate salary potential.

Click here to access the PayScale.com Best Engineering Colleges ranking.

Top Online Colleges

Online colleges are prevalent now and for good reason. Best Online Colleges ranks the Top Online Collegesto help you decipher all the choices. Completing a degree online is possibly the most convenient and expeditious way to further your education while maintaining full time employment. Online degree programs offer flexibility and are quickly being adopted by more and more students who want a learning environment that fits their needs.  

Click here to access the Best Online Colleges ranking.

Hottest Student Bodies

College is very serious business, but it’s supposed to be fun as well. That’s what you’ll find with PopCrunch’s 2009 Hottest Student Bodies ranking. Check out this list if your choice of institution is in part or in whole informed by the quality of girls on campus. (I looked for a similar list of hot guys and couldn’t find it. If you know of one, please speak up!)

Click here to access PopCrunch’s 2009 Hottest Student Bodies ranking.

Students Expect 24/7 Access

Building on their successful Open CourseWare Program, MIT’s Sloan School of Management provides extensive audio and video recordings for free to students and the public at large. And last month the London Business School made plans to implement a comprehensive class capture program. Their MBA students will soon be able to access recorded lectures from anywhere in the world.

MIT and the London Business School are by no means alone. Service provider Mediasite now helps students from more than 600 colleges and universities bridge the gaps of time and distance. They coordinate and automate webcasting and content management systems for the capture, management, delivery and search of rich media presentations (audio, video and graphics) for live or on-demand viewing.

Russell Altendorff, Director of Information Systems for London Business School described the need for the online component of business education.

“All major business schools are coping with an insatiable demand, primarily student-driven, for video and podcasting. The demographics of our students are changing. We see an increasing volume of Executive MBA students who are highly mobile, and with our new centers in Dubai and Hong Kong, over the last two years we increasingly have a whole cohort of students taught abroad and as a result we need to deploy more distributed learning.”

The London Business School had already been making filmed lectures and events available to students, but the new system will automate the process so that they can provide even more. This leader among business schools sees the online content as an addition to their already rich MBA program content.

“…we can not only provide online content as a service to our customers, but also as an adjunct way to support the learning process, so learning can occur not only through reading, reflection and face-to-face teaching, but also can be reinforced through access to instruction online.” said Altendorff.

Educational Benefits of Captured Classes

When students have access to recorded lectures it enables them to access class anytime. Complex concepts can be reviewed on demand until the message is clear. In that respect it’s almost like having the instructor on call. Also, knowing that lecture material is available later means students don’t necessarily have to take notes. While many students learn well by taking notes in class, others learn better when they can focus their full attention on listening.

Class capture provides the confidence that nothing will be missed. Everything the professor says and presents is stored for later reviewed. And some proponents believe that having a backup of the live presentation frees students to engage with each other and the instructor in a more meaningful way.

Many people pursuing a degree in business are also working full time and the online model of education is far more conducive to this life situation.   For this reason, we expect that more and more people will be pursuing their education via an online school.

It will be interesting to see how companies adapt to this changing landscape in the way they perceive online degrees as many think there is still a stigma.

Considering an online MBA? Six-figure living may be mere months away, but before you check out the overwhelming number of offerings, get clear on your motivations. Start by asking yourself these questions:

1. Don’t I have something better to do?
Unless you’re after a position in an MBA-mandatory field, like investment banking, you’d better have a good reason. Articulating your motive will help you maintain momentum throughout the program. Plus, employers when ask, to make more money is not your best answer. Will an online MBA really increase your income? Or would you do better with a strategy of on-the-job advancement? Do your homework before signing up for more homework.

2. Who am I trying to impress?
All MBAs are not equal. You won’t land a job on Wall Street with online cred. However, if you lack hard skills like financial analysis, chances are good the online MBA will hold your spot on the executive track. Consider only accredited schools. Then look at reputation. There’s a huge difference between a traditional school like Texas A&M that also teaches online and proprietary, or for-profit schools. Phoenix and Capella may provide a comparable education, but B-School is all about branding. Then again, for non-business undergrads, a less prestigious MBA, paired with work experience, is often enough.

3. What skills am I trying to attain?
Financial analysis and accounting may be suited to solitary study, but an MBA should equip students with the ability to manage, prioritize, and negotiate as well. Soft skills are best learned and practiced face to face. That said, distance learners may develop better communication skills because essentially every interaction is in written form. Technology enabling group chats, video, and project collaboration gets better every day. If these are common tools in your field, you’re may come out ahead of traditional students. It’s not a course, but don’t discount the career placement services offered by traditional schools. Online MBA students may not benefit from campus visits and mock interview analysis.

4. Am I cut out for online study?
Business school is more than cases and ethics. Do you long to brave the ropes course with B-School buds or bond over all-nighters? Virtual instructors and students may leave some students feeling isolated. Or you may have the opposite problem: no time alone. Online MBA seekers hope to maintain balance between school, home, and professional commitments. But flexible doesn’t mean optional. Evaluate when and where you will work before you choose your classes. Distance study means working at your own pace. If you’re too slow, the skills you pick up online are likely to be outdated before you finish.

5. Does online study it fit into my life?
Just because the program is online doesn’t mean it’s going to be any easier to complete. In fact many schools may try to make their programs more difficult to maintain a quality reputation. If scheduling is a major concern, investigate programs thoroughly. Some require you to be online during designated times for live classes. Holding onto your full time job while pursuing an MBA can be a powerful testament to your ambition and aptitude that pays off after graduation. However, if you never finish it, your investment was wasted.