Maryland's Best Online Doctor of Business Administration Programs
Discover how you can reach the top of your profession by earning your business doctorate through one of today’s top online DBA programs in Maryland.
If you live in or around the state of Maryland, it’s possible to earn your business doctorate through the convenience of a quality, accredited online doctor of business administration (DBA) program. Earning your online DBA in Maryland means you’ll be prepared to fill top-level management positions at private businesses in practically all industries, as well as in the government and non-profit sectors. DBA graduates also often start their own businesses or work independently as consultants for companies and organizations of all types.
We’ll introduce you to the online DBA options available from top Maryland colleges and universities and share information on popular DBA specializations. You’ll also find financial aid resources, data on careers for DBA grads, and much more — everything you need to get started in your search for the right online doctor of business administration in Maryland for you.
Inside Online DBA Programs in Maryland: School Spotlights
To help you select the program that best fits your academic and career needs, here are spotlights of three online doctor of business administration in Maryland programs currently available. Major factors to consider in your search include quality academics and faculty, affordability, study convenience, and access to useful academic and career support services.
Capitol Technology University
Located in South Laurel, Maryland, near Washington, DC, Capitol Technology University is a private postsecondary institution specializing in degree programs in business, engineering, IT, and computer science. The school’s Doctor of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management is designed to provide current business leaders with advanced skills to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness, and security of modern supply lines in a full range of industries. Earning your degree requires completion of 60 credit hours consisting of didactic coursework and the research, writing, and defense of a doctoral dissertation. Program content is delivered primarily online with some low-residency on-campus requirements. Additional credits (and cost) may be required depending on the time needed to complete your dissertation.
Admission requirements for the DBA program include, among others, an MBA degree earned with a minimum 3.25 GPA, and a minimum of eight years of progressive professional work experience. Application submittals include a current resume, two letters of recommendation, and two essays. Military and education friendly, CTU offers tuition discounts for active and retired military, and community college and high school full-time faculty and staff.
Hood College
Hood College is a private school affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Hood offers a hybrid Doctorate in Business Administration aimed at mid- to senior-level professionals in the business, non-profit, government, and military fields seeking to advance their careers. With a curriculum founded on the development of leadership excellence, classes are scheduled on Saturdays with some in-person on Hood’s Frederick campus. The cohort-based course of study is designed to be completed in three years, including the writing and defense of a doctoral dissertation.
Factors considered in student selections include a previously-earned MBA with a minimum of 3.25 GPA, a minimum of eight years of professional experience, leadership experience or a strong desire to lead for transformational change, and previous coursework in statistics. Hood welcomes military veterans and international students looking to advance into leadership roles in their professional careers.
University of Maryland Global Campus
If you’re interested in pursuing a DBA online from a Maryland public university, you can through the Doctor of Business Administration program from University of Maryland Global Campus. All courses are available online each fall, winter, and spring, and some courses are also offered in a hybrid format. In addition to online coursework, you must attend a two-day (Friday and Saturday) in-person residency each term while completing core courses. Residencies during dissertation work are online. You can complete the 48-credit cohort-based curriculum with three years of full-time study. Part-time study is also available.
Applicants are not required to have majored in any specific discipline but are expected to have supervisory management experience and demonstrate leadership ability. Other application requirements include a current resume, contact information for two professional references, and a 700-word personal statement. All students must also complete a Foundations of Doctoral Studies prerequisite course prior to full admission into the DBA program.
DBA or PhD in Business: Which Degree is Right for You?
The are two types of business administration doctorates – the Doctor of Business Administration and the PhD in Business Administration. Each has its own academic and career preparation focus, detailed in the table below. Distinctions between the two types can be blurred, so it’s critical that you have a clear understanding of your specific academic and career goals. Discuss your goals with a program advisor before enrolling in a degree program of either type.
| DBA | PhD in Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Practical application of current business administration research and theory | Advancement of business administration, academic theory and research |
| Student Type | Mid-career | Early- to mid-career |
| Career Goals | Positions in corporate administration (C-suite executives) and as independent consultants | Positions in postsecondary academics and advanced theoretical research |
| Funding | Scholarships, grants, and assistantships; may also include industry/employer sourced funding. | Scholarships, grants, fellowships, and research assistantships |
| Prerequisites | MBA is often preferred; some programs are open to applicants with master’s in other disciplines in combination with extensive relevant work experience | MBA in most cases; some programs accept applicants with a master’s in another discipline |
| Length | Three to four years | Four to seven years |
| Capstone | Dissertation (required for all three online DBA programs in Maryland), applied research project, or published academic journal articles | Dissertation |
Online DBA Courses and Specializations in Maryland
Focusing on a specialized area or issue within the larger business field is a major goal for DBA students. To accomplish this, many DBA programs provide distinct specialization or concentration options as part of their program. Others do not, offering a generalized curriculum combining courses that prepare students to conduct advanced research with courses on a number of business-related topics common to all areas of business.
With the exception of those enrolled in Capitol Technology University’s DBA in Supply Chain Management program, all online DBA students in Maryland will, in practical terms, specialize in their degree studies through their choice of dissertation topic. With that in mind, here are five popular areas within the business field in which DBA students often place their degree focus.
Finance
Specializing in finance gives students advanced skills in finding, managing, and allocating financial resources to maximize profitability and organizational value. This is a great choice if you intend to move into the C-suite as a chief financial officer or are looking to become an independent corporate finance advisor.
Healthcare Management
Healthcare management DBA programs focus on the application of current management theory to real-world business practices at the top levels of the healthcare industry. Common topics covered include healthcare administration, healthcare informatics, human resource management in health services, and ethical and legal issues for health professionals. Popular career titles for DBAs with this specialization include healthcare administrator, hospital administrator, non-profit organization director, and healthcare management consultant.
Human Resources Management
Students choosing the human resources management specialization are prepared to fill executive roles focused on successfully procuring, protecting, and allocating workforce resources. Course topics typically include workforce employment, human resource development, compensation management, strategic thinking and decision making, conflict management, and diversity and inclusion in the workforce. DBA HR management graduates find employment in private business, government, and nonprofit sectors.
International Business Management
The international business management specialization is designed to provide students with innovative knowledge and skills to lead successfully in the increasingly critical and competitive global marketplace. Courses cover the full range of common business management topics from an international perspective. They include international business and global economic environments, global marketing, international business law and ethics, and global finance.
Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management is the creation and management of systems used to obtain the resources needed to produce a company’s products and services, and the processing of those resources and deliver a final product to consumers. The supply chain management specialization is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to keep those systems secure and operating efficiently.
Cost Breakdown: Online DBA in Maryland
Cost is a major factor in choosing the right online DBA in Maryland and determining whether you can afford a degree program. It’s critical to develop a solid understanding of what your DBA education will cost before enrolling in any program. The table below offers current tuition costs and links to tuition information for the three online doctor of business administration programs spotlighted earlier.
These figures will give you a general idea of the relative costs of these programs. Bear in mind that the figures are for tuition only and do not include additional costs for program fees, books and other study materials, a computer, internet access, and transportation costs for travel to and from campus to attend any in-person program activities. It’s important to also remember that your actual program costs may be significantly lowered by taking advantage of financial aid opportunities (more on those below).
| School | Program | No. of Credits | Est. Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capitol Technology University | Doctor of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management | 60 | $57,000 |
| Hood College | Doctorate of Business Administration | 60 | $66,000 |
| University of Maryland Global Campus | Doctor of Business Administration | 48 | $52,176 |
Financial Aid for Maryland DBA Majors
Financial aid is critical for most grad students, including those pursuing DBAs in Maryland. Potential funding resources include scholarships and grants, fellowships and assistantships, employer tuition assistance opportunities, work-study programs, and VA benefits. But you can’t take advantage of any of these resources without taking the time and effort to find them. So, our advice is to incorporate your funding search into your degree program search from the very start. A great place to begin is the financial aid offices of your schools of interest. Here are links to financial aid websites for the schools spotlighted above:
Another excellent resource is the State of Maryland’s financial aid programs.
Career and Salary Outlook for Maryland DBA Graduates
Below are job descriptions and recent national salary and job growth figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for three of the most popular careers for DBA graduates, all available from businesses throughout Maryland. Maryland is a high-tech business hub, so it’s no surprise that, with a projected growth of 13.9% (2022-2032), Professional, Scientific and Technical Services tops the list of hot industries in the state. Another high-ranking industry category (at 11%) is management of companies and enterprises.
| Career | Median Pay (2023) | 90th Percentile Pay (2023) | Job Outlook (2023-33) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer | $206,680 | $239,200+ | 5% |
| Financial Manager | $156,100 | $239,200+ | 17% |
| Management Analyst | $99,410 | $172,280 | 11% |
Chief Executive Officer
The Chief Executive Officer, or CEO, occupies the absolute top position in a corporation or non-profit organization. As a result, the CEO is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of their organization, directly answering to the organization’s board of directors and, in turn, to its stakeholders. Common tasks of CEOs include establishing and executing organizational strategy, obtaining, and overseeing the allocation of capital, delegating tasks to the organization’s executives and managers, and ensuring organizational efficiency and profitability.
Financial Manager
Financial officers oversee all financial operations and activities of their organizations. Therefore, they must have command of both the big picture of their organization’s purposes and goals and details of its financial workings (capitalization, budgeting and allocation of money resources, financial laws and regulations, etc.). Financial managers answer directly to their organization’s CEO and are often called upon to confer with members of their board of directors on questions of financial strategy. DBA holders working in the role of a financial manager with large corporations often hold the job title of Chief Financial Officer, or CFO.
Management Analyst
Management analysts review and analyze the organizational and management structures and activities of an organization to identify and resolve problems to improve efficiency and profitability. Common tasks include gathering information to use in pinpointing and resolving problems, analyzing financial forms and data, developing new procedures and systems to improve organizational efficiencies, and making recommendations to management through written reports and presentations. Management analysts may be employed directly by businesses or work independently as consultants.
FAQs About Online DBA Programs in Maryland
Are online DBA programs more affordable than in-person programs?
As affordability plays a major role in choosing a degree program of any kind, you’ll be glad to hear that, generally speaking, online DBA programs are usually more affordable than their campus-based counterparts. This is most likely due to the savings online students enjoy in not having to travel to and from campus to attend classes. Nevertheless, the three Maryland schools with DBA programs offer them in only a single online/hybrid format (in other words, there are no separate online and on-campus options). So, when it comes to online DBAs in Maryland, the question is irrelevant.
How long does it take to earn a DBA degree online?
Completion times for online DBA programs can vary substantially from a couple to several years. Some programs even claim program lengths of less than two years. If you intend to enroll in an online DBA program offered by a Maryland college or university, expect a program length of three years or more, depending mostly on the specific program and your chosen study pace for completing your dissertation.
Is a dissertation required to earn my online DBA in Maryland?
The answer to this one is simple: yes. While there are online doctor of business administration programs that offer alternatives to a dissertation as their culminating activity, all three Maryland online DBA programs require the writing and defense of a research-based dissertation.
Helpful Resources for Maryland DBA Students
- Business and Professional Women of Maryland (BPW/MD)
The BPW/MD is a nonprofit, nonpartisan volunteer association whose mission is to promote equality for women in the workplace through education, information, and advocacy. Membership benefits include access to BPW publications, the BPW/MD directory, and organization sponsored networking events throughout the state. The BPW/MD also sponsors a number of business-related scholarships. - Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce (MBCC)
Through advocacy, responsible guidance, and growth acceleration, the over 670 members of the MBCC are dedicated to creating a “brighter future for the Black business community in Maryland.” - Maryland Chamber of Commerce
The preeminent business professional association in the state (and great networking opportunity for its members), the Maryland Chamber of Commerce represents over 7,000 businesses in advocating for “pro-business policies that drive economic growth and benefit people, businesses and communities.” - Maryland Entrepreneur Hub
Sponsored through a collaboration between the Maryland Department of Commerce, TEDCO Maryland, and the University of Maryland System, the Maryland Entrepreneur Hub connects small business owners, startup founders, and other business innovators and thinkers with a range of education, training, financing, and networking resources. - State of Maryland: Business
This official State of Maryland website functions as a clearinghouse for information, data, and current news focused on establishing, operating, and growing businesses in the state.