Business School

Business School at Willamette University

Private university ยท Salem, Oregon

  • AACSB accredited
  • MBA
  • Part-Time MBA

Willamette University is a private university with graduate business programs in Salem, Oregon. Those programs run through the Atkinson Graduate School of Management. The institution is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

The business school holds AACSB accreditation - one of 5 of the 6 schools in MBA Lab's Oregon directory that do. It is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States, and it covers the school as a whole rather than any one program - a floor, not a ranking. More on accreditation.

Federal reporting puts graduate enrollment at 519 students, alongside 1,592 undergraduates. Total enrollment is not MBA cohort size - ask the admissions office how many students are in the specific program you're considering, which is usually a far smaller number and the one that shapes your experience.

Based on MBA Lab's directory data, the school offers a graduate MBA path and a part-time or evening MBA format for students who keep working. That puts it among the 2 of 6 schools in MBA Lab's Oregon directory listing a part-time MBA. Format availability changes; confirm the current lineup with the school before planning around it.

It is the only school in Salem in this directory - the other 5 business school options in Oregon are elsewhere in the state, so weigh travel time against fit before ruling them out.

What to ask Willamette University

These questions are picked from what MBA Lab's data already says about this school, so they're the ones most likely to surface a real difference between it and the next school on your list.

  • Published price vs. actual price. Private institutions like Willamette University often discount heavily through merit aid, so the sticker figure is rarely what admitted students pay. Ask what share of the incoming class receives institutional aid and the median award.
  • Pace flexibility. Ask how long students typically take, whether you can drop to one class during a heavy work quarter without penalty, and how late evening sections actually run against your commute from work.
  • Where the degree is administered. Programs run through the Atkinson Graduate School of Management may have their own admissions timeline, aid pool, and career office, separate from the university's central graduate school. Confirm which office owns your application.
  • Ask for the school's own outcome numbers. The federal figures on this page cover business master's graduates who took federal aid, pooled across several years. The school's employment report will be narrower and more current - ask for it by program and by graduating class, not a blended average.

At a glance

InstitutionWillamette University
Business schoolAtkinson Graduate School of Management
Controlprivate
LocationSalem, Oregon
Campus settingMidsize city
Carnegie classBaccalaureate college (arts & sciences focus)
MBA formats listed MBA Part-Time MBA
Graduate enrollment519
Undergraduate enrollment1,592
Business accreditation AACSB — view listing
Institutional accreditationNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Official site Visit website
Net price calculator Estimate your cost
Federal data College Scorecard profile

School names, locations, and program formats are curated by MBA Lab and reviewed periodically (last data update: August 2026). Enrollment, accreditation, links, and any outcome figures come from U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Always verify formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. How this data works.

Programs at Willamette University

Details below come from Willamette University's own program pages, not from a ranking service or an aggregator. Each card links to the page it was read from and the date it was last checked, so you can confirm anything before you plan around it.

MBA for Professionals

Part-Time MBA
  • Length 24 months
  • Delivery Hybrid
What that price is$12,000 per semester for the 2026-27 entering cohort (down from $14,500 in 2025-26), locked for the full two-year program; the program runs three semesters per year
On length10 required core courses plus 2 independent management consultant projects, across 6 semesters over two years. Total credit hours not confirmed on the pages checked this pass.
Class scheduleOne in-person and one online class per week, plus three Saturday leadership intensives each semester; Tuesdays in Salem, Wednesdays/Thursdays in Portland

Reported outcomes

Median earnings, 1 year out $86,704 Median of 135 graduates working one year after completion -1% vs. the $87,219 median across MBA Lab's directory
Median earnings, 4 years out $101,544 Median of 82 graduates working four years after completion +17% against the 1-year figure - two separate cohorts measured at different times, not one group's career path
Median federal graduate debt $72,115 Median across 116 borrowers entering repayment About 0.83x the 1-year earnings median. Federal loans only - private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings aren't counted

Among the 6 schools in MBA Lab's Oregon business schools directory that report a figure, Willamette University ranks 5th by one-year earnings. Schools that report nothing are left out of that count rather than counted as zero.

What these numbers are. Figures cover graduates of master's-level programs in Business Administration, Management and Operations (CIP 52.02) who received federal financial aid. At some institutions that group includes business master's degrees other than the MBA, and it never includes graduates who took no federal aid - so these are a directional signal about a school's business master's programs, not an MBA salary report. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Check Willamette University's Scorecard profile. Full methodology.

Want to see what these figures could mean for your own timeline? Try the free MBA ROI calculator, prefilled with Willamette University's context.

Compare with other schools in Oregon

School City AACSB Formats listed Earnings, 1 yr out
Willamette University This page Salem Yes MBA, Part-Time MBA $86,704
University of Oregon Eugene Yes MBA, Executive MBA $71,036
George Fox University Newberg — MBA, Online MBA $93,866
Oregon State University Corvallis Yes MBA, Online MBA $89,393
Portland State University Portland Yes MBA, Part-Time MBA $99,771
University of Portland Portland Yes MBA $87,596

"Not reported" means College Scorecard publishes no figure for that school - usually too few federally-aided graduates to release without identifying them. It is not a low number, and these schools are excluded from every average on this page rather than counted as zero. A dash under AACSB means the school isn't on AACSB's accredited list; it may hold ACBSP or IACBE accreditation instead, which this directory doesn't track.

This school in other directories

Frequently asked questions

What MBA formats does Willamette University offer?

MBA Lab's directory lists a part-time MBA at Willamette University, alongside the core MBA. Formats change - confirm the current lineup on the school's official site.

How long is the MBA for Professionals at Willamette University, and when does it meet?

The MBA for Professionals takes about 24 months and is delivered in a hybrid format. 10 required core courses plus 2 independent management consultant projects, across 6 semesters over two years. Total credit hours not confirmed on the pages checked this pass. Classes meet: One in-person and one online class per week, plus three Saturday leadership intensives each semester; Tuesdays in Salem, Wednesdays/Thursdays in Portland

What do graduates of Willamette University's business master's programs earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of $86,704 one year after completion for graduates of master's-level Business Administration programs at Willamette University who received federal financial aid. Four years out the reported median is $101,544. That group can include business master's degrees other than the MBA, and excludes graduates who took no federal aid, so treat it as a directional signal rather than an MBA salary figure.

How much debt do students take on at Willamette University?

The reported median federal graduate debt is $72,115 for business master's graduates at Willamette University. Against the reported one-year earnings median, that is about 0.83x a year of earnings. Federal loans are only part of the cost picture - it excludes private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings.

Is Willamette University's business school AACSB-accredited?

Yes - Willamette University appears on AACSB's list of accredited institutions. AACSB, founded in 1916, is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States (the others are ACBSP and IACBE). Accreditation covers the school, not any individual program, so treat it as a quality floor rather than a ranking.

Is Willamette University a public or private institution?

Willamette University is a private university, and MBA Lab lists its graduate business programs in Salem, Oregon. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

How do I compare Willamette University with other schools in Oregon?

MBA Lab lists 6 schools in its Oregon business schools directory. Use a consistent rubric across them: curriculum, recruiting outcomes, format fit, cost after aid, and location constraints.

Where should I verify program details?

Always confirm formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. MBA Lab is a planning directory, not an admissions authority, and does not endorse specific schools.

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