In This Article
- Comparing the basics
- Top overall rankings for Australian universities: QS World University Rankings
- Top global rankings for Australian MBAs: CEO Magazine Global MBA Rankings
- Top rankings for Australian business and economics courses: Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- Top rankings for Australian business schools: AFR BOSS Best Business School rankings
- Which online university is best for an MBA?
- Find the right path forward
Online MBA courses are gaining popularity due to their flexibility and accessibility. In today’s competitive job market, an MBA is a valuable differentiator that can open doors to management and senior executive roles while enhancing your skills for greater business success.
However, with numerous options available, how can prospective students choose the right program to align with their career aspirations? In this guide, we demystify the MBA ranking system and provide valuable insights to help you make an informed decision when it comes to applying for an MBA.
Here is our guide to online MBA rankings in Australia.
Comparing the basics
When considering the best universities for an online MBA, it’s essential to compare the basics of each program:
- Cost: Consider the total cost, including tuition and any additional fees.
- On-campus requirements: Determine if there are any mandatory on-campus activities and their location.
- Duration: Assess the program’s length, typically ranging from 12 to 24 months.
- Flexibility: Investigate the program’s flexibility to fit into your work and life responsibilities.
Once you’ve narrowed your options, the next step is to explore how each online MBA program ranks compared to others on your shortlist.
The Australian MBA rankings conundrum
One challenge in selecting the right online MBA program for you is the variation in rankings across different systems. There is no one ‘best’ MBA ranking system. You may find that the top program in one ranking may not even appear in another. You may also find that the ranking methodologies change from year to year, and what was reflected in last year’s results may be strikingly different to this year. To make sense of this, let’s explore four of the major ranking systems.
Top overall rankings for Australian universities: QS World University Rankings
The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings are considered a global indicator of university performance. In 2025, the QS World University Rankings evaluated 1,500 institutions, ranking employability, sustainability and international research outcomes using an analysis of 16.4 million academic papers and input from over 251,000 academic faculty members and employers. This ranking offers insights into universities’ global standing.
What is the QS measurement methodology?
The programs are ranked in the following areas:
- Academic reputation: 30%
- Citations per faculty: 20%
- Employer reputation: 15%
- Faculty student ratio: 10%
- International faculty ratio: 5%
- International student ratio: 5%
- International research network: 5%
- Employment outcomes: 5%
- Sustainability: 5%
QS World University Rankings 2025
Top global rankings for Australian MBAs: CEO Magazine Global MBA Rankings
CEO Magazine targets business leaders and those who aspire to lead. The CEO Magazine Global MBA rankings cover MBA, Executive MBA and online MBA programs, most recently from 139 schools in 24 countries. Here, we look at the online MBA rankings for 2024.
What is the CEO magazine measurement methodology?
According to CEO Magazine, data points for full-time and part-time MBA programs are judged according to these weightings:
- Quality of faculty: 34.95%
- International diversity: 9.71%
- Class size: 9.71%
- Accreditation: 8.74%
- Faculty-to-student ratio: 7.76%
- Price: 5.83%
- International exposure: 4.85%
- Work experience: 4.85%
- Professional development: 4.85%
- Gender parity: 4.85%
- Delivery methods: 3.8%
Online MBAs are graded according to the same metrics, except delivery method and class size.
2025 CEO Magazine Global Online MBA rankings
| Global rank | University |
|---|---|
| =17 | Macquarie Business School |
| =18 | Deakin Business School |
| =19 | University of South Australia |
| 21 | Torrens University Australia |
| =25 | Australian Institute of Business |
| =33 | Central Queensland University |
| 34 | La Trobe University |
| =41 | University of Wollongong |
| 42 | Victoria University Business School |
| =44 | RMIT University |
| 59 | Swinburne University of Technology |
| 68 | Australian Institute of Management |
Top rankings for Australian business and economics courses: Times Higher Education World University Rankings
Times Higher Education is a weekly magazine in the UK. Originally published in 1971 as part of The Times newspaper, it became a magazine in 2008.
The brand’s university rankings, first reported in 2004, are global and released annually. MBA programs are not specifically graded, nor are online courses, but we can look at the ranking for Business and Economics subjects at Australian universities. The subjects used to create this ranking are:
- Business and management
- Accounting and finance
- Economics and econometrics
What is the Times Higher Education measurement methodology?
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings balance input across 18 performance indicators grouped into five areas. Those areas are teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry.
The weightings for the business and economics ranking are:
- Teaching - the learning environment: 30.4%
- Research environment - volume, income and reputation: 31.6%
- Research quality - strength, influence and excellence: 25%
- International outlook - staff, students and research: 9%
- Industry - income and patents: 4%
2025 Times Higher Education rankings for business and economics courses
| Global rank | University |
|---|---|
| 40 | University of Melbourne |
| 65 | The University of Queensland |
| =67 | Monash University |
| =71 | The University of Sydney |
| 81 | Australian National University |
| 98 | UNSW Sydney |
| 126–150 | Griffith University |
| 126–150 | Macquarie University |
| 126–150 | University of Technology Sydney |
| 151–175 | Queensland University of Technology |
| 151–175 | RMIT University |
| 151–175 | University of Adelaide |
| 176–200 | Swinburne University of Technology |
| 176–200 | University of Newcastle |
| 201–250 | Curtin University |
| 201–250 | Deakin University |
| 201–250 | La Trobe University |
| 201–250 | The University of Western Australia |
| 201–250 | University of South Australia |
| 201–250 | University of Wollongong |
| 251–300 | Edith Cowan University |
| 301–400 | James Cook University |
| 301–400 | University of Southern Queensland |
| 301–400 | University of Tasmania |
| 301–400 | Western Sydney University |
| 401–500 | Bond University |
| 401–500 | Central Queensland University |
| 401–500 | Charles Darwin University |
| 401–500 | University of Canberra |
| 401–500 | University of the Sunshine Coast |
| 401–500 | Victoria University |
| 501–600 | Federation University Australia |
| 501–600 | Murdoch University |
| 601–800 | Charles Sturt University |
| 601–800 | Southern Cross University |
Top rankings for Australian business schools: AFR BOSS Best Business School rankings
The AFR BOSS Best Business Schools ranking (previously BOSS MBA rankings) is the only system in Australia that ranks business schools. They bring together 19 separate rankings of institutions and business subjects from the Academic Rankings of World Universities (ARWU), The Times Higher Education (THE) and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). They also take into account the university’s performance in the national evaluation of research, Excellence in Research for Australia.
What is the AFR BOSS measurement methodology?
The AFR BOSS organises data in four pillars:
- Teaching: 40%
- Research: 20%
- University reputation: 20%
- Career impact: 20%
The rankings look only at universities within Australia and the data captures postgraduate business and management studies only. The table below reveals the overall rankings for 2024.
2024 AFR BOSS Best Business School rankings
| Rank | University |
|---|---|
| 1 | University of New South Wales |
| 2 | University of Melbourne |
| 3 | University of Queensland |
| 4 | University of Western Australia |
| 5 | Monash University |
| 6 | Queensland University of Technology |
| 7 | University of South Australia |
| 8 | Curtin University |
| =9 | Deakin University |
| =9 | Edith Cowan University |
| 11 | Macquarie University |
| =12 | James Cook University |
| =12 | University of Technology Sydney |
| 14 | University of Sydney |
| 15 | Griffith University |
| =16 | RMIT University |
| =16 | University of Southern Queensland |
| =18 | Swinburne University of Technology |
| =18 | University of Newcastle |
| 20 | University of the Sunshine Coast |
| =21 | Australian National University |
| =21 | University of Adelaide |
| =21 | Western Sydney University |
| =24 | Bond University |
| =24 | Victoria University |
| 26 | La Trobe University |
| =27 | Southern Cross University |
| =27 | University of Canberra |
| =27 | University of Wollongong |
| 30 | CQUniversity |
| =31 | Charles Sturt University |
| =31 | Murdoch University |
| 33 | Flinders University |
| 34 | University of New England |
| 35 | University of Tasmania |
| 36 | Torrens University Australia |
Which online university is best for an MBA?
The best online university for an MBA will depend on your specific needs, career goals and personal preferences. While Australian and global university ranking systems can help you navigate which universities and MBA programs rank against each other, there are several well-respected universities that offer high-quality online MBA programs.
To determine which one is the best for you, consider factors such as program flexibility, cost, the level of student support provided, networking opportunities and how well the program aligns with your career aspirations.
Online universities offering flexible MBA programs are great options to explore as they offer a level of support to help professionals reach their career goals.
Find the right path forward
These global and Australian MBA ranking systems are just one way of exploring the right path for you. You can check out individual MBA programs offered by top universities in Australia to find out if their format and curriculum align with your goals and needs.