Why This Matters

  • DEMAND FOR OPERATIONS RESEARCH ANALYSTS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY 25%

    Business analysts are needed to assist companies as they turn to data insights to help reduce costs and improve efficiency.

  • DEMAND FOR MANAGEMENT ANALYSTS PROJECTED TO GROW BY 11%

    Smaller consulting firms that specialize in a particular industry or specific type of analysis are expected to experience the most growth. The job outlook for management analysts is much higher than the expected job growth for all other U.S. occupations.

  • 26,800 MORE FINANCIAL ANALYSTS ARE NEEDED BY 2029

    It’s estimated there will be 514,600 financial analysts by the end of the next decade. Businesses will rely on financial analysts to manage finances, capitalize on investment opportunities, and provide advanced data analysis.

Our Research

This list covers master’s degree programs in business analytics that prepare graduates for senior-level data analysis positions. Degrees offered include Master in Business Intelligence & Analytics, Master of Science in Business Analytics & Data Science, Master of Science in Business Analytics, Master of Science in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, Master of Science in IT and Management, and Master of Science in Management Science – Business Analytics. Students can choose between in-person, online, and blended learning formats.

National and regional accreditation is given to master’s degree programs that meet specific academic criteria. The programs on our list are recognized by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the leading national accreditor of degree programs in the field of business. Schools on this list also received accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), and the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

We evaluated each program on the basis of flexibility, faculty, course strength, cost, and reputation. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score for each program on a scale from 0 to 100. Our top picks for the best Master’s in Business Analytics Degree program are affordable, respected, and flexible. (For a more extensive explanation, check out Our Ranking Methodology.)

  • 62 hours to write this article
  • 163 universities and colleges we assessed
  • 235 education programs we compared

The Top 10 Master's in Business Analytics Degree Programs

California Polytechnic State University

Intelligent Pick

California Polytechnic State University offers a Master in Business Analytics that is interdisciplinary and industry-relevant in focus. The program is unique in that it is supported by an advisory board made up of top industry executives from companies like Google, Oracle, Tesla, and Netflix. The board ensures the curriculum is aligned with industry needs and marketplace trends. It’s a shorter length program — just 10 months — and students must maintain residence in the local area. The curriculum includes coursework in statistical modeling, machine learning, data, communication, and cloud computing. Applicants do not need a specific undergraduate degree to apply but should have strong communication skills, motivation, and training in statistics, calculus, and computing.

Things to Consider:

  • Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
  • Cost per credit: $680
  • Credits required to graduate: 45
  • Academic calendar: Traditional semester
  • Room and board: $14,208
  • Graduation rate: 76%

More Program Information:

  • Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 805-756-2637

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Most Rigorous Curriculum

Just 12 months in length, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Master of Business Analytics is short in length, but heavy on rigor. A distinguishing factor is its collaborative nature. The program was established in conjunction with MIT’s Operations Research Center – an interdisciplinary research center that brings together engineers, mathematicians, physicists, computer programmers, and other high-tech professionals. MIT’s program is particularly appealing to international students because it qualifies as a STEM-designated (science, technology, engineering, and math) program by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This means international students can extend their training in the U.S. by 24 months after graduating. Program graduates are well prepared for careers that leverage and manage modern data science to solve critical business challenges.

Things to Consider:

  • Location: Cambridge, MA
  • Cost per unit: $1,317.70
  • Units required to graduate: 48
  • Academic calendar: 4-1-4 academic year
  • Room and board: $16,390
  • Graduation rate: 95%

More Program Information:

  • Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 617-258-5434

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Columbia University

Best Ivy League Program

Scholars looking for a pioneering opportunity will be drawn to a brand new full-time Master of Science in Business Analytics degree offered by Columbia Engineering and Columbia Business School. This interdisciplinary Ivy League program was specifically designed for students who want to focus on learning modeling techniques and data science tools to improve business decisions. It was created from the ground up via interactions with corporations, alumni, and students. The program takes three semesters to complete and concludes with a hands-on capstone project. The project offers students an intense consulting engagement with clients and their real-world business problems using real data sets.

Things to Consider:

  • Location: New York, NY
  • Cost per credit: $2,272
  • Credits required to graduate: 36
  • Academic calendar: Traditional semester
  • Room and board: $14,490
  • Graduation rate: 92%

More Program Information:

  • Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 212-854-2941

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New York University

Best Career Services

A unique aspect of New York University’s Master of Science in Business Analytics program is its international learning component. The yearlong, part-time program is divided into five on-site class sessions in New York and two rotating global locations like Abu Dhabi. Admissions standards are rigorous and include a minimum of five years of professional, full-time work experience. This is because the program is designed for experienced professionals interested in gaining a competitive advantage through the predictive potential of data. Students and alumni have lifelong access to extensive career services resources through NYU’s Stern School of Business Career Center for Working Professionals, which offers both in-person and remote services.

Things to Consider:

  • Location: New York, NY
  • Cost: $83,000 course fee
  • Credits required to graduate: 5 in-class modules per year
  • Academic calendar: Traditional semester
  • Room and board: $18,684
  • Graduation rate: 85%

More Program Information:

  • Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 212-998-0442

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Duke University

Best for Marketing Analytics

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business offers a Master of Quantitative Management: Business Analytics degree for students with strong quantitative backgrounds. It’s a 10-month onsite program that provides four tracks: finance, marketing, forensics, or strategy. The marketing analytics concentration includes courses on digital marketing, marketing intelligence, and customer relationship management. A unique aspect of the program is that faculty — who are world-renowned in the field — are highly accessible and maintain an open-door policy. Requirements for admission include a bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, business, or economics. The program also highly prefers applicants with paid or unpaid work experience, including volunteer positions and internships.

Things to Consider:

  • Location: Durham, NC
  • Cost: $73,290 course fee
  • Credits required to graduate: 48
  • Academic calendar: Traditional semester
  • Room and board: $15,588
  • Graduation rate: 95%

More Program Information:

  • Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • Email: [email protected]

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Cornell University

Best for Finance Analytics

Cornell University’s Master of Science in Business Analytics is an Ivy League program that prepares professionals already working in the field for more responsibility in the area of analytics. It’s a 16-month part-time accelerated program that requires two summer residency weeks. One of those weeks is at Cornell’s main campus in upstate New York, and one is at Cornell’s New York City location. During the program, students complete a capstone project tackling a real-world problem in their chosen concentration using a large-scale data set and analysis tools. Concentrations include finance analytics, marketing analytics, operations and supply chain analytics, and business analytics.

Things to Consider:

  • Location: Ithaca, NY
  • Cost per credit: $2,619.53
  • Credits required to graduate: 30
  • Academic calendar: Traditional semester
  • Room and board: $15,246
  • Graduation rate: 95%

More Program Information:

  • Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 800-847-2082

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Carnegie Mellon University

Best Online Program

Carnegie Mellon University’s online Master of Science in Business Analytics can be completed in 18 months and is a good fit for the working professional with a passion for data. The program is mostly online but does require three weekend on-campus events at the university’s Tepper School of Business. Online portions of the program are provided in both asynchronous and synchronous formats and feature weekly live sessions, collaborative exercises, and group discussions. Courses include Modern Data Management, Managing Teams and Organizations, and Supply Chain Analytics. Carnegie Mellon’s business analytics program is ranked #2 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

Things to Consider:

  • Location: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Cost per unit: $670
  • Units required to graduate: 108
  • Academic calendar: Traditional semester
  • Room and board: $14,972
  • Graduation rate: 90%

More Program Information:

  • Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB)
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 412-238-1101

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University of California Los Angeles

Best Student-Faculty Ratio

At 3:1, the University of California Los Angeles’s Master of Science in Business Analytics program features the best student-faculty ratio in its class. Professors are experts in the field and include the former head of economic research for Uber, who redesigned the dynamic surge pricing model, and the co-editor of the Journal of the European Economic Association. The program takes 15 months to complete on campus and produces graduates who are particularly strong in building models and manipulating data. Due to the rigor of the program, it’s recommended that students have coursework in linear algebra, multivariable calculus, statistics, Python, and SQL and R. You should also have a bachelor’s degree and a quantitative GRE score above 167.

Things to Consider:

  • Location: Los Angeles, CA
  • Cost: $68,710 (whole program)
  • Credits required to graduate: 48
  • Academic calendar: Quarter system
  • Room and board: $16,625
  • Graduation rate: 93%

More Program Information:

  • Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 310-206-2862

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University of Florida

Best for Information Technology Industry

The University of Florida’s Master of Science in Information Systems and Operations Management is distinctive in that it follows a modular system. This allows students to focus intensely on coursework over an eight-week period at the Warrington College of Business with a one week break in between modules. Students can choose from four concentrations, including information technology. The information technology track teaches students how to design, implement, manage, and lead systems and teams that support a comprehensive IT strategy. While there are no prerequisites for this degree program, students without an undergraduate business major or minor will need to take several core business courses. This increases the degree completion time from the standard year and a half to two years.

Things to Consider:

  • Location: Gainesville, FL
  • Cost per credit: $353.88 (in-state)
  • Credits required to graduate: 36
  • Academic calendar: Traditional semester
  • Room and board: $10,220
  • Graduation rate: 87%

More Program Information:

  • Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 352-273-0165

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Case Western Reserve University

Best Tutoring Services

The Master of Business Analytics and Intelligence through Case Western Reserve is a comprehensive program with many hands-on components, including internships and professional networking events. The degree takes 16 months to complete and is a lockstep program featuring three interlocking models: business core, analytics core, and applied business analytics courses. A collaborative, team-building atmosphere and small class sizes are highlights of the program. Among the many student services offered is free peer tutoring from members of a national scholastic and professional fraternity on campus. Students are also paired with a professional mentor in the analytics field from top companies including Deloitte, Ford, and Visa.

Things to Consider:

  • Location: Cleveland, OH
  • Cost per credit: $1,550
  • Credits required to graduate: 36
  • Academic calendar: Traditional semester
  • Room and board: $15,614
  • Graduation rate: 83%

More Program Information:

  • Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 216-368-2000

Learn more

Other Master’s in Business Analytics Degree Programs to Consider

Best Master's in Business Analytics Degree Programs
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What You Should Know About This Degree

When choosing a career in a business that is responsible for data analysis and management, you should also consider pursuing a graduate degree in data science. While business analytics uses data to make strategic business-related decisions, data science uses insights to improve efficiency and solve complex problems. Data scientists and business analysts both work closely with statistics, but the field of data science also relies on coding and computer programming to build algorithms and leverage data. Determine if you’re interested in making key day-to-day decisions with your analysis or are interested in building systems to better understand and organize data when deciding on a master’s degree program.

While the job outlook for graduates with a Master’s in Business Analytics is positive, the field is still competitive. Obtaining certifications can help you demonstrate your advanced knowledge to potential employers and open up additional job opportunities. Consider pursuing certifications such as the Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP), Project Management Professional (PMP), Professional Certificate in Team Leadership, and the APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) certification.

The demand for business analysts is expected to be significantly higher than that of other U.S. occupations. As more businesses go online, digitize their records, and turn to data for decision-making, they will look to analytics experts to help lead the way.

What’s Next?

Ask yourself these questions when researching graduate programs in business analytics:

  • Am I eligible for this program? Students who wish to pursue a master’s degree in business analytics must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field. Some programs may require a minimum GPA and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score, as well as letters of recommendation and professional work experience.
  • How long does it take to complete this online degree? Most graduate programs in business analytics take one to two years of full-time study to complete. The schools on our list require students to complete a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 48 credits to graduate.

Every program has specific entry requirements and application deadlines. Contact the school’s admissions department or visit the school’s website for more detailed information regarding the program to which you are applying.

Determine how you will cover the financial costs of your education. Some employers may pay for part or all of your tuition. You may also be eligible for federal student aid, scholarships, and grants.