The 10 Best Online Master of Science in Business Analytics Programs in 2019

In his 2003 book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, Michael Lewis explains how the 2002 Oakland Athletics, a chronically underfunded baseball team, used data analysis to identify undervalued players. By assembling a team of neglected (and inexpensive) athletes, Oakland’s general manager Billy Beane was able to assemble a contending baseball team on a shoestring budget. That team won 103 games, tied (with the New York Yankees) for the most wins in the major leagues. The A’s payroll was less than one-third the Yankees’.

What the A’s did in baseball in 2002, just about every business is trying to do today: use data to find inefficiencies, challenge long-held assumptions, and predict unanticipated trends that can be exploited to gain a competitive advantage. The scale, of course, is different: Beane and the A’s were working with a relatively finite data set of players and their statistics, while modern businesses create equivalent mountains of data on a daily basis. That’s why they need experts in data analytics who know how to make sense of all that information, how to filter and aggregate and process it in a meaningful way and then interpret the results to produce actionable information. And it’s also why the market for business analytics jobs is growing so rapidly.

Business analytics is a technical field requiring proficiency in mathematics, computer science, and business. An advanced degree is practically a necessity, but which one? That depends on how you want to blend these three disciplines: if you favor general business expertise, an analytics MBA is for you. If you want to focus more on computer science and mathematics, you should pursue a master’s in business analytics. If you want it all, you should consider a dual MBA/MS.

Earning your master’s in business analytics online can’t be beaten for convenience: most, if not all, course content can be completed asynchronously, meaning you aren’t bound to any class schedules (other than assignment due dates, of course). Online master’s in business analytics programs are designed for part-time students, making it possible to keep working while earning your degree. You won’t get as much one-on-one contact with your fellow students and teachers online as you would in an on-campus program, but you should still get plenty of hands-on work with databases, industry-standard software, and case studies.

What are the best programs for earning your master’s in business analytics online?

This list represents terminal master’s in business analytics programs only; it does not include master’s degrees conferred as part of a PhD-only program. For each of the programs below, we’ve included a high level of the most relevant information to consider in choosing the best online business analytics program for your needs: degree type, tuition, graduation requirements, core courses, electives, features, and specializations (when available).

Arizona State University

• Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
• Tuition: $23,994 regardless of the state of residence
• Graduation requirements: 30 credit hours; 11 classes; lockstep program is completed in 16 months
• Core courses: Introduction to Enterprise Analytics; Data Mining I and II; Business Analytics Strategy; Introduction to Applied Analytics or Statistics for Managers; Data-Driven Quality Management; Analytical Decision Modeling I or Decision Models for Supply Chain Management; Analytical Decision Modeling II; Applied Project
• Electives: 3 to 3.5 credits; no course titles listed online
• Features: Five-week courses; asynchronous content includes custom-created videos and interactive apps and simulations; course content includes summative assessment and student feedback forms to track learning and student satisfaction; accessibility features enabled; AACSB accreditation

Boston University

• Degree: Master of Science in Applied Business Analytics Degree
• Tuition: $880 per credit ($35,200 to complete program)
• Graduation requirements: 40 credits
• Core courses: Four courses: Business Analytics Foundations; Operations Management: Business Process Fundamentals; Financial Concepts; Quantitative and Qualitative Decision-Making
• Specialization courses: Four courses: Enterprise Risk Analytics; Marketing Analytics; Web Analytics for Business; Data Mining for Business Analytics
• Electives: Two courses, chosen from: Cybercrime; Terrorism; Agile Software Development; IT Security Policies and Procedures; Web Analytics and Mining
• Features: Can be completed in 18 to 24 months; curriculum offers hands-on experience with analytical models and decision-support tools; AACSB accreditation

Brandeis University

• Degree: Master’s of Science in Strategic Analytics
• Tuition: $1,179 per credit hour ($35,370 to complete program)
• Graduation requirements: 30 credit hours; 21 hours required courses, 9 hours electives
• Core courses: Foundations of Data Science and Analytics; Business Intelligence, Analytics and Strategic Decision Making; Statistics and Data Analysis; Strategic Analytics and Visualization for Big Data; Predictive Analytics; Data Quality and Governance; Analytics Strategy and Management
• Electives: Three electives, select from: Communication for Effective Leadership; Data Analysis and Decision Support for Health Informatics; Advanced Healthcare Data Analytics; Cloud Security; Marketing and Customer Analytics; Data Security, Privacy and Ethics; Project Manager for Analytics; Special Topics in Strategic Analytics; Database Management; Data Warehousing and Data Mining; Cloud Computing
• Features: Seminar-style online classes with class size capped at 20 (average class size: 12); institutional focus on training faculty to teach effectively online; content tailored to online delivery media; interpersonal meetings facilitated through review sessions, office hours, online presentations, and group projects

Georgia Institute of Technology

• Degree: Master of Science in Analytics
• Tuition: $275 per credit hour ($9,900 to complete program)
• Graduation requirements: 36 credit hours, 11 courses
• Core courses: Data and Visual Analytics; Data Analytics in Business
• Electives: Two electives in statistics (choices include: Machine Learning/Computational Data Analytics; Design and Analysis of Experiments; Regression Analysis; Bayesian Statistics; Data Mining and Statistical Learning); one elective in operations (choices include: Simulation; Probabilistic Models; Deterministic Optimization); two additional courses in Digital Marketing and Data Analysis for Continuous Improvement; up to three additional electives (choices include: Computational Science and Engineering Algorithms; Web Search and Text Mining; Nonparametric Data Analysis; Simulation; Deterministic Optimization); six hours of applied analytics practicum
• Features: Content is primarily video capture of live (on-campus) classes, supplemented by other videos, discussion boards, and meetings facilitated via web conferencing; three track options (Analytical Tools; Business Analytics; Computational Data Analytics); program can be completed in two-to-three years; SACSCOC accreditation

Indiana University-Bloomington

• Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
• Tuition: $1,330 per credit hour
• Graduation requirements: 30 credit hours
• Core courses: Introduction to Business Analytics; Quantitative Analysis; Data Warehousing and Visualization; Operations Management; Simulation and Optimization for Business Analytics; Business Econometrics; Predictive Analytics for Business Strategy; Developing Value Through Business Analytics Applications; Thinking Strategically: Game Theory and Business Strategy; Strategic Marketing Management
• Electives: None
• Features: Program can be completed in 15 months to three years; top ranked online MBA and MS programs according to US News & World Report

Northeastern University

• Degree: Master of Professional Studies in Analytics
• Tuition: $34,200 to complete program
• Graduation requirements: 30 credit hours (15 hours core, three hours experiential learning, three hours capstone, nine hours electives)
• Core courses: Introduction to Analytics; Probability Theory and Introductory Statistics; Intermediate Analytics; Introduction to Enterprise Analytics; Communication and Visualization for Data Analytics; Integrated Experiential Learning; Capstone
• Electives: Three courses, options include: Predictive Analytics; Data Mining Applications; Decision Support and Business Intelligence; Risk Management in Analytics; Information Security Governance; Project Scope Management; Ethical Leadership
• Features: Can be completed in two to three years; concentration in statistical modeling available; mandatory experiential learning component; STEM-designated program

Pennsylvania State University-World Campus

• Degree: Master of Professional Studies-Data Analytics/Business Analytics Option
• Tuition: $975 per credit hour
• Graduation requirements: 30 credit hours (18 credits required core, 9 credits electives, 3 credits capstone experience)
• Core courses: Foundations of Predictive Analytics; Data Mining; Applied Statistics; Large-Scale Database and Warehouse; Data-Driven Decision Making; Database Design Concepts); Capstone Experience (Design and Implementation of Analytics Systems)
• Electives: Three courses, options include: Principles of Demography; Data, GIS, and Applied Demography; Large-Scale Databases for Real-Time Analytics; Analytics Programming in Python; Enterprise Analytics Strategy; Demographic Techniques; Regression Methods; Applied Time Series Analysis
• Features: Cross-disciplinary approach, featuring faculty from four colleges and four departments; focus on big data and database design processes; all content delivered asynchronously

Southern Methodist University

• Degree: Master of Science in Data Analytics, Business Analytics Specialization
• Tuition: $1,704 per credit ($57,084 to complete the program)
• Graduation requirements: 33.5 academic credits
• Core courses: Statistical Foundations for Data Science; Doing Data Science; Applied Statistics: Inference and Modeling; File Organization & Database Management; Data and Network Security; Data Mining; Visualization of Information; Quantifying the World; Capstone Collaborative Group Project
• Specialization courses: Business Intelligence; Time Series Analysis
• Features: Multidisciplinary degree draws from the Dedman College of Humanities and Science, Lyle School of Engineering, and the Meadows School of the Arts; project-based assignments and case studies promote student engagement and interaction; two mandatory three-to-four-day on-campus immersions

University of Maryland-College Park

• Degree: Master’s in Business Analytics
• Tuition: $1,566 per credit hour
• Graduation requirements: 30 credit hours to graduate (12 core, 12 advanced, 6 specialization)
• Core courses: Data, Models, and Decisions; Data Mining and Predictive Analytics; Database Management Systems; Decision Analytics
• Advanced courses: Social Media and Web Analytics; Big Data and Artificial Intelligence; Strategy Analytics; Data Processing and Analysis in Python
• Specialization Courses: Intro to Financial Accounting; Corporate Finance; Financial Analytics; Healthcare Operations Management and Marketing; Marketing Management; Consumer Behavior; Advanced Marketing Analytics; Health Informatics and Information Technologies
• Electives: None
• Features: Graduate in as few as 20 months; specializations in finance analytics, marketing analytics, and healthcare analytics offered; curriculum blends synchronous and asynchronous content; accredited by AACSB

Villanova University

• Degree: Master of Science in Analytics
• Tuition: $1,375 per credit hour; $49,500 to complete program
• Graduation requirements: 36 credit hours, all required courses
• Core/foundation courses: Introduction to Business Analytics; Introduction to Programming in R; Data Models and Structured Analysis; Multivariate Data Analysis; Enterprise Data Management; Business Intelligence; Analytical Methods for Data Mining; Analytical Methods for Text and Web Mining; Analytical Methods for Optimization and Simulation I; Analytical Methods for Optimization and Simulation II; Advanced Business Applications; Analytics Practicum
• Electives: None
• Features: Program can be completed in 24 months; accredited by AACSB

Questions or feedback? Email editor@noodle.com