Best Online MBA Programs in Independence, MO (2026)

Independence, Missouri has 5 accredited schools offering mba programs. Independence has a population of about 121,944. Median household income is $59,480 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area, the top-earning mba-related role is Financial Manager at a median $162,490 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

City Vision University

Kansas City, MO 11.8 miles from Independence BOC Score 42.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $21,123
Avg net price $6,353/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

William Jewell College

Liberty, MO 11.8 miles from Independence BOC Score 65.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,268
Avg net price $17,562/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Missouri-Kansas City

Kansas City, MO 12.4 miles from Independence BOC Score 64.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,637
Avg net price $13,310/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Rockhurst University

Kansas City, MO 12.4 miles from Independence BOC Score 71.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,102
Avg net price $25,884/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Kansas City, MO 13.9 miles from Independence BOC Score 37.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,535
Avg net price $23,006/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Avila University

Kansas City, MO 17.7 miles from Independence BOC Score 53.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,773
Avg net price $16,053/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,000
Out‑of‑state$42,000
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Park University

Parkville, MO 19.0 miles from Independence BOC Score 41.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,309
Avg net price $21,032/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Calvary University

Kansas City, MO 20.1 miles from Independence BOC Score 36.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 72%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,421
Avg net price $16,334/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,094
Out‑of‑state$14,094
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 5

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


MBA Wages Near Independence

Independence is part of the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area (BLS area code 28140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Missouri statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Manager$90,490Kansas City, MO-KS$97,827
Financial Manager$162,490Kansas City, MO-KS$175,665
Marketing Manager$139,240Kansas City, MO-KS$150,530
Management Analyst$98,430Kansas City, MO-KS$106,411

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
Population121,944Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$59,480Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+20.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.5 (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, MO?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering mba programs near Independence. The closest is City Vision University in Kansas City, MO (11.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City (13.1 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 ($162,490), Marketing Manager ($139,240), Management Analyst ($98,430). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Missouri statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Blue Springs instead of Independence?

Blue Springs, MO is 6.6 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 $59,480 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Independence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Missouri 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.