As a student or parents of a student, doing some research to find the best college programs is important. One of the tools you can use to do this is the BusinessWeek college rankings. This list, unlike most other college rankings, focuses solely on business school MBA programs and undergraduate business programs. While it is just one tool you can use to learn about your college options, if you’re going to school for business, this is an important list for you to consider.

Who is BusinessWeek?

Bloomberg BusinessWeek is a weekly news magazine that has been published since 1929, when it was originally named The Business Week. They have nearly one million subscribers and the magazine was recently redesigned to focus on global news coverage. The BusinessWeek.com and Bloomberg.com websites, where much of the focus has been over the last several years, combine to have more unique visitors than any other business or finance site in the world.

Why should you trust BusinessWeek?

BusinessWeek has been compiling college rankings of MBA programs since 1988. In 2006, they added to this list by ranking undergraduate programs as well. Their focus on business schools gives the list a unique perspective. Other lists, which rank colleges in general, don’t necessarily have the best colleges listed for students in the business field.

What is their Methodology?

The rankings by BusinessWeek are actually split into a number of categories: Executive MBA (EMBA) programs, Full-Time MBA programs, Part-Time MBA Programs, Non-Degree Executive Education, Undergraduate programs, and Distance Learning programs. Methodology varies slightly based on the category. They use surveys and college intellectual data to compile their rankings.

Something that sets this list apart from others is that they survey not only colleges, but also students. This online survey ranks colleges using 40 – 50 questions and helps BusinessWeek learn more about the school through the eyes of those getting their degrees there.

With the undergraduate rankings, some of the factors that are considered include graduate salaries, faculty-to-student ratio, test scores, internship availability, average class size, and the number of students admitted to top MBA programs.

On the other hand, the MBA rankings include scores based on factors like the publication by professors in top 20 academic journals, alumni networking, career services available, and student-assessed professor quality, while the EMBA rankings are based on these factors plus things like the curriculum and a student-based assessment of their peers.

The final lists are published both in the magazine and online. Although the BusinessWeek college rankings give students a detailed look at some of the top programs available in business education, remember that your top school doesn’t necessarily have to be #1 on this list. This is just one of the tools that you should use to figure out what program is best for you.

With the current situation of our job market, employers' demands for individuals with college degrees is higher than ever. Earning a degree from an online college offers the affordability and flexibility that most brick-and-mortar campus-based colleges cannot offer. Below, we present the top onine colleges for 2010.

Top 10 Online Universities

	University of Phoenix — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate. Founded in 1976 as a upstart college, today the University of Phoenix is the largest private university in North America with students at over 200 campus locations and online learners studying dozens of programs all over the world.
	Ashford University — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's. The mission of Asford University is to foster a sense of accessible, flexible, and innovative learning in its student body. Ashford offers accelerated external degree program for adult learners in numerous subjects, including social sciences, criminal justice, technology, business, healthcare, and more.
	Boston University — Degree Levels: Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate. Founded in 1839, Boston University is one of the oldest universities in the nation to offer online degree programs. With two main campuses in the city of Boston, dozens of study abroad programs around the world, and an online program available globally, Boston University's presence is second to none.
	Liberty University — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's. Founded in 1971 by Rev. Jerry Falwell, Liberty University is the largest evangelical Christian university in the nation with an enrollment of over 20,000 undergraduate and post-graduate students.
	Walden University — Degree Levels: Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate. Walden University has designed all of its online coursework for busy adult professionals who demand affordability and flexibility from their schooling. With degrees offered in several subjects, including healthcare, criminal justice, and business, Walden is sure to be a good fit for most students.
	DeVry University — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's. With approximately 100 campus locations across North America, DeVry University is one of the more well-known names in the online education industry. Originally founded in 1931, today DeVry offers most of its degree programs online. Subjects of study include business, science, IT, liberal arts, and more.
	Capella University — Degree Levels: Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate. "Knowledge means solving problems no one else can" is the official motto of Capella University. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Capella offers over 1,000 online courses in subject such as legal studies, criminal justice, business, IT, healthcare, education, and more.
	Kaplan University — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's. The online degree programs offered at Kaplan University are tailored to each student, customized for flexibilty so that students are able to study on their schedule. Kaplan offers more than 100 degrees in subjects ranging from business to criminal justice to nursing and more.
	Strayer University — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's. Founded in 1892 as Strayer's Business College, today Strayer University boast an enrollment of over 50,000 students across the United States. Degrees are offered in business, computer technology, education, health administration, criminal justice, and more.
	Grand Canyon University — Degree Levels: Bachelor's and Master's. Frequently cited as one of the top online colleges in the United States, Grand Canyon University was originally founded as Grand Canyon College in 1949. Today, GCU offers dozens of degrees online in subjects such as nursing, healthcare, business, and more.
	Argosy University — Degree Levels: Bachelor's, Master's, and PhDs. Headquartered in Chicago, IL and with over a dozen campus locations nationwide, Argosy University provides accredited online degree programs for busy professionals in subjects including psychology, healthcare, business, and more.
	Westwood College — Degree Levels: Associate's and Bachelor's. Originally established in 1953, Westwood College is composed of 17 campus locations in six states and an online program offered through their Denver North campus. Programs of study offered online include business, criminal justice, fashion merchandising, healthcare, and more.
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