Without a doubt, data is the 21st century’s most valuable commodity. According to a survey conducted by San Francisco software firm Salesforce, 73% of business leaders say data is crucial to better decision-making. The same percentage of leaders say they plan on investing more in data skills training.
But the Data Age is already in full swing and far too many business leaders are close to being left behind.
Of the 10,000 business leaders who responded to a recent Salesforce survey, 67% say they have yet to fully implement data when considering pricing for consumers. Only 29% feel like they fully leverage data when launching campaigns in new markets. All the AI-assisted software in the world can’t help organizations that have yet to use data for such fundamental processes — but the right person can.
With an MBA in Business Analytics, you can become that person.
Big Data is Big Business in California – Why the Golden State Needs Analytics Professionals More Than Anywhere Else
While Big Data has disrupted economies everywhere, businesses in California really had to hit the ground running with it. But tech giants like Apple and Meta aren’t the only ones who need skilled data wranglers. Businesses in every sector of the California economy live and die by their ability to make data-based decisions.
For starters, California’s healthcare system is one of the biggest and most dynamic in the country. Each year, the Golden State’s ERs get about 13 million visitors. It takes a quantitative phenom to optimize intake processes and treatment to ensure the best outcomes, ensure patient safety and staff morale, and do it all while controlling costs.
On top of that, the biotech companies around Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and San Diego generate over $400 billion a year through their groundbreaking medical research projects. Analysis pros on the clinical and business sides of things are the driving force behind this booming industry.
Over in the entertainment world, data and business analysis is now, more than ever, the name of the game. Studio execs don’t move a muscle until their analysts give them a full picture of the market — it’s that kind of analysis that’s built the streaming industry into the $556 billion juggernaut it is today.
But the Big Data revolution doesn’t end there. Retail chains, financial firms, government agencies, and more all rely on business analysts to streamline day-to-day affairs and plan the next big move.
MBA in Business Analytics: Salary Potential for Different Roles
Business and data analysts can work under any number of titles. For that reason, it’s a little hard to pin down a specific salary range. The good news is that data professionals of all kinds in California make stellar salaries.
Here you’ll find salaries in the 90th percentile for a few analyst roles in California. This is the bracket where MBA-prepared professionals are likely to fall. These figures represent the minimums within the top ten percent and do not include signing bonuses and performance incentives, so the salaries only go up from there. Your own salary may vary, but as the numbers show, analysis skills are well compensated in every corner of the California economy.
Title | 90th Percentile in California |
Data Scientists | $213,080 |
Management Analysts | $191,540 |
Market Research Analysts | $170,520 |
Operations Research Analysts | $135,050 |
Table data gathered from the 2023 edition of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.
Finding the Right MBA in Business Analytics Program Among the Many Variants Available in California
Because data analysis skills are important to so many jobs in so many industries, a big chunk of California’s business schools offer MBAs with concentrations in business analytics. In fact, you’ll find close to 30 accredited MBA programs in California that offer analytics concentrations.
For the most part, MBA in Business Analytics programs have a similar core curriculum. No matter where you earn your degree, you’ll take classes on high-level leadership skills like managerial accounting and personnel management. On the analytics side of things, your curriculum will likely include classes on:
- Database design and architecture
- Programming languages like SQL, R, and Python
- Data modeling
- Forecasting and statistical models
- Data mining
- Project and organizational analysis
However, some programs add to this core curriculum by focusing on specific industries. For example, the California State University, Sacramento, offers an MBA in Business Analytics in Healthcare designed for medical execs of all kinds.
You’ll also find a few MBA programs in California that offer concentrations in either data science or data analytics. These programs are heavy on STEM skill development and might be great options if you’re gunning for a chief data officer, chief information officer, or consultant position.
Sofia University in Palo Alto and California Miramar University in San Diego both offer excellent STEM-focused MBA programs. If you’re looking for an online MBA in Business Analytics that emphasizes a similar skill set, check out the Business Intelligence and Data Analytics MBA program at the University of Massachusetts Global.
MBA vs Masters in Business Analytics – Considering Your Options and Understanding the Difference
California MBA programs of all kinds teach organizational leadership skills. If you’d rather focus more on hard STEM skills, there’s another type of graduate program to consider: the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program.
Naturally, as a dedicated hard-science program, the MSBA will offer more classes on computer science and data science than their MBA counterparts. You’ll delve deeper into advanced topics like machine learning and AI through an MSBA program too. That’s not to say MBA programs don’t offer courses on those subjects. They just might not be as in-depth as what you would find in an MSBA.
That being said, to pursue an MSBA, you’ll likely need more than a basic understanding of data management and analysis to enroll. And because of the STEM-focused curriculum, an MSBA can be a great option if you’re eyeing a more hands-on information technology position like lead data engineer, analytics manager, or machine learning scientist. If you’re shooting for something like a director, c-suite, or organizational leadership role, an MBA in Business Analysis would be a better bet.
MBA in Business Analytics Online and at California Campus Locations
Now that you know what to look out for, it’s time to take the first big step: exploring MBA in Business Analytics programs in California. In this list, you’ll find online and on-campus programs, programs for early-career professionals, executive MBA programs for established leaders, and even some specialized programs that highlight data skills in different sectors.
But no matter which one you choose, you’ll arm yourself with the skills needed to wrangle the world’s most valuable resource in one of the country’s most dynamic economies.
University of California-Davis
Graduate School of Management
Davis, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics and Technologies
University of California-Riverside
School of Business
Riverside, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
California State University, Fullerton
College of Business and Economics
Fullerton, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento State
College of Business
Sacramento, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics in Healthcare
University of Massachusetts Global
School of Business and Professional Studies
Online
WASC
Master of Business Administration in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics
California State University, Los Angeles
College of Business and Economics
Los Angeles, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
California State University, Chico
College of Business
Chico, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
California State University, San Marcos
College of Business Administration
San Marcos, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
California State University, Stanislaus
College of Business Administration
Turlock, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
University of Southern California
Marshall School of Business
Los Angeles, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
Pepperdine University
Graziadio Business School
Malibu, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
Chapman University
Argyros College of Business and Economics
Orange, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
Santa Clara University
Leavey School of Business
Santa Clara, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Data Science and Business Analytics
University of San Diego
Knauss School of Business
San Diego, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
Saint Mary’s College of California
School of Economics and Business Administration
Moraga, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
Golden Gate University
Ageno School of Business
San Francisco, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
University of the Pacific
Eberhardt School of Business
Stockton, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
Dominican University of California
Barowsky School of Business
San Rafael, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
Westcliff University
College of Business
Irvine, CA
ACBSP
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
Azusa Pacific University
School of Business and Management
Azusa, CA
IACBE
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
California Baptist University
Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business
Riverside, CA
ACBSP
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
California Institute of Advanced Management
Alhambra, CA
WASC
Master of Business Administration in Executive Management with a concentration in Business Analytics
Sofia University
Palo Alto, CA
WASC
Master of Business Administration in Data Analytics (STEM certified)
William Jessup University
School of Business
Rocklin, CA
ACBSP
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
California Miramar University
School of Business
San Diego, CA
DEAC
Master of Business Administration in Data Analytics (STEM designated)
Notre Dame de Namur University
School of Business and Management
Belmont, CA
ACBSP
Master of Business Administration in Management Science (MBA-STEM)
San Francisco Bay University
School of Business
Fremont, CA
WASC
Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics
2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Projections Central salary and employment figures for market research analysts, data scientists, operations research analysts, and management analysts reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2025.