Studying for an online business analytics MBA could generate new career opportunities and increased earning potential — even if you don’t have a GMAT. Instead of physically attending college, you’ll learn financial, statistical, entrepreneurship, and business management skills over the internet. Upon graduation, you could get a job as a financial analyst, supply chain analyst, or marketing manager.
Keep reading to learn more about online MBA in business analytics programs with no GMAT required. Then discover the learning and employment opportunities these programs might provide.
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What Is an Online MBA in Business Analytics Degree?
Online MBA in business analytics programs teach you a range of skills so you can analyze big data and generate valuable business-critical insights for better decision-making. There is no GMAT required to enroll in many online business analytics programs, and you can learn from home — or anywhere in the world — at the speed that suits you.
Unlike when pursuing a conventional degree, you can access course content and engage with tutors, faculty members, and other students in a digital learning environment via webinars, video tutorials, and online workshops.
You’ll learn business analytics skills like:
- Analyzing statistical/historical data sets
- Data science
- Data mining
- Cluster analysis
- Predictive/prescriptive analysis
- Reporting and statistics
- Data governance
- How to get more value from business intelligence (BI) programs
Depending on the online program, you might earn an industry-standard certification besides your MBA, such as a Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) qualification, IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA), or IIBA Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA).
After you graduate with an online MBA in business analytics, you can apply for a job as a:
- Financial analyst
- Supply chain analyst
- Marketing manager
- Business intelligence analyst
- Financial advisor
An average workday for someone with an online MBA in business analytics might include:
- Interpreting statistical/historical data
- Using BI programs for deep data insights
- Sharing data insights with the rest of your organization
- Using predictive analytics to forecast future business trends
- Making sense of complex data algorithms
Online MBA in business analytics programs let you study from any location without physically attending college. That means you won’t have to commute to a school or live on a college campus.
How Much Does an MBA in Business Analytics Cost?
A business analytics MBA costs an average of $19,314 in tuition fees, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This cost doesn’t include any program supplies, travel costs, or room and board rates. Programs at the most prestigious schools cost more than this amount, with tuition fees at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan) totaling $77,168 per year as of 2021.
Online MBA in business analytics programs could cost less than traditional degrees because you might not incur accommodation or commuting costs.
Average Salary for an MBA in Business Analytics
The median annual wage for financial and investment analysts, financial risk specialists, and financial specialists — some of the most common jobs for business analytics MBA majors — is $96,630, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as of May 2020. That’s a median hourly wage of $46.46.
The top-paying states for financial and investment analysts, financial risk specialists, and financial specialists are:
- New York: $130,670 (median annual wage)
- District of Columbia: $109,070
- Massachusetts: $105,680
- Connecticut: $105,020
- New Jersey: $101,780
The top-paying metropolitan areas for financial and investment analysts, financial risk specialists, and financial specialists are:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA: $130,020 (median annual wage)
- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT: $126,090
- Medford, OR: $125,050
- Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL: $121,470
- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA: $120,410
The median annual wage for marketing managers — among the most common jobs for business analytics MBA graduates — is $154,470, according to BLS (data correct as of May 2020.) That’s a median hourly wage of $74.27.
The top-paying states for marketing managers are:
- New York: $194,940 (median annual wage)
- New Jersey: $180,250
- California: $176,940
- Virginia: $176,640
- Colorado: $172,140
The top-paying metropolitan areas for marketing managers are:
- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA: $213,180 (median annual wage)
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: $211,210
- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA: $196,260
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA: $195,030
- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA: $193,140
What Is the Job Outlook for Business Analytics MBA Degree Holders?
The outlook is positive for business analytics MBA graduates. There will be a 6.2% increase in employment opportunities for financial analysts and an 8.1% increase for marketing managers from 2018 to 2028, according to Projections Central/Department of Labor. Those numbers are higher than the average increase for all job types (around 5%).
Courses in a Business Analytics MBA
Different business analytics programs cover different aspects of this discipline. However, here are some of the most common courses you might come across:
- Introduction to business intelligence
- Financial analysis
- Advanced statistical modeling
- Using data sets in a marketing context
- Principles of macroeconomics/microeconomics
- Ethics of data sharing/mining
- Predictive analysis
- Prescriptive analysis
- How to visualize data
- Spreadsheet modeling
- Complying with data governance
- Business analytics strategies
- Data science
You might also learn soft skills like communication, critical thinking, cooperation, and time management while earning your MBA. Some schools combine lessons with real-world business analytics experience at a local company.
FAQs About a Business Analytics MBA
Core Takeaways
- You can achieve a business analytics MBA online or in a traditional classroom-based environment.
- It takes about two years full-time to earn an MBA in business analytics.
- You can get a business analytics MBA even if you don’t have a GMAT.
Advantages of getting your business analytics MBA online include:
- No GMAT required at many online schools.
- You don’t have to live on campus.
- You can balance existing work and family commitments during your online program.
- The average MBA in business analytics costs $19,314 in tuition fees, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
- The most prestigious MBA programs cost more, with tuition fees at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan) amounting to $77,168 per year.
- Online MBA in business analytics programs might cost less than classroom degrees because you don’t have to pay for travel or accommodation.