What does an online MBA actually cost?
Short answer
Three bands. From about ₹32,000–38,000 at open universities and autonomous institutes, ₹1–2 lakh at private universities, and above ₹2 lakh for brand-led programmes.
Below roughly ₹2 lakh, programmes in the same band differ far less than their marketing implies. Under ₹1 lakh the differences are close to nil on paper.
Above that you are buying teaching hours, a cohort and a brand. All three can be worth paying for — but you should know that is what the money is for, not recognition.
What to check
- Ask for the total from admission to certificate, in writing.
- Compare on total, never on the per-semester figure.