Top 10 universities for master's in business analytics degrees

Location: Paris, France

Ranked seventh this year is ESCP Business School. It ranks very highly for diversity, fifth in the world for this indicator, which suggests the wide demographic of its student body and its commitment to inclusion. 

ESCP considers itself to be a pioneering school as it is one of the oldest business schools in the world. Established in 1819, it is also the only pan-European school with campuses not just in Paris but also cities such as Berlin, London, Madrid, Warsaw and Turin.

Location: London, United Kingdom

Imperial College Business School has ranked sixth this year. It received its highest score in the employability indicator where it ranked joint fourth in the world alongside IE Business School. 

At Imperial College Business School, the aim is to look towards the future and develop solutions to real-world situations affecting the world of business and wider society. Its research-led programmes aim to foster entrepreneurial thinking and create opportunities.

Location: Durham (North Carolina), United States

Ranked fifth this year is Duke (Fuqua) which receives its highest score for alumni outcomes. It ranks fourth in the world for this indicator. 

Duke Fuqua aims to create practical action instead of just teaching concepts. It prioritises public trust and creating a relationship between a business and the consumer in order to produce business leaders that are able to navigate the wider world and use their skills and knowledge to make a difference. 

Location: Paris, France

Ecole Polytechnique is ranked joint third. This school was ranked highly across many indicators and received a perfect score for thought leadership and employability. 

Ecole Polytechnique was founded in 1794 and has a long history as a school which is directly tied to and serves the French military. It offers students multi-disciplinary knowledge and encourages boldness and risk taking in each of its programmes. 

Location: Paris, France

Also ranked third this year and rising one place in the rankings is ESSEC, the joint highest-ranked European school that offers a master’s in business analytics. It scores highly for both diversity and alumni outcomes. 

ESSEC operates with people-focused principles, ensuring its graduates can bring meaningful change to the world with their business knowledge and create a meaningful contribution to society. It aims to produce leaders in the business field with the ability to create change. 

Location: Cambridge (Massachusetts), United States

Ranked second this year is MIT Sloan. It scored very highly across a number of indicators such as thought leadership and employability and also receives a perfect score in alumni outcomes. 

MIT Sloan aims to teach its students the principles of good business instead of following current trends and popular opportunities. At the same time, it connects students to the newest technologies and global opportunities which give them a view into a future that they can help create. 

Location: Los Angeles (California), United States

Rising in the rankings to take the top spot this year is UCLA (Anderson). It receives a perfect score in the alumni outcomes indicator as well as receiving an almost perfect score for value for money, employability and thought leadership. 

With principles of collaboration, fearlessness and a desire for change, UCLA Anderson was founded in 1935 and later renamed after major funder John E. Anderson in 1987. It aims to equip its students to create real and lasting change and to have a positive impact on the business world by identifying problems and using innovative thinking to solve them. 

What can you do with a master’s in business analytics degree? 

A master’s degree in business analytics can open doors to a career in many industries such as business, finance, IT, banking, certain types of engineering and consulting. Some of the most popular career paths pursued by graduates are: 

• Machine learning engineer 

• Data architect 

• Statistician 

• Data analyst 

• Chief technology officer (CTO) 

• Chief data officer (CDO) 

• Application architect 

• Project manager 

• Market research analyst 

• Business/analytics translator 

• Data scientist 

For more information on career possibilities for graduates with a master’s degree in business analytics, see our article: 11 career paths you can pursue with a master’s in business analytics and big data. 

Does a master’s in business analytics teach coding? 

The curriculum for a master’s in business analytics will vary depending on which business school you attend. However, coding can often have a significant role in the subject. Some institutions may provide information on coding as part of the course and others will expect students to have some existing knowledge of coding when applying. It is important to research the curriculum and entry requirements of the business school you plan to attend to find out any specifics. 

How employable is a student with a master’s in business analytics? 

Graduates with a master’s in business analytics can pursue a career in a variety of roles and fields, as listed above, many of which have particularly good average salaries. A master’s degree in business analytics builds upon a person’s knowledge of the subject, therefore improving their employability, and can lead to a stable and profitable career.