Navigating The Future: Purdue’s Master’s In Business Analytics Crafts Tomorrow’s Analysts

When Kiara Dillon wrapped up her undergraduate degree in business management, she decided to pursue Purdue’s Online Master of Business Analytics (MSBA) because it would give her an edge “with all the AI coming up,” versing her in data analysis from a business perspective. Purdue’s Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business gave her two options to meet her goal – the 14 to 24-month Online MS Business Analytics (MSBA) and the 12-month, residential MS Business Analytics and Information Management (MSBAIM). Both would allow her to complete her degree in about a year, but she chose the MSBA for its convenience and flexibility. It worked well with her schedule as a Purdue athlete. 

The Daniels School of Business leads the field when it comes to business analytics. In 2023, the MS Business Analytics and Information Management program won the prestigious INFORMS UPS George D. Smith Prize. “The INFORMS UPS George D. Smith Prize recognizes the unique and personalized educational approach of our BAIM degrees in the field of business analytics and information management,” says Mohit Tawarmalani, Purdue’s Allison & Nancy Schleicher Chair of Management and academic director of the Krenicki Center for Business Analytics and Machine Learning. “This award reaffirms that our move to reimagine business education, focused on business analytics and integration with STEM disciplines, is timely and well-received by leading scholars and practitioners.”

Ranked sixth in the U.S. by QS three years in a row and consistently among the top-ranking worldwide programs, the Daniels School’s MS Business Analytics and Information Management and Online MS Business Analytics have opened doors to fulfilling, high-paying careers for graduates. 100% of the residential MS Business Analytics and Information Management students are employed within six months of graduation. Class of 2023 graduates report an average salary of $109,539 with an average $8,344 bonus. Online MSBA graduates improved their salaries by nearly $28,000. 

Daniels School of Business master’s graduates are landing challenging jobs that provide opportunities for growth. 59% of the Online MS Business Analytics graduates moved into roles with higher responsibilities, 74% implemented meaningful changes in their organizations, and 89% reported that their degree increased their ability to work outside of their functional area to solve business challenges. A Purdue degree in business analytics endows students with transferrable skills that empower them to choose preferred industry sectors and provides day-to-day variety in problem-solving challenges. 

Both of Purdue’s business analytics programs – the Online MS Business Analytics and the residential MS Business Analytics and Information Management – are open to students with STEM and non-STEM backgrounds, making accessible the coursework in big data technologies such as Python, Rstudio, Excel, SQL, SAS, Minitab, and Gurobi. The rigorous curriculum is well-rounded, giving students a deep understanding of analytical approaches and business applications, which distinguishes it from a data science degree.

For those seeking a STEM-designated program, the MSBAIM helps successful graduates with eligibility for the STEM OPT extension, a 24-month period of temporary training that relates to their F-1 program of study in an approved STEM field. (This is in addition to the initial period of regular post-completion OPT.)

“The great thing about the MSBAIM program is that no matter what your background is, you can get set up for the future you want,” says Michael Jonelis, MSBAIM ‘22. “Having a background in business, I’m more interested in the courses in analytics and data science. Some of my classmates have strong coding skills and are more interested in learning econ, marketing, and operations. Either way, we’re able to prepare for the type of jobs we’re looking for when we graduate.”

Listen to Michael Jonelis’ full testimonial:

 A fairly new sector of business, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that business data analysis positions will grow by 35% by 2032, adding almost 60,000 new positions. Business analysts can take a wide array of roles: marketing analyst, data business analyst (with emphasis on analytical skills), business analyst consultant or manager, data scientist with emphasis on computer science, or quantitative analyst/modeler, among others. 

With thousands of certificates and degree programs worldwide, what sets apart the Daniels School’s MSBAIM and Online MSBA programs is experiential learning. 

Both the MS BAIM and the Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) complete a Management Practicum wherein students transfer what they’ve learned in the classroom to a thesis or a project that integrates and polishes their knowledge and skills. 

“The MSBAIM graduate program is tailored to equip its students with job-ready skills that can be directly translated into the workplace,” says Anushila Satpathi, MSBAIM ‘23. “Having worked within a niche domain within the financial analytics department, I felt this program would be ideal to hone analytical skills that could be leveraged across different industries. The strengths of the MSBAIM program lie in the professors and the well-designed curriculum. The program integrates upcoming industry practices with practical experience working with a wide array of tools.”

Residential MSBAIM students may also participate in case competitions designing and presenting solutions to real-world industry problems. The Daniels Schools hosts a number of these, including the Data4Good competition. Participants in that program may earn additional credentials including Microsoft Azure certifications. Other distinguishing MSBAIM opportunities include the Future Edelman competition, open to select MSBAIM students, and the chance to complete the INFORMS aCAP certification, open to all students, upon graduation. The Future Edelman contest is a Daniels School exclusive that emulates the INFORMS Edelman Award and is open only to select industry practicum students. 

Additionally, the Krenicki Center for Business Analytics and Machine Learning, a hub for businesses and students to find answers to data-driven business challenges, hosts student-led consulting projects, conferences and other competitions. 

Students continuously use what they learn even outside the classroom. 2022 Online MSBA graduate Chandeepa “Chandie” Cooray notes that “The skillset and the theoretical knowledge that I learned from the Daniels School Online MSBA program is amazing. Every single day, every single minute at work, I get to use the knowledge. All the programming languages I use, or things like forecasting, and descent modelling, are used at work. So right now, I’m learning and executing at the same time.” 

Cooray pursued his online master’s while maintaining his full-time career as a Senior Specialist in Operations for Subaru. He chose the 30-hour, 100% online program for its flexibility. With courses taught by the same expert faculty as the residential MSBAIM, he could count on its academic rigor. 

Listen to Chandeepa Cooray’s full testimonial:

For both Cooray and Dillon, the structure of the Online MSBA and its supportive staff made their success possible. “You have deadlines, but you have flexibility. Everything is recorded – that’s the best thing. You won’t miss anything,” Cooray notes. 

When Dillon felt she wanted a deeper grasp on the material, she connected with the teaching assistants (TAs). “Your TAs are amazing, especially in grad school. I’ve worked with my TAs in almost every class, emailing them to ask them, ‘Hey, can you check this problem?’ or ‘I’m not quite understanding it’ and they suggest, ‘Maybe read this case.’”

Though very new to Python, one of the common programming languages used in data analysis, both Dillon and Cooray mastered the language. Dillon found it less intimidating than she expected and Cooray, under the guidance of faculty member Roy Dejoie, built tools to use for his job. “I’ve built a tool to track all the damages to our parts. Before, it was on Excel. It was inefficient,” muses Cooray. 

If you thrive with this variety, crave the security of a growing field and love a job where success is measured with tangible performance indicators, a master’s in business analytics and information management or master’s in business analytics is for you. Apply now for the Master of Science in Business Analytics and Information Management (MSBAIM) and the Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) at Purdue University.

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Maria Weir, content specialist at Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, crafts compelling narratives that bridge academia and industry. With a passion for effective communication, Maria showcases the school’s innovative programs and thought leadership. Her dedication shines through in her strategic approach to content creation, fostering engagement and connections for the Daniels School of Business, its faculty, students and the business community.