Top Online MBAs in Business Analytics
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Are you graduating with a bachelor's degree in business, ready to switch careers, or eyeing a strategic promotion? A master of business administration (MBA) could be the ticket to jumpstarting your career.
While an MBA is the standard business leadership degree, many schools now offer concentrations designed for the modern world, including the online MBA in business analytics. This degree equips students with skills in statistical methodologies and analytical technology to investigate crucial business data and improve corporate performance.
Graduates with an MBA in business analytics may pursue various business intelligence careers, such as financial analysis, management analysis, or executive leadership. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), these jobs paid a median annual wage of $95,290-$100,090 in 2022.
Is an MBA in business analytics right for you? Explore four top online programs in the guide below.
Why Get an Online MBA in Business Analytics?
Business analysts are in high demand across virtually all industries. According to data from Payscale, professionals with an MBA in business analytics made an average of $84,000 as of December 2023. Those with a bachelor of business administration earned an average of $10,000 less.
You can earn one of two master's degrees in business analytics — an MS or an MBA. The MS emphasizes the tools and techniques you need to analyze data sets, while an MBA focuses on business leadership and data-driven decision-making. You can apply your education to careers in logistics, finance, public policy, healthcare, or other industries.
Both these STEM-focused degrees can help you prepare for a future role as a marketing analyst, data scientist, business analyst, or quantitative analyst. The MBA, however, also incorporates broad business education into its curriculum.
Featured Online MBA Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Top Colleges With Online MBAs in Business Analytics
We have compiled a list of nonprofit and for-profit four-year institutions that offer this degree program. Use the table below to compare the average net price and graduation rate.
| School | Location | Average Net Price | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babson College | Babson Park, MA | $28,400 | 93% |
| The University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley | Brownsville TX | $8,105 | 47% |
| University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign | Champaign, IL | $14,544 | 85% |
| University of Maryland, College Park | College Park, MD | $16,210 | 86% |
Top Schools for an MBA in Business Analytics
Babson College
Babson offers a part-time, flexible MBA with a concentration in business analytics. This 45-credit program includes 18 credits of core courses and 27 credits of specialization electives.
Business analytics students take classes such as machine learning methods for business, competing on analytics using technology, economic and financial forecasting, and artificial intelligence for business. Learners take at least three of every seven class sessions on campus, and off-campus sessions may include live online learning experiences.
Enrollees should expect to spend 4-6 hours studying outside the classroom for every 2-3 hours spent in class. Applicants need to pay a $100 application fee.
The University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley
UTRGV's 100% online MBA consists of 36 credits and can be completed in 12 months. Business analytics students may take courses such as healthcare analytics, data visualization, and machine learning for data analytics.
Analytics courses may include topics such as R and Python, data mining, data visualization, machine learning, text mining, decision modeling and optimization methods, social media analytics, and enterprise analytics. Each course lasts seven weeks.
The program enrolls new students approximately six times per year. Applicants need a bachelor's degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, as well as acceptable GRE or GMAT scores. UTRGV also offers a pre-MBA certificate for prospective students who need additional support.
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
U of I partners with Coursera to provide an online MBA with a managerial economics and business analysis concentration. This flexible, self-scheduled program can take 24-60 months to complete.
Students enroll in courses such as statistics management decision-making, microeconomics for business, and money and banking. When specializing in data analytics, students add courses in R, predictive modeling, and applying analytics in the real world. Each course lasts 4-8 weeks, and learners can enroll in 1-4 courses per 16-week semester.
The program concludes with two specialization capstones and one program capstone, which students design to meet their academic and professional interests.
University of Maryland, College Park
UMD offers an online MBA with a concentration in business analytics through the Robert H. Smith School of Business. Students can complete this experiential program in 24 months or pursue their MBA jointly with a JD, MD, or other graduate degree.
The 54-credit MBA curriculum includes courses such as data analytics, strategic and transformational IT, data-driven decision models, and global economic impact. Students complete the program with an integrated capstone that involves a real-world consulting project.
UMD MBA graduates, on average, received a 121% salary increase after graduation. Applicants do not need to submit GMAT or GRE scores but should hold at least five years of work experience.
Featured Online MBA Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Is an Online MBA in Business Analytics Worth It?
A business analytics MBA may be one of the most versatile and practical degrees you can earn. Plus, it can provide you with a strong return on investment.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average graduate degree in business costs $16,120 in tuition and fees. Earning the degree entirely online reduces that figure to $10,995. Public schools may charge less than private schools, and in-state students benefit from lower tuition costs.
Regardless of how much you spend, the ROI on an MBA is impressive. Per Payscale, professionals with an MBA in business analytics earned an average of $84,000 as of December 2023. Graduates who assume positions as project management specialists, management analysts, operating managers, HR directors, or PR executives may earn much more.
An MBA's benefits are not limited to its impact on salary. Business school students can network with peers, professors, and industry leaders as they progress through their curriculum, leading to valuable business connections.
Common Business Analytics Courses
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Big Data Analytics in the Cloud
Students learn the tools and techniques to collect, clean, format, integrate, and store structured and unstructured data in the cloud. Topics include public cloud infrastructures, data pipelines, and curating big data. -
Using R for Analytics
This course covers the fundamentals of using R programming language tools to conduct data reshaping and visualization, predictive modeling, and exploratory data analysis. -
Statistical Machine Learning
Students explore modeling and prediction methods using statistical machine learning. Topics include linear regression, regularization and shrinkage, nonparametric, and tree-based methods. -
Data Management & Warehousing
This course explores how to realize the potential of data assets, gain a business advantage, and use business and operational intelligence in managerial decision-making. -
Business Forecasting Techniques
Students learn the forecasting process using methods as simple as observation and as complex as neural nets. The course covers data -
Analytics & Statistical Modeling for Managerial Decision Making
This course prepares students to make decisions with access to limited information. Topics include the fundamentals of probability theory and empirical estimation. -
Descriptive Business Analytics
Students discover how to gain insights by analyzing historical data. This course covers business data analysis principles and techniques and how to use standard data analysis software.
Requirements of Applying to a Business Analytics MBA Program
Each school determines its own distinct admissions criteria for each program. However, you will see an overlap from school to school. To apply to a business analytics MBA program, you should have the following:
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A bachelor's degree -
A GPA of 3.0 or higher overall or in the last 60 credits of your undergraduate program -
Acceptable GMAT or GRE scores (for schools that have this requirement) -
At least two years of work experience (10 years for an executive MBA)
Your undergraduate degree can be in any major, but it is helpful to have coursework in basic math, business, and statistics. Applicants without this background can take online coursework or study these subjects through free massive open online courses (MOOCs).
Once enrolled in your MBA program, you may be required to complete an internship or a final capstone project. Each program is different, and graduation requirements, like admissions criteria, vary from school to school.
Common Questions About MBAs in Business Analytics
Does business analytics include a lot of math?
Business analytics degree programs require some math, but maybe not as much as you suspect. In general, you need basic math, statistics, and maybe discrete math skills, but you may not need to know calculus, trigonometry, or geometry.
Is an MBA helpful for a business analyst?
An MBA can provide a business analyst with many helpful skills, including business knowledge and communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills. The degree also provides a well-respected academic credential that can enhance your career.
Is an MBA in Business Analytics tough?
Because it includes courses in statistics, programming, and technology, business analytics can be a challenging field. However, fields like data analytics, computer science, or theoretical mathematics may take more work.
What skills do you need to be a business analyst?
Top business analyst skills include data analysis, process modeling, agile methodologies, systems analysis, and prototyping. Business analysts should also know how to use intelligence tools such as SAP BusinessObjects, IBM Cognos, and Microsoft Power BI.
