Online MBA courses made their first appearance over a decade ago. Despite their continued proliferation, prominent publications like BusinessWeek have failed to devise a competent method of ranking them on the basis of merit.

Measuring the worth of an online MBA degree is fraught with complications. The data used to tabulate regular MBA programs does not apply to online courses. Furthermore, many schools gloss over critical statistics like the percentage of dropouts. Complications also stem from the fact that students are motivated to pursue MBA programs online for reasons which are different from those for traditional degrees.

Regular yardsticks like reputation have to be brushed aside in favor of more relevant concerns like cost and convenience. The following factors should be taken into account before choosing an online MBA course.