Best Online MBA Programs in Independence, KY (2026)

Independence, Kentucky has 5 accredited schools offering mba programs, with tuition ranging from $38,150 to $46,719 per year for indexed programs. Independence has a population of about 29,024. Median household income is $98,653 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area, the top-earning mba-related role is Financial Manager at a median $152,700 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest MBA Schools to Independence

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer mba programs near Independence, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Independence city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Independence. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY 5.1 miles from Independence BOC Score 46.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,384
Avg net price $21,835/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Beckfield College-Florence

Florence, KY 6.7 miles from Independence BOC Score 44.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,114
Avg net price $28,133/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, KY 7.3 miles from Independence BOC Score 56.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,220
Avg net price $8,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Georgetown College

Georgetown, KY 51.4 miles from Independence BOC Score 50.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,074
Avg net price $14,095/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,840
Out‑of‑state$42,840
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Kentucky State University

Frankfort, KY 54.6 miles from Independence BOC Score 40.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,382
Avg net price $8,040/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,387
Out‑of‑state$13,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Midway University

Midway, KY 56.2 miles from Independence BOC Score 32.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,246
Avg net price $29,579/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY 62.6 miles from Independence BOC Score 70.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,025
Avg net price $18,851/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,502
Out‑of‑state$34,140
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Asbury University

Wilmore, KY 75.4 miles from Independence BOC Score 51.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,368
Avg net price $21,401/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Kentucky schools on the Kentucky mba page.


MBA Wages Near Independence

Independence is part of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (BLS area code 17140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Manager$100,670Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$105,524
Financial Manager$152,700Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$160,063
Marketing Manager$145,770Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$152,799
Management Analyst$97,360Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$102,055

Source: BLS, May 2025 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.


Independence at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population29,024Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$98,653Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+37.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Independence-Area Cities With MBA Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited mba schools are near Independence, KY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering mba programs near Independence. The closest is Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, KY (5.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mount St. Joseph University (10.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying mba roles near Independence?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying mba-related roles near Independence are: Financial Manager ($152,700), Marketing Manager ($145,770), General and Operations Manager ($100,670). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Florence instead of Independence?

Florence, KY is 5.9 miles from Independence and has its own set of local mba programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Independence an affordable place to study mba?

Independence’s median household income of $98,653 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Independence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky 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.


Learn More About MBA Programs

Other Programs Available in Independence

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Independence:

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; 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.