SO what is the consensus for the most affordable online MBA or similar masters program deleivered 100% online? I will finish  a BS degree at Colorado Technical University in February 2010 and have the time (not necessarily the money) to do a MBA degree.  CTU is waaaayyyyy too expensive as I have discovered much too late. I am interested in a program that is completely delivered online.  I have the time to take any entrance exams required so State schools are a possibilty.  I know this is a popular subject on this site, what is the consensus?

It really depends on what you want.  There is a huge variety of MBA programs out there for every budget and pretty much any level of prestige.  So I guess it depends on what you want to do with the degree...

My undergraduate degree has a concentration in project management and my career experience is in project management in the commercial and industrial electrical construction.  I would like to think  that a Graduate degree would increase  my marketability to employers. I am concerned with having a background, at least academically, in an industry that is less volatile than the construction industry which is the first to be hit by recessions and the last to recover.  Outside of the medial industry I don't know what that would be. 

There are nearly a dozen online MBA programs out there.  First off you have to ask yourself what is more important to you: cheap tuition or prestige.  Regardless of which MBA you choose, I would look for a program that is AACSB accredited.  Less than 10% of schools have AACSB accredidation.  Also, some MBA programs require you to come to campus once or twice during the program, so you have to ask yourself if your willing to do this.  Finally, most AACSB programs require you to take the GMAT, so once again, you have to ask yourself if this is something your willing to do.

donald11:

There are nearly a dozen online MBA programs out there.  First off you have to ask yourself what is more important to you: cheap tuition or prestige.  Regardless of which MBA you choose, I would look for a program that is AACSB accredited.  Less than 10% of schools have AACSB accredidation.  Also, some MBA programs require you to come to campus once or twice during the program, so you have to ask yourself if your willing to do this.  Finally, most AACSB programs require you to take the GMAT, so once again, you have to ask yourself if this is something your willing to do.

AACSB accreditation is nice, but it's not perfectly correlated with prestige.  It's very important for those who might want to teach in a business school one day, but not so much for those who aren't interested in that. 

On the other hand, AACSB isn't perfectly correlated with high tuition either, so for those willing to look around one can find a school that has it that won't break the bank.  I like the University of South Dakota for this, as it has a very low tuition rate and is AACSB accredited.

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

Right you are Steve, though it's worth noting that I've had multiple instructors who did not have an AACSB accredited degree teaching business courses in my MBA program and elsewhere.  I think it's the culmination of the individual's experience, ability to communicate well, education, etc. that makes a good teaching candidate, not whether or not where they earned their business degree conducts business research (the premise for AACSB).  Besides, those at the ACBSP and IACBE may disagree with donald, I certainly don't find any of them wholey necassary but more nice to have.

That being said from a pure ROI (return on investment) it's tough to beat the lesser expensive schools, especially for career changers and older professionals who need a quicker return.  American Public University, Bellevue University, Amberton University and the like are a tough act to beat.