Project Management MBA’s are degrees that combine the traditional, familiar and ubiquitous Master’s of Business Administration programs with graduate project management coursework. The resulting education is versatile, practical and widely desired by employers and clients that range from large corporations, non-profit organizations, small businesses, and much, much more. This degree is perfect for people looking to design, supervise and analyze specific, systematic programs that achieve organizational goals, while working within resource and personnel limitations, and on tight deadlines. In these programs, you’ll gain a significant foundation in business, and learn how to get the job done at all costs, no matter what it may be. A great way to view all the information we’ve filed on project management is to visit our Project Management Degrees Sitemap. Here you’ll find our content organized by rankings, features and blogs. But first, ask yourself:
How Do I Fit into Project Management?
Here at Project Management Degrees, we’ve done significant research into the degree programs available for aspiring project managers, and answered a number of questions you might have about the field. If you’re curious about project management, and considering your educational options within the field, check out the following:
- What is Project Management?
- Is Project Management a Good Career for Me?
- What is a Project Management Degree?
- The History of Project Management
- How Do I Become a Project Manager?
- What Jobs Can I Get with a Master’s in Project Management?
Beginning a Project Management Education
Maybe you haven’t completed your undergraduate education. That’s OK, because it’s never been easier to go back to school. At Project Management Degrees, we prioritize schools that offer (at least partially) online degrees, because they save people time and money. People across the world are realizing they can make an online education work within their current schedule and responsibilities. If you’re looking to complete a Bachelor’s in Project Management before moving on to a graduate education in the field, make sure to check out our The 20 Best Online Bachelor’s in Project Management Degree Programs ranking.
Earning a Graduate Degree in Project Management
If you want a long-lasting, sustainable career in Project Management, you’ll likely need to earn a Project Management Master’s or Project Management MBA. We’ve ranked graduate project management degrees more intensely than any other degree level. We’ve also written a guide to help you decide, Should I get a Project Management Master’s or MBA?. After you have a better idea of where you fit into a graduate project management education, use the following rankings to help you find the best program for your career goals, life restrictions and interests. Remember, the best program for you is the one you’ll be interested and able to complete most easily:
- The 50 Most Affordable Graduate Project Management Degrees Online
- The 10 Fastest Masters in Project Management Degree Programs here
- The 30 Best Online Master’s in Project Management Degree Programs
- The 25 Best Online Project Management MBA Degree Programs
We’ve weighed these programs by a number of metrics. At times affordability or speed are most important, and throughout we prioritize programs with an online component. But overall, the metrics we use to rank schools include national prestige, academic rankings, affordability, graduation and retention rates, special features or flexibility components,
What is the Curriculum of a Project Management MBA?
While a Project Management Master’s will cover some business education, a Project Management MBA will give graduates a more complete business schooling, without sacrificing the managerial, analytical, organizational and adaptive knowledge, skills and methods that a graduate Project Management education strive to convey. Usually, students will begin with MBA courses, like:
- Accounting
- Applied Statistics
- Business Communication
- Entrepreneurship
- Managerial Economics
- Business Law
- Finance
They’ll then move on to Project Management-specific coursework, such as:
- Practices in Project Management
- Project Scheduling
- Budgeting and Operations Management
- Enterprise and Project Risk Management
- Stakeholder Management and Organizational Behavior
- Business Process Management and Systems
- Sustainability in Project Management
- Project Contracts
- Organizational Leadership
Sometimes, Project Management MBA’s (or other graduate Project Management degrees) offer a specialization, such as:
- Accounting
- Agile Project Management
- Construction Management
- Fraud Management
- Healthcare Administration
- Information Technology
- Operations Planning and Control
- Project Leadership and Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Project Risk Assessment and Control
Project Management MBA’s also often feature an internship, practicum, capstone project or other immersive means for students to showcase what they’ve learned throughout the program by applying it to real world problems. This also bolsters a resume for entry into Project Management.
Additional Project Management Information
- According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), “15.7 million new project management roles will be added globally across seven project-intensive industries by 2020.” PMI is the world’s largest project management member association, and is made up of 600,000 practitioners in over 185 countries. PMI has also found that, “every year, the skills shortage will open an estimated 1.57 million jobs across the globe for workers new to project management.”
- According to PMI, the average salary for those with 1 to 3 years of Project Management experience is approximately $77,000 annually, and the total average compensation for Project Manager professionals is approximately $111,000 a year.
- For every $1 billion an organization invests, a $100 million is wasted due to poor project performance. According to Gallup Business Journal, only 2.5% of companies successfully complete all their projects, and the average cost overrun of all projects is 27%. Nearly 60% of projects fail because of poor communications; 40% fail because of bad planning, resources, and activities.
- In a 2015 study, PMI found that the average salary for master’s degree holders in the United States is $113,000 compared to a median salary of $105,000 for project managers with a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university. Both are higher than the median annual wage for management occupations overall ($100,790).
Clearly you can see the value in becoming a Project Manager. The only way it’s going to happen is through effort, beginning with a search and entry into the right project management program for you. Fortunately, we’ve made the first steps through that process much easier. Once again, make sure to check out our Project Management Degrees Sitemap to begin your search for a Project Management MBA or other project management degree today.
