MBA Cost for International Students
To give a quick snapshot of costs for a Master of Business Administration degree, we sampled fees at five of the most popular business schools for international students in Australia. These five institutions account for a large percentage of students from abroad. Here are the results.
Table 1: MBA Program Fees for International Students
| Business School | Tuition Fees (12 Subjects) |
|---|---|
| Holmes Institute | $30,000 |
| Australian Institute of Business | $38,700 |
| Torrens University Australia | $47,100 |
| James Cook University | $54,300 |
| Southern Cross University | $54,480 |
| Median | $47,100 |
| Average | $44,916 |
Source: Business school websites. Updated: 21 May 2024.
For international students, you can generally expect the cost of an MBA degree to range from $30k up to around $55k. The typical or median fee is the $47,100 it costs to study for an MBA with Torrens University Australia. The average cost for a 12-subject program is $44,916.
International students tend to flock to business schools with cheaper fee structures, especially non-universities. The Holmes Institute and Torrens are featured on the list. Other providers that could have been included are Kaplan Business School and Universal Business School Sydney.
Domestic (Australian) Students
Here is a table showing five of the largest business schools in Australia for MBA program participation by local students. Shown is the indicative fee for the total program, or a per subject fee multiplied by twelve (12) subjects.
Table 2: MBA Program Fees for Australian Students
| Business School | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| Australian Institute of Business | $53,820 |
| RMIT University | $57,600 |
| Deakin University | $58,200 |
| University of New South Wales | $81,720 |
| University of Melbourne | $106,650 |
| Median | $58,200 |
| Average | $71,598 |
Source: Business school websites. Updated: 21 May 2024.
Tuition fees for Australians are in the range of $53,820 up to $106,650. The median fee is represented by how much students pay at Deakin University, which sits at $58,200. The average fee across these five major business schools is $71,598.
FEE-HELP is normally available, which means students are able to obtain automatic loans from the Australian Government. The loans are paid back gradually based on annual taxable income.
Online MBA Course Fees
MBA students who study online primarily care about the learning experience. We looked up course fees at five leading graduate business schools to see what students are paying for online MBA degrees. Here are the results.
Table 3: Online MBA Program Fees in Australia
| Business School | Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
| Southern Cross University | $36,960 |
| James Cook University | $44,400 |
| UTS Online | $52,596 |
| RMIT University | $56,160 |
| University of Adelaide | $59,832 |
| Median | $51,000 |
| Average | $49,990 |
Source: Business school websites. Updated: 21 May 2024.
Tuition fees for online MBA learners in Australia fall between $36,960 and $59,832. UTS Online, with a program fee of $52,596, represents the median amount paid by students. On average, the fee for these five leading online business schools is $49,990.
Online learners in Australia appear to pay less than their on-campus counterparts, with an average fee that is $21,608 lower. Median fees are closer however.
While being cheaper, online study also saves money by allowing students to keep working. Most online MBA courses are designed for part-time study by working professionals.
Is an MBA Worth It in Australia?
An MBA can be worth the course fees when done at the right point in one's career. Earning the degree has the potential to provide a salary boost and place you on a higher career trajectory.
Recent data suggests that graduates of postgraduate business schools are among the highest paid. Male business and management graduates earn a median salary of $120,000 and females earn around $110,000. Income gains, which can easily be in the tens of thousands of dollars annually, accumulate year after year over the course of your career.
An MBA holder in Australia is estimated to have a median salary of $116,667 per year, based on the earnings of recent graduates, self-reported incomes, and typical earnings of managers.
Related: What Can You Do with an MBA?