10 Most Affordable Doctorate in International Business Online in 2021

Staff picture
Staff
Updated June 25, 2021

GradSchoolHub.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Discover a program that is right for you.

Booking admission into an online PhD in International Business could be the ticket to taxiing your executive career off the runway without packing suitcases for a campus move. The PhD is the highest, most exalted degree that takes two to four years beyond master's study to push international business leaders forward with globalized skills. Probing the problems affecting Forbes' best countries for business like New Zealand, England, and Netherlands develops post-grads' upper-level operational strategies. Making the corporate world your oyster sometimes necessitates a doctorate for those lost in the shuffle of MBAs. After all, The Economist reports that the number of MBAs has skyrocketed sevenfold from the 1970s with 200,000+ graduates annually since 2010. Post-grad business courses have an average 1,621 percent ROI, yet affordable online colleges can maximize the PhD international business online degree's worth with a world of opportunities.

Explore these promoted online degree programs.

These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online graduate degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these online Master’s or PhD programs.

Most Affordable Online International Business PhD Programs

  • California Intercontinental University
    Location

    Irvine, CA

    Tuition

    $8010

    Reporting an average completion rate of 72 percent, California Intercontinental University is a for-profit, public benefit teaching college that's become DEAC-accredited and BPPE-recognized since its 1996 inception by Dr. Shawn Senthil Kumar in Money magazine's 20th best place to live to jumpstart self-paced, adult-friendly education for over 5,000 Eagles. OnlineDegreeReviews.org ranked CIU sixth nationally for its superb 8.9/10 stars rating. California Intercontinental also stands as America's 239th best master's institution in Washington Monthly and 20th top distance B-school by Online Schools Center. Proclaiming to be "Customized to Your Life," the Online DBA in Global Business and Leadership crosses borders for in-demand managerial expertise. Taking 24-60 months, the 60-credit, post-MBA program has systematic progression through theoretically grounded courses like business relations, international banking, and venture creation. Interest-free payment plans help afford the degree chaired by Dr. Finian Tan, the CEO of Vickers Venture Partners, and its mandatory dissertation research.

    For more information: California Intercontinental University

  • California Miramar University
    Location

    San Diego, CA

    Tuition

    $5610

    Formerly called Pacific Western University until restructuring in 2005, California Miramar University is a private, for-profit ACICS-accredited learning agency that's certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program for F-1 visas to engage 4,797 Fighting Falcons on Moodle from its corporate headquarters on Camino del Rio overlooking Qualcomm Stadium. San Diego Business Journal has featured CMU among the Metro's top 10 for seven straight years. Charging our list's lowest tuition average of $5,610, California Miramar is ranked 66th for online affordability by StartClass and 14th for most focused business administration programs on College Factual. Open for admission until December 31st, the Online DBA in International Business Administration has eight-week courses for "Learning Your Way" 24/7. Coordinated by Prof. Carol Kulis, the 66-credit, post-master's curriculum informs of management theories for expanding operations across cultures. Twelve credits of dissertation completion follow virtual, case study-based courses, including international accounting and global marketing. Practical training is integrated for 135 externship hours at corporations like Nippon Telegraph, Nissan Motor, Robert Bosch, Siemens, and more.6-credit, post-master's curriculum informs of management theories for expanding operations across cultures.

    For more information: California Miramar University

  • Golden Gate University
    Location

    San Francisco, CA

    Tuition

    $15205

    Located in San Francisco's Financial District near the Standard Oil Building, Golden Gate University is a nonprofit, professionally oriented WASC-accredited graduate school endowed for $50.2 million to train 5,300 Griffins face-to-face and on Moodle. Washington Monthly placed GGU 51st for graduation rate and 57th for Peace Corps participation. Golden Gate was also recognized for America's #1 best accounting curriculum by TaxTalent and eighth most ethnic diversity on College Factual. Linked to 1,063 LinkedIn alumni, including Dave Yeske, Joan Blades, and Richard Belluzzo, the Edward S. Ageno School of Business confers the Online Doctor of Business Administration: International Business. Following the "practitioner educational mode," the 60-unit, post-MBA degree fosters scholarly investigation into global leadership practices. Mandating 3.5 GPAs with a data analysis prerequisite, the program is chaired by Dr. Gordon Swartz, the former VP of MarketBridge. Business core courses like economic theory and corporate finance culminate with qualifying exams before the 1:1 faculty-advised dissertation research.

    For more information: Golden Gate University

  • Liberty University
    Location

    Lynchburg, VA

    Tuition

    $8051

    Liberty University has a 95 percent financial aid rate to affordably set "Knowledge Aflame" as a nonprofit, 17-college evangelical Christian institution and 13-time Sasser Cup winner that's generating a $1.4 billion economic impact at its 215-classroom Lynchburg campus and online via Blackboard Collaborate. Awarding 800+ doctorates annually, Liberty is ranked 36th in the South by overall score on the U.S. News and World Report survey. Liberty was distinguished for America's 175th highest-paid management grads on College Factual and 675th most valuable tuition in Money magazine. Affiliated with CEOs like Johnnie Moore Jr. and Jim Daly, the ACBSP-accredited School of Business accepts $50 applications year-round for the Online D.B.A. program. The 60-credit, post-master's curriculum takes a faith-forward approach to organizational leadership with eight cognates, including International Business. Coordinated by Dr. Gene Sullivan, the cheap doctorate accepts up to 12 MBA credits to accelerate seven-week courses like global financial markets before applied dissertations. Graduates might study abroad with CEA, attend intensives in Virginia's fifth-largest metropolitan, and secure the Washington Fellowship.

    For more information: Liberty University

  • Saint Leo University
    Location

    St. Leo, FL

    Tuition

    $9630

    Teaching 14,668 Lions with 219 full-time faculty, Saint Leo University is a private, military-friendly liberal arts institution in the Association of Benedictine Colleges that was named for Pope Leo I in 1889 in the Diocese of St. Augustine before expanding to 42 education centers and online via Blackboard Collaborate. SLU was ranked 305th for service and 340th for graduation rate among master's universities in Washington Monthly. Niche named Saint Leo America's 366th best B-school while College Factual declared it the 155th top Catholic school. Dually IACBE- and ACBSP-accredited, the Donald R. Tapia School of Business delivers the Online DBA International Business Concentration to foster 21st-century, values-based leadership strategies. Admitting post-MBA cohorts since January 2017, the 57-credit curriculum has week-long seminars in the Tampa Bay Metro between eight-week online modules. Mobile professionals engage in courses like global human resources, applied management, and decision-making analytics before the defense of original dissertation research. Other opportunities include interning at TECO Energy, traveling to China, contributing to Ethics & Critical Thinking Journal, and earning the Padala Family Scholarship.

    For more information: Saint Leo University

  • University of South Carolina
    Location

    Columbia, SC

    Tuition

    $12398

    Opened by Governor John Drayton in 1801, the University of South Carolina is a public, doctoral-granting sea-grant RU/VH institution endowed for $655.5 million in the Southeastern Conference to enroll 34,099 Gamecocks at its 359-acre campus on The Horseshoe and online. Forbes proclaimed USC as America's 96th best employer, 59th top public school, and 216th best value. South Carolina was also ranked 55th for faculty awards in Washington Monthly and #1 for international business in U.S. News and World Report. Led by Dr. Peter Brews, the 2011 KFBS Teacher of the Year, the Darla School of Business has the Online Ph.D. in Business Administration with the International Business Concentration. Reporting a mean GMAT score of 670, the 48-60 credit program admits an incoming class of 100 until January 15th annually for hybrid seminars from international finance to cultural management frameworks. Full-time Ph.D. candidates build their academic portfolio in Columbia with flexible online assignments on Blackboard and independent dissertations. Recent alumni have joined the faculty of West Virginia, Hawaii Pacific, Adolfo Ibanez, Nottingham, Hong Kong Baptist, and others.

    For more information: University of South Carolina

  • University of Southern Mississippi
    Location

    Hattiesburg, MS

    Tuition

    $7549

    Currently holding NSF research grants totaling $17 million, the University of Southern Mississippi is a public, coeducational doctoral-level RU/H center opened in 1910 that's employing 896 faculty to inspire 14,554 Golden Eagles "Born to Soar" on its 180-building Conference USA campus in Hattiesburg and online. Granted the 2017 Nokia Bell Labs Prize, USM is ranked 62nd on the Social Mobility Index and 95th by WalletHub. Washington Monthly also deemed Southern Miss 85th for PhD completion and 157th for faculty quality nationwide. Based in Elizabeth Hall, the College of Arts and Letters provides good work-life balance with the International Development Ph.D. Online. Directed by Dr. JJ St. Marie, the 54-credit, post-master's curriculum builds global awareness in four emphases: Economic Development, Security Studies, Political Development, and Social/Cultural Development. In-person seminars occur twice per semester in Gulf Park between AACSB-accredited business courses like international trade and international finance. Students meeting the minimum 3.25 GPA enter dissertation research, which has previously been highlighted in Journal of Middle East Africa, Latin American Policy, and other publications.

    For more information: University of Southern Mississippi

  • Walden University
    Location

    Minneapolis, MN

    Tuition

    $12844

    Owned by Laureate International Universities with partners like Instituto Tecnológico del Norte, Walden University is headed by CEO Eilif Serck-Hanssen as a for-profit, global-oriented research college based in Minneapolis-St. Paul since 1970 to enlighten 51,016 diverse learners from 45 countries. Walden was lauded for America's 452nd highest starting salary on PayScale and 218th most faculty awards in Washington Monthly. Featured in CNBC, Walden University was also ranked the sixth most popular institution by TheBestSchools.org. Participating in the Principles for Responsible Management Education, the ACBSP-accredited Business School chaired by Dr. Ward Ulmer awards the DBA in International Business Online. The 60-unit, post-MBA curriculum infuses two face-to-face residencies and an optional retreat into change-making case studies on multinational leadership. Candidates sign into the user-friendly Doctoral Capstone Resources website to track milestones, such as courses like strategic innovation, research methods seminars, and the writing assessment.

    For more information: Walden University

Our Methodology, Explained

Grad School Hub compiles rankings based on public data released from educational, commercial, and government databases. Sources such as the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics play a significant role in how we source our educational data. After collecting insight for each institution, we organize information into five weighted categories.
Metric Data Used Percentage
Academic Quality Full-time faculty percentage, student-to-faculty ratio, student retention and graduation rates 30%
Affordability Tuition rates, median student debt, and financial aid 10%
Reputation Admission and enrollment rates 30%
Program Offerings Number of program options 20%
Online Enrollment Score Portion of learners taking at least one online course 10%
A more comprehensive evaluation of how each category is determined and scored is accessible on our Ranking Methodology page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Types of Doctorates in International Business Are Available Online?

Even with affordable tuition and financial aid help like the Michael J. Barrett Doctoral Grant, investing in post-MBA study is a challenging, costly step. Selecting the right online B-school is only half the battle because three kinds of international business doctorates exist too. First, the Doctor of Business Administration is the most popular online offering focused on using research for applied management perspective in executive practice. The Doctor of Philosophy is a more academic-oriented research degree where contributing to scholarly business thought is emphasized. Perhaps the rarest are Doctor of Education programs in organizational leadership that take a learning and design perspective to improving global private and nonprofit entities. From there, post-grads can also choose from international business specializations like banking, logistics, negotiation, and public relations.

Which Careers Benefit from International Business PhD Online Degrees?

Finishing an online international business PhD offers limitless opportunities to improve global market conditions in executive, consulting, research, and teaching roles. Doctorates train post-grads to identify, analyze, and synthesize complex organizational issues inside and outside the ivory tower. PhDs are proud achievements where initials next to your name could be added to field-specific certifications. For example, the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) credential proves logistics expertise after a four-hour $360 exam. The Certified Business Analysis Thought Leader (CBATL) title is conferred by the International Institute of Business Analysis to signify 10+ years of experience. Since 2004, the Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) certification has testified to managers' international personnel leadership after a 165-question, electronic test. Here are some great careers in the United States and abroad for your international business PhD online:

Business Development Manager: Helping startups and struggling organizations join the elite list of Fortune 500 corporations, such as Berkshire Hathaway, Exxon Mobil, and Alphabet, on the global stage is a business development manager's lifeblood. BDMs with doctorates analyze corporate strategies, consult on new partnerships, research market trends, explore better business deals, suggest equity investments, negotiate contracts, protect ventures from risk, nurture customer relations, and identify improved distribution channels to spark international growth.

Business Professor: Harvard Business Review compares business professors like Drs. Clayton Christensen, Dana Muir, and Jeffrey Pfeffer to movie directors who script and direct stimulating lessons that optimize students' strategic leadership agility. From Wharton to INSEAD and London Business School, PhD-level professors present course content, select textbooks, assign projects, run simulation labs, proctor testing, coordinate study abroad trips, write students' recommendations, present research at conferences, and motivate entrepreneurs.

Director of International Communications: It's unlikely you'll finish an online PhD in international business without picking up foreign language skills from Spanish to Arabic that could be useful as director of international communications. Reporting directly to CEOs, these media masterminds design public relations strategies, coordinate social media campaigns, target diverse customers, supervise teams across time zones, sustain budgets, host press events abroad, edit advertising, generate positive buzz, and manage brands across borders.

Global Operations Director: Cited as America's 43rd best job on CNN Money with an "A" for benefit to society, global operations directors are senior-level officials who oversee the day-to-day implementation of corporate services. Having a PhD International Business online degree would equip you to formulate multinational policies, plan supply chain logistics, supervise culturally diverse personnel, handle budgeting in various currencies, set quality standards, form trade partnerships, and minimize market risks abroad.

Still Looking for the Right Fit? Discover Similar Programs.

How Much Do PhD International Business Online Graduates Make?

Pursuing a cheap international business PhD online saves pockets of dinero on campus fees, room and board, hardcover books, and transportation for great ROI. According to World Education Services, business doctorates reap median lifetime earnings of $3.53 million, which is 9 percent higher than master's degrees. Your PhD international business online opens closed doors in management where the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports average pay of $100,790 yearly. Administrative services managers make slightly less at $98,930 whereas international finance managers bank more at $139,720. Mean annual wages were $97,630 for distribution managers, $120,210 for HR managers, and $122,090 for operations managers in May 2016. In academia, business schools expect an 18 percent faculty hiring increase for tenure positions garnering average profits of $96,770. Become invaluable for global C-Suite vacancies by affording one of these online PhD in international business programs.

This concludes our ranking of the top 10 Most Affordable Doctorate in International Business Online.

Additional Resources

See All Posts

GradSchoolHub.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Discover a program that is right for you.

Explore different options for you based on your degree interests.