Business degree comparison

Online Business Degree Completion: Compare Five Transfer Paths

If you have prior college credit and want to finish an online business bachelor’s degree, compare the remaining degree plan, study format and cost model together. A generous transfer policy helps only when your courses fill requirements in the business degree you choose.

This guide compares five options with different approaches: SNHU and UMGC for scheduled online coursework, UMPI YourPace and WGU for competency-based study, and TESU for a path assembled from approved credit sources. These are starting points for investigation, not a ranking or a complete list of schools.

Policies and published rates last checked: September 22, 2026. Schools make the final admission, transfer and graduation decisions. In this guide, institutional “residency” means study through the degree-awarding school, not living on campus.

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Compare the five models

The same labels appear for every program. Published transfer limits are ceilings, not predictions. Tuition figures use different billing units and are not directly comparable total prices. The notes below explain the requirements behind this quick view.

Program

Transfer approach

Required study through the school

Format

Published tuition basis

Main watchout

SNHU — BS Business Administration

Up to 90 credits toward 120

At least 30 credits, including 12 in the major

Scheduled 8-week online courses

$354 per credit

Elective credit may leave business requirements unmet

UMGC — BS Business Administration & Management

Up to 90 overall; up to 70 from two-year colleges

At least 30 credits; half the major and 15 upper-level credits through UMGC

Scheduled online courses; most undergraduate sessions are 8 weeks

$337 Maryland / $499 out-of-state per credit, plus applicable fees

The two-year-source limit and major residency both matter

UMPI YourPace — BA Business Administration, Leadership

No set incoming transfer limit; degree requirements still apply

At least 30 credits; 12 in the major, including 9 upper-level

Competency-based, 8-week sessions; no weekly deadlines

$1,800 per session

A large business curriculum still needs course-by-course matching

WGU — BS Business Management

Course-by-course evaluation before starting

At least 25% of degree competency units in the active WGU program; capstone requirement also applies

Competency-based, 6-month terms

$3,850 tuition + $200 resource fee per term

You cannot add transfer credit after starting the program

TESU — BS Business Administration

Limits depend on source; selected area of study matters

Standard per-credit plan: 15 TESU credits or an eligible fee waiver; cornerstone and capstone remain required

Online courses plus approved credit methods

$449 NJ/PA / $584 other states per credit; flat-rate plan also available

A residency waiver adds a fee and does not waive degree requirements

Sources and qualifications are linked in each program section. Rates are before financial aid, employer benefits or individual discounts. Ask for a written estimate covering your entry term, remaining courses and required fees.

Program: SNHU — BS Business Administration
Transfer approach: Up to 90 credits toward 120
Required study through the school: At least 30 credits, including 12 in the major
Format: Scheduled 8-week online courses
Published tuition basis: $354 per credit
Main watchout: Elective credit may leave business requirements unmet

Program: UMGC — BS Business Administration & Management
Transfer approach: Up to 90 overall; up to 70 from two-year colleges
Required study through the school: At least 30 credits; half the major and 15 upper-level credits through UMGC
Format: Scheduled online courses; most undergraduate sessions are 8 weeks
Published tuition basis: $337 Maryland / $499 out-of-state per credit, plus applicable fees
Main watchout: The two-year-source limit and major residency both matter

Program: UMPI YourPace — BA Business Administration, Leadership
Transfer approach: No set incoming transfer limit; degree requirements still apply
Required study through the school: At least 30 credits; 12 in the major, including 9 upper-level
Format: Competency-based, 8-week sessions; no weekly deadlines
Published tuition basis: $1,800 per session
Main watchout: A large business curriculum still needs course-by-course matching

Program: WGU — BS Business Management
Transfer approach: Course-by-course evaluation before starting
Required study through the school: At least 25% of degree competency units in the active WGU program; capstone requirement also applies
Format: Competency-based, 6-month terms
Published tuition basis: $3,850 tuition + $200 resource fee per term
Main watchout: You cannot add transfer credit after starting the program

Program: TESU — BS Business Administration
Transfer approach: Limits depend on source; selected area of study matters
Required study through the school: Standard per-credit plan: 15 TESU credits or an eligible fee waiver; cornerstone and capstone remain required
Format: Online courses plus approved credit methods
Published tuition basis: $449 NJ/PA / $584 other states per credit; flat-rate plan also available
Main watchout: A residency waiver adds a fee and does not waive degree requirements

Scheduled online coursework

SNHU: a defined weekly rhythm

The online BS in Business Administration is a 120-credit degree. Investigate it if you want to complete a general business curriculum through scheduled courses while fitting study around work. Online undergraduate courses run in eight-week terms, with weekly deadlines rather than required live class meetings. Program · Online learning format

SNHU allows up to 90 transfer credits, but requires at least 30 credits at SNHU, including 12 in the major. Those requirements overlap: the 12 major credits are part of the 30, not an extra 12. Ask which prior accounting, economics, management and other courses satisfy named requirements, rather than assuming all business-related credit fits the major. Transfer requirements

At the published $354 per credit, your tuition depends on the credits you still take at SNHU. More courses per term may shorten the calendar, but does not itself reduce the per-credit charge. Request books and other applicable costs separately. Online tuition

Consider another model if: you want to advance immediately after demonstrating mastery instead of following weekly course deadlines, or your evaluation leaves too many requirements that another appropriate degree would satisfy with existing credit.

UMGC: a public option with major-residency rules

UMGC’s online BS in Business Administration & Management requires 120 credits. Its current curriculum includes a 33-credit major and a strategic-management capstone. Investigate it if you prefer scheduled coursework and want to compare a public university’s business curriculum. Program and curriculum

The transfer ceiling is 90 credits overall, but only 70 from approved two-year colleges. Having 90 community-college credits therefore does not establish a 30-credit finish. UMGC also requires at least 30 credits through the university, half the major through UMGC, and at least 15 upper-level UMGC credits. These can overlap; do not add them as separate blocks. Ask how the normally-final-30 rule affects any outside coursework you are considering. Transfer source limits · Degree requirements

For fall 2026–spring 2027, standard undergraduate tuition is $337 per credit for Maryland residents or $499 out of state. The usual technology fee adds $15 per credit; exceptions and other fees apply. Summer 2027 has a separately published rate, so a plan crossing academic periods needs updated pricing. Online study has deadlines, and most undergraduate sessions last eight weeks. Tuition and fees · Academic calendar · How online classes work

Consider another model if: most of your prior work comes from two-year schools and the source limit leaves a longer plan, or you need mastery-based progress rather than a scheduled course sequence.

Competency-based study

UMPI YourPace: shorter sessions at a public university

The current catalog lists Business Administration, Leadership Concentration, B.A., available through YourPace, with 120 total credits. The business major is 60 credits and the Leadership concentration adds 12; some courses also meet general education requirements. This is why a large transfer total alone cannot tell you how much business coursework remains. Current catalog

YourPace uses eight-week competency-based sessions without weekly deadlines. Investigate it if you can sustain independent work and prefer a public-university option. Applicants are generally 20 or older. Applicants under 20 may be considered by exception if they hold an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent international institution, have completed their sophomore year of high school and are at least 15. Confirm eligibility with UMPI. Admissions requirements The school’s “no set limit” transfer language still sits alongside a requirement for at least 30 UMPI credits, including 12 in the major, with 9 of those at the upper level. YourPace program and format · Transfer and residency FAQ

Published undergraduate tuition is $1,800 per eight-week session for 2026–27. Fewer sessions mean less session tuition, but mastery, revisions and available study time determine your pace. Ask which general education rules apply to your entry catalog, particularly following the September 2026 changes. Tuition · Transfer-credit guidance

Consider another model if: you need weekly deadlines to stay on track, do not meet the admission criteria, or the Leadership curriculum does not suit your goal. Do not substitute this concentration for a required accounting, licensing or graduate-admission curriculum without checking those requirements.

WGU: competency-based study in longer billing terms

WGU’s online BS in Business Management uses a 36-course competency-based structure, including a capstone. Courses are completed by demonstrating competency; the six-month billing period differs substantially from UMPI’s eight-week session. Investigate it if you can work independently and want to test how that term structure fits your likely pace. Business Management program

WGU evaluates transfer work against the program before you start. Transfer credit cannot be added after your program begins. Its residency policy requires at least 25% of degree competency units through the active WGU program, with the required capstone also applying. Have the evaluator identify exactly which courses and units remain; do not translate a semester-credit total into a promised WGU completion total. Transfer process · Residency policy

Published tuition is $3,850 per six-month term plus a $200 e-books and resources fee, or $4,050 together. The posted October 1, 2026 tuition table retains the $3,850 rate for this program. An additional term changes the cost substantially; a quoted fast completion time is not your forecast. Business tuition and fee · October 2026 tuition table

Consider another model if: you plan to keep earning outside transfer credit after enrollment or want more frequent scheduled deadlines. For a closer format comparison, see UMPI vs WGU.

Deciding between competency-based study and weekly coursework for a business degree? See WGU vs SNHU for business degree completion for a closer comparison of transfer timing, remaining requirements and cost.

A path using multiple approved credit sources

TESU: compare the degree audit and the tuition plan together

TESU’s online BS in Business Administration requires 120 credits and a selected area of study. Investigate it if you have substantial prior college work or mixed credit sources and are willing to coordinate a detailed degree plan. The area of study is consequential: business credit must fit its requirements, not simply carry a business label. BSBA program

The catalog permits up to 90 community/junior-college credits and up to 90 ACE/NCCRS credits toward a bachelor’s degree. These are source ceilings, not amounts you can add together to earn 180 credits toward a 120-credit degree. Approved four-year credit can satisfy requirements other than the required TESU cornerstone, SOS-1100, and capstone. Upper-level and area-of-study requirements still apply; the business degree requires 18 upper-level credits, which is not the same as 18 credits in residence. Transfer policy · Degree requirements

Effective August 2026, standard per-credit undergraduate tuition is $449 for New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents and $584 for other states. On the standard nonmilitary per-credit plan, 15 TESU credits through specified course methods are required unless an eligible student pays the $3,468 Edison Accelerate fee to waive that tuition-plan residency requirement. The fee does not waive the cornerstone, capstone or remaining degree requirements. A flat-rate plan applies at nine or more credits in a term, so ask the school to price your actual enrollment pattern rather than multiplying every possible course load by the per-credit rate. Tuition plans · University fees

Consider another model if: you want one predictable course sequence with fewer credit-method and fee decisions. Before buying outside courses, obtain confirmation of their exact applicability, upper-level status, duplicate-credit treatment and any currency limits. A smaller institutional course minimum is not automatically a lower total price.

Which type should you investigate first?

A large amount of traditional college credit: request comparable degree audits. Include a scheduled-course option and, when the source mix warrants it, TESU. Tell UMGC how much came from two-year colleges before relying on its overall ceiling.
Independent, competency-based study: compare UMPI and WGU’s remaining requirements, assessment expectations and billing periods. Estimate a sustainable workload; do not choose from someone else’s fastest finish.
Weekly structure: start with SNHU and UMGC. Ask for the next available sequence of the courses you actually need.
A public institution is important to you: UMGC, UMPI and TESU illustrate three different models within that preference. Public status does not determine your transfer result or net cost.
Mixed or alternative credit: TESU’s source rules make it useful to investigate, but no provider’s entire catalog is automatically approved for your degree. Ask each shortlisted school about the exact course, provider, dates and requirement before paying for it. Finish any WGU transfer planning before enrollment begins.

A large amount of traditional college credit: request comparable degree audits. Include a scheduled-course option and, when the source mix warrants it, TESU. Tell UMGC how much came from two-year colleges before relying on its overall ceiling.
Independent, competency-based study: compare UMPI and WGU’s remaining requirements, assessment expectations and billing periods. Estimate a sustainable workload; do not choose from someone else’s fastest finish.
Weekly structure: start with SNHU and UMGC. Ask for the next available sequence of the courses you actually need.
A public institution is important to you: UMGC, UMPI and TESU illustrate three different models within that preference. Public status does not determine your transfer result or net cost.
Mixed or alternative credit: TESU’s source rules make it useful to investigate, but no provider’s entire catalog is automatically approved for your degree. Ask each shortlisted school about the exact course, provider, dates and requirement before paying for it. Finish any WGU transfer planning before enrollment begins.

Choose the curriculum you need first. Then compare two or three suitable plans; you do not need to apply to all five schools.

Worked example: the same accepted total, different remaining work

Illustration only. These are invented degree audits for two hypothetical 120-credit business programs, not actual school evaluations or a real customer. Assume both accept 90 credits, both require at least 30 institutional credits, and each school has confirmed that the remaining plan below satisfies its residency and upper-level rules. Categories are non-overlapping for this example.

Degree-audit item

Program A

Program B

Credits accepted

Credits applied to this degree

Remaining general education

Remaining business requirements, including final project

Remaining electives

Total remaining

6 + 24 + 6 = 36

6 + 36 + 6 = 48

Program A

Credits accepted — 90

Credits applied to this degree — 84

Remaining general education — 6

Remaining business requirements, including final project — 24

Remaining electives — 6

Total remaining — 6 + 24 + 6 = 36

Program B

Credits accepted — 90

Credits applied to this degree — 72

Remaining general education — 6

Remaining business requirements, including final project — 36

Remaining electives — 6

Total remaining — 6 + 36 + 6 = 48

The degree audits explain the result: 120 − 84 = 36, while 120 − 72 = 48. Subtracting the 90 accepted credits would incorrectly suggest 30 remaining in both programs. The institutional minimum is already included in each confirmed plan; it is not added again.

To isolate the effect of those 12 extra credits, assume both hypothetical programs charge $350 per remaining credit. Tuition would be 36 × $350 = $12,600 versus 48 × $350 = $16,800, a $4,200 difference before fees. This illustrative rate is not a quote from a school. Prerequisites and course availability could also change the schedule.

A session-priced program needs a different calculation: number of sessions × session tuition, plus required fees. A lower price per session does not establish a lower price to finish without a credible session estimate. Read accepted credits vs applied credits if the distinction is unclear.

Take these questions to each school

Ask for answers for the exact business degree, concentration and entry catalog you are considering:

How many credits are accepted, and how many actually apply to this degree? Which accepted credits do not help satisfy it?
Which general education, business, concentration and upper-level requirements remain? Identify the cornerstone or capstone, too.
Which remaining courses must I complete through your institution? Show how the institutional, major and upper-level rules overlap.
What is the estimated remaining tuition and required fees under my expected course load or number of sessions? Include any residency waiver, resources and graduation charges.
How often are those courses offered, which have prerequisites, and what happens if I need to pause or repeat work?
Can additional outside credit still be applied, and what must be approved before I take it?
When will I receive an official evaluation, what records are required, and what remains provisional until then?

How many credits are accepted, and how many actually apply to this degree? Which accepted credits do not help satisfy it?
Which general education, business, concentration and upper-level requirements remain? Identify the cornerstone or capstone, too.
Which remaining courses must I complete through your institution? Show how the institutional, major and upper-level rules overlap.
What is the estimated remaining tuition and required fees under my expected course load or number of sessions? Include any residency waiver, resources and graduation charges.
How often are those courses offered, which have prerequisites, and what happens if I need to pause or repeat work?
Can additional outside credit still be applied, and what must be approved before I take it?
When will I receive an official evaluation, what records are required, and what remains provisional until then?

For the process and documents to gather, see what a transfer credit evaluation tells you. If your first question is specifically about large transfer ceilings across majors, use colleges accepting 90 transfer credits.

Turn the comparison into your next step

This free page compares published program structures. The free degree-path finder helps you organize your starting point and preferences before contacting schools.

For eligible U.S. adults with unofficial college transcripts, the $39 one-time beta Personal Path Review uses your transcript and priorities to compare supported online business-degree-completion paths. It is an independent planning service, not an official transfer evaluation or a school endorsement. Schools make the final decisions about admission, applied credits and graduation requirements. Review the current eligibility and service details before purchasing.

Explore the Personal Path Review

You can also use the questions above to request school evaluations yourself. The useful next step is a written explanation of what remains in the degree you want.