Regardless of the specific career path you choose, it is likely that your work will incorporate data analytics. You may choose to focus your career squarely in analytics, which can open doors to challenging and rewarding high-demand positions.

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) offers a fully online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Concentration in Business Analytics degree program designed to prepare professionals for these in-demand positions. Core business management courses and specialized data analytics and business intelligence studies help students develop the skills and knowledge organizations need to thrive in today’s data-driven business world.

Here are just a few career opportunities for business analytics MBA grads.

Broad Categories of Career Opportunities

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides data on a few career opportunities to consider:

Information security analystsย “plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems.” Diagnostic, descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics are used to identify, predict and prevent information security threats. According to BLS, job growth in this profession is projected at 35% between 2021 and 2031 โ€” several times faster than the national average for all occupations. In fact, information security analysts are currently on BLS’ Fastest Growing Occupations list. The median yearly income for information security analysts in 2021 was $102,600.

Operations research analystsย use advanced mathematical and analytical methods to help solve complex issues and inform data-driven decision-making. The job outlook for 2021 to 2031 is 23% growth, much faster than average, with a median 2021 yearly income of $82,360.

Management analystsย use advanced analytics and data-driven problem-solving to propose ways to improve an organization’s efficiency. BLS projects 11% growth from 2021 to 2031 โ€” substantially faster than average. The median yearly income of management analysts in 2021 was $93,000.

Mathematicians and statisticiansย analyze data and apply analytics techniques to help solve problems. Many of these professionals work in the federal government or private science and engineering research companies. The job outlook for statisticians is projected at 31% growth from 2021 to 2031, putting this occupational area on BLS’ Fastest Growing Occupations list. The median yearly income was $96,280 in 2021.

Market research analystsย study market forces and conditions, using analytics to examine and predict the potential sales of a product or service. The job outlook for 2021 to 2031 is 19% growth, much faster than average. The 2021 median yearly income for this profession was $63,920.

Economistsย use descriptive statistics as well as predictive and prescriptive analytics to research trends and “evaluate economic issues for resources, goods and services.” BLS projects 6% growth for economists between 2021 and 2031. The median yearly income for economists in 2021 was $105,630.

Specific Career Opportunities That May Align With Your Skills and Interests

Data scientists use data analytics methods and techniques to distill useful information and insight from large data sets, translating this insight for business stakeholders using tools like data visualization. With 36% job growth projected between 2021 and 2031, data scientists also make BLS’ Fastest Growing Occupations list. The median annual salary for data scientists in 2021 was $100,910.

Database Administrators and Architectsย design, create, deploy and manage an organization’s data architecture and systems. They define how data will be stored, consumed, integrated and managed by different stakeholders. BLS reports that the median salary for these professionals was $101,000 in 2021.

Business Intelligence Analystsย use data to determine market and business trends for companies to increase profits and efficiency. They gather data through data mining, competitor data and industry trends to develop a picture of a company’s standing in the marketplace and industry. They also incorporate deep analysis of an organization’s internal data to gain insight into optimization strategies. According to Indeed, the average salary for this role isย $82,559ย per year, as of February 2023.

If you stand at a threshold in your career and you would like to acquire in-demand skills to work in a broad field with high projected growth, earning a specialized MBA may be the best investment you can make in your future.

Learn more aboutย TAMU-CC’s online MBA with a Concentration in Business Analytics program.