With a $470 billion GDP, Washington ranks 14th in the country. Its $67k median annual household income ranks 8th. Of course, in the last three decades the face of Washington's economy has radically altered and is now the home of tech giants Microsoft and Amazon, plus Starbucks, Costco, Expedia, T-Mobile USA, and other major companies, from retail trade to aerospace. The largest sectors by GDP are real estate, information, durable good manufacturing, trade, healthcare, finance and insurance, and construction. With its wealth of major headquarters and national offices, top managerial and organizational leadership positions are in high demand and supply. They also tend to pay well comparatively:
WA Average Salaries for common MBA-holding roles
Financial Analyst: $68,629
Chief Financial Officer (CFO): $321,232
Marketing Manager: $98,703
Project Manager, Information Technology (IT): $81,687
Operations Manager: $90,545
Finance Manager: $104,464
Online Learning in Seattle
One of the fastest-growing cities in the US, Seattle has been experiencing above 2% growth on a regular basis. Of course, in addition to its high quality of life, its business sector is a major reason for the city's success. It makes up well over half of Washington's GDP and is home to some of the most recognizable Fortune companies in the world, including Amazon, Starbucks, Nordstrom, Alaska Airlines, Expeditors International of Washington, and Weyerhaeuser; Costco is located in nearby Issaquah, and Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond. (Boeing has since moved to Chicago, but maintains a large office in the area.) Forbes recently listed Seattle #9 on its list of the Best Places for Business and Careers. For students interested in pursuing a business degree in the city, several prominent colleges and universities offer online tracks in a range of specializations — University of Washington being the most obvious, offering master's in Computational Finance And Risk Management and Scottsdale financial planning, Construction Management, and Supply Chain Transportation And Logistics. Other options include City University of Seattle, Shoreline Community College, Edmonds Community College, and Bates Technical College.
Online Learning in Spokane
Originally established as a railway center, Spokane maintains manufacturing operations — particularly for wood and food processing, metal, electrical and computer equipment, etc. – but has diversified and modernized its economy to meet 21st century demands. Tech and biotech sectors have expanded in recent years, in addition to healthcare, professional services, information science and technology, finance, and green energy. Major companies include Avista Corporation, Itron, Red Lion Hotels Corporation, Key Tronic, and several gold mining, lumber, and agribusiness companies. The city is also home to several quality colleges and universities, several of which offer online tracks. Gonzaga is the first place to look for graduate degrees, offering master's in Communication And Leadership Studies and Organization Leadership. From there, Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College offer 6 associates between them, covering Accounting, Office Management, and General Business.
The 5 Best Online Business Schools in Washington
In total, there are 12 online business degree-granting schools in the state of Washington, including community colleges offering associates-level programming and the ability to transfer to a four-year university, to some of the best graduate business schools in the country. While potential students should first and foremost ensure that a university has the type of business degree they want to pursue, there are a few business programs that stand out. We've selected our five favorite online business degree offering schools below. To select these programs, we've used a methodology that equally weights the range of business offerings with the academic prestige of a university. The academic prestige is calculated using a number of metrics such as amount of financial need received, average class sizes, admissions standards, and the percentage of faculty holding terminal degrees in their field. Check out our top-five online business degree-granting universities in Washington below!
Founded in 1890, Washington State University is a Tier 1 national university with a total enrollment just below 30,000. For students interested in online business degrees, Washington State offers undergraduate and graduate options. Bachelor's are available in Accounting, Hospitality Business Management, Management and Operations, and Management Information Systems. From there, an Executive MBA, traditional MBA, and MA in Strategic Communications are also available. All courses are designed for maximum flexibility, and students have access to a wide range to services, including a personal academic advisor, 24/7 tech support, online tutoring, writing center, and more. With a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio, WSU is able to combine the resources of large research university with the intimate class sizes of a liberal arts school; over a third of classes have fewer than 20 students. Financial aid opportunities are also offered: 60% of full-time undergrads receive come form of aid.
Founded in 1861, University of Washington is ranked among the top 20 public schools in the nation by US News. Several online businesselated master's tracks are available, including in Computational Finance And Risk Management, Construction Management, and Supply Chain Transportation And Logistics. Each program is designed for maximum flexibility to accommodate working professionals, and full- and part-time enrollments are available; in addition, accelerated options allow some programs to be completed in as little as 1 year, and hybrid delivery options are available for students interested in a mix of online and traditional on-campus work. With a 21:1 student-to-faculty ratio, classes are kept at a manageable size and allow for personal instruction and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. Nearly 40% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and 41% have between 21-49. In particular, UW focuses on academic community, developing world leaders in research, innovation, and cultivating world citizens.
Students interested in business can find online Associate of Applied Science tracks in Accounting, Business, and Business Technology, each of which run about 90 credits, depending on students' previous academic credits. Some common course include Business Communications, Business Math, Computer Applications, Office Procedures, Excel 2016, and more. With an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Shoreline offers small, intimate class sizes to support individualized instruction and a tight-knit learning community. Classes are designed for maximum flexibility to accommodate all types of learners, and the average student age is 23. A third of all classes are available as hybrid delivery courses, allowing students to combine both online and face-to-face course work. The school's core goals are student success, program excellence, community engagement, access and diversity, and college stewardship.
Founded in 1973, City University of Seattle specializes in innovative online education and has been featured in Fast Company; US News rank their undergraduate online programs among the best available. For business-minded students, CityU has a number of options. At the undergraduate level, students can take either a BA Management or a BS in Business Administration (with a potential concentrations in Accounting). From there, the university offers an MBA (with another accounting emphasis), Master of Public Administration, and Doctor of Business Administration. Courses are designed to accommodate students' schedules, and curricula are grounded, practical, and cutting edge. Alumni seem to approve: 91% said instructors effectively integrated theory and practice into courses; 95% said instructors had professional experience in their field; and 91% said courses were directly relevant to their career goals.
Edmonds Community College, founded in 1967, is based in Seattle, with about 20,000 enrolled per year. The university's service learning initiative serves more than 600 students and has logs 11,500 hours of community service to over 100 partners each year. Students interested in pursuing business careers can complete online bachelor's tracks in Business, with concentrations in Management and Operations, Management Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship. Common courses include Introduction to E-Commerce, Business Mathematics, Sustainable Business Practices, Leadership, Business Strategies, E-Marketing, and Finance-Money Management, among others. One of the most popular community colleges in the state, ECC serves 11,000 students each semester from 62 countries.
Directory of Online Business Degrees in Washington
8 National Academy members
| Northwest University | Kirkland, WA | Online B Degrees: 1 | |
 ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (425) 822-82665520 108th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98033
|
| Lower Columbia College | Longview, WA | Online B Degrees: 1 | |
 ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (360) 442-23111600 Maple St, Longview, WA 98632
|
| Bates Technical College | Tacoma, WA | Online B Degrees: 1 | |
 ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (253) 680-70001101 S Yakima Ave, Tacoma, WA 98405
|
| Walla Walla Community College | Walla Walla, WA | Online B Degrees: 1 | |
 ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (509) 522-2500500 Tausick Way, Walla Walla, WA 99362
|