Getting an MBA in Business Analytics Online

Data is bits of information that can help business professionals evolve their operational strategy, create better products and potentially sell more. Businesses identify the data that will help them grow their companies with the help of business analytics professionals. Roles like operations research analyst and market research analyst may show up in a job search because these professionals study and analyze data to provide important business recommendations.

Those who are interested in gathering data, drilling down and creating strategies based on data might be interested in a business analytics role. An MBA in business analytics program can help students gain knowledge to succeed in these roles.

Can You Earn a Business Analytics MBA Online?

Yes. Many programs offer online MBAs in business analytics and many schools focus on business analytics in their Master of Business Administration programs. There are also schools that offer a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in business analytics.

In online MBA programs, students may be able to choose their own concentration from options like business analytics, marketing, entrepreneurship and finance. Students typically take core business courses in addition to concentration-specific courses, diving deeper into business analytics if that’s their chosen concentration.

What Does an Online Business Analytics MBA Cover?

Business analytics MBA students learn how to help businesses discover details about their customers, such as who they are and how they make purchasing decisions. By using data, analytics professionals help businesses strategize how to capture more customers or clients through evolving strategies, products and services.

Digital tools have made data collection easy and instant. E-commerce businesses have a wealth of insights about buying behaviors. Customer relationship management tools help B2B businesses understand their customers. Sales forecasts and industry trend insights are available online. Business analytics experts learn how to transform raw data into actionable insights that drive business results.

In an online business analytics MBA program, students learn skills like:

How to solve business challenges using data-driven decisions.
How to collect, mine, visualize and analyze data.
How to uncover trends and patterns based on data.
How to create a statistical and pattern analysis.
How to use analytics tools to analyze business data.
Business-focused analytics best practices.

A business analytics MBA program may also cover core business skills like leadership, business planning and marketing and sales strategies.

MBA Concentration in Business Analytics Curriculum

In addition to the core business courses in an MBA program, an MBA concentration in business analytics will have such classes as:

Business Insights Through Advanced Analytics: This would cover descriptive, prescriptive and predictive analytics and the methods, models, software and tools that are used in each area to create business insights using data. Students might learn cluster analysis, data mining and simulation algorithms.
Predictive Analytics: In this course, students dive deeper into predictive analytics, learning how to use data from areas like customer support, financial data, web interactions and other sources to improve customer understanding and predict customer actions. Using predictive analytics, data professionals make recommendations to optimize business performance.
Business Intelligence: In a business intelligence course, students learn about enterprise information management and analysis. This course would cover data capture and data warehouse management, data analysis and insights gathering and reporting. Students learn how to review historical data through processes like querying, online analytical processing and reporting to inform future decisions.
Database and Big Data: In this course, students would learn how big data is managed, analyzed and interpreted so it can be applied to solve business problems. Students learn how to use big data tools to perform predictive modeling.

In addition to business analytics-focused courses, for MBA core business courses, students can expect to study macroeconomics, human resources, management, operations and international business.

Master of Business Analytics vs. MBA in Business Analytics: What’s the Difference?

Generally, a master of business analytics degree is a master of science degree. Those who are studying for a master of business analytics degree will have a program focused exclusively on the study of business analytics.

Instead of covering general business courses like marketing or management, these students would focus on using data science techniques to achieve business outcomes. Master of business analytics students may learn about math, coding, programming languages and machine learning. Courses are both practical and theoretical in a master of business analytics program, providing students with hands-on experience for data science techniques.

While online MBA in business analytics degree students may have some overlap in their curriculum, the main difference is that students learn MBA courses with a business analytics focus. A concentration is similar to a major in an undergrad program.

MBA in business analytics students focus on business applications of data. Data analytics courses are more theoretical and broad in an online MBA in business analytics program. There typically isn’t as much coding covered in an MBA in business analytics program compared to a master of business analytics program.

What Jobs Can You Get with an Online MBA in Business Analytics?

For those who want to move up in their business careers, an MBA can help. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that generally, executive-level positions at large corporations require an MBA degree.

Those with an MBA in business analytics may pursue a variety of leadership positions in business. These include:

Management analyst: Management analysts use financial and other data to improve organizational efficiency and profits, reduce costs and increase revenue.
Operations research analyst: Operations research analysts use data models, statistical analysis, predictive modeling and other data methods to solve business problems.
Market research analyst: Market research analysts monitor and forecast marketing and sales trends and collect data on customers, competitors and industry conditions. They also use statistical software to analyze data and convert findings into reports.
Financial analyst: Financial analysts evaluate historical and current business financial data and economic and business trends to help businesses make investment decisions.

MBA holders with a business analytics focus may also work in marketing, management, operations and supply chain areas, using their business analytics knowledge to improve achievements in those areas.

What is the Average MBA in Business Analytics Salary?

According to the winter 2020 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Salary Survey, the average starting salary for 2020 MBA graduates (PDF, 209 KB) is projected to be $79,043. Having an MBA with a specialization can make business graduates stand out with recruiters, which could lead to higher earning potential, says U.S. News & World Report.

Here are 2019 median annual salaries for jobs MBA in business analytics students might pursue, based on BLS data:

Top executives: $104,690
Financial analysts: $85,660
Management analysts: $85,260
Operations research analysts: $84,810
Market research analysts: $63,790

Those with a master’s degree may earn more than those with a bachelor’s degree. The BLS reports the 2019 median usual weekly earnings for those with a master’s degree were $249 higher, or $12,948 more per year.

Explore Accredited MBA in Business Analytics Online Programs

If you love working with numbers and want to use data analysis to drive positive business outcomes, you might be interested in a career in business analytics. Getting an online MBA in business analytics could lead to advanced opportunities, new careers and increased earning potential. Learn about accredited MBA in business analytics online programs, which enable you to learn on your own flexible schedule without having to relocate for school.

Last Updated August 2020


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