Quick-Comparison of Cheapest Online DBA Programs (Tuition-Only)

Here is your chance to explore and compare the most affordable online DBA programs offered by top universities from USA, UK, Australia, Germany, Canada and other countries of the world.  

University	Country	Delivery	Published Credits	Published Tuition Metric
William Howard Taft University (DBA)	USA	100% online, asynchronous	60	$395/credit
Columbia Southern University (DBA)	USA	100% online	Coursework + ≥15dissertation credits (total shown on page as program credits; school lists by component)	$561/credit (doctoral)
Wilmington University (DBA)	USA	Online + optional residencies	48–54 (catalog lists 54 total credits)	$731/credit (doctoral)
City University of Seattle (DBA)	USA	Online / blended	91 (quarter credits)	$795 per credit
Open University Malaysia (DBA)	Malaysia	Blended with online components	80	RM 51,792 total (international)
University of Portsmouth (DBA – Professional Doctorate)	UK	Part-time with on-campus study blocks + online	4–7 yrs part-time	£9,400/year (international)
University of South Africa, Graduate School of Business Leadership (DBL)*	South Africa	Distance/online	Research-led	Doctoral fees + foreign levies (annual)
University of Southern Queensland (DBA)**	Australia	External/online research	Research thesis units	Published per-unit research tuition (international)

 

* UNISA South Africa is a reputed and accredited name offering Online DBL (The Doctor of Business Leadership (doctoral level, DBA-adjacent), distance model; UNISA’s fees are basically assessed on annually basis (plus foreign levies) and its tuition cost is lower than many Western programs. 
** UniSQ Australia publishes per-unit research tuition for DBA thesis components; total depends on individual study plan. 

Why we didn’t add an exact “total cost” for every program:  To provide you verified and authentic information we didn’t add total cost of online DBA programs offered by different schools because several schools publish per credit cost or annual rates of their online DBA Programs. In addition, the transfer credit, pacing, research milestones and institutional add-on may cause in variation of total cost

• To explore and Compare more Online PhD Programs by Subject Please visit our Online PhD by Subject Page

Cheapest Online DBA Programs in the USA (Verified)

In the USA, many universities are offering fast and cheap Online DBA programs offering students the opportunity to complete their DBA online program cheap and quick. In addition, there are many universities that are also offering cheapest Online PhD in Business Administration Programs allowing students to choose between advanced research practice or professional practice in collaboration with their career goals.  

William Howard Taft University — DBA 

• Why it’s cheap: Among the lowest per-credit doctoral rates in the U.S. 

• Format: 100% online, asynchronous; designed for working professionals. 

• Credits: 60 credits. 

• Tuition: $395 per credit (tuition-only). 

• Capstone: Dissertation / applied research requirement as specified by program. 

• Accreditation: Institutionally accredited by DEAC (a U.S. Dept. of Education–recognized accreditor). Columbia Southern University+2William Howard Taft University+2 

Reality check: If you transferred 0 credits, a straight tuition calculation would be ~$23,700 (60 × $395). Always add any required fees. 

 

2) Columbia Southern University — DBA Online

• Format: 100% online. 

• Structure: Coursework plus a minimum of 15 dissertation/research credits (school lists dissertation requirement separately). 

• Tuition: $561 per doctoral credit (tuition-only). 

• Accreditation: Institutionally SACSCOC; ACBSP accreditation for business programs (incl. DBA). Columbia Southern University Columbia Southern University+2Columbia Southern University+2 

Notes: CSU presents “Degree at a Glance” and per-credit doctoral tuition on the program page. Confirm your total program credits with admissions (transfer credit can reduce cost/time). 

 

3) Wilmington University — Online DBA 

• Format: Primarily online; residencies and defenses may be required/scheduled. 

• Credits: Catalog shows 48 credits in program description and 54 as total (the official catalog page includes both figures). 

• Tuition: $731 per doctoral credit (current published rate). 

• Accreditation: Institutionally MSCHE (regional).  Wilmington University 

Clarifying the credits: The current graduate catalog page lists 48 credits in one section and “Total Credits required… 54” in another—contact the program for your official plan of study before estimating totals. 

 

4) City University of Seattle — Doctorate of Business Online

• Format: Online / mixed-mode; seamless online completion advertised; residencies may apply. 

• Credits: 91 (quarter credits). 

• Tuition: $795 per credit (published on program page). 

• Accreditation: Institutionally NWCCU; School of Management programs ACBSP. CityU of Seattle NWCCU+1 

Estimate caution: CityU uses quarter credits—don’t compare one-to-one with semester-based totals; compute apples-to-apples for your budget. 

• Want to explore and compare more than please visit our Online Doctoral Program in BusinessPage for Fastest, No Dissertation Fully Funded DBA Online Programs

 

Cheapest International Online/Distance DBA Options (Verified)

Here is the chance for you to explore and compare top and cheapest Online DBA Programs offered by top Universities offering Online Doctorate Programs in Germany, UK, Canada and other countries of the world.

Open University Malaysia (DBA) — Malaysia 

• Format: Blended distance learning with online support; designed for working managers. 

• Credits: 80 total (coursework + research). 

• International Tuition (published total): RM 51,792 over 4 years / 12 semesters (schedule shown by semester). 

• Research: Includes 40 credits of dissertation. OUM 

 

University of Portsmouth — DBA (Professional Doctorate) — United Kingdom 

• Format: Part-time 4–7 years with on-campus study blocks and substantial independent, work-based research supported online. 

• International Tuition: £9,400 per year (fees typically rise annually). 

• Assessment: Culminates in a doctoral thesis/professional research project. University of Portsmouth 

 

University of South Africa (UNISA), Graduate School of Business Leadership — DBL (Doctor of Business Leadership) — South Africa 

• Format: Distance/online doctoral program focused on applied leadership research. 

• Fees: UNISA publishes prescribed doctoral student fees per year and foreign levies for international students; DBL is typically significantly cheaper (tuition-only) than many Western DBAs, but you must price the year-by-year schedule plus levies. 

• Research: Thesis-driven leadership doctorate (DBA-equivalent positioning for many candidates). City University of Seattle 

 

University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) — DBA — Australia 

• Format: External/online research doctorate with thesis components. 

• Fees: UniSQ publishes per-unit research tuition for DBA thesis units (international). Your total depends on the specific combination of research and any coursework units in your approved program. UniSQ 
• Want to explore and compare more option offered by different universities around the world then please visit our Compare Online PhD Programs by Country Page

 

Which DBA Online Program  is the cheapest? 

• Absolute lowest per-credit (U.S.) on this list is William Howard Taft University at $395/credit (60 credits). That implies a low base tuition (before fees) if you complete the standard plan without delays. Columbia Southern University 

• If you prefer a regionally accredited institution, Columbia Southern ($561/credit) and Liberty ($610/credit) are two of the most affordable per-credit options among large online providers with mainstream U.S. institutional accreditation—your end cost depends on transfer credit and pacing. Columbia Southern University 

• Internationally, OUM’s fixed published international total (RM 51,792 over 4 years) is very aggressive compared with UK/AUS totals, and UNISA’s year-by-year doctoral fees model can also come out well under U.S./UK norms, especially if you progress efficiently. OUM 

 

Program Snapshots (What to Expect) 

DBA vs. Dissertation / Projects. Most DBAs include a significant research capstone. Some use a traditional dissertation (e.g., OUM, Taft), and others (e.g., Liberty) use an applied doctoral research projectsequence that fulfills an equivalent culminating research requirement. None of the verified programs above are “no-dissertation” in the sense of avoiding a major research capstone. Liberty University Course Catalog+2OUM+2 

Study Pace & Length. 

• U.S. credit-based programs usually publish a total credit requirement (e.g., 60 credits at Liberty & Taft; CityU uses 91 quarter credits). 

• UK professional doctorates (e.g., Portsmouth) publish annual fees and typical duration windows (e.g., 4–7 years), combining taught modules with a large work-based research project. University of Portsmouth 

Residencies & Defenses. Even online DBAs may require online or brief on-site research workshops/residencies and a defense. Check the current handbook before enrolling (requirements evolve year-to-year). 

 

How We Verified (Method) 

• We pulled tuition rates, credit counts, and delivery mode directly from each university’s official program, catalog, or tuition pages (all cited below). 

• Where a catalog displayed conflicting figures (e.g., Wilmington listing 48 and 54 credits on the same page), we flagged the discrepancy and recommend confirming the official plan of study with the department. 

• All figures were checked today (September 18, 2025). If a school updates rates, use their official tuition page as the source of truth. 

 

 

Why these Online Phd in Criminal Justice programs are genuinely Affordable (and still credible)

• Accreditation first: U.S. entries are regionally accredited; international picks are recognized by national/regional QA bodies. (Always verify program accreditation.) National University+1 

• Delivery that works for professionals: We prioritized programs offered 100% online or as low-residency so working students avoid recurring travel costs. Tiffin University 

• Transparent pricing where available: We used published per-credit or annual research fees from official bursar / tuition pages. catalog.ncu.edu+2Tiffin University+2 

• Applied vs research pathways: DCJ is often practice-focused (applied projects) and shorter; PhD is research-intensive and may incur continuation fees if the dissertation runs long. Tiffin University+1