The Haworth College of Business was established in 1949 as the Department of Business studies. In 1957, the department was designated as the School of Business with two departments: Accounting and General Business. The latter was subsequently organized as the Department of Finance and Commercial Law. In 1958, the predecessor of the Department of Business Information Systems was established as the Department of Business Education. Finally, in 1962 the Departments of Management and Marketing were founded.

Bachelor and Master of Business Administration degrees were granted in 1953 and 1961, respectively. In 1964, a graduate degree in Accountancy and an off-campus Master of Business Administration program in Grand Rapids were added. The College started state-wide delivery of the MBA degree using electronic technology in 1991.

The School of Business became the College of Business in 1970 when it was granted American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AASCB) accreditation for undergraduate programs. Accreditation for graduate programs was granted in 1981. Graduate and undergraduate programs have been reaccredited.

The Haworth College of Business occupied its new $22 million state-of-the-art facility in 1991. It is located adjacent to the John E. Fetzer Business Development Center, forming a unique and outstanding business education complex.