MBA vs. MS – Which One Should You Get?

Hours Categories Business Administration and Management

Both an MBA and a Master of Science business degree provide working adults with the knowledge they need to advance their careers by developing the skills needed for leadership. However, because of the commitment to graduate school, a student must make, many may get stuck trying to make the right choice for their career between an MBA vs. MS. 

While perhaps difficult to see at the moment, either choice can get students where they want to go in their business careers. The key is choosing a path that best aligns with personal goals and where students are in their careers. 

Touro University Worldwide has degree programs that meet students’ needs no matter which path they choose. TUW offers an online MBA program with 11 different specializations. The university also offers Master of Science programs in Business Analytics and Human Resource Management.  

All of these programs can help students boost their careers to the next level. The first step toward choosing the right program is to understand the differences between an MBA vs. MS, as well as an evaluation of their own career goals and ambitions. 

MBA Students Hone High-Level Business Skills 

An MBA program remains the gold standard for those who want to take the next step in their career, moving into positions that give them more decision-making responsibilities and a bigger say in setting business goals and strategy. Typically, an MBA program attracts professionals who have at least a few years of business experience. 

In terms of curriculum, an MBA program seeks to produce well-rounded graduates who can choose from a wide range of business career options. Those include positions in management, on executive teams, or as the founder of a startup. 

An MBA program is designed to teach graduates what they need to become leaders. In addition to advanced classes in finance and economics, students learn to develop communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. They also learn how to identify and nurture talent in others. 

Recognizing the demand for MBA graduates with specializations, TUW offers MBA students many concentrations. They include: 

  • Accounting 
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) Management 
  • Cybersecurity Management 
  • Finance 
  • Global Management 
  • Health Administration Management 
  • Human Resources Management 
  • Information Technology (IT) Management 
  • Marketing 
  • Nonprofit Management 
  • Physicians and Healthcare Executives 

Jobs available for MBA graduates, as well as salary estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), include top executive level positions ($98,980), human resources manager ($126,230), marketing manager ($133,380), and hospital administrator ($101,340).

A Master of Science Degree 

Generally speaking, while an MBA program offers an interdepartmental look at business operations, an MS “will provide a nuanced understanding of one particular area of business,” according to Coursera. 

Another typical difference is that while an MBA program attracts those with some business experience, MS program students may still have little to no real-world business experience. 

An MS degree focuses on specific areas of business, such as finance, accounting, or the growing field of analytics. While MS students learn the fundamentals of business, their coursework focuses primarily on developing expertise in one area of business.  

For example, the TUW MS in business analytics program teaches students to become experts in extracting business value from data, an area of increasing importance in a competitive, global market. TUW offers students two concentrations in the MS in Business Analytics program. 

 Management concentration. This focuses on solving complex business problems using large amounts of data. Students also learn about best practices for successful project management. 

Marketing concentration. Students in this area emphasize data in marketing in a variety of ways, including research, digital marketing analytics, marketing projections, and social media marketing analytics. Students develop expertise in enhancing the value derived from data to make better strategic marketing decisions. 

Jobs available for those with an MS in business analytics include data scientists ($131,490), management analysts ($93,000), financial analysts ($81,410), and marketing managers ($133,380). 

When it comes to MBA vs. MS, both programs give graduate students the skills needed to succeed. TUW offers its programs online, giving working adults the flexibility they need to pursue a graduate degree while working a full-time job. 

Choosing the right program depends on the student’s career aspirations, including areas of business that most interest them. With the many options available in both MBA and MS programs, it’s more possible than ever to focus on learning skills related to those interests. 

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