Online MBA in Data Analytics & Business Intelligence (BI)

With nearly unlimited data about customers available at the click of a button, there is an increased demand in business for people who have the skills to make statistics, aggregates, spreadsheets, and other data forms meaningful. Especially in business, there is a need for people who can dig deep into the analytics, make sense of the numbers, and provide business leaders with the information necessary and relevant to growth.

Business intelligence (BI) is a field of study that prepares professionals to access and make sense of data so that it can be strategically useful to a business. As most industries increase their strategic reliance on data, having the capacity to work with data is a useful skill for any modern professional.

An MBA in business intelligence and analytics prepares professionals to thrive in a data-fueled business world. Earning an MBA in BI provides candidates the standard of the core of any MBA program, including business fundamentals, advanced theories, and management techniques. The focus in BI provides instruction on best practices to utilize databases, organize and compile information, and curate information for widespread understanding and best use. Students who earn an MBA in business intelligence generally leave with the ability to speak the language of big business and comprehend the technical intricacies of big data. Having these advanced skills can help current professionals branch into management positions and make entry-level job applicants more competitive candidates.

Market research, a field heavily reliant on BI and analytics, is an occupation both lucrative and growing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2023), the market research analyst position pays a median wage of $68,230 annually, and openings are expected to grow 13 percent between 2022 and 2032. This growth is much faster than the average anticipated growth of 3 percent for all occupations, and the average wages are also much higher than the median wage for all occupations.

Featured Business Analytics Programs
University of North Carolina MBA@UNC Online MBA - Data Analytics and Decision Making View Full Profile
Wake Forest University Online MBA - Business Analytics View Full Profile
Grand Canyon University Online MBA - Business Analytics View Full Profile
Syracuse University Online MBA - Business Analytics View Full Profile
Southern New Hampshire University Online MBA In Business Analytics View Full Profile
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Online MBA in Business Analytics View Full Profile
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Those hoping to pursue an MBA in business intelligence can choose traditional on-campus programs, hybrid on-campus/online programs, and programs that are delivered fully online. Universities are increasingly embracing MBA programs that cater to busy professionals, students who cannot relocate, or students who prefer to learn in their own space. Business students now can enroll in online programs that are as high-quality, competitive, and connected as their traditional brick-and-mortar counterparts.

Read on to learn about universities that offer online MBAs in data analytics business intelligence, as well as the exceptional faculty leading courses in these programs.

Featured Online MBAs in Data Analysis and Business Intelligence (BI)

1Maryville University, John. E. Simon School of BusinessView Full Profile

Maryville University’s John. E. Simon School of Business provides an array of online MBA programs, including one with a business data analytics concentration. This program does not require any GRE or GMAT test scores or professional experience to apply. There are six start dates offered throughout the year.

In addition to the foundational MBA courses, this 39-credit concentration offers instruction in data analytics I; data analytics II; data visualization; and forecasting and predictive modeling. The online MBA programs use the Canvas learning management system, which provides a digital workspace for collaboration and assignments, among other resources.

Location: St. Louis, MO
Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 months or more
Estimated Tuition: $749 per credit

Wake Forest University offers an online MBA program in business analytics. This specialization focuses on data management software, the management of big data, data manipulation, data analysis, coding languages, data visualization, and descriptive modeling.

To qualify for admission, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree, GRE or GMAT scores (waiver available), two contacts for reference, a resume, and transcripts. Those with five or more years of professional experience, a master’s degree, or a 3.2 GPA in a bachelor’s degree program may qualify for a test score waiver. Note that those with at least two years of professional experience are preferred, and an interview may be required. The WFU online MBA currently accepts students from Florida, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia.

Courses last seven weeks each, with two terms per semester. Courses in the business analytics concentration include data management, analytics software technology, and visual analytics and influencing. Core courses feature instruction in operations management, financial management, behavior and leadership in organizations, IT management, financial accounting, managerial accounting, business law, global strategic management, managerial economics, marketing management, and more.

Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Expected Time to Completion: Two years
Estimated Tuition: $1,555 per credit
3Ohio University, College of BusinessView Full Profile

Ohio University’s online programs were ranked some of the best in the country by the U.S. News & World Report. The online MBA with a specialization in business analytics is a two-year program for business professionals with at least two to five years of work experience.

Most of the program can be completed online; however, students are required to attend a weekend on-campus professional development workshop. Students are not required to attend any additional workshops throughout the program, but they are encouraged to do so. Students take 35 credits of core courses and electives. Students in the business analytics concentration must take three required classes: predictive analytics; prescriptive analytics; and business intelligence. This online MBA does not require the GMAT for admission.

Location: Athens, OH
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Estimated Tuition: Ohio resident ($1,031 per credit), non-Ohio resident ($1,051 per credit)
4Syracuse University, Whitman School of ManagementView Full Profile

The online MBA@Syracuse program has been ranked in the top ten programs of its kind by Fortune Education in 2021. It is also considered one of the best programs for military veterans by The Military Times.

Students pick from six concentrations, one of which is business analytics. All students take core classes in data analysis and decision making; microeconomics; managerial finance; and legal and ethical environment of business; among others. In the business analytics specialization, students learn about how to collect, visualize, analyze, and mine complex data using practical analytic tools.

Most of the coursework is online; however, students must take part in three in-person residencies throughout the 54-credit program. Applicants must have at least one year of professional work experience and a minimum 3.0 GPA in the previous schooling. GMAT scores are not required for admission. Courses in this specialization include accounting analytics; principles of management science; and big data analytics.

Location: Syracuse, NY
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $1,872 per credit
5University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business SchoolView Full Profile

The online MBA@UNC with a specialization in data analytics and decision-making teaches students how to make data-driven decisions and communicate the value of analytics in the business world. Students must complete two in-person immersions in a major international business center where they work with leading companies; previous companies have included Virgin Group, General Mills, and Google.

The 62-credit program is broken down into core, elective, and cross-university courses. The courses in the data analytics and decision-making concentration include analytical tools; data analytics; Business Modeling; introduction to python for business analytics; information for decision-making, incentives, and strategy; technology strategy and business innovation; marketing analytics; pricing; and negotiations.

Students who can travel to campus can take elective courses from the school’s full-time on-campus program as well as its executive MBA program. While students are not required to have a minimum GPA from previous schooling, they must have at least two years of professional experience before being accepted into the program.

Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 18 to 36 months
Estimated Tuition: $133,692

The online MBA program at Utica College is customizable across many different concentrations in some of the most in-demand sectors of business, such as cybersecurity, insurance risk management, financial accounting, health care management, entrepreneurship, and data analytics. Students can pick from one of the concentrations developed by Utica or further customize their education by selecting any four graduate-level courses that are offered by the school.

In the data analytics concentration, students can take the following classes: an introduction to data science; data mining; machine learning; statistical methods; and data visualization, among others. The goal is to teach students how to become data thinkers and data decision-makers by learning about the power and limits of data.

The 30-credit online curriculum can be completed in two years part-time, allowing students to continue working while studying. They first take core classes, then move on to the concentration elective courses. A bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade point average of 2.7 is required for admission. GMAT or GRE scores are not required for admission.

Location: Utica, NY
Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) candidate
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $700 per credit

Villanova’s online MBA has been ranked in the top 50 best online MBA programs for veterans by U.S. News & World Report. The school has also been recognized as one of the best MBA schools in the nation.

The 48-credit program is flexible and convenient for working professionals and can be customized with one of five specializations, including analytics. All students take 1.5 credits of fundamentals, including an on-campus leadership residency. They also complete 16.5 credits of functional courses, six credits of VSB pillars, and nine credits of capstones, including an on-campus global practicum, which is not required but encouraged. The last 15 credits comprise electives, which are offered according to each student’s concentration of choice.

The analytics specialization includes courses such as analytical methods for data mining; business intelligence; introduction to business analytics; and marketing research tools. Students must submit an up-to-date resume and GMAT scores, as previous work experience and schooling are factored into the school’s decision for admission.

Location: Villanova, PA
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $1,409 per credit

The business analytics focus offered within the MBA program at SNHU teaches students how to analyze patterns and draw useful information from data. The online format allows people to study where they choose. Offering a practical approach to business analytics, this MBA program prepares students for the application of techniques and tools of data analytics.

Made up of 30 credits, the program includes core courses such as leading people and organizations; organizational strategy in a global environment; measuring success in an organization; optimizing brands; and strategic opportunity management. The business analytics concentration includes courses such as descriptive business analytics; predictive business analytics; and business analytics.

Location: Manchester, NH
Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP); New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 18 months
Estimated Tuition: $637 per credit

Although this school’s MBA program doesn’t specifically include a data or business intelligence component, students can combine the MBA program with a graduate certificate in business analytics. The program requires students to have a minimum of two years of professional work experience to apply.

Typically, online or on-campus students take at least 12 courses in the MBA program and then begin the 12-credit certificate program. Taking a total of six to 12 months, courses for the certificate satisfy elective requirements for the MBA program. The certificate program includes courses such as data mining for business analytics; marketing research; advanced data mining for business analytics; and marketing analytics. The 48-credit MBA program is available online or on campus. Online students can also participate in a weeklong global residency.

Location: Fairfax, VA
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $1,102 per credit
10American University, Kogod School of BusinessView Full Profile

The MBA@American with a specialization in business analytics is a 48-credit program that can be completed mostly online with two in-person immersions in as little as 15 months. The program is offered at an accelerated pace through five modules or at a normal MBA pace through eight modules. The latter course sequence takes 24 months.

Students take 13 core courses, two electives, and two immersions which can be completed around the world. Previous immersions have been held in Brussels, San Francisco, and New York. There are many regular immersions in Washington D.C. Students will take courses in business insights through analytics; business intelligence; database & big data; predictive analytics; and more. While work experience is not required for admission, it is taken into consideration.

Location: Washington, D.C.
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 12, 15, or 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $1,866 per credit

Rockhurst University’s Helzberg School of Management offers an online MBA program that is designed to help students better understand the roles of a company, move into management positions, and improve their leadership skills. The university offers several concentrations and business intelligence is one of them.

Students in this concentration learn to use popular analytics tools such as Tableau and Google Analytics and gain the knowledge and information needed to confidently lead teams. Courses in this BI concentration include business intelligence; applied data mining; data visualization; analytics and strategy; and web and social media analytics. The program requires the completion of 30 credits.

Location: Kansas City, MO
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 36 months
Estimated Tuition: $775 per credit

Strayer University offers an online master of business administration degree with a concentration in business data preparing students to take emerging and established data in marketing, finance, sales, management, and accounting and use technology for interpreting it and crafting sound business decisions.

Admission requirements include a completed application, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5, official copies of transcripts from all other universities or colleges attended, and a valid, current and legible government-issued photo identification.

The program includes courses such as understanding business data; business data and decisions; operational data; financial accounting for managers; strategic management; business statistics; and financial management.

Location: Washington, DC
Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Expected Time to Completion: Please view full profile for details
Estimated Tuition: Please view full profile for details

The University of New Haven’s online MBA provides students with the expertise needed for today’s dynamic and complex business world. This MBA takes a global approach to business education helping students expand their functional knowledge and gain the necessary skills in areas demanded by employers. Students can choose from the following concentrations: data analytics (STEM), global supply chain management, and business analytics.

The program comprises 34 credits including core coursework in leadership and team-building; managerial accounting; applied statistical methods; corporate finance; and marketing analysis and customer value. The business analytics concentration includes courses such as business forecasting; knowledge management; mining for business intelligence; and sports business analytics, among others.

Location: West Haven, CT
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Expected Time to Completion: 18 to 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $795 per credit

University of Southern Indiana’s online MBA program allows students to choose from several concentration areas and data analytics is one of them. This online MBA with a concentration in data analytics prepares students to excel at quantitative problem-solving within business operations opening doors to exciting career opportunities.

The major admission requirements include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, a minimum grade point average of 2.5, GMAT or GRE scores (waivers are available), official transcripts, and TOEFL or IELTS scores for foreign-born applicants whose native spoken language is not English.

The program consists of 30 credits including courses such as applied business analytics; data-driven decision making; information visualization and dashboarding; strategic and international management; marketing strategies; managerial economics; and leadership skills and innovation.

Graduates will be ready to take up roles such as business analysts, research scientists, statistics educators, information or computer systems analysts, and personal financial advisors.

Location: Evansville, IN
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 11 months
Estimated Tuition: $450 per credit

University of West Alabama’s College of Business and Technology offers an online master of business administration (MBA) program providing students with the advanced knowledge needed to take the next step in their business career and increase their earning potential. The program can be completed in just one year featuring concentration options in computing and data analytics, accounting, computer information systems, entrepreneurship and innovation, human resource management, and many more.

The computing and data analytics concentration consists of 33 credits including courses such as introduction to computing and data analytics; computing and data mining; environments and methods of big data analysis; emerging technologies; marketing management; and strategic management and business policy. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.75 to apply for the program.

Location: Livingston, AL
Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
Estimated Tuition: $429 per credit

The school’s professional MBA program offers a business intelligence specialization, allowing students to gain a better understanding of technology, regulatory markets, and future trends for various industries. The Business intelligence specialization can also be completed entirely online.

Students can use and access various tools to improve their understanding of concepts such as data visualization and data mining, customer relationship management, and analytic processing. Core business courses cover business fundamentals such as accounting; marketing; financial management; operations; data analysis; leadership; and strategic management. The 45-credit program is offered on campus or online.

Applicants can also pursue the on-campus business analytics specialization that trains students in forecasting, optimization, and simulation and how to construct and interpret models of big data.

Location: Denver, CO
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 16 months
Estimated Tuition: $1,383 per credit

Current or hopeful managers who want to boost their information resource knowledge are encouraged to pursue the business intelligence concentration offered by Baker’s distance-based MBA program. Baker’s MBA program helps students to learn topics in leadership and general and advanced business, and also includes instruction in using technology to achieve business goals.

The 36-credit program is available online, so students can study at their own pace in a virtual classroom setting. Courses include management information systems; business intelligence; data warehousing; strategy in a global environment; and human resource management.

Location: Allen Park, MI
Accreditation: International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months
Estimated Tuition: $695 per credit
18 St. Joseph’s University, Haub School of Business

The Haub School of Business MBA program at this private Jesuit-affiliated university offers a variety of on-campus, online, and hybrid options for students pursuing MBA programs. Saint Joseph’s MBA three stackable certificate model allows students to choose two specializations in addition to a core MBA set of courses. All students will take the business administration graduate certificate and will then go on to take two certificates that fit their goals and career path.

Aspiring analytics students can take the data science and data analytics certificates to complete a total of 36 credits. Sample some of the courses in the curriculum: business analytics; python programming; introduction to data mining; analytics with machine learning; data visualization & performance analytics; and predictive analytics.

Location: Philadelphia, PA
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 30 months
Estimated Tuition: $1,192 per credit

Admission Requirements for Online MBA Programs

An undergraduate degree in business or an undergraduate degree combined with real-world business experience is often the baseline to be accepted into many MBA programs. Students interested in pursuing intelligence/analysis fields are also encouraged to have taken prerequisites in statistics or have related professional experience.

Admissions offices also typically ask for:

  • Transcripts showing past classes or degrees in related technical or business-related fields and a competitive GPA (e.g., >3.0)
  • Professional experience in a business or data field
  • Letters of recommendation
  • GMAT/GRE scores, which may be waived depending on past academic courses or professional experience
  • Personal statement or essay
  • Resume
  • TOEFL scores for foreign students

Professors to Know in Online MBA in Data Analytics & BI Programs

  • Amitava Dutta, PhD, George Mason University

    Dr. Amitava Dutta is a professor at George Mason University specializing in information systems and operations management. The research and teaching interests include IT governance and auditing, management of IT services, design and performance analysis of business processes, and systems thinking approaches to business problems. He holds the school’s LeRoy Eakin Endowed Chair in electrical commerce and previously taught at the University of Iowa and the Simon School of the University of Rochester. Before coming to the U.S., he studied and taught in Germany and India.

    Dr. Dutta received his doctorate in management information systems from Purdue University. He also completed his MS in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California and a BS in electronics and telecommunications engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology.

  • Michael Harper, PhD, University of Colorado Denver

    Dr. Michael Harper is a senior instructor of business analytics. He has taught a variety of business and business statistics courses over the years, including operations research, probability and statistics, decision theory, and operations management. Along with teaching business courses at the University of Denver, he has teaching experience in math and engineering at the Colorado School of Mines and the Denver Seminary.

    Dr. Harper’s research efforts are focused on perceived risk, business statistics, and inventory analysis. He’s also been honored for outstanding teaching and instructor of the year in UC’s 11-month MBA program. He completed his PhD and MS in operations research and statistics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an MS in mathematics from the University of Tulsa, and a BS in geophysical engineering from Colorado School of Mines.

  • William A. Young, PhD, Ohio University

    Dr. William A. Young is the director of the online MBA program, a Charles G. O’Bleness associate professor of business analytics, and the director of the online masters in business analytics program at Ohio University’s College of Business. He teaches courses such as data analysis for decision making; prescriptive analytics; predictive analytics; operations management; introduction to business statistics; and business analytics.

    Dr. Young’s primary research interests relate to operations management and business analytics. His research has been published in prominent journals such as Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, the International Journal of Business Analytics, and Environmental Modelling & Software. He completed his PhD in mechanical and systems engineering, MS in electrical engineering, and a BS in electrical engineering from Ohio University's Russ College of Engineering and Technology.

Admission Requirements

An undergraduate degree in business or an undergraduate degree combined with real-world business experience is often the baseline to be accepted into many MBA programs. Students interested in pursuing intelligence/analysis fields are also encouraged to have taken prerequisites in statistics or have related professional experience.

Admissions offices also typically ask for:

  • Transcripts showing past classes or degrees in related technical or business-related fields and a competitive GPA (e.g., >3.0)
  • Professional experience in a business or data field
  • Letters of recommendation
  • GMAT/GRE scores, which may be waived depending on past academic courses or professional experience
  • Personal statement or essay
  • Resume
  • TOEFL scores for foreign students

MBA Program Accreditation

To ensure MBA candidates have competitive workplace skills, there are a variety of professional organizations that certify schools offering MBAs are adhering to certain academic standards. Accreditation entities generally visit campuses and evaluate student and faculty surveys, graduation rates, career placement of graduates, industry involvement levels, alumni support, and the availability of other resources.

One common accrediting organization for MBA programs is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB looks closely at business administration, real estate, management, and human resources programs, generally at larger, research-based institutions. Another organization is the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). ACBSP focuses primarily on tangible learning outcomes and quality improvement.

Professionals already working in business intelligence professions, such as managing warehouses or information technology, may be able to earn advanced workplace/industry credentials such as the the Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP) certification from Transforming Data With Intelligence.

Farheen Gani
Farheen Gani
Writer

Farheen Gani is an expert in online MBA programs, having covered MBA programs in computer science, economics, healthcare management, and fraud and forensics, among others, since 2018. She writes about healthcare, technology, education, and marketing. Her work has appeared on websites such as Tech in Asia and Foundr, as well as top SaaS blogs such as Zapier and InVision. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter (@FarheenGani).