Washington State University - Vancouver

Perhaps the best deal on an MBA in the Portland Metro area is offered across the river at WSU Vancouver.  Washington’s “border bill” permits residents of several counties in Oregon to attend WSU part-time at resident tuition rates.  This makes WSUV an attractive alternative to Portland State and University of Portland for an AACSB accredited program from a nationally recognized university.  Unlike many states where regional campuses in the university system offer separate programs, the WSU MBA is administered from Pullman and all campuses share a common core curriculum.  Students graduating from Pullman, Vancouver, or Tri Cities receive the same degree from Washington State University.
  Classes are offered once a week in the evening, so a student taking two classes per semester can complete the WSUV MBA in two years at the total Washington resident cost of approximately $20,000 including books and other fees.  Required courses are offered each year, so it is possible for students complete the program in one year (though the “border bill” does not apply to full-time tuition).  Another benefit to the WSU MBA is that it is compatible with WSU’s top ranked online MBA program, meaning that students who experience life changes that prevent attending some classes in person may take those classes online.

The Life:  WSUV is definitely a commuter-campus with no campus life or adjacent community to speak of.  However, the campus itself is a beautiful hilltop setting with clear views of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood in the east, as well glimpses of the Portland’s west hills and the Columbia River valley toward the west.  The buildings and trails on the 350 acre campus were designed to take advantage of these vistas, meaning that students can find many benches or windows from which to admire the NW scenery while attending to their studies.

Drawbacks:  WSUV is situated on the northern outskirts of the Portland metropolitan area.  As an evening MBA program, this means that students commuting from Oregon must battle the notorious traffic on the I-5 and I-205 bridges that cross the Columbia River.