Best Online Business Administration Programs in Erie, PA (2026)

Erie, Pennsylvania has a population of about 94,156. The city’s median household income is $43,397 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 48 accredited schools offering business administration programs near Erie, with tuition ranging from $4,440 to $51,346 per year for indexed programs. In the Erie, PA metro area, the top-earning business administration-related role is Financial Manager at a median $109,120 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Business Administration Schools to Erie

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 48 schools in our directory that offer business administration programs near Erie. Distances are calculated from Erie city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Gannon UniversityErie, PA1.1 miContact school for pricing
Mercyhurst UniversityErie, PA1.3 miContact school for pricing
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend CollegeErie, PA4.6 miContact school for pricing
Kent State University at AshtabulaAshtabula, OH42.0 mi$7,272 - $16,744
Jamestown Business CollegeJamestown, NY42.2 miContact school for pricing
Jamestown Community CollegeJamestown, NY43.8 miContact school for pricing
SUNY at FredoniaFredonia, NY44.2 miContact school for pricing
Northern Pennsylvania Regional CollegeWarren, PA51.1 mi$4,440 - $8,880
Thiel CollegeGreenville, PA51.2 mi$36,864 - $51,346
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State ShenangoSharon, PA64.9 miContact school for pricing

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Pennsylvania schools on the Pennsylvania business administration page.


Business Administration Wages Near Erie

Erie is part of the Erie, PA metro area (BLS area code 21500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Manager$82,390Erie, PA$90,538
Administrative Services Manager$91,700Erie, PA$100,769
Financial Manager$109,120Erie, PA$119,912
Human Resources Manager$107,800Erie, PA$118,462
Management Analyst$84,990Erie, PA$93,396
Project Management Specialist$95,180Erie, PA$104,593
Accountant or Auditor$64,840Erie, PA$71,253
Training and Development Specialist$60,470Erie, PA$66,451
Office and Administrative Support Supervisor$58,140Erie, PA$63,890

Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Erie at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population94,156Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$43,397Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Business Administration-related employment in Erie County1,520 workers, 228 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Erie-Area Cities With Business Administration Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited business administration schools are near Erie, PA?

Our directory has 48 accredited schools offering business administration programs near Erie. The closest is Gannon University in Erie, PA (1.1 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango (64.9 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying business administration roles near Erie?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying business administration-related roles near Erie are: Financial Manager ($109,120), Human Resources Manager ($107,800), Project Management Specialist ($95,180). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Meadville instead of Erie?

Meadville, PA is 32.6 miles from Erie and has its own set of local business administration programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Erie an affordable place to study business administration?

Erie’s median household income of $43,397 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Erie while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.