The 10 Cheapest Online MBA in Analytics Management Schools
Today’s businesses’ most valuable asset is data; 94 percent of companies claim that data is essential to their growth strategy. Data empowers executives to make well-informed decisions that can improve operations, boost productivity, and forge closer bonds with clients. Executives recognize the advantages of a data-driven culture, especially after learning how their rivals take advantage of data.
By utilizing sophisticated quantitative and statistical methods, analytics management enables firms to address a wide range of issues and maximize the value of data. Analytics management, however, can also apply to a range of positions and software applications created to gather, examine, and understand corporate data.
Professionals who want to keep updated on current trends and participate in the digital revolution should have data literacy by obtaining an MBA in analytics management, popularly known as business analytics and data analytics. Because data literacy is valued regardless of your position within an organization, having an MBA also boosts your chances of obtaining high-level management positions across industries.
One of the most sought-after MBA specialties is the MBA with a focus on analytics. The course material covers business principles while preparing you to approach a company with a data-driven mindset. Students with an MBA will be able to master several topics affecting data, including:
- Management
- Leadership
- Economics
- Finance
- Marketing
- Operations management
These are combined with data-focused topics like:
- Data mining for business analytics
- Data science in markets
- Database management
- Marketing analytics
- Regression analysis
- Social media analytics
Traditional MBA degrees usually last two years or 24 months. Online business programs, however, often offer accelerated tracks that allow you to complete a degree in 10 to 16 months. You’ll have opportunities to obtain practical experience while pursuing your degree. Whatever track they choose, students will be given the tools to strategically align with emerging technologies, comprehend them, and use data-driven decision-making and procedures to lead in the business world.
Technical subjects like accounting, statistics, mathematics, and computer science, as well as economics and business, are common prerequisite courses among MBA in analytics management candidates.
For those who recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree, a variety of Master in Business Analytics programs offer similar coursework. There is usually a minimum work experience requirement of two years before applying for an MBA in analytics management.
Online MBA programs are frequently less expensive and more convenient than their full-time, on-campus equivalents. As a result, working professionals are opting for this study option. To make your MBA journey more affordable, we have produced a list of the ten cheapest online MBA in analytics management and comparable programs.
Table of Contents
The Cheapest Online MBA in Analytics Management
Southern Oregon University
Ashland, Oregon
- Average Cost: $19,350
- Tuition per credit for online MBA program: $430
- Units Required: 45
- Program Length: 16 months
- Financial Assistance Options:
Southern Oregon State University is home to one of the best online MBA programs with a very affordable tuition cost that trains students to compete in technologically-driven businesses to use statistical approaches to examine business processes and make changes for advancement. The online MBA in Business Analytics is a process-focused degree that teaches students how to evaluate data sets and use analytical software to help them develop firm decision-making in business.
To help students deal with big data and make informed decisions for overall business improvements, this business analytics program explores three major topics:
- Advanced Management Information Systems
- Process Improvement
- Using GIS in Business
This affordable online MBA in business analytics degree earned the nod of the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs. The degree provides world-renowned faculty that demonstrates and encourages online MBA students to have a deeper understanding of SQL querying, data presentation, and data visualization techniques and participate in practical activities and projects. Students can build sophisticated Excel abilities upon graduation and discover how geographic information systems (GIS) enhance business decision-making.
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
- Tuition per credit for online MBA program: $655
- Units Required: 42
- Program Length: 12 Months
- Financial Assistance Options:
The University of Massachusetts-Lowell offers one of the cheapest online MBAs related to analytics management that help working professionals understand how to use knowledge as a leader to manage projects, create procedures, carry out initiatives, and assess performance. The online MBA in Business Analytics is designed to train future managers in today’s firms by focusing on theoretical topics, including data mining, modeling, information analysis, data analysis, management, and analytics programming.
To make sure that students in the business analytics concentration gain all the necessary skills and knowledge for executive roles in today’s technologically-driven business, the MBA in business analytics allows students to choose two of the following courses:
- Database Management
- Business Intelligence and Data Mining
- Data Quality for Business Analytics
- Advanced-Data Mining
- Statistics for Predictive Analytics
- Decision Analytics
- Analytical Decision-Making Tools
UMass-Lowell’s online MBA in business analytics, an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited program, offers a rigorous, pertinent curriculum that aligns with employers’ demands and has a dedicated faculty. The faculty and instructors at UMass Lowell’s business school help students gain a firm understanding of business basics, including both hard and soft business abilities.
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky
- Average Cost: $15,708
- Tuition per credit for online MBA program: $460
- Units Required: 33
- Program Length: 12 months
- Financial Assistance Options:
Northern Kentucky University offers one of the most affordable online programs designed with working students in mind. NKU’s unique online MBA in Data Analytics + Finance helps students investigate how massive data streams affect financial management and statistical modeling daily and learn how data from search engine analytics and social networks can transform how an investment matures. This degree is best suited for professionals working in specialized areas within the financial and investment sectors.
To help students prepare for today’s data-driven businesses, this MBA degree requires students to complete core courses and the following six specialization courses:
- Business Intelligence Development
- Data Visualization and Analytics
- Corporate Finance
- International Finance
- Introduction to Business Analytics
- Investments and Security Analysis
Northern Kentucky University’s online MBA in Data Analytics + Finance, an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited graduate program, provides students with instructors to help them throughout their graduate school journey. These instructors will help shape students to become proficient in finance and investment by equipping the quantitative, statistical, and technical skills needed in a world powered by big data.
Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, Florida
- Average Cost: $12,322
- Tuition per credit for online MBA program: $373
- Units Required: 33
- Program Length: 12 months
- Financial Assistance Options:
Florida Gulf Coast University has one of the most affordable online master’s in business administration degrees designed for working students through the Lutgert College of Business.
FGCU’S online MBA in Data Analytics is a rigorous degree that allows students to gain foundational knowledge and skills in data management, data mining, business intelligence tools, and visualization, which gives them broad knowledge on how to stir data-driven businesses. The program incorporates global and ethical awareness lessons, leadership and teamwork abilities, appropriate technological applications, entrepreneurial methods, and global and ethical awareness.
To help students gain more leadership abilities, this online data analytics MBA degree requires students to complete the following core courses:
- Managerial Accounting
- Managerial Economics
- Financial Management
- Strategic Leadership
- Marketing Management
- Data-Driven Decision-Making
- Global Supply Chains
- Business Strategy (capstone course)
FGCU’s online MBA degree, which earned the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accreditation, has a dedicated faculty who help students tackle organizational problems through a strong emphasis on using analytical, technical, and behavioral approaches. The program incorporates leadership and cooperation, responsible technology use, entrepreneurial initiatives, and global and ethical awareness.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Mount Vernon, Ohio
- Average Cost: $17,928
- Tuition per credit for online MBA program: $498
- Units Required: 36
- Program Length: 19 months
- Financial Assistance Options:
Mount Vernon Nazarene University has one of the cheapest online MBA degrees suitable for adult students who want to obtain a graduate degree to advance in their current positions. The online MBA in Business Intelligence and Data at MVNU combines fundamental business management training with a technology focus to master data processing in marketing, logistics, business growth, and product design.
This degree will help students address the most pressing issues facing businesses and corporations with skills that meet the demands of the corporate world through an immersive teaching model that combines a practical application of ethics and creative thinking.
MVNU’s online MBA in business data analytics helps graduate students advance their knowledge and skills through a series of core courses in addition to the following concentration courses:
- Intelligence and Data Analytics
- Business Analytics
- Decision-Making using Data Analytics
MVNU’s online master’s in business administration degree, with accreditation from the ACBSP or Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, provides students with the tools to help them clarify their career goals, prepare for their profession, and hone their job-hunting techniques. The faculty and staff at the school are business professionals with years of experience in data-driven business. Career counselors can give lectures in-class on various career development subjects, such as internships, resumes, interviews, and job seeking.
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey
- Average Cost: $12,766.67
- Tuition per credit for online MBA program: $883.84
- Units Required: 39
- Program Length: 2 years
- Financial Assistance Options:
- Graduate Scholarship
- Graduate Assistantships
Montclair State University offers the most affordable online MBA degree in New Jersey. The online MBA in Business Analytics equips students with leadership skills to make informed judgments for their organizations’ long-term success and will help students create a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) that direct the direction of the business. This degree teaches future decision-makers to look beyond numbers and consider the organization as a whole, such as considering data patterns, growth prospects, and weak spots.
In addition to a series of online MBA courses, MSU’s online business analytics MBA degree requires students to complete three concentration courses to become proficient in company data:
- Introduction to Business Analytics
- Data Analytics and Visualization
- Advanced Business Analytics
MSU’s online master of business administration degree—accredited by AACSB or Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business—has excellent faculty and staff that guide students’ self-paced learning. Additionally, the school provides each student with a student success coach to direct them to school resources and support them throughout the process. The student success coaches undergo extensive training to learn how to assist working adult students.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Edwardsville, Illinois
- Average Cost: $18,392.40
- Tuition per credit for online MBA program: $510.90
- Units Required: 36 credits
- Program Length: 12 months
- Financial Assistance Options:
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville offers one of the best online MBA programs at a very low cost. The online MBA in Business Analytics at SIU is an accelerated degree program that helps aspiring business leaders develop deep competency in the skills required to oversee and implement data-driven business decisions, including gathering, managing, and describing datasets, drawing conclusions and predictions from data, and coming to the best and most reliable conclusions. Two embedded capstone courses covering the practical application of business analytics and strategic management are part of the dynamic program.
Students in this online program are required to complete a series of online classes, including MBA core courses and the following business analytics concentration courses:
- Database Design
- Introduction to Business Intelligence and Analytics
- Business Analytics Capstone
- Customer Relationship Management
SIUE’s MBA degree is accredited by the AACSB – Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. It supports excellent graduate education, promotes intellectual development, and makes it possible for individuals to excel in research and creative endeavors. The faculty of the MBA degree is dedicated to giving online MBA students opportunities to pursue impactful scholarly activities as their on-campus counterparts.
Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, Missouri
- Average Cost: $12,300
- Tuition per credit for online MBA program: $400
- Units Required: 30 credits
- Program Length: 12-18 months
- Financial Assistance Options:
Northwest Missouri State University offers an affordable online MBA program designed for working professionals in the business sector who want to expand their knowledge about current trends, keep up with technologically-driven businesses, and target an in-depth examination of a broader range of management themes. The online MBA in Business Analytics degree gives graduate students a foundation in analyzing structured data and using business intelligence to enhance their fundamental business management abilities and prepare them for real-world applications. Consequently, this MBA program blends management theories with analytics expertise.
To help MBA students graduate with proficient skills and knowledge and land mid-level positions in various sectors, NMSU’s online MBA in business analytics provides three distinct concentration courses:
- Data Mining for Business Applications
- Business Decision Support Modeling
- Business Analytics & Decision Modeling
NMSU’s online MBA with Business Analytics specialization is approved by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. It provides online MBA students full support from experienced faculty, connecting with students on a more personal level to help them acquire superior business expertise and analytical abilities to recognize and interact with people at all levels of business.
Cedarville University
Cedarville, Ohio
- Average Cost: $23,328
- Tuition per credit for online MBA program: $648
- Units Required: 36 credits
- Program Length: 2 years
- Financial Assistance Options:
Cedarville University offers an affordable online MBA in Business Analytics degree that helps students build after their business degree, analyze data, and predict financial consequences using statistical tools to enter the high-impact data science profession. Working professionals can choose between part-time and full-time, thanks to the seven-week terms of the MBA program.
Since Cedarville University is a Christian college, students must take Bible courses. However, Students who have completed a Bible minor during their undergraduate degree will be waived from a 3-credit Bible course. Additionally, to help students have all the tools they need for big-data companies, they are required to complete four business analytics courses:
- Business Forecasting and Econometrics
- Data Mining for Business Analytics
- Data Warehousing & Visualization
- Managerial Data Analysis
Cedarville University’s online MBA has gained the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs’ approval. It provides online MBA students with a dedicated program adviser who ensures they receive support as they work toward their MBA degree. Students can keep up with other responsibilities through a cohort-based approach that fosters Christian business professionals’ sense of community and network.
DeVry University
Naperville, Illinois
- Tuition per credit for online MBA program: $776
- Units Required: 48 (can waive up to nine credits)
- Program Length: 2 years
- Financial Assistance Options:
DeVry University offers an affordable online MBA designed for working students looking to earn skills and knowledge for an added competitive advantage in data-driven businesses.
DeVry University’s online MBA in Business Intelligence and Analytics Management focuses on assisting students in developing advanced leadership skills and knowledge required to carefully assess business problems using techniques and technology needed to collect, store, and report on big data. Students can use their technical expertise and leadership abilities to offer data-driven business recommendations that will aid in achieving their strategic management.
DeVry’s online MBA in Business Intelligence and Analytics Management will help students become proficient in managing and asses data by completing required core courses in addition to the following concentration courses:
- Applications of Business Analytics II
- Developing and Managing Databases for Business Intelligence
- Predictive Analysis
DeVry University’s online MBA, an Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs-approved degree, provides students with a supportive faculty, helping them build on their experience to develop managerial skills in business analytics. Students can be better prepared to drive company strategy by identifying strengths and competitive advantages with your online courses and lecturers’ insights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a Data Analyst and a Business Analyst?
Both data analytics and business analytics involve gathering a sizable amount of data and processing it to produce specific outcomes, yet they differ significantly from one another.
Data science is more technically centered than the other in terms of technical skill set. As a result, data analysts would perform hands-on data cleaning, purging, detecting correlations, etc. These analysts would adore getting their hands dirty with one of the newest tools available, testing the tool with their data, and seeing what insights can be gained from it.
Business analytics is more of a process-oriented role where a business analyst would investigate the business’s day-to-day activities. A business analyst is needed because a CEO or CMO will need to learn what correlation is and which variables affect the transform function. A business analyst should be able to translate the jargon data analysts use into language their superiors can understand. A business analyst would investigate optimization and be the one to raise the red flags for updating or optimizing any campaign or corporate model.
Each has advantages regarding conceptual issues, growth, and development in science and technology. The growing technology world needs more of these professionals to grow further and produce extraordinary inventions that improve human life and preserve our atmospheric environment for the benefit of future generations to lead comfortable and happy lives.
What Is an Analytics Manager?
Business analysts and data analysts usually work under the supervision and guidance of analytics managers. An analytics manager transforms unprocessed data into business-useful insights for strategic planning. Their responsibilities as team leaders typically involve designing data analysis plans, monitoring and reporting on business operations, putting tools and solutions into place, and managing all analytics activities. These professionals need to keep abreast of the most recent business trends. Technical, analytical, and database tool and program experience, among other qualities, are required to become an analytics manager.
What are the differences between an MBA in Business Analytics and MS in Business Analytics?
The distinction between the two degrees is in focus: technical versus applied. Making data-driven business decisions is the focus of an MBA in business analytics. Graduates with a business analytics MBA are business leaders skilled in using data analytics software, interpreting the findings, and applying their conclusions to the decisions they make as business leaders, such as establishing pricing strategies or enhancing the effectiveness of their supply chain.
On the other hand, an MS in Business Analytics is primarily about data, whereas an MBA is mainly about business. An MS is a more specialized degree that demands students to have a solid understanding of programming, algorithms, and statistics and delves deeper into the hard skills of business analysis.
Despite their differences, both degrees offer instruction in data collection, analysis, and applications in the corporate world. Both degrees are two years long, and the admission requirements and fees are comparable. Additionally, both offer classes under the headings “data mining” and “forecasting and modeling.”
What are the techniques taught in an MBA in Data Analytics and Business Analytics?
An MBA in Data Analytics and Business Analytics teaches graduate students several techniques to process data and extract information. Some of the most popular techniques include:
Regression analysis
This technique is used to ascertain how a change in one dependent variable might affect a change in another; this includes examining the relationship between the dependent variables.
Factor analysis
This requires reducing vast data sets to smaller ones. This technique is hoped to uncover tendencies that might have been harder to spot otherwise.
Cohort analysis
This procedure involves a similar grouping of data from a data set, frequently into a consumer demographic. This enables data analysts and other data analytics users to go deeper into the statistics about a specific subset of data.
Monte Carlo simulation model
This model represents the likelihood of various events. These simulations frequently include many values and variables and, have better-predicting abilities than other data analytics techniques, are commonly utilized for risk reduction and loss prevention.
Time series analysis
This keeps track of data throughout time and establishes the connection between a data point’s value and its occurrence. This method of data analysis is frequently employed to identify cyclical patterns or to forecast financial outcomes.
Business Model Analysis
This clarifies the policies, market methods, and strategies while also assisting in our understanding of the company’s operations. Many things include revenue model, value offering to which client segment, the cost associated with value offering, and repercussions on the organization if the business model changes are better understood.
What are the four types of Analytics?
Descriptive Analytics
Analytics specialists can obtain thorough, precise, real-time analytics by mining and aggregating raw data through a real-time dashboard. Despite being the least helpful link in the big data value chain, data mining can still spot behavior patterns that could affect how things turn out.
Diagnostic Analytics
Diagnostic analytics examine the historical performance of campaigns and processes to figure out what happened and why. It eliminates all ambiguous data to pinpoint a specific cause-and-effect link.
Predictive Analytics
Based on insights from big data, probable scenarios of what can happen can be predicted using statistical models and forecasting techniques. This kind of analytics can support complex forecasts.
Prescriptive Analytics
Prescriptive analytics concentrates on the recommended course of action. Prescriptive analytics provides you with a far more targeted response to a topic than big data analytics, which might shed light on a particular business area.
Is a career in Analytics Management for me? Should I pursue a leadership position in Analytics Management?
Analytics Management is a great career choice for those with an aptitude for data analysis, strong problem-solving skills, and an interest in working with data to make informed decisions. If you have these qualities and are interested in working with data, a career in Analytics may be a good fit for you.
Leadership positions in Analytics Management require specialized knowledge and experience. If you already have the experience and knowledge to make informed decisions about data analysis, then pursuing a leadership position in Analytics Management is a great choice. That said, be sure to weigh all of the pros and cons of such a position before making a decision.