Hi,
I am looking for an inexpensive MBA online program. I am planning to move soon to the USA and I would like to pursue MBA. I picked three universities that offer online MBA, but I am not sure which one would be the best return on investment. Here are my major picks: the University of North Dakota, the University of Central Arkansas and Louisiana Tech University. Which of these would you recommend? What other universities should I consider other than the US News rankings?
Please, let me know.

Welcome to the forum julesMBA There is a separate forum for the Online MBA programs and I am moving this topic to that forum https://gmatclub.com/forum/online-mba-programs-346/

Regenerate has a better idea about the online MBA programs.
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There are many other schools that offer a more widely appreciated online MBA option than the three you mention above.

The most highly regarded full-time programs with an option that is very heavily online (if not exclusively online) are (in no real order):

Michigan (Ross) ... the newest entry; I believe their program is only 2-3 years old and their first class isn't set to graduate until this coming spring
Indiana (Kelley) ... this is the longest continuously running online MBA offering; it's also the least expensive of the four in this top group
University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler) ... I believe this is the 2nd longest running online MBA offering
Carnegie Mellon (Tepper) ... is about 85% online and 15% on campus; for some that's attractive and for others, it knocks it out of consideration
Arizona State (Carey) ... is probably has the lowest reputation of these five (but is still more highly regarded than the schools you're currently looking at)

NYU (Stern) ... a MS in Quantitative Analysis (if I remember the title of the degree correctly; it's essentially a degree for people who don't have a traditional business background but want a good base of information in conjunction with getting into a data analysis / business analysis / big data sort of field)
Duke (Fuqua) ... similar as Stern ... MS in Business Analytics (I'm not sure I've got the degree title correct)
Carnegie Mellon (Tepper) ... in addition to their online MBA option, they also have a MS Quantitative Analysis (not sure about the actual degree name) ... this is very (!) intense computer / stats / calculus / programming degree designed for people who are really (!) wanting to get into actually doing the data modeling / analysis (vs. leading teams of people doing the data analysis like you might find at NYU and Fuqua).

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While there are no guarantees trying to get into any top notch school, a decent rule of thumb is that you'd be a competitive candidate if your GMAT is within 4-8% of the average for FT students ... and ... your GPA is within 0.25 to 0.50 points of the FT averages ...

Meaning, if a schools' average GMAT is 700 and their average GPA is 3.50, and you're interested in their online MBA option, if you have a GMAT between 640 and 670, and your GPA is between 3.00 and 3.25, you should be reasonably competitive (you'll still need great essays, recommendations, interviews, etc.), but the entry bar is lower.

Everyone I've spoken to at each of these six schools above has been really (!) great. Good luck to you!
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How are the career movements at those 5 schools you listed?

I don't understand your question.

Are looking to stay in the same sort of role but change industries, or change roles within the industry you're already in, or change both roles and industries, or stay in the same area (but a more senior role) in the same industry?

Posted from my mobile device
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Regenerate

I am currently an engineer at a state utility. Hoping to shift to business/financial side at current org or program/product management at tech. FAANG would be ideal but tech in general is my long term career transition. I already do smaller program management in my current role so I don't think the transition would be that hard but I am open to opinions and feedback.

With good networking, any of the five can get you there ... AND ... Tepper and Ross have stronger reputations within FAANG.

... but, I have no experience with knowing how FAANG view these online MBAs from powerhouse institutions ...

Posted from my mobile device
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Though i am late to jump on this train, i like to share about few more online programs that i came across while researching schools.

Schools that are similar to Ross in reputation (though may be slighly lesser) and also in tuition costs - USC Marshall , UCLA.

The other schools not so great in reputation but very decent schools nonetheless - Foster , University of iOWA.
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