Choosing Your Career Path in Analytics: Find the Right Master鈥檚 Program for You
Targeting new markets. Increasing efficiency. Cutting costs. Building supply chains.
When it comes to solving problems and improving the bottom line, effectively using big data and analytics is fundamental for successful businesses and organizations of all sizes and in every industry. As a result, there is demand for skilled analytics professionals, especially those who possess strong technical skills to gather, organize, and analyze data, as well as the ability to translate data insights into strategic action.
Analytics and analytics professionals are involved in all phases of running businesses, from strategic planning to the smallest details of production and operations. For example:
- Marketing: Whether a company is selling goods or services, data-driven market research analytics are used to understand the marketplace and consumer preferences and then to create and implement comprehensive marketing plans to optimize sales.
- Production: Machines in factories have sensors that gather huge amounts of data about how the manufacturing equipment is functioning. Companies use analytics to determine maintenance schedules to reduce overall down time, improve productivity, and to keep the production line running.
- Cost control: Analytics help companies measure and understand all of their costs鈥攆rom raw materials to labor and machinery to energy鈥攖o discover ways that they can optimize their operations and keep costs down.
- Logistics: Analytics give companies the ability to continuously monitor the many complex elements of their supply and delivery chains, such as ordering and tracking materials needed for production, managing inventory, and delivering products to consumers.
Spotlight on Careers in Marketing Analytics and Business Analytics
With their focus on drawing actionable insights from data, marketing analytics and business analytics are popular career paths for analytics professionals across industries. Marketing depends heavily on analytics to shape the creation and drive sales of every type of product and service. Business analytics is used to inform management and decision-making and optimize operations of companies and organizations.
Marketing analytics and business analytics are also hot fields for job opportunities. For example, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the rate of job growth for the following occupational categories will significantly outpace the average growth for all types of jobs during the decade spanning 2023 to 2033.
Career Paths in Marketing Analytics
Career Paths in Business Analytics
Want to dig deeper into marketing analytics and business analytics? Read our blogs for insights into career opportunities in these dynamic fields.
What Does a Marketing Analyst Do?
Explore Analytics Master鈥檚 Degrees at Stuart School of Business
As the only business school in Chicago that is part of a tech-focused university, 老王论坛鈥檚 Stuart School of Business offers world-class education that bridges business and technology. Analytics is embedded across the curriculum at Stuart, ensuring that our graduates are prepared with top-notch analytical skills, an innovation mindset, and business acumen that prepare them to make an impact and advance in their careers.
While Stuart鈥檚 analytics programs share some similarities with data analytics programs, there is one major difference. Data analytics programs focus on working with the data itself鈥攁cquiring and managing data, analyzing patterns and trends, and presenting results.
Stuart鈥檚 programs combine instruction in both technical data analytics skills and business skills. You鈥檒l learn how to effectively apply analytics within the context of the business and industry in which you work. You鈥檒l have the background to connect the dots between the data and business strategy and operations and to explain why the data insights matter and how they can most effectively be leveraged to solve the challenges faced by the business.
M.S. in Marketing Analytics: Become a Data-Driven Marketing Star
Prepare for your career as a master data analyst and marketing storyteller. Develop top-notch technical analytics skills and a deep knowledge of marketing concepts and practice. Our program is ranked 24th in the U.S. among master鈥檚 of marketing programs by TFE Times (2025).
Skills you鈥檒l develop:
- Expertise in social media marketing analytics technology and platforms
- Creating and implementing integrated digital marketing strategies
- Data visualization, database design, and data mining
- Predictive analytics, search optimization, forecasting techniques, market segmentation and targeting, and other analytical tools
Potential job titles: Market research analyst, marketing or advertising manager, product or brand manager, social media marketing specialist
M.S. in Business Analytics: Turn Data into Insights for Decision-Making
Get ready to take on key roles that inform decision-making in businesses and organizations. Develop a strong analytical skill set plus essential strategic management and project management abilities that can open doors for career growth.
Skills you鈥檒l develop:
- Predictive analytics and modeling for decision-making
- Database design, data cleaning, prepping, and analysis
- Statistics, optimization, forecasting, and simulation tools that are critical for managers
- Dashboard creation, interactive visualization techniques, and the art of crafting data-driven narratives
Potential job titles: Business analyst, data and analytics manager, management analyst, operations research analyst, business systems manager, and business intelligence analyst
M.B.A. Business Analytics: Be a Leader in Leveraging Data
Prepare for high-impact managerial and leadership roles focused on improving operations, developing new products and markets, and increasing revenue and profits.
Skills you鈥檒l develop:
- 鈥淏ig picture鈥 expertise in strategic management, decision-making, finance, operations, marketing, leadership, and digital transformation
- Analytical and quantitative skills in data mining, predictive modeling, optimization methods, logistics, machine learning, and data visualization
- Fundamentals of database structure, design, and management
Potential job titles: Managerial roles in key areas such as business analytics, digital marketing, marketing and market research, operations research, and business intelligence
M.S. in Management Science and Analytics: Quantitative Skills for Complex Problems
Master sophisticated quantitative methods, analytical tools, and computer models that enable you to create innovative solutions to complex problems in business, finance, and management. Our program is ranked 15th in the U.S. among master鈥檚 of management programs by TFE Times (2025).
Skills you鈥檒l develop:
- Knowledge of advanced statistics, mathematical economics, econometrics, and economic theory and analysis
- Fundamentals of database structure and management, data cleaning, and data mining
- Quantitative economic analysis, modeling, and optimization for market research and forecasting
- Hands-on experience with large data sets using the latest applications and statistical packages
Potential job titles: Analytics and data manager or director, business analyst, management analyst, operations research analyst or manager, optimization analyst, decision analyst, and operations manager
M.S. in Sustainability and Analytics: Drive a Sustainable Future
Designed for students with STEM backgrounds, this program emphasizes technical analytics for sustainability professionals. Learn how to use technological innovation, data analytics, and entrepreneurship to develop and manage sustainable systems in government, industry, and corporate settings.
Skills you鈥檒l develop:
- Explore the interaction between economic growth and the environment, including how to implement environmental-economic models and pollution prevention and control strategies
- Use statistics, optimization, simulation tools, and models to aid in decision making
- Techniques for measuring and reporting on environmental, social, and governance data for companies and organizations
Potential job titles: Environment and sustainability manager, environmental compliance officer, sustainability analyst, sustainability reporting manager, sustainability communications manager, and industrial ecologist
M.P.A. in Analytics: Effective Leadership in the Public Sector
Build analytical skills and expertise in administrative and management best practices that prepare you for advancement in a wide range of roles in the public and nonprofit sectors, as well as positions in the private sector that interact with government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
Skills you鈥檒l develop:
- Administrative knowledge and strategic management skills in analytics, planning, leadership, policy implementation, and financial resource management
- Policy forecasting and evaluation tools and techniques that provide empirical evidence to guide policy-making and funding decisions
- Analytics for decision-making, predictive analytics, and visual analytics
Potential job titles: Administrative services manager, program director, budget analyst, senior data analyst, city manager, and public policy manager
Questions?
Connect with us鈥痜or information about scholarships, hands-on work experiences such as internships, opportunities for mentorship, and the admission process at Stuart.
FAQs
What jobs can an analytics degree prepare you for?
Depending on your background and the analytics degree you earn, you could be ready for a wide range of jobs, such as market research analyst, social media marketing specialist, operations researcher, business analyst, management analyst, optimization analyst, financial analyst, budget analyst, sustainability analyst, environmental compliance officer, or decision analyst. If you have prior professional experience, a managerial role may be a possibility.
Do I need a technical background in a STEM field to get an analytics degree?
While a STEM background can be useful in studying analytics, it is not necessary. There will likely be required background in statistics and math, depending on the program(s) that you are considering. Skills in logic and critical thinking, which can be gained in many non-STEM fields, are also very valuable in developing expertise in analytics.
Is there math involved in analytics?
A knowledge of statistics is crucial in analytics and an understanding of basic concepts of linear algebra and calculus is important for building your skills in data management, working with large data sets, and modeling. Higher level math skills may be required for more complex analytics. Make sure to find out the math prerequisites for any program(s) you are considering.
Are analytics skills transferable?
Yes. Every department or operational area of a business or organization very likely uses analytics to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Chances are that adding analytics to your skill sets can help set you apart from other candidates in the eyes of employers.
Are 鈥渟oft skills鈥 important for a career in analytics?
Yes, especially in roles that require extensive interpretation of the data, such as business analyst, marketing analyst, management analyst, operations research analyst, and sustainability analyst. Along with data analytics skills, employers often are seeking candidates who are detail-oriented and thorough and have strong communication, organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Are there jobs in government and nonprofit organizations for people with analytics degrees?
Yes, just as in the private sector, governmental entities and nonprofits leverage analytics in their planning and operations to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and outcomes.
Is analytics a good background for a career in environmental sustainability?
Analytics is a core competency that is increasingly required for a career as a sustainability professional due to responsibilities in areas such as sustainability data gathering, monitoring, and reporting, as well as regulatory compliance.