Online MBA business analytics programs equip graduate students with competitive knowledge and skills, setting them apart for top analytics leadership roles in every industry. Think marketing, finance, strategic management, healthcare, and more. Combine the high salary of IT and management with the high demand for data analytics expertise and you’ve got one of the strongest career paths in play today. Our rapidly growing economy and marketplace is largely made up of the analysis of big data and technological advances in society. As these factors grow larger and become more accessible, the market for professionals in business analytics also grows. The knowledge behind data and statistics pushing businesses to thrive or plummet is dependent on the expertise of those making business plans.
The forecast for occupational growth in the field of management analytics is projected to grow 14 percent in the next ten years, along with market research analysis growing at a rate of 22 percent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But even with these fantastic career prospects, the search for an MBA business analytics degree that meets your current budget and goals can be a tough task.
GetEducated has surveyed 168 online MBA business analytics programs from 160 regionally-accredited schools for you. This “Best Buy” list reveals the most affordable programs in the United States, with tuition differences of up to $114,500. Consider aspirational salary levels and cost of degrees while choosing a program that best suits individual, academic and professional needs.
ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide
Average Cost (In-state): ~$32,400
Least Expensive: University of North Carolina at Pembroke ~$11,025.15
Most Expensive: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ~$125,589
Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There are no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest online MBA business analytics programs. The online MBA degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2022 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
Most Affordable Online MBA Business Analytics
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | (NC) | $11,025.15 $30,328.35 | In-State Out-of-State |
2 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | (OK) | $12,132.00 | All Students |
3 | Northwest Missouri State University | (MO) | $12,300.00 | All Students |
4 | Florida Gulf Coast University | (FL) | $12,321.54 | All Students |
5 | Longwood University | (VA) | $12,338.00 $12,648.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
6 | Louisiana State University-Shreveport | (LA) | $12,474.00 | All Students |
7 | Rogers State University | (OK) | $12,588.00 $22,776.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
8 | Lamar University | (TX) | $12,626.00 | All Students |
9 | Northeastern State University | (OK) | $12,670.20 $12,706.20 | In-State Out-of-State |
10 | Arkansas Tech University | (AR) | $12,860.10 $22,784.85 | In-State Out-of-State |
11 | University of Southern Indiana | (IN) | $12,900.00 | All Students |
12 | Southern Arkansas University | (AR) | $13,274.00 $18,752.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
13 | Midwestern State University | (TX) | $14,074.85 | All Students |
14 |  University of West Alabama | (AL) | $14,472.00 | All Students |
15 | Texas A & M University - Commerce | (TX) | $14,744.00 $26,984.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
16 | Western Illinois University | (IL) | $14,787.30 | All Students |
17 | Indiana Institute of Technology | (IN) | $15,525.00 | All Students |
18 |  American Public University System | (WV) | $15,625.00 $10,100.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
19 | Radford University | (VA) | $15,984.00 | All Students |
20 | South College | (TN) | $16,000.00 | All Students |
21 | University of West Florida | (FL) | $16,434.00 | All Students |
22 | Doane University | (NE) | $16,580.00 | All Students |
23 | Frostburg State University | (MD) | $16,632.00 $21,240.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
24 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | (TX) | $17,049.92 | All Students |
25 | Trine University | (IN) | $17,250.00 | All Students |
26 | University of North Texas | (TX) | $17,327.20 $19,026.76 | In-State Out-of-State |
27 | Murray State University | (KY) | $17,640.00 | All Students |
28 | Ball State University | (IN) | $17,720.00 $24,815.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
29 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | (IL) | $17,787.24 | All Students |
30 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | (OH) | $17,928.00 | All Students |
31 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | (WI) | $18,000.00 | All Students |
32 | University of North Carolina-Wilmington | (NC) | $18,113.40 $45,771.48 | In-State Out-of-State |
33 | Wilmington University | (DE) | $18,220.00 | All Students |
34 | University of South Dakota | (SD) | $18,347.55 | All Students |
35 | Lincoln Memorial University | (TN) | $19,320.00 | All Students |
36 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | (NC) | $19,377.80 $29,815.80 | In-State Out-of-State |
37 | Southern Oregon University | (OR) | $19,500.00 | All Students |
38 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | (MA) | $19,770.00 | All Students |
39 | Eastern Kentucky University | (KY) | $19,860.00 $9,750.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
40 | University of Charleston | (WV) | $20,470.00 | All Students |
41 | Waynesburg University | (PA) | $20,550.00 | All Students |
42 | Husson University | (ME) | $21,127.00 | All Students |
43 | University of Maine | (ME) | $21,450.00 | All Students |
44 | University of Bridgeport | (CT) | $21,700.00 | All Students |
45 | East Tennessee State University | (TN) | $21,960.00 $27,540.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
46 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | (IL) | $22,104.00 | All Students |
47 | Utica University | (NY) | $22,200.00 $20,100.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
48 | Cedarville University | (OH) | $22,428.00 | All Students |
49 | Pennsylvania Western University Master of Business Administration / Business Analytics ACBSP,14 | (PA) | $22,521.60 $24,429.60 $18,309.60 | In-State Out-of-State Military |
50 | Trevecca Nazarene University | (TN) | $22,607.00 | All Students |
51 | Park University | (MO) | $22,895.00 $17,318.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
52 | Bellevue University | (NE) | $23,060.00 | All Students |
53 | University of Northwestern St. Paul | (MN) | $23,100.00 | All Students |
54 | Malone University | (OH) | $23,400.00 | All Students |
55 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | (WI) | $23,472.00 | All Students |
56 | Ohio Dominican University | (OH) | $23,580.00 | All Students |
57 | The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga | (TN) | $23,680.00 $25,372.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
58 | Calvin University | (MI) | $23,760.00 | All Students |
59 | Capitol Technology University | (MD) | $23,838.00 $13,758.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
60 | Carroll University | (WI) | $23,860.00 | All Students |
61 | Cambridge College | (MA) | $23,913.00 | All Students |
62 | Westcliff University | (CA) | $24,400.00 | All Students |
63 | Union University | (TN) | $24,444.00 | All Students |
64 | University of Massachusetts Global | (CA) | $24,480.00 $14,400.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
65 | University of South Florida | (FL) | $24,750.00 | All Students |
66 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | (NC) | $24,840.00 | All Students |
67 | Elizabethtown College | (PA) | $25,020.00 | All Students |
68 | University of North Dakota | (ND) | $25,032.88 | All Students |
69 | Saint Leo University | (FL) | $25,260.00 | All Students |
70 | Baker College | (MI) | $25,500.00 $13,800.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
71 | Rockhurst University | (MO) | $25,518.00 | All Students |
72 | Tiffin University | (OH) | $26,000.00 | All Students |
73 | Delaware Valley University | (PA) | $26,118.00 | All Students |
74 | Newman University | (KS) | $26,272.00 | All Students |
75 | Abilene Christian University | (TX) | $26,352.00 | All Students |
76 | St. Bonaventure University | (NY) | $26,367.00 | All Students |
77 | University of New Mexico | (NM) | $26,805.72 $27,102.42 | In-State Out-of-State |
78 |  University of New Haven | (CT) | $26,848.00 | All Students |
79 | Stony Brook University | (NY) | $26,984.88 $36,000.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
80 | Ashland University | (OH) | $27,000.00 | All Students |
81 | Central Michigan University | (MI) | $27,050.00 $25,250.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
82 | Elmhurst University | (IL) | $27,150.00 | All Students |
83 | Ferris State University | (MI) | $27,222.00 | All Students |
84 | Walsh University | (OH) | $27,255.00 | All Students |
85 | Bethel University - MN | (MN) | $27,300.00 | All Students |
85 |  Drake University | (IA) | $27,300.00 | All Students |
87 | La Salle University | (PA) | $27,310.00 | All Students |
88 | Baldwin Wallace University | (OH) | $27,456.00 | All Students |
89 | University of Massachusetts-Boston | (MA) | $27,816.40 | All Students |
90 | Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | (TX) | $28,124.00 $67,660.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
91 | Thomas Edison State University | (NJ) | $28,144.00 | All Students |
92 | University of Colorado Denver | (CO) | $28,170.00 $32,895.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
93 | Azusa Pacific University | (CA) | $28,324.00 | All Students |
94 | Concordia University Wisconsin & Ann Arbor | (WI) | $28,373.00 | All Students |
95 | Fontbonne University (School Closing) Master of Business Administration / Applied Business Analytics ACBSP,14 | (MO) | $28,800.00 | All Students |
96 | University of St Francis | (IL) | $29,348.00 | All Students |
97 | University of Hartford | (CT) | $29,424.00 | All Students |
98 | Old Dominion University | (VA) | $30,413.00 $32,305.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
99 | Florida State University | (FL) | $30,427.02 $31,599.36 | In-State Out-of-State |
100 | University of the Incarnate Word | (TX) | $30,990.00 $7,590.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
101 | Texas Wesleyan University | (TX) | $31,080.00 | All Students |
102 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | (NE) | $31,200.00 | All Students |
103 | Maryville University | (MO) | $31,221.00 | All Students |
104 | Regent University | (VA) | $31,600.00 $13,750.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
105 | DeSales University | (PA) | $31,800.00 | All Students |
106 | Florida Atlantic University | (FL) | $32,000.00 | All Students |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Creighton University | (NE) | $33,243.00 | All Students | |
Kent State University | (OH) | $33,554.00 $33,924.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Cleary University | (MI) | $33,675.00 | All Students | |
University of Baltimore | (MD) | $34,480.00 | All Students | |
Florida Southern College | (FL) | $34,555.00 | All Students | |
 University of Scranton | (PA) | $34,740.00 | All Students | |
Montclair State University | (NJ) | $34,775.13 | All Students | |
 Brenau University | (GA) | $35,025.00 | All Students | |
Monroe University | (NY) | $35,048.00 | All Students | |
Mercy College | (NY) | $35,656.00 | All Students | |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | (IL) | $35,868.00 | All Students | |
The University of Texas at Dallas | (TX) | $35,918.00 $64,939.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
 Ohio University | (OH) | $36,120.00 $36,785.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Moravian University | (PA) | $36,288.00 | All Students | |
Davenport University | (MI) | $36,674.00 | All Students | |
Rider University | (NJ) | $36,780.00 | All Students | |
Dominican University | (IL) | $37,116.00 | All Students | |
Regis University | (CO) | $38,198.00 | All Students | |
University of New Hampshire | (NH) | $38,925.00 $44,205.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Nova Southeastern University | (FL) | $38,952.00 | All Students | |
Oregon State University | (OR) | $39,410.00 | All Students | |
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | (LA) | $39,960.00 | All Students | |
Loyola University Maryland | (MD) | $40,170.00 | All Students | |
University of Massachusetts-Amherst | (MA) | $41,257.00 | All Students | |
Milwaukee School of Engineering | (WI) | $41,697.75 | All Students | |
University of Delaware | (DE) | $41,800.00 | All Students | |
Florida International University | (FL) | $42,000.00 | All Students | |
Colorado State University | (CO) | $42,044.00 | All Students | |
City University of Seattle | (WA) | $43,200.00 | All Students | |
Lehigh University | (PA) | $44,055.00 | All Students | |
Suffolk University | (MA) | $45,116.00 | All Students | |
Rutgers University | (NJ) | $46,988.00 $73,232.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
University of Dallas | (TX) | $49,010.00 | All Students | |
St. John's University | (NY) | $50,660.00 | All Students | |
 George Mason University | (VA) | $51,624.00 | All Students | |
Golden Gate University | (CA) | $52,845.00 $23,325.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
The University of Texas at Dallas | (TX) | $53,000.00 | All Students | |
Lake Forest Graduate School of Management | (IL) | $56,160.00 | All Students | |
Worcester Polytechnic Institute | (MA) | $57,960.00 | All Students | |
Pennsylvania State University | (PA) | $59,328.00 | All Students | |
University of Connecticut | (CT) | $59,850.00 | All Students | |
Purdue University | (IN) | $61,324.80 $63,324.48 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Temple University | (PA) | $62,561.00 | All Students | |
Bentley University | (MA) | $63,300.00 | All Students | |
Drexel University | (PA) | $63,994.00 $48,020.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Villanova University | (PA) | $67,882.00 | All Students | |
Stevens Institute of Technology | (NJ) | $70,144.00 | All Students | |
Indiana University Online | (IN) | $78,246.00 | All Students | |
Santa Clara University | (CA) | $83,860.00 | All Students | |
American University | (DC) | $86,976.00 | All Students | |
Babson College | (MA) | $89,550.00 | All Students | |
University of Maryland-College Park | (MD) | $91,746.00 | All Students | |
Syracuse University | (NY) | $93,636.00 | All Students | |
Pepperdine University | (CA) | $99,840.00 | All Students | |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | (NC) | $125,589.00 | All Students |
Accreditation & Program Notes
To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
AACSB AACSB International
IACBE International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
ACBSP Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
Rankings Note
These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Winter 2021 review of regionally accredited online MBA business analytics degree programs. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the online MBA degrees in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules.
The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.
Editorial Note
Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers an MBA that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
These rankings of the cheapest online schools for an MBA may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best online MBA business analytics for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.
Career Guide: Online MBA Business Analytics
“Analytics” is the art and science of taking a large pile of data, sorting through the numbers (either manually or with supporting technology), and using the information to make better decisions. “Business analytics,” therefore, is simply applying this practice to businesses, markets, industries, and profit-based organizations.
Business analytics can be used to pursue many different goals at all levels of an organization. It can be used to evaluate complex situations, consider all the potential outcomes, and make the best possible decision. Of course, decisions based on analytics can fail, but it’s generally accepted that a decision backed by sound analytics is more likely to succeed.
To best understand business analytics and the skills you’ll learn in an online MBA business analytics program, it helps to look at a few examples of how business analytics might be used:
- This discipline is often used by companies to boost productivity; a business might use analytics to analyze how long workers are spending on a certain process, identify which stage takes the longest, and then make efforts to speed that specific stage.
- A business could also use analytics to identify new business opportunities. A company might look at the current state of consumer spending, identify where a preferred demographic spends the most money, then create a service or product that targets this group at this location.
- Marketing is another place where business analytics can be used. People trained in this discipline can collect data on the effectiveness of certain marketing outlets, analyze the numbers, then give advice on where a company should spend the majority of their advertising dollars.
These are simplified examples, but they show the different ways business analytics can be used to improve a company or organization’s overall performance.
What to Expect from an Online MBA Business Analytics
When you enroll in an online MBA business analytics program, you’ll take a variety of classes that help you better understand business, as well as the practice of analytics. An MBA is, at it’s foundation, a business degree, so many of the classes will be focused on issues like management, leadership, accounting, corporate law, and other important issues.
Classe in the “core” component of an MBA degree may fall under titles like “international business,” “financial management,” and “strategic planning.”
But you will also have concentration classes, which, in this case, will focus on business analytics. These usually include three or four classes that develop your expertise in analytics and help you apply them to companies.
For many careers, understanding business analytics isn’t quite enough. You also need to communicate your findings to others, using language that is relatable and understandable to people who are not trained in this discipline. For this reason, many programs help you communicate and tell a story with data so you can be as persuasive as possible. This is an important skill that will be used in a variety of jobs.
Potential Careers for a Business Analytics Professional
Marketing Manager
- Salary: $141,490
- Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Experience: Some required
Marketing often relies on data. As a marketing manager with an online MBA business analytics, you’ll be well positioned to become one of the top professionals in this career. Marketing managers use their knowledge and experience to create advertising campaigns, generate interest in products, and plan future promotions. Analytics could easily apply to any of these tasks.
Market Research Analyst
- Salary: $65,810
- Education: Bachelor’s for entry level positions
- Experience: None
The base pay for this career is, to be honest, relatively small compared to many other MBA careers. However, the top 10% in this career field earn outstanding salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 10% earn over $127,000 annually; with an online MBA business analytics degree (combined with hard work and dedication), you’ll be well prepared to break into this group.
As another benefit, there is expected to be a 22% increase in this career, which is much faster than the average. This means that market research analysts will be in high demand, and high-demand professionals are usually well paid.
Requirements for Working in Business Analytics
To work in business analytics, you won’t need licensing, but voluntary certifications could enhance your overall career. For example, a market research analyst could benefit from the Professional Researcher Certification (PRC), which is offered by the Marketing Research Association.
If you plan on working in management, which is a common path for online MBA business analytics graduates, you’ll likely need experience. Most organizations require their managers and leaders to have around five of experience. This experience can be with the company or within the industry.