Online MBA courses are gaining popularity due to their flexibility and accessibility. In today’s competitive job market, an MBA is a valuable differentiator that can open doors to management and senior executive roles while enhancing your skills for greater business success.
However, with numerous options available, how can prospective students choose the right program to align with their career aspirations? In this guide, we demystify the MBA ranking system and provide valuable insights to help you make an informed decision when it comes to applying for an MBA.
Here is our guide to online MBA rankings in Australia.
When considering the best universities for an online MBA, it’s essential to compare the basics of each program:
Once you’ve narrowed your options, the next step is to explore how each online MBA program ranks compared to others on your shortlist.
One challenge in selecting the right online MBA program for you is the variation in rankings across different systems. There is no one ‘best’ MBA ranking system. You may find that the top program in one ranking may not even appear in another. You may also find that the ranking methodologies change from year to year, and what was reflected in last year’s results may be strikingly different to this year. To make sense of this, let’s explore four of the major ranking systems.
The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings are considered a global indicator of university performance. In 2024, the QS World University Rankings evaluated 1,500 institutions, ranking employability, sustainability and international research outcomes using an analysis of 17.5 million academic papers and input from over 240,000 academic faculty members and employers. This ranking offers insights into universities’ global standing.
The programs are ranked in the following areas:
| Global rank | University |
|---|---|
| 14 | The University of Melbourne |
| =19 | The University of New South Wales |
| =19 | The University of Sydney |
| =34 | Australian National University |
| 42 | Monash University |
| 43 | The University of Queensland |
| 72 | The University of Western Australia |
| 89 | The University of Adelaide |
| 90 | University of Technology Sydney |
| =130 | Macquarie University |
| 140 | RMIT University |
| 162 | University of Wollongong |
| =173 | The University of Newcastle |
| 183 | Curtin University |
| =189 | Queensland University of Technology |
| =233 | Deakin University |
| 242 | La Trobe University |
| 243 | Griffith University |
| =285 | Swinburne University of Technology |
| =307 | University of Tasmania |
| =326 | University of South Australia |
| =375 | Western Sydney University |
| 380 | Flinders University |
| =410 | University of Southern Queensland |
| =415 | James Cook University |
| =421 | University of Canberra |
| =431 | Murdoch University |
| 529 | Edith Cowan University |
| =567 | Bond University |
| =590 | CQ University |
| 601-610 | Charles Darwin University |
| 651-660 | Southern Cross University |
| 711-720 | Victoria University |
| 801-850 | Australian Catholic University |
| 801-850 | Charles Sturt University |
| 951-1000 | University of New England |
| 1001-1200 | University of the Sunshine Coast |
| 1401+ | The University of Notre Dame |
CEO Magazine targets business leaders and those who aspire to lead. The CEO Magazine Global MBA rankings cover MBA, Executive MBA and online MBA programs, most recently from 161 schools in 27 countries. Here, we look at the online MBA rankings for 2023.
According to CEO Magazine, data points for full-time and part-time MBA programs are judged according to these weightings:
Online MBAs are graded according to the same metrics, except delivery method and class size.
| Global rank | University |
|---|---|
| =13 | Griffith University |
| 15 | University of South Australia |
| 17 | Macquarie Business School |
| 18 | Torrens University |
| 20 | Australian Institute of Business |
| =27 | Victoria University Business School |
| 28 | La Trobe University |
| =29 | Central Queensland University |
| 36 | RMIT University |
Times Higher Education is a weekly magazine in the UK. Originally published in 1971 as part of The Times newspaper, it became a magazine in 2008.
The brand’s university rankings, first reported in 2004, are global and released annually. MBA programs are not specifically graded, nor are online courses, but we can look at the ranking for Business and Economics subjects at Australian universities. The subjects used to create this ranking are:
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings balance input across 13 performance indicators grouped into five areas. Those areas are teaching, research, citations, international outlook, and industry income.
The subject rankings use the same 13 measures used in the main World University Rankings for 2023 but adjust these measures for each subject.
The weightings for the business and economics ranking are:
| Global rank | University |
|---|---|
| 35 | University of Melbourne |
| 39 | Monash University |
| 51 | University of Queensland |
| 55 | Australian National University |
| 72 | University of New South Wales |
| 88 | University of Sydney |
| 101-125 | Griffith University |
| 101-125 | University of Western Australia |
| 126-150 | Queensland University of Technology |
| 126-150 | University of Technology Sydney |
| 151-175 | Macquarie University |
| 151-175 | University of Newcastle |
| 176-200 | RMIT University |
| 201-250 | Deakin University |
| 201-250 | Edith Cowan University |
| 201-250 | La Trobe University |
| 201-250 | University of South Australia |
| 251-300 | University of Adelaide |
| 251-300 | Curtin University |
| 251-300 | Swinburne University of Technology |
| 251-300 | University of Wollongong |
| 301-400 | University of Canberra |
| 301-400 | Murdoch University |
| 301-400 | University of Southern Queensland |
| 301-400 | University of Tasmania |
| 301-400 | Victoria University |
| 401-500 | Central Queensland University |
| 401-500 | James Cook University |
| 401-500 | Western Sydney University |
| 501-600 | Bond University |
| 501-600 | University of Sunshine Coast |
| 601-800 | Charles Sturt University |
| 601-800 | Southern Cross University |
The AFR BOSS Best Business Schools ranking (previously BOSS MBA rankings) is the only system in Australia that ranks business schools. They bring together 19 separate rankings of institutions and business subjects from the Academic Rankings of World Universities (ARWU), The Times Higher Education (THE) and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). They also take into account the university’s performance in the national evaluation of research, Excellence in Research for Australia.
There are separate rankings for reputation, quality and career impact, career and salary prospects, and an overall ranking that weights the categories equally. The AFR BOSS rankings look only at universities within Australia and the data captures postgraduate studies only. The table below reveals the overall rankings for 2022.
| Global rank | University |
|---|---|
| 1 | University of New South Wales |
| 2 | University of Melbourne |
| 3 | Queensland University of Technology |
| =3 | University of Western Australia |
| 5 | Deakin University |
| =6 | Macquarie University |
| =6 | University of South Australia |
| =6 | University of Sydney |
| 9 | University of Canberra |
| 10 | Curtin University |
| =11 | Griffith University |
| =11 | Monash University |
| =11 | University of Queensland |
| =11 | University of Technology Sydney |
| =15 | University of Adelaide |
| =15 | University of Newcastle |
| 17 | RMIT University |
| =18 | Edith Cowan University |
| =18 | James Cook University |
| 20 | The Australian National University |
| =21 | Australian Catholic University |
| =21 | University of the Sunshine Coast |
| 23 | Murdoch University |
| 23 | Swinburne University of Technology |
| 25 | University of Southern Queensland |
| 26 | La Trobe University |
| =27 | Charles Sturt University |
| =27 | CQUniversity |
| =27 | University of Wollongong |
| 30 | Flinders University |
| 31 | Victoria University |
| 32 | Western Sydney University |
| 33 | Bond University |
| =33 | Southern Cross University |
| 35 | University of Tasmania |
| 36 | University of New England |
| 37 | Torrens University Australia |
The best online university for an MBA will depend on your specific needs, career goals and personal preferences. While Australian and global university ranking systems can help you navigate which universities and MBA programs rank against each other, there are several well-respected universities that offer high-quality online MBA programs.
To determine which one is the best for you, consider factors such as program flexibility, cost, the level of student support provided, networking opportunities and how well the program aligns with your career aspirations.
Online universities offering flexible MBA programs such as RMIT Online, Southern Cross University Online, James Cook University Online and Victoria University Online, are all great options to explore and offer a level of support to professionals requiring a level of flexibility to reach their career goals.
These global and Australian MBA ranking systems are just one way of exploring the right path for you. Still have questions? Take a look at our six reasons to study an MBA or speak to a Student Enrolment Advisor – they’re here to help.
Whether you’re ready to enrol, or just have a quick question, simply fill out the enquiry form below to speak directly to the university’s enrolment team. They will be able to guide you through:
