How Long Does it Take to Get an MBA Online While Working Full-Time?

A strong Master of Business Administration (MBA) program provides comprehensive business training that prepares graduates for senior leadership positions.¹ It's also one of the most reliable ways to increase your earning potential and eligibility for professional advancement.² As of summer 2025, 92% of graduates from Santa Clara University's Online MBA program reported they received a salary increase within six months of graduation.

For mid-career professionals, pursuing an MBA raises practical questions: Do I need to quit my job? Will I have to relocate? And crucially—how long will it take?

Online MBA programs eliminate the need to relocate and they offer scheduling flexibility, but the time commitment remains a significant consideration for professionals balancing work and family responsibilities.

To help you identify a program structure that fits your life and career goals, this post examines the factors that influence how long it takes to complete an online MBA.

Typical Duration of an Online MBA Program

How long is an MBA program?

Typically, an MBA takes a full-time student two years to complete. If you’re enrolled on a part-time basis, that can stretch out to three years. An accelerated program might condense the time, requiring only 12 to 18 months for completion.³

You can complete an online MBA program in as few as 18 months. One of the chief benefits of the online format is flexibility: You do not need to relocate, and you can pursue your studies at your own pace. That flexibility, rather than program duration, is the primary differentiator between online and on-campus MBA programs.

Factors That Influence Program Length

Many online MBA programs offer asynchronous courses, giving you control over when you engage with course materials. Your completion time will ultimately depend on your course load, program structure, and factors such as transfer credits.

An online program's flexibility typically allows you to vary your course load over time, so you might choose to take fewer courses during a busy period at work. Course availability can sometimes be a factor: If you want to take an elective course that’s only available next fall, for instance, you won't be graduating this summer. Alternatively, some students have a clear idea of how long they want their studies to take and select courses that fit into that time frame.

Every school has its own policies on matters such as concurrent coursework, study breaks, and course prerequisites—all factors that contribute to MBA degree duration.

Accelerated Online MBA Options

Through streamlined curriculum design that focuses on core fundamentals and eliminates redundancy between courses, accelerated online programs typically condense a standard 24-month MBA to 12-18 months. To maintain momentum, some programs also offer classes during evenings, weekends and holiday periods.⁴

Santa Clara University's Online MBA gives you control over your pacing. Asynchronous classes, multiple start dates throughout the year, and progress tracking tools like the proprietary Silicon Valley Professional Dashboard let you accelerate your studies when your schedule allows—or slow down during demanding work periods. You design the timeline that works for your life.

Part-Time Online MBA Paths

Part-time online MBA programs are designed for working professionals who need maximum flexibility. You control how many courses you take each term, creating a timeline that accommodates your professional and personal commitments.

The standard part-time MBA takes three years to complete, but the extended timeframe offers a significant advantage: You have time to apply what you're learning directly to your current role. This creates a powerful feedback loop: Classroom concepts inform your work decisions, while real-world challenges deepen your understanding of the coursework. This immediate application can both accelerate your learning and demonstrate increased value to your employer throughout your time in the program.

Balancing Work, Life, and Online Studies

Whatever MBA format you choose, completing an advanced degree requires a significant commitment of time and energy. Your ability to balance work, life, and study successfully often depends on the support systems available to you.

Many employers recognize the value of supporting employees pursuing advanced degrees. Their support can take various forms, from tuition reimbursement programs to flexible scheduling that accommodates coursework deadlines.

Universities also play a role by providing tools that minimize administrative friction. Santa Clara's Silicon Valley Professional Dashboard, for example, centralizes course materials, progress tracking, and university resources in one place, so you can focus your limited time on learning rather than navigating systems.

What to Expect Academically

At Santa Clara University, your MBA education combines rigorous business fundamentals with the ethics-driven leadership approach that defines the Jesuit tradition. The curriculum emphasizes not just what you need to know, but how to lead with integrity in complex business environments—a distinction that matters in Silicon Valley and beyond. Core courses cover essentials such as accounting, management, and business analytics, while preparing you to make principled decisions in high-stakes situations. You can deepen your expertise by choosing from five concentrations: Data Science and Business Analytics, Marketing, Finance, Leading Innovative Organizations, and Entrepreneurship and New Ventures.

MBAs are more than academic programs. Each MBA cohort is carefully selected to encompass a range of skills and experiences, so that every student benefits from working with peers who bring new and interesting perspectives to group projects, virtual collaborations and online networking.

Career Benefits of Earning an MBA While Working

Earning your MBA while working is often a practical necessity, but it can also be a strategic advantage for your career trajectory. The ability to apply new skills and knowledge immediately in your current role means you're not just learning theory—you're demonstrating measurable value to your employer in real time.

For many professionals, an MBA becomes the catalyst for significant career moves: advancing into senior leadership positions, transitioning into high-growth industries like consulting, finance, or tech, or launching entrepreneurial ventures.⁵ In Silicon Valley and other major business hubs, the combination of an MBA credential and proven leadership capabilities opens doors to C-suite opportunities and strategic roles that shape organizational direction.

The financial impact can be substantial. Beyond the 92% of Santa Clara Online MBA graduates who report salary increases within six months, the degree opens pathways to transformative career growth—moving from middle management into executive positions, from individual contributor roles into team leadership, or from traditional industries into innovation-driven sectors where enhanced strategic thinking and ethical leadership set graduates apart.

Lead with Purpose: The Santa Clara Online MBA Advantage

The time to complete an MBA can vary from 12 months to three years, depending on your preferred format. You can complete Santa Clara's Online MBA in as few as 18 months, and there are opportunities to extend or compress the timeline based on your needs.

SCU’s Online MBA stands apart in a crowded field of business programs, delivering what ambitious professionals seek: measurable career advancement rooted in both cutting-edge business expertise and principled leadership.

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara combines the innovation mindset of the world's most dynamic business ecosystem with the Jesuit commitment to developing leaders who create lasting, ethical impact. You'll learn from faculty with experience at companies such as Apple, IBM, and CitiBank, while building connections within an elite network of 100,000+ Santa Clara alumni working across industries and around the globe.

The program's flexibility is designed for your reality as a working professional. With asynchronous courses, multiple start dates each year, and five concentration options, you can tailor your MBA experience to your schedule and specific career goals without putting your professional momentum on hold.

Whether you're aiming for the C-suite, launching your own venture, or driving innovation within your organization, Santa Clara's Online MBA equips you with both the strategic expertise and the ethical framework to lead with confidence and create meaningful impact.

Review our course information and admissions requirements. When you're ready to transform your professional trajectory, schedule a call with one of our admissions outreach advisors.