The Most Overrated College Degree, According to Mark Cuban

As the outspoken owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and star of ABC’s Shark Tank, over the past 10 years, billionaire tech entrepreneur Mark Cuban has become a household name.

After starting his life in an average neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and later attending Indiana University for his MBA before growing one of the country’s largest tech empires, Cuban has become another in a long line of great American success stories.

But as much as Cuban says he values college and the opportunity to learn, there’s one degree that he isn’t a fan of: an MBA.

Most MBA graduates are hungry for intellectual glamour.

– Ravi Subramanian

The most overrated college degree

At a recent youth leadership summit for Turning Point USA, Cuban spoke on success and the journey one walks to get there.

"I am not a fan of getting MBAs at all. I am a fan of going to college but not a fan of getting an MBA," said Cuban to an audience of youth leaders.

Although Cuban says he nearly completed his MBA before his junior year of college, he chose not to remain at Indiana University to complete it.

Why exactly isn’t Cuban a fan of MBAs? In an interview with Turning Point USA’s founder Charlie Kirk, he identified two main reasons.

1. You can get the same education with way less money

“There are so many online MBA equivalents that if you are disciplined enough, you can do it for a lot less money and still get a quality education," says Cuban.

He was quick to clarify that he values a college education, he just doesn’t hold much weight to an MBA.

In a 2012 Reddit AMA, Cuban said, "I think an MBA is an absolute waste of money. If you have a hole in your knowledge base, there are a ton of online courses you can take."

Cuban’s absolutely right. A quick search through online course platform Udemy pulls up countless highly-rated courses from qualified instructors, including the best-selling business course on Udemy by Chris Haroun, An Entire MBA in 1 Course.

2. Experience is more valuable

However, more than just the cost, Cuban believes that experience in the workforce is far more valuable.

"There are so many online ways to learn and I think you can get far more experience in the workforce and learn more and be in a better position to succeed,” he told Kirk.

This is a sentiment echoed by many successful entrepreneurs, not only reflecting their own personal experience as they rose to success but also in how they decide who they hire.

In the same interview, Cuban said, “I don't give any advantage to someone in hiring because they have an MBA.”