Compare online master’s in analytics programs
Gain advanced skills in data-driven problem solving so you can reduce costs, increase revenue, and streamline processes.
Why earn a master’s in analytics online?
Prepare to move up in your career
Gain graduate-level analytics acumen in a flexible format that features a blend of live online classes, asynchronous coursework, and practical training.
Become an analytics leader
Apply your knowledge and enable organizational growth through data-driven processes and technologies.
Create long-term value for your organization
Use your education and access to unparalleled networks to advance your analytics career and your organization.
Browse online analytics degree programs
Data analytics vs. business analytics
A master's in data analytics centers on the comprehensive analysis of large data sets, encompassing statistical methods, data processing, and machine learning. It equips learners with a broad range of skills that can be applied across industries, including healthcare, finance, and technology. A master's in business analytics, on the other hand, hones in on leveraging data analytics for strategic decision making in a corporate setting. It emphasizes optimizing business operations, improving performance, and addressing specific challenges within the business realm. The key distinction is that business analytics focuses on the practical application of data analysis to achieve organizational objectives, aligning data insights with corporate goals.
A master’s is one way to pursue analytics learning. But you can also develop your ability to turn data into valuable insights through online analytics courses, or learn to derive insights from extremely large data sets with these data analysis courses. Alternatively, build on your existing education with a range of business analytics courses.
Admission requirements for an online Master of Science in Analytics program
Schools offering online master’s in analytics degrees will have their own individual admission requirements, including specific GMAT or GRE requirements. Without a doubt, all schools will be looking for candidates who are passionate about learning to use data analytics to grow within their organizations.
Most online master’s in analytics admission requirements typically include the following:
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, with a GPA of at least 3.0 out of 4.0
Transcripts from previously attended institutions where credits were earned
Professional letters of recommendation
Personal essay or statement of purpose
Interview
Want to gain expertise and accelerate your career? Explore these top online master’s degrees across disciplines.
How to apply
Before you begin the application process for an online master’s degree in analytics at the schools of your choice, research the necessary application deadlines, tuition, and scholarship opportunities, and prepare for the individual school’s admission requirements. Explore online master’s in business programs to learn more about what each university offers and what their application requirements are.
What you’ll learn
Whether you are pursuing a master's in data analytics or a master’s in business analytics, you should be prepared for a curriculum that is data intensive. Both degrees will typically include a blend of fundamental and advanced courses in data analysis and related areas. For a master’s in business analytics, you will typically be required to cover more courses on business, strategy, and leadership.
A typical curriculum for a master’s in analytics could include the following:
Foundational courses, such as statistical analysis, data visualization, and database management
Advanced analytics techniques, including machine learning and predictive modeling
Big data technologies, including Hadoop and Spark, and NoSQL databases
Data ethics and privacy, including ethical considerations and compliance
Elective courses, which could include deep learning and natural language processing
A capstone project, an extensive, real-world data processing project demonstrating your abilities
Some programs may offer specialized tracks in healthcare, finances, or marketing. The focus of these programs is to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to work with data, extract meaningful insights, and make data-driven decisions in various industries.
For more ways to dive into data, you can explore predictive analytics courses, where you’ll learn about predictive modeling and applications such as Python and R. To learn to uncover valuable marketing insights from data, you can learn marketing analytics. Explore Oracle Analytics courses if you’d like to learn about Oracle Analytics, a data platform for business intelligence that performs a range of enterprise-level data analytics tasks. Or, you can explore big data courses, if what you’re passionate about is analyzing large data sets to find trends, correlations, and insights.
Master’s in analytics jobs
A master's in analytics can provide learners with the knowledge necessary to grow their organization by using data to solve complex problems. This graduate-level qualification can open doors to various high-paying and influential roles across industries as varied as finance, healthcare, technology, marketing, and more.
Here are some potential career paths to pursue with a master’s in analytics:
Intelligence analyst: Gathers, evaluates, and interprets information from diverse sources to provide insights on security threats, risks, and trends.
Financial analyst: Plays a crucial role in optimizing investment portfolios, managing financial assets, and achieving financial goals by mitigating potential risks, assessing asset performance, and creating financial models to forecast future outcomes.
Business analytics consultant: Working closely with clients, gathers and analyzes data to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement to enhance a company's operations and decision making.
Entrepreneur: Collects and analyzes data from various sources, including customer interactions, sales figures, website traffic, and market trends to make informed decisions about product development, marketing strategies, and resource allocation.
Supply chain manager: Analyzes historical and real-time data to make informed decisions that streamline processes, improve customer satisfaction, and adapt to market changes, ultimately enhancing the company's competitiveness and profitability.
Data analyst: This industry-agnostic role analyzes and interprets data to help organizations make informed decisions.
Data scientist: Works across various industries, helping businesses improve operations, identify market opportunities, optimize strategies, and enhance overall performance by extracting actionable insights from data.
Quantitative analyst: Plays a vital role in investment banks, hedge funds, and asset management firms, using their quantitative expertise to make data-driven decisions, optimize portfolios, and manage financial risks.
Frequently asked questions
A master's degree in analytics is a graduate-level program focused on developing advanced skills in data analysis and interpretation. It equips learners with the knowledge and techniques to collect, process, and analyze data to extract valuable insights and support decision making across various fields. This degree covers statistical analysis, data mining, machine learning, and data visualization. With a strong emphasis on practical application, a master's in analytics can prepare graduates for roles in data science, business intelligence, and data-driven decision making, making them highly valuable in today's data-driven world.
Most schools offering online master’s in analytics programs will require that you hold a bachelor’s degree and have a certain GPA. Some schools will require specific foundational courses so you may be required to demonstrate at least some technical proficiency before you’re able to pursue an advanced degree. While some programs may offer you admission without requiring you to have a technical background, be aware that any advanced program in the field will have a curriculum that heavily relies on the understanding of all the technical aspects involved in analytics.
Online master's in analytics programs typically span one to two years, contingent on whether you’re enrolled full or part time. Some programs propose accelerated routes for a one-year completion, and as a result demand a more intense workload that may be difficult to balance with a full-time job. The specific program in which you end up enrolling, your individual course choices, and your personal commitments outside of school will all factor into the time required to earn your degree.
How you’ll finance your online master’s degree in analytics will likely play a key role in your decision-making process of where to attend. Whether it’s merit-based or need-based, many schools will offer some type of financial aid. But this availability is very much dependent on the individual school, and you should research a number of programs to decide which one is ultimately a right fit for you, financially.
Reputable and competitive programs can choose to pursue accreditation. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is one association that accredits business schools. Accredited institutions have met rigorous standards regarding their programs, learner outcomes, and faculty, and have demonstrated their commitment to upholding and advancing the quality of their business and accounting programs.
Yes, online master’s programs in analytics are typically designed to be a flexible option for working professionals and are in many cases self-paced, which means that you can still work full time and pursue this degree either full or part time, depending on your ability to handle the course load. Research different programs first, so you can determine how best to balance your learning with your career.
Explore everything else edX has to offer.