A Flexible MBA for Unparalleled Professional Development

Russell Sage College’s MBA program builds the leadership skills needed for advancement in business, government, healthcare, and nonprofits — while its Flex format gives you the freedom to choose how you attend each class, week by week.

FLEX Student Stories

Hear it for yourself from real-life MBA students as they share their experiences with our FLEX Format at Russell Sage.

Tuition & Fees


$725 per-credit

$3,175 Graduate Assistantships available per semester
(enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits per semester) *Must be available for in-person Graduate Assistantship work on Albany or Troy campuses.

Length & Format


36 credits

3 years
(part time)

Flex Program
In person, livestream, or online on your time

About The School of Management

With accredited programs and a flexible format that lets you switch between in-person and online classes, graduate programs at Russell Sage’s School of Management are built for working professionals.

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  • In Person
  • Livestream
  • Online

What is Flex?

The Flex format allows students to choose how they take their graduate classes each week – in person, via livestream, or online on their own time – when other programs require students to commit to one format. 

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MBA Program Distinctions

In addition to the Flex format — which lets you switch between in person, livestream, and online asynchronous classes — the MBA at Russell Sage offers a curriculum based on real-world content and connections. You won’t be lectured at; you’ll dive into case studies, participate in engaging discussions, and complete a capstone project with a business, nonprofit, or government agency.

Along the way, you’ll build your network at school-sponsored events like employer panels and weekend business-plan intensives with leaders from government, health care, finance, tech, and the start-up world.

Russell Sage’s per-credit cost is among the most competitive in New York’s Capital Region to begin with, and we offer a 10% discount on tuition and deferred billing to employees at our Workforce Development partners.

Flex MBA classes are led by full-time professors with doctorates and part-time faculty who are directors of state agencies, business owners, and chief officers in financial, healthcare, and technology fields.

Specialize in leading people and projects in healthcare settings with an optional concentration. Take classes in Health Systems & Policy; Budgeting and Finance for Healthcare; Program Planning, Analysis, & Evaluation; and Healthcare Quality Management.

Students seeking a School District Business Leader (SDBL) certification who need a master’s degree along with the SDBL advanced certificate can choose a MBA+SDBL pathway.

ABSO New York

10% tuition discount
Thanks to a Workforce Development Partnership, members of the Association of School Business Officials of New York (ASBO New York) receive a 10% tuition discount on the SDBL program and the MBA+SDBL program.

Deferred payment
Upon signing an agreement approved by both parties, ASBO New York members who enroll can defer tuition until up to four weeks after the completion of each term. This flexibility allows students to plan and save for their educational investment, while also aligning the timing of employee tuition reimbursement benefits, eliminating the need to pay tuition upfront.

The Board of Commissioners of the International Accreditation Council for Business Education is pleased to announce that as of March 2014 the School of Management at Russell Sage College has been granted first-time accreditation. The School of Management has demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement, excellence in business education, and advancing academic quality.

A Practical, Convenient, Affordable MBA Program

College/UniversityPer-credit Cost (Rounded to Nearest Dollar)Credits in ProgramTotal MBA Program Cost
Russell Sage College$72536$26,100
Capital Region Public University$68748$32,976
Capital Region Private College A$90048$43,200
Capital Region Private College B$99542$41,790*
Notes: 
The MBA program at Russell Sage only charges one fee, a $150 one-time Graduate Records fee that you pay once in your first semester.
The information is for students who are attending part time (fewer than 12 credits per semester).
*Does not include additional college fees

A Practical, Convenient, Affordable MBA Program

Russell Sage College

  • $725 Per-credit Cost
    (Rounded to Nearest Dollar)
  • 36 Credits in Program
  • Total MBA Program Cost: $26,100

Capital Region Public University

  • $687 Per-credit Cost
    (Rounded to Nearest Dollar)
  • 48 Credits in Program
  • Total MBA Program Cost: $32,976

Capital Region Private College A

  • $900 Per-credit Cost
    (Rounded to Nearest Dollar)
  • 48 Credits in Program
  • Total MBA Program Cost: $43,200

Capital Region Private College B

  • $995 Per-credit Cost
    (Rounded to Nearest Dollar)
  • 42 Credits in Program
  • Total MBA Program Cost: $41,790*

Notes: 
The MBA program at Russell Sage only charges one fee, a $150 one-time Graduate Records fee that you pay once in your first semester.
The information is for students who are attending part time (fewer than 12 credits per semester).
*Does not include additional college fees

Easily Apply

Rolling admission for fall and spring semesters: start when you’re ready. And our application is free!

Applicants should complete Russell Sage’s graduate program application and provide:

  • Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • A 1- to 2-page career goals essay:
    We want to hear your voice. Russell Sage College values authenticity, critical thinking, and personal expression. We ask that all application essays be written solely by the applicant with only ethical use of AI technology, such as tools that support but do not generate content.
  • Current resume
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Course Requirements

Russell Sage’s Flex MBA is particularly tailored to professionals in the workplace and includes behavioral aspects of management. The 36-credit Master of Business Administration curriculum includes foundation MBA classes, elective or concentration courses, and a capstone experience. You will graduate with the skills, knowledge, and confidence for executive roles in government, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, the nonprofit sector, and more. 

View Program Catalog
Personal advising, experienced faculty

Our MBA program comes with a deep, Russell Sage-level of support from an assigned faculty advisor who works with you to ensure your success.

Headshot of business professor Huimin Xu
Huimin
Xu, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Marketing

Learn more about Huimin
MaryEllen
Tedesco, M.S.

Assistant Professor of Practice, Undergraduate Program Director for Business Administration and Department Chair

Learn more about MaryEllen
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Haidy H.
Brown, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Management, Emily L. Mantilia Professor in Business

Learn more about Haidy
man with a white beard and a gray polo shirt standing outdoors.
John
Dion, DBA

Dean of the School of Management and Associate Professor of Management, Graduate Program Director for Business Administration and Organization Management

Learn more about John
professional man smiling in headshot
Brian
White

Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance

Learn more about Brian
Man in a suit coat and tie smiling at camera with blue background.
Mykha’el
Wilson

Assistant Professor of Business (Accounting)

Learn more about Mykha’el
Sage Park - Troy
Scott
Stalker

Adjunct Professor

Learn more about Scott
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Yvonne
Isgro

Adjunct Professor, School of Management

Learn more about Yvonne

Your Career with an MBA

Graduates of Sage’s Flex MBA program work in state government and healthcare, manufacturing, and service-based organizations. They lead technology companies and run mission-driven nonprofits.

Recent employers include Louis Vuitton; Ayco financial services; Humana Managed Care; General Electric; Global Foundries; the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Department of Health, Division of the Budget and Office of the Comptroller; and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

Graduates of Sage’s MBA program have also been accepted to the highly selective New York State Excelsior Service Fellowship program and to competitive doctoral programs in business.

Alumni Spotlights

A Master of Business Administration degree prepared these Sage graduates for success.

Alumni
Business Administration Bachelor’s Business Administration Master’s Program (MBA) 2016, 2019
Carrie Harring, MBA

Carrie Harring accepted her first full-time position — advocating on behalf of New York State physicians before state lawmakers — …

Read More
Alumni
Business Administration Bachelor’s Business Administration Master’s Program (MBA) 2016, 2018
Anthony Williamson, MBA

Most students like a professor who tells them how well they’re doing. Anthony Williamson ’16 says what he found most …

Read More
Alumni
Nursing Bachelor’s Nursing Master’s Program (M.S.) Business Administration Master’s Program (MBA)
Patricia Klimkewicz, PhD, RN-BC, MBA

When she was in first grade, Sage alumna Patricia Klimkewicz, dean of health sciences at Hudson Valley Community College, hoped …

Read More
Alumni

“Sage gave me the education to know the how and why of what I’m doing in my management role.”

– Elizabeth Papa, MBA

Recent Posts for our Master of Business Administration

Frequently Asked Questions

A Russell Sage MBA can open up career possibilities in the Capital Region across a range of industries and job titles. Graduates of the Sage MBA program go on to work in state government, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and the nonprofit sector.

Some Sage MBA graduates use the degree to move into new roles with employers such as Regeneron, Goldman Sachs Ayco, Albany Medical Center Health Systems, Transfinder, the Golub Corporation, SABIC, Northwestern Mutual, and the New York State Office of the Budget and other state agencies. In addition, graduates have been accepted to New York State’s Excelsior Service Fellowship Program, which the state describes as an initiative that brings highly talented recent graduates of law, graduate, and professional schools into government service.

One critical analysis of literature related to MBA programs found that “pursuing an MBA increases both understanding of the business context and the acquiring of the skills needed to perform as a manager in the field of organizations,” including leadership and teamwork as well as technical skills such as statistical analysis and technology management. Alongside a robust network of alumni across the Capital Region, these skills lead to many opportunities for graduates of the Sage MBA program.

The MBA program format at Russell Sage is very flexible for working professionals as well as parents. The Flex MBA format is specifically designed to ensure dedicated learners can earn their MBA degrees without putting the rest of their lives and personal obligations on hold. Flex courses allow students to choose the format that works best for them, which may include:  

  • In-person evening courses 
  • Livestream (online, synchronous learning) courses 
  • Online (asynchronous learning) courses 

Because the format is flexible, students are not required to choose one format for the duration of their degree plan. Instead, they can choose and change the format as needed.  

Carrie Haring is a Sage MBA graduate who completed her degree while working full time. She said this about the experience: “I needed a program that would fit my schedule, and I knew from having good relationships with the School of Management that I could explain my career goals and then tailor the program to me.” 

Sage’s MBA offers experiential learning and networking opportunities that enable students to complete the program ready to launch and grow their careers. Every Sage MBA student completes a multi-disciplinary capstone experience where they examine business organizations and their competitive strategies.  

According to Princeton Review, “The peers, professors, and business leaders students meet in business school are an advantageous resource for graduates years after they’ve finished their MBA program.”2 Furthermore, according to the U.S. Department of Labor,3 up to 80% of jobs are never advertised, meaning that job seekers need to tap into their existing networks to even learn about potential openings. Sage MBA students have the chance to build lifelong networks through employer panels and business-plan intensives featuring leaders from government, healthcare, finance, and technology.  

Although internships are not a required part of the Sage MBA curriculum, some students do choose to complete internships in fields such as accounting and finance, entrepreneurship, human resources, management, and marketing.4 Students interested in internship programs can connect with the Graduate Program Director for Business Administration and Organization Management.  

2 https://www.princetonreview.com/business-school-advice/why-get-an-mba-network

3 https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/odep/topics/youth/softskills/networking.pdf 

4 https://www.sage.edu/academics/schools/management/business-and-accounting-internships/

It’s possible to specialize an MBA in healthcare management, data analytics, or other fields by choosing an elective pathway that includes courses focused on a specific area of choice. For example, MBA students with an interest in healthcare management should consider taking courses such as:  

  • Health Systems & Policy 
  • Budgeting and Finance for Government, Nonprofits, and Health Care 
  • Program Planning, Analysis, and Evaluation 

MBA students who plan to work in data analytics should choose different elective courses that focus on data visualization, marketing analytics, and quantitative business methodologies. Regardless of specialty area, all MBA students will have the same foundational education, which will include courses in accounting, finance, statistics, and leadership.  

According to ZipRecruiter, the average MBA graduate salary in New York is $180,923 per year.6 Because MBA graduates pursue opportunities in many different industries and exhibit such a wide range of skills and experience, it is difficult to predict the exact salary an MBA graduate could earn immediately after graduation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track the job outlook for MBA holders specifically, but they do indicate that the demand for professionals in management positions is expected to grow faster than the average for all jobs between 2024 and 2034, with an additional 1.1 million jobs expected across the country.7  

Sage’s MBA program increases advancement potential by giving its students the skills they need to succeed in the current business environment while also adapting and thriving at the speed of development. For instance, courses such as Management of Change & Innovation, Strategy and Executive Decision Making, and Digital Marketing Essentials all help students build strong foundations for building careers that will continue to grow.  

Furthermore, the Sage Flex program ensures that students do not need to put their current career trajectories on hold. Instead, they can earn their MBA degrees while continuing to contribute to their companies.

6 https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Mba-Salary–in-New-York 

7 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management

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Need help?
John Dion, DBA
Dean of the School of Management and Associate Professor of Management, Graduate Program Director for Business Administration and Organization Management
dionj2@sage.edu
518-292-7703

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