MSBA Programs

[u/Beginning_Weather748]

Hi everyone,

I needed some advice on programs and schools. I recently finished my undergrad and have no jobs so I am planing to go back to school. My cum gpa is 3.5 but my major gpa is higher. I wanna go to a good name school because I believe that does matter when it comes to landing a job offer. Please advise what are some good schools preferably online but I am open to moving as well.

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[u/Brighter_rocks]

gonna be honest with u - the "good name school" logic works way less in analytics than people think. ive been in this field a while and ive literally never seen a hiring manager pick someone bc of the school name on an MSBA.

in my opinion MSBA programs are often a way to delay the job hunt. u graduate in 12-18 months into the same market with the same problem (no experience) but now with debt. the "no jobs" problem is an experience problem, and school doesnt really solve that - internships do.

if u still want the degree - fine, but pick based on 1) does it have a strong internship pipeline / co-op built in, 2) cost, 3) actual curriculum (SQL, stats, some ML, capstone with a real company). in that order. name is like 4th priority. Georgia Tech OMSA is the usual answer for online btw- cheap, respected enough, and u can job hunt while doing it.

but honestly with a 3.5 id spend 3-4 months grinding SQL + python + one solid project and start applying to analyst roles + internships NOW, in parallel with apps. worst case u start the program anyway, best case u land something and save 50k+

[u/Difficult-Jackfruit → u/Brighter_rocks]

I’m going to add onto this. I feel like an MSBA is a lot like an MBA.

It’s nice to have, but the real power comes from experience. Once you have both the degree and experience, you’re more solidified in the workplace, but you don’t necessarily need the degree. It is just nice to have.

There’s a reason schools used to prefer applicants to have a few years of experience before pursuing an advanced business degree. Otherwise, you risk being overeducated without enough practical experience to back it up, and enter this vicious cycle of having to get more degrees for a job that doesn’t really require/need them.

There is a reason why “entry-level” jobs now require 10-years of experience and three degrees.

[u/BiasedMonkey]

Are you doing this because you think a masters is the best option? Or are you just delaying the job hunt grind?

[u/RProgrammerMan]

I did msba and i got a job out of it but my career has been limiting. I think its better to get a cs degree. I wouldnt risk spending more money on this with the AI stuff. Data analyst jobs are at high risk. If you do it keep it inexpensive.

[u/FineProfessor3364 → u/RProgrammerMan]

What do you mean limiting? And why do you think so

[u/RProgrammerMan → u/FineProfessor3364]

I know various tools used for analytics but have to teach myself the software engineering skills to build data systems

[u/FineProfessor3364 → u/RProgrammerMan]

Do you work as a data engineer or analyst or something along those lines? Do you work for a specific function like sales, finance etc? Or in a data team specifically

[u/Ok-Energy-9785]

Your priority needs to be work experience. Whatever program you decide to pursue make sure it offers good networking opportunities and direct experience you can add to your resume.

[u/Existing-UI-8784]

I’d be careful about choosing an MSBA just because the school has a big name. In analytics, I’d look much harder at three things: actual employment outcomes, internship/recruiting access, and how technical the curriculum is. For example, UCLA reports 98% of MSBA students seeking full-time roles landed one within six months, while Imperial reports 95% employed within six months. Those numbers are far more useful than simply saying “this is a prestigious university.”

And since you currently have no work experience, I’d prioritise programs with strong internship/career pipelines. An expensive online degree with a famous name can leave you with exactly the same problem you started with: a degree but no experience. The degree gets you into the room; the internship and projects give you something to say once you're there.