Best Online Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership
Are you ready to discover your college program?
An online degree in organizational leadership can help you launch a career in executive leadership, general management, or human resources.
Organizational leadership experts help businesses succeed in nearly every industry. They set company-wide goals, develop businesses’ strategic visions, and identify ways to improve efficiency. Earning an organizational leadership degree prepares aspiring professionals for this work by instilling high-level management knowledge and cultivating skills in leadership and communication.
Many companies rely on organizational leadership experts to reimagine work culture in light of COVID-19, making it an adaptable and versatile field. Organizational leaders can often work remotely, depending on their work environments.
This page ranks some of the top programs available for online organizational leadership study. It also details what prospective degree-seekers can expect from their programs, including timelines for completion, learning outcomes, and common curriculum offerings, as well as career prospects and related salary data.
Featured Online Schools
Best Online Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership Degree Programs
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$10,990
- Out-of-state$33,739
- In-State$12,106
- Out-of-state$32,290
- Retention Rate84%
- Acceptance Rate87%
- Students Enrolled48,274
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment56%
- AccreditationYes
Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses
- Fort Wayne, IN
- 4 year
- Online
- In-State$9,576
- Out-of-state$9,576
- In-State$10,350
- Out-of-state$10,350
- Retention Rate75%
- Acceptance Rate60%
- Students Enrolled1,367
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment97%
- AccreditationYes
National University
- San Diego, CA
- 4 year
- Online
- In-State$13,320
- Out-of-state$13,320
- In-State$15,480
- Out-of-state$15,480
- Retention Rate100%
- Acceptance Rate55%
- Students Enrolled17,135
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment80%
- AccreditationYes
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
- Scottsdale, AZ
- 4 year
- Online
- In-State$10,710
- Out-of-state$12,984
- In-State$9,774
- Out-of-state$9,774
- Retention RateN/A
- Acceptance Rate70%
- Students Enrolled57,848
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online EnrollmentN/A
- AccreditationYes
University of Massachusetts Global
- Irvine, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$12,000
- Out-of-state$12,000
- In-State$12,240
- Out-of-state$12,240
- Retention Rate19%
- Acceptance Rate93%
- Students Enrolled9,798
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment99%
- AccreditationYes
Western Kentucky University
- Bowling Green, KY
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$10,992
- Out-of-state$27,000
- In-State$12,140
- Out-of-state$18,340
- Retention Rate73%
- Acceptance Rate98%
- Students Enrolled16,750
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment57%
- AccreditationYes
Charter Oak State College
- New Britain, CT
- 4 year
- Online
- In-State$7,656
- Out-of-state$10,056
- In-State$9,288
- Out-of-state$9,720
- Retention Rate67%
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled1,618
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online EnrollmentN/A
- AccreditationYes
John Brown University
- Siloam Springs, AR
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$27,662
- Out-of-state$27,662
- In-State$13,920
- Out-of-state$13,920
- Retention Rate80%
- Acceptance Rate53%
- Students Enrolled2,459
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment43%
- AccreditationYes
Bellevue University
- Bellevue, NE
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$7,560
- Out-of-state$7,560
- In-State$10,980
- Out-of-state$10,980
- Retention Rate72%
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled11,902
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment95%
- AccreditationYes
Samford University
- Birmingham, AL
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$34,410
- Out-of-state$34,410
- In-State$20,935
- Out-of-state$20,935
- Retention Rate89%
- Acceptance Rate84%
- Students Enrolled5,758
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment29%
- AccreditationYes
Online Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership Degree Programs Ranking Guidelines
We ranked these degree programs based on quality, curricula, school awards, rankings, and reputation.
What Is an Online Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership Degree?
Earning an organizational leadership degree helps you build the core skills necessary to help businesses set goals, inspire staff, and navigate administrative concerns. Graduates are also empowered to identify and develop their own management and communication styles.
The best candidates for an organizational leadership program are strategic thinkers with clear leadership potential. Most programs begin with fundamental courses in management or business administration.
As learners progress toward graduation, they expand their knowledge base with skills in analytical problem-solving, strategic decision-making, team-building, leadership development, and communication. Some programs require a culminating capstone project to help students integrate these concepts with practical situations.
What Are the Differences Between Organizational Leadership BA and BS Degrees?
Some programs offer options to earn either a bachelor of arts (BA) or bachelor of science (BS) in organizational leadership. Which is best for your career depends on what your professional goals are.
The BA pathway focuses on the more human side of organizational leadership, exploring concepts and theories drawn from the social sciences, language arts, and the humanities. A BS focuses more on data-driven approaches to organizational leadership, exploring how scientific and empirical methods of inquiry can enhance efficiency and overall performance.
Choosing an Online Program
Factors to consider when selecting an organizational leadership degree include your professional responsibilities and other outside commitments, financial aid availability, career potential and earning power, and program flexibility. Use the links below to learn more about how to find a program that meets your needs.
What to Expect From an Organizational Leadership Major
Each school offers its own approach to organizational leadership, but most programs have similar curricula and learning objectives. In general, they offer a working overview of the field, covering popular leadership styles, methods of effective management, and problem-solving strategies. Some institutions offer specializations in areas like business management or public administration.
Organizational Leadership Curriculum
While each program sets a distinct curriculum, organizational leadership degree-seekers will commonly encounter the following courses.
- Business Ethics: This class explores common ethical issues in business, including issues surrounding employee management. Coursework focuses on how individuals in leadership roles can use popular management models to make ethical choices.
- Conflict Resolution: Degree-seekers learn how to respond to instances of conflict by using negotiation and collaboration. The class develops clear strategies for facilitating healthy work relationships and organizational efficiency.
- Human Resource Development: This class teaches aspiring professionals how to manage human resources in their organizations and leverage them for success. Coursework covers training implementation, employee education, and how to understand key performance indicators.
- Organizational Communication: Learners in this course acquire core skills in communication techniques, trust-building, and relational development. They also learn how to develop a healthy organizational culture.
- Critical Thinking: Drawing on traditions in philosophy and other liberal arts disciplines, this class teaches degree-seekers how to dissect, analyze, and interpret arguments. Topics include logical reasoning, reflective thinking, biases, and common fallacies.
- Leading Organizational Change: This class focuses on how organizations can thrive amid industry evolution and broader cultural shifts. Coursework covers prominent thought leaders and examines their leadership styles.
Organizational Leadership Careers
Earning an organizational leadership degree marks you as a versatile and desirable job candidate. Some graduates with this degree pursue work in human resources, while others opt to put their skills to work in management or business administration roles.
Featured Online Schools
Here are some popular career options available to organizational leadership graduates.
| Career | Mean Annual Wage | Projected Job Growth (2022-2032) |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $246,440 | 3% |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | $143,140 | 2% |
| Public Relations and Fundraising Managers | $125,620 | 6% |
| Human Resources Managers | $145,750 | 5% |
| Training and Development Managers | $132,100 | 6% |
| General and Operations Managers | $122,860 | 3% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $127,980 | 28% |
| Administrative Services and Facilities Managers | $101,870 | 5% |
| Management Analysts | $95,290 | 10% |
