MBA Standards Board
The MBA Standards Board is a private credentialing organization founded in 2019 that issues trademarked professional certifications across 21+ business specializations, serving individual professionals and employers via a self-serve online platform backed by 250+ academic partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What MBA Standards Board does
The MBA Standards Board is a private professional credentialing organization founded in 2019 and headquartered in New York City. It issues trademarked certifications and continuing-education credentials across 21+ specializations spanning AI strategy, financial services, risk management, executive leadership, and other business domains. The organization serves individual mid-career and senior professionals seeking credentialing without committing to a full traditional MBA program, as well as employers evaluating candidates with standardized credentials.
The platform operates as a self-serve online enrollment system with Stripe-based checkout, supported by partnerships with 250+ academic institutions including Harvard, Wharton, MIT, Yale, and Stanford. The technology stack centers on a learning and credentialing platform with an associated community component (MBA Connect) and a continuing-education subscription layer that generates recurring engagement beyond initial certification purchase. Certification pricing is approximately $1,500 per credential, materially below traditional MBA tuition.
Revenue mechanics combine per-certification fees with continuing-education subscriptions, distributed across a long tail of individual buyers rather than enterprise contracts. The organization is bootstrapped with no disclosed outside funding and operates with a small team (11–50 employees). Recent strategic activity has included board expansion, new specialization rollouts, an Open Skills Network partnership, and a C-Suite Standards Report launch aimed at executive audiences.
MBA Standards Board firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MBA Standards Board
- Legal name
- International Business Education & Accreditation Council LLC, MBA Standards Board Division
- Website
- https://applymba.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The MBA Standards Board is a private credentialing organization founded in 2019 that issues trademarked professional certifications across 21+ business specializations, serving individual professionals and employers via a self-serve online platform backed by 250+ academic partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MBA Standards Board industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Certification Services
- NAICS
- Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- MBA & Executive MBA Programs (EDAHAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Credentialing, Certification Prep & Exam Training (BPACANAJ), Professional Certification & Training Content Publishing (Exam Prep, CE/CPD) (MPAJACAL)
Keywords
Where MBA Standards Board is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
MBA Standards Board business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- MBA Certification Fees: The MBA Standards Board charges fees for its certification and designation services. Students pay directly to the organization for enrollment and certification processing. Total program cost averages approximately $1,500 for the full MBA certification and designation with an area of specialization. The organization advises that course tuition is paid directly to learning institutions (universities, MOOC platforms), not to the MBA Standards Board itself.
- Continuing Education and Ethics Requirements: Certified MBA holders are required to complete annual continuing education (CE) credits to maintain their board membership and credential validity. The organization emails certified MBAs several times per year with ethics and professional development course options. Two short online courses are required annually (one must relate to ethics). This generates ongoing engagement and potential revenue from the certified professional community.
- Advisory and Guidance Services: Upon enrollment, each student is assigned an MBA advisor who assesses work and course credits, considers career aspirations, and recommends tailored course selections. While the advisory service is included in the enrollment, it creates stickiness and drives the selection of recommended accredited courses from partner institutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Full MBA Certification with Specialization |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
MBA Standards Board product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MBA Standards Board administers competency-based MBA-aligned certifications (Certified MBA Professional with MBA+™ or MBAe™ designations) for individual professionals. Certifications are earned by combining work-experience credits (up to 21 credits for C-Suite roles), prior-course credits from 250+ accredited partners, a 36-credit core curriculum, and one of 21+ specialization tracks, with mandatory annual ethics and continuing education requirements. Total program cost averages approximately $1,500 — roughly 3% of traditional residential MBA tuition — delivered via self-serve online enrollment and supported by the MBA Connect professional community.
Product overview
MBA Standards Board operates as a global credentialing body offering a single unified certification product — the Certified MBA credential — through three designations: Certified MBA Professional, MBA+, and MBAe. The program provides an alternative to traditional MBA degrees by combining competency-based work experience credits (awarding up to 21 credits for C-suite experience), acceptance of prior coursework from accredited universities and online platforms, a 36-credit core curriculum plus specialization track, and mandatory ongoing ethics and continuing education requirements. The offering is complemented by MBA Connect, a professional community providing networking, leadership opportunities, and career resources. Total program cost averages approximately $1,500 (about 3% of traditional MBA tuition), with individual courses averaging around $90. The program partners with 250+ accredited institutions including Harvard, Boston University, Berkeley, Purdue, Wharton, Stanford, and Yale to deliver coursework.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MBA+™: A post-nominal credential validating completion of accredited MBA curriculum, specializations through elective coursework, and commitment to ongoing business education and ethical practices.
- MBAe™
- Certified MBA Professional™
- MBA Connect™
- MBA Professionals Association
Products and services
- Certified MBA Professional (MBA+ / MBAe) Certification The flagship competency-based MBA-aligned credential from MBA Standards Board. Professionals earn the Certified MBA designation with MBA+ or MBAe post-nominal credentials by completing 36 credits of core curriculum and specialization coursework, demonstrating competency through work experience, and maintaining annual ethics and continuing education requirements. Offered at approximately 3% of residential college tuition costs as an alternative to traditional MBA degrees.
- Work Experience Credits A competency-based credit award system that grants MBA curriculum credits for demonstrated professional experience. C-Suite executives and founders can earn up to 21 credits; directors, VPs, senior managers, and consultants up to 12-21 credits; and employees or self-employed professionals up to 12 credits per year of relevant business experience, reducing required coursework.
- Course Credits Integration Acceptance of prior coursework and professional certifications toward MBA curriculum requirements. The program accepts graduate courses from accredited universities as well as standalone courses from platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Section, Coursera, edX, Google, Microsoft, and top universities such as MIT, Yale, and Stanford, with individual courses averaging around $90.
- MBA Core Curriculum (36 Credits) The foundational 36-credit business curriculum covering Financial Accounting, Statistics for Managers, Managerial Economics, Operations Management, Organizational Behavior, Business Analytics, Marketing Management, Corporate Finance, and Strategy. Course substitutions from work experience are applied liberally when equivalent content is covered.
- MBA Specializations (21+ Areas) Specialized elective tracks allowing professionals to emphasize high-demand skills and expertise. Specializations include Accounting, Algorithms, AI, Business Analytics, Business Consultancy, Cybersecurity, E-Commerce, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Fintech, Healthcare Management, Human Resources, IT, International Business, MIS, Marketing, Operations Management, Project Management, Real Estate, Supply Chain Management, and Sustainability.
- Ethics & Continuing Education Program Mandatory annual ethics and continuing professional development requirements for maintaining MBA certification. Certified MBAs must complete two short online courses annually (one must be ethics-related), with course options emailed periodically, ensuring the credential remains a "living" certification rather than a one-time achievement.
- Free Work & Credit Evaluation A complimentary evaluation service that assesses applicants' existing work experience, certifications, and course credits to determine how many credits can be applied toward MBA certification, producing a personalized plan and timeline for degree completion.
- MBA Connect (MBA Professionals Association) A professional community for MBA-certified members providing collaborative forums, leadership opportunities with executive positions, publishing platforms for thought leadership, networking events, continuing education resources, and an exclusive job board. Membership is a board requirement for all certified MBAs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Cost savings of 97% compared to other online MBA programs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use MBA Standards Board
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
MBA Standards Board technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability1 record
MBA Standards Board partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- 250+ Accredited College Course ProviderscoreThe MBA Standards Board partners with over 250 accredited college course providers to enable students to complete MBA curriculum requirements. Partners include top universities such as Harvard, Boston University, Berkeley, and Purdue. Students pay tuition directly to these institutions, not to the MBA Standards Board. The organization reviews and approves courses for credit equivalency.
- Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania)flagshipThe MBA Standards Board recommends Wharton School of Business courses as part of its core curriculum. Example: The Business Foundations Specialization (6 courses) at approximately $500 provides foundational business education recognized for MBA credit. Course completion earns a Business Fundamental Specialization Certification from Wharton.
- CourseracoreCoursera is listed as a recognized platform for standalone courses that can be applied toward MBA curriculum requirements. Students may complete courses from Coursera's business and technology offerings as part of their personalized MBA pathway.
- EdXcoreEdX is listed as a recognized platform for standalone courses that can be applied toward MBA curriculum requirements. The organization accepts courses from EdX's university partners for credit equivalency assessment.
- LinkedIn LearningcoreLinkedIn Learning courses are explicitly mentioned as acceptable for MBA curriculum credit. Students can leverage LinkedIn certifications toward their MBA specialization requirements.
- Section (formerly known as Section4)coreSection is listed as a recognized platform for courses that can be applied toward MBA curriculum requirements. The platform provides business education courses from industry practitioners.
- Google (Coursera Certificates)coreGoogle Professional Certificates on Coursera (e.g., Google Project Management) are recommended as part of MBA specializations. Example: The 6-course Google Project Management Professional Certificate at approximately $83/course qualifies for over 100 hours of project management education.
- MicrosoftcoreMicrosoft certifications and courses are listed as acceptable for MBA curriculum credit. Students can leverage Microsoft credentials toward their MBA specialization requirements.
- MITflagshipMIT is mentioned as a top university whose standalone courses can be applied toward MBA curriculum requirements. The organization's flexible credit recognition extends to MIT's online offerings.
- Yale UniversityflagshipYale courses (e.g., Introduction to Negotiation) are recommended as part of MBA curriculum. The Yale Negotiation course has 592,692 enrollments and a 4.9/5 rating, offered at approximately $90.
- Stanford UniversityflagshipStanford Algorithms Specialization (4 courses) is recommended at approximately $99/course. Courses include Divide and Conquer/Sorting/Searching/Randomized Algorithms, Graph Search/Shortest Paths/Data Structures, Greedy Algorithms/Dynamic Programming, and NP-Complete Problems.
- Open Skills Network (OSN)minorThe MBA Standards Board actively collaborates with the Open Skills Network (OSN) community as part of its mission to drive the future of skills-based education. This collaboration contributes to creating a more transparent, efficient, and effective system for recognizing and rewarding professional competencies across industries.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MBA Standards Board competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MBA Standards Board social profiles
Digital presenceMBA Standards Board financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MBA Standards Board leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
MBA Standards Board funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MBA Standards Board M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MBA Standards Board
What does MBA Standards Board do?
MBA Standards Board administers competency-based MBA-aligned certifications (Certified MBA Professional with MBA+™ or MBAe™ designations) for individual professionals. Certifications are earned by combining work-experience credits (up to 21 credits for C-Suite roles), prior-course credits from 250+ accredited partners, a 36-credit core curriculum, and one of 21+ specialization tracks, with mandatory annual ethics and continuing education requirements. Total program cost averages approximately $1,500 — roughly 3% of traditional residential MBA tuition — delivered via self-serve online enrollment and supported by the MBA Connect professional community.
Is MBA Standards Board a public or private company?
MBA Standards Board is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was MBA Standards Board founded?
MBA Standards Board was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is MBA Standards Board based?
MBA Standards Board is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does MBA Standards Board make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. MBA Certification Fees are the primary driver. The others are continuing Education and Ethics Requirements and advisory and Guidance Services.
Does MBA Standards Board have an API?
No public API is recorded for MBA Standards Board.
What industry is MBA Standards Board in?
MBA Standards Board's product category is Professional Certification Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAHAB, MBA & Executive MBA Programs, with a secondary code of BPACANAJ, Credentialing, Certification Prep & Exam Training. Its NAICS code is 6114 and its SIC code is 8200.