Are you a college senior interested in a career in business but with a focus on data and analytics? Or are you an early career professional looking to pivot to a new role or to upskill to understand data and how it translates to the business side of your work—perhaps gaining a promotion and/or a salary increase as a result? If so, you might consider pursuing a master’s degree in business analytics (MSBA) or data analytics (MSDA).
These specialized master’s programs are rapidly evolving. Many are offered through business schools, while some are interdisciplinary degrees administered by schools’ engineering or computer science departments—whose curriculums rely heavily on topics in both areas. Some programs offer specializations in such areas as artificial intelligence (AI), data engineering, and technology entrepreneurship, enabling students to customize their educational experience.
MSBA and MSDA programs give graduates the data science skills needed to solve business problems in sectors including consulting, tech, health care, finance, retail, and digital operations. Given industries’ increasing focus on data analytics, graduates of these specialized master’s programs who can understand, analyze, and interpret large quantities of data and translate that information to business requirements will be in high demand and have high growth and salary potential.
As you decide whether a graduate degree in data or business analytics is right for you, consider the following questions:
Table of Contents
- Who typically gets this degree?
- How are MSBA and MSDA programs structured?
- Which schools offer the MSBA and MSDA degrees, and what are their deadlines and requirements?
- Where will I work after graduation?
- Why would I pursue an MSBA or MSDA instead of an MBA?
Who typically gets this degree?
A master’s degree in business or data analytics prepares graduates for business careers with a more technical focus. Some programs require applicants to have a strong background in science, statistics, and math, while others only expect applicants to have some exposure to math and statistics. Depending on the program, candidates may apply directly from college or with a few years of full-time experience.
A master’s degree in business or data analytics can either supplement undergraduate study in the same area, provide the groundwork for a career pivot for individuals who have studied another discipline, or provide the data science and business skills needed to advance to the next level. Most full-time MSBA and MSDA programs are STEM designated, which gives graduates the ability to extend the Optional Practical Training (OPT) period (normally 12 months) for an additional 24 months.
How are MSBA and MSDA programs structured?
- Full-time programs: Full-time programs are immersive and based on campus. Most full-time programs are one-year programs. Some only offer a fall start date, while others begin in both fall and spring.
- Online and hybrid programs: Online and hybrid programs offer flexibility in the duration of studies as well as the medium. Some of these programs are asynchronous, allowing students to pursue the degree at their own pace, while others follow a set schedule. Several programs require on-campus residencies along with their mostly online curriculum, allowing students to have a more immersive experience as they engage with peers.
Which schools offer the MSBA and MSDA degrees, and what are their deadlines and requirements?
Full-time programs:
- MIT’s Master of Business Analytics (MBAn) is a 12-month, STEM-certified program that accepts students directly from college or with a few years of work experience and is run by the Sloan School of Management. There are no course prerequisites, but Sloan believes that candidates who have a demonstrated understanding of linear algebra, probability, calculus, and computer programming are best prepared for the program. Sloan considers GMAT or GRE scores an important part of the application but does not require test scores when applying. The MBAn program has a January 5, 2026, deadline and a fall start.
- UC Berkeley’s Master of Analytics is a one-year, STEM-designated, full-time program offered by the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research. It starts with a Python intensive in the summer and ends with an internship the following summer to allow students to gain hands-on experience. No work experience is required. Prerequisites include one undergraduate course in linear algebra and one course in statistics or probability, as well as proficiency in a computer programming language. A GRE score is required for all applicants, with the exception of UC students or graduates who have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher. The priority deadline is December 15, 2025, and the regular application deadline is January 7, 2026, for fall 2026 admission.
- Washington University in St. Louis’s Master of Science in Business Analytics is offered by the Olin Business School and is an 18-month, full-time, STEM-designated program. Students choose to study one of the following areas: accounting analytics, customer analytics, fintech analytics, healthcare analytics, supply chain analytics, or talent analytics. A GRE or GMAT score is recommended but not required, and candidates must have taken a statistics course. Application deadlines for fall 2026 entry are in October, November, January, March, and April, with rolling admissions after the April deadline.
- UCLA’s Master of Science in Business Analytics is a 15-month, STEM-certified program offered by the Anderson School of Management. Work or research experience in a quantitative discipline is recommended but not required. Applicants are expected to have a strong quantitative background and experience or coursework in computer programming, including linear algebra, multivariable calculus, statistics and probability, SQL, Python, and R. A GRE or GMAT score is required. Anderson has deadlines in January, March, and May for a fall 2026 start date.
- Carnegie Mellon’s Master of Science in Business Analytics, which is offered by the Tepper School of Business, is a full-time, nine-month, STEM-designated program for recent college graduates with little or no work experience. Applicants must submit a GMAT or GRE score or waiver. Students are required to be competent in general mathematics, including calculus and linear algebra; basic statistical concepts and methods; and basic programming in any modern language. The program has application deadlines in October, January, March, and May for fall 2026 admission.
- UC Davis’s Master of Science in Business Analytics is a one-year, STEM-designated, full-time program offered by the Graduate School of Management. Students have an average of three years of full-time work experience, though work experience is not required. Successful candidates will have completed coursework in computing, mathematics, and statistics and probability. A GMAT or GRE score is optional. Application deadlines are in November, January, March, and May, and classes start in summer 2026.
- Purdue University’s Master of Science in Business Analytics and Information Management is a full-time, 12-month, STEM-designated program run by the Mitch Daniels School of Business. Applicants must have completed two relevant internships or 12 months of work experience. A GMAT or GRE is required but waived for applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Application deadlines are in November, January, and May for a summer 2026 start, and November, March, April, and July for a fall 2026 start.
- Duke University’s Master of Quantitative Management: Business Analytics is a ten-month, full-time, STEM-certified program offered by the Fuqua School of Business. Applicants are expected to have a strong track record in quantitative courses such as math, statistics, and computer science. If applicants do not have undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, business, economics, or an equivalent quantitative major, the school instructs them to contact the admissions team. Application deadlines are in October, January, March, and April for a summer 2026 start. Applicants come either directly from undergraduate programs or with fewer than three years of full-time work experience. The program accepts GMAT, GRE, SAT, and ACT scores. Applicants select a functional track in either Finance, Marketing, Risk, or Strategy as part of the admissions process.
- Emory University’s Master of Science in Business Analytics is a STEM-designated, full-time, ten-month program offered by the Goizueta Business School with four academic tracks: Business Analytics, AI in Business, Marketing Analytics, and Supply Chain Analytics. The school prefers applicants to have an undergraduate degree in business, engineering, computer science, math/statistics, or economics, and they must have course experience in calculus I, calculus II, and statistics. No full-time work experience is required, but students in the Class of 2026 worked for an average of four years before enrolling. Application deadlines are in October, January, and March for a July 2026 start. Applicants who are Emory graduates with a 3.0 or higher GPA and non-Emory STEM grads with a GPA above 3.5 are not required to submit a GRE or GMAT score, but all other applicants must; the program also accepts MCAT and LSAT scores.
- Wake Forest University’s Master of Science in Business Analytics is a ten-month, STEM-designated program offered through the School of Business. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The application opened on July 9, 2025, and the final deadline is June 1, 2026, for domestic candidates and April 1 for international applicants. Classes begin in early July 2026. Candidates should have completed a course in statistics and one other quantitative course such as statistical methods, regression analysis, probability and distribution theory, statistical inference and regression, discrete math, or linear algebra. A GRE or GMAT score is generally required, but waivers are given based on GPA and classes taken.
Online programs:
- Johns Hopkins’ Master of Science in Data Analytics and Policy, which is offered through the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, is a 16- to 24-month online program designed for career switchers or those looking to boost their analytics skills. Applicants are encouraged to apply at least four to six weeks before the start of their desired semester, and classes begin in fall, spring, and summer.
- Duke University’s Master of Science in Quantitative Management: Business Analytics is offered through the Fuqua School of Business. This 19-month online program primarily targets working professionals; in a typical class, students have an average of eight years of work experience. Applicants are expected to have bachelor’s degrees in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, business, economics, or an equivalent quantitative area, in addition to a strong track record in quantitative courses such as math, statistics, and computer science. The program requires a 2.5-day residency launch at the start of the course, and then the curriculum combines self-paced online modules with virtual sessions and team projects. Additionally, after two terms, students may choose to return to Duke’s campus for an optional 2.5-day working professional leadership intensive. There are nine monthly application deadlines beginning in November 2025 and ending in July 2026. After the July deadline, applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the program begins in August. Duke accepts but does not require GRE, GMAT, and EA scores.
- Duke University’s Accelerated Master of Science in Quantitative Management: Business Analytics, which is offered through the Fuqua School of Business, is a 12-month online program for working professionals looking to augment their business skills with advanced data science and analytics training. The program begins with a 2.5-day on-campus launch experience. Candidates must have an MBA from Fuqua or another AACSB-accredited institution or an MMS from Fuqua, and strong performance in quantitative courses including math, statistics, and computer science is also required. There are nine monthly application deadlines beginning in November 2025 and ending in July 2026. After the July deadline, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and the program begins in August. Duke accepts GRE, GMAT, or EA scores, and mid-career candidates can discuss test alternatives with the admissions office.
- University of Virginia’s Master of Science in Business Analytics is a new program that started in 2024 and is offered jointly by the Darden School of Business and the McIntire School of Commerce. This 12-month program follows a hybrid format (online and in person), with locations at UVA Darden as well as in DC Metro and Arlington, Virginia. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited university and a minimum of two years of work experience, though the recent class average was ten years of experience. Candidates must show evidence of strong problem-solving and analytical skills. UVA accepts but does not require GMAT, GRE, or EA test scores. There are five application deadlines—in November, January, March, May, and June. After the June deadline, applications are accepted on a rolling basis through mid-July for an August start.
- Cornell University’s Master of Science in Business Analytics, which is offered by the SC Johnson College of Business, is a 16-month, online, accelerated STEM-designated program with two one-week summer residency sessions in Ithaca and New York City. Applicants should have demonstrated quantitative proficiency through college-level calculus or statistics courses, and college-level programming is beneficial. A GMAT or GRE score is not required. The application deadline for a late-May 2026 start date is November 17, 2025.
- Washington University in St. Louis’s Online Master of Science in Business Analytics is a 24-month online program offered through the Olin Business School. Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree at the time of enrollment. GMAT or GRE scores are recommended but not required. Admissions deadlines are in October, November, January, March, and April for a fall 2026 start.
- Carnegie Mellon Tepper’s Master of Science in Business Analytics is also offered through a part-time, online, 20-month, STEM-designated program for working professionals with varying levels of experience. The online program has three immersive on-campus components. GMAT or GRE scores are optional. The program has deadlines in October, January, March, May, and June, and classes start in fall 2026.
- Georgetown University’s Master of Science in Business Analytics, which is offered through the McDonough School of Business, is a 16-month online program with two seven-day residencies in Washington, DC. The program admits candidates who live within three hours of the eastern time zone. While formal statistics or programming training isn’t mandatory for admission, having completed prior coursework in data science, programming, or statistics (either through a university or an online platform) is an advantage. Applicants do not need to be employed full time, but relevant experience is considered in the application process. A GRE or GMAT test score is optional. Classes are held in the evening to accommodate students’ work schedules. McDonough had an Early Application deadline through September 2025, followed by four fixed deadlines in November, January, March, and May. After that time, the school will accept applications on a rolling basis until June 30, 2026. Classes commence in August.
- Purdue University’s Master of Science in Business Analytics, which is offered by the Mitch Daniels School of Business, is a 1.5- to 2.5-year online program. Students generally have seven years of work experience. A GRE or GMAT score or test waiver is required, as are 24 months of relevant work experience. The program has an August application deadline for a fall start and a December deadline for a spring start.
Where will I work after graduation?
Graduates who can apply data science to real-world business problems are in high demand. Full-time and online/hybrid programs in business analytics offer career counseling, and a high percentage of graduates secure job offers before graduation. A majority of graduates land roles in finance (J.P. Morgan, BlackRock Technology, GreenTree Capital); consulting (McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, Deloitte, EY); health care/pharma (Merck, athenahealth, Express Scripts); retail (Amazon, Walmart, Target, Home Depot); and technology (Apple, Google, Facebook/Meta). Typical roles would include digital intelligence, financial analyst, data scientist, business strategy and analytics, and business intelligence analyst.
Why would I pursue an MSBA or MSDA instead of an MBA?
An MBA and an MSBA/MSDA are not mutually exclusive. Although an MSBA or MSDA generally combine technical and business skills, after working as a business or data analyst, you may want to broaden your focus and move into managerial and leadership roles. Many graduates of specialized business master’s programs work for several years at an accelerated pace—thanks to their additional training—and then become successful applicants at top MBA programs.
Deciding whether to pursue a master’s degree in business or data analytics is an important career decision that could pay off substantially in both the short term and the long term. Understanding the process and which programs are best for you is the first step toward creating a successful application, gaining a solid education, and building a rewarding career that leverages data skills.
The Stratus team is knowledgeable about not only MBA degrees, but also other specialty business master’s programs. Sign up for a free one-on-one consultation with one of our experienced counselors today!