Online Master's in Marketing Analytics Degrees: Best Programs & Full Directory

Wondering if the time is right for a master’s degree in marketing analytics? Wonder no more! Our comprehensive guide to MSMA and MBA programs contains real-world advice about the pros & cons of graduate education. Use the top 10 rankings to explore online master’s degrees. Learn how to choose an analytics qualification that will pay off in the long run. Or skip ahead to our listings of master’s degree in marketing analytics, including marketing degrees with analytics concentrations.

What is Marketing Analytics?

What Do Marketing Analytics Professionals Do?

In a way, they study people. Marketing analytics experts deploy analytics tools & methods to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of marketing campaigns. From the smallest business to the largest multinational corporation, they work to:

• Foster data-based improvements in user experiences, lead conversions, back-end efficiencies, and channel performance
• Regularly monitor basic metrics like page views, impressions, and click-through rates, as well as more advanced metrics like traffic by device type and cart abandonment
• Analyze data to suggest optimal timing, messaging, and media placement for marketing & advertising campaigns
• Evaluate the successes & failures of campaigns to propose improvements
• Initiate surveys, segment customers, analyze consumer behaviors, and generate predictions
• Use analytics and AI to conduct competitor research and assess the business landscape
• Collaborate with other departments to identify new markets & prospects
• Develop innovative strategies and thought leadership

The key principle here is Return on Investment (ROI). CEOs want to know if their marketing efforts are actually leading to customer acquisition, retention, and sales.

Why Choose Marketing Analytics?

Because it gives you the freedom to work on creative applications of analytics. It’s easy enough to set benchmarks and pump out dashboards & reports. But inventive problem-solving is where marketing analysts really earn their keep.

Uncovering a cost-effective tweak that leads to a huge leap in traffic to the website? Forecasting what customers will be wanting in a year and planning accordingly? That’s where the gold is. For more on expanding opportunities within this field, take a look at our Careers section.

Marketing Analytics Rankings

2024 Online Rankings Methodology

Our rankings of the best online master’s degrees in marketing analytics are based on a weighted algorithm that assesses a degree from multiple angles, including quality, reputation, and cost.

• Focus: We limited our rankings to master’s programs that focused on marketing analytics OR offered a dedicated concentration in marketing analytics. That means we excluded master’s degrees in marketing, even if they featured some analytics coursework.
• Accreditation: All of the universities in our rankings are non-profit and regionally accredited. Because marketing analytics programs are offered through the School of Business, we specified that any school in our rankings must also hold AACSB accreditation.
• Reputation: Our algorithm assigns extra points to schools with QS World rankings and U.S. News & World Report rankings in relevant domains (e.g. Marketing, Business Analytics, Business Schools, and Computer Science).
• Outcomes: Using IPEDS data, we factored in school completion rates for graduate programs in Business, Marketing and/or Data Analytics. We also incorporated data on the average earnings of graduates after 1 year, 2 years, and 4 years.
• Price: You’ll notice that some of the schools in our rankings are remarkably affordable. In addition to all the quality markers mentioned above, we included tuition prices in our algorithm.

2024 Online Rankings Highlights

Online marketing analytics programs are coming on hard & strong in the world of academia. Schools of Business have finally caught up to the fact that marketing professionals need advanced skills in data & AI in order to keep their companies in the game. Here’s what we noticed about this year’s top 10 schools:

• It’s Horses for Courses: No two MS programs in our rankings are the same. Some are ideal training grounds for consultants & entrepreneurs. Others are preoccupied with data science concepts. There’s even an online MBA. You should be able to find exactly the right degree for your situation.
• Industry Interactions May Raise the Price: American and Drexel may have higher tuition prices than some online master’s programs, but they also have career-building elements like case competitions, consulting projects, and internships. You’re paying for the networking.
• Jesuits Are Making a Move: Smaller schools like Fairfield University and Saint Joseph’s University have come up with intriguing offerings that take advantage of local connections. Jesuits also have a commitment to ethical leadership and social equality, which is a refreshing change.
• Texas Residents Get a Great Deal: Schools like A&M Commerce, UNT, and Texas Tech are now offering intriguing 100% online programs and hybrid options. In the case of A&M Commerce and UNT, prices are jaw-droppingly low.

10 Best Online Master’s in Marketing Analytics Degree Programs

#1 Michigan State University

Overview | Online MS in Marketing Research & Analytics (MSMRA)

• Format: 100% Online
• Department: Broad College of Business
• Accreditation: HLC; AACSB
• Credit Hours: 30
• Program Length: 12 Months (Part-Time); 20 Months (Full-Time)
• Core Concepts: Predictive Analytics, Marketing Research, Social Listening & Text Analytics, Consulting, Storytelling, International Marketing Research, Consumer Decision-Making & Behavior, Data Visualization, Research Design + Group Project in Consulting + Capstone

Program Summary

Our top pick for aspiring consultants! The Broad College of Business has created a STEM-certified Online Master of Science in Marketing Research & Analytics that’s built on a project-based learning model. You’ll be able to consult with companies in the design & execution of research projects, submit to industry publications, and interact with C-level executives. We love the mix of hard-core technical courses, marketing research credits, and strategic concepts (e.g. storytelling). And we appreciate the inclusion of live online class sessions—this is a program for folks who enjoy teamwork.

It gets better. Tuition is remarkably reasonable for out-of-state residents. Online students have access to virtual career fairs & virtual mentorship sessions with MSMRA Advisory Board members. And the Department of Marketing is heavily involved in customer experience & relationship marketing. No surprise—MSMRA admissions are competitive. GMAT or GRE scores are required and the average GPA of successful applicants is around 3.5 GPA. However, Broad welcomes candidates from a wide range of backgrounds. You can listen to alumni speak about their experiences through the Spartan Insights Podcast.

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• Curriculum
• Tuition & Costs

MSU’s Online MSMRA

#2 Fairfield University

Overview | Online MS in Marketing Analytics & Strategy (MSMAS)

• Format: 100% Online or Hybrid
• Department: Dolan School of Business
• Accreditation: NECHE; AACSB
• Credit Hours: 30
• Program Length: 12 Months (Full-Time); 24 Months (Part-Time)
• Core Concepts: Consumer Behavior, Marketing Research, Strategic Brand Management, Digital Marketing & Analytics, Multivariate Analysis for Consumer Insights, Pricing Strategies and Analytics + Analytics Electives + Capstone

Program Summary

Experiential learning is a key selling point for Fairfield’s STEM-designated Online Master of Science in Marketing Analytics & Strategy. You’ll have the option to earn Python and Google analytics professional certification. You can use the electives to build a portfolio of projects in areas like customer experience, storytelling, and retail & manufacturing. And you’ll be tackling a capstone that involves professional consulting work. Fairfield even runs a Co-Op Program for applicants who are interested in an immersive internship & capstone research with Synchrony Financial.

The result? 100% of graduates have jobs within 3 months of finishing the program. The Dolan School of Business isn’t as massive as some of its competitors, but it’s got a Jesuit reputation for ethical leadership and a strong alumni network. Plus it has a Marketing Advisory Board that generates plenty of industry connections. In the past, MSMAS students have worked on capstone projects with companies like Henkel, Philips, Horowitz Research, Nascar, Bridgeport Islanders, and PBR. It’s also worth noting that this highly affordable MSMAS is now offered as a dual degree with the MBA.

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Fairfield’s Online MSMAS

#3 Saint Joseph’s University

Overview | Online MS in Marketing: Data Analytics

• Format: 100% Online
• Department: Haub School of Business
• Accreditation: MSCHE; AACSB
• Credit Hours: 30
• Program Length: 12-24 Months
• Core Concepts: Marketing Management, Marketing Research, Consumer Behavior, Business Analytics, Data Mining, Data Visualization & Performance Analytics + Marketing Analytics Electives + Data Science Electives

Program Summary

SJU’s Online Master of Science in Marketing: Data Analytics is the little engine that could. This small Jesuit university in Philadelphia has injected a healthy dose of data science into its technically-focused degree. You’ll start with the fundamentals (e.g. consumer behavior) before quickly transitioning into analytics, live case studies, and electives. There’s no capstone, but you will be able to use two electives to focus on tools like Python, Machine Learning (ML) and predictive analytics. Data science courses are the brainchild of the Department of Mathematics.

Price is another plus for SJU—tuition is under $40,000. Classes are intimate. And employers of Haub graduates include PwC and KPMG, investment titans like Vanguard and J.P. Morgan, and manufacturers like PepsiCo and Johnson & Johnson. We particularly like the range of diverse faculty within the marketing department and the continuing career services for alumni. Some online programs at SJU include live synchronous sessions & online class discussions, so check with the program coordinator about the delivery methods for coursework.

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SJU’s Online MS in Marketing in Data Analytics

#4 Pennsylvania State University – World Campus

Overview | Online Master’s in Marketing Analytics and Insights

• Format: 100% Online
• Department: Smeal College of Business
• Accreditation: MSCHE; AACSB
• Credit Hours: 30
• Program Length: ~20-28 Months
• Core Concepts: Ethical Leadership, Global Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Marketing Communications, Customer Acquisition & Retention, Analytics for Brand Management & Customer Experience + Analytics Electives + Capstone

Program Summary

Need an affordable and time-flexible program? Put Penn State’s Online Master’s in Marketing Analytics and Insights on your shortlist. Coursework is asynchronous, although you will have the option to participate in live discussions if you’d like some human interaction. Required credits are a healthy mixture of big picture thinking and marketing analytics fundamentals. And you’ll be able to tailor electives to your career goals—there’s even a course on Business Modeling and New Venture Creation. This self-paced master’s degree ends with a semester-long capstone project.

Better yet, you won’t be breaking the bank—tuition is just over $31,000. Penn State doesn’t require GRE or GMAT scores, but it is looking for candidates with 2 years of work experience and 3 professional references (it will consider exceptional applicants who fall outside of these guidelines). If you have the time, consider taking advantage of the career-building extras. Master’s students have the option to earn various graduate certificates and take part in a week-long global immersion experience. We also recommend you investigate the current research projects of MMAI faculty.

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Penn State’s Online MMAI

#5 American University

Overview | Online MS in Marketing Analytics (MSMA)

• Format: 100% Online
• Department: Kogod School of Business
• Accreditation: MSCHE; AACSB
• Credit Hours: 33
• Program Length: 12-15 Months (or Longer)
• Core Concepts: Applied Managerial Statistics, Predictive Analytics, Business Intelligence, Big Data, Marketing Management, Marketing Analytics, Digital Marketing Strategy, Integrated Marketing Communication, Brand Strategy + Practicum-Based Capstone

Program Summary

American’s Online Master of Science in Marketing Analytics is an excellent stepping-stone for marketing professionals who want to get to grips with data. It dives straight into analytics-based coursework, exploring everything from applied statistics and Business Intelligence (BI) to Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC). During the capstone, you’ll be able to attack two real-world practicums with a range of organizations. You can even add 4 electives to your studies to earn a Business Fundamentals Certificate.

It’s also a strong choice for military & veterans and aspiring consultants. The Kogod School of Business is strategically located in Washington, DC, and it supports master’s students who wish to get involved in pro bono consulting projects, co-ops, and internships. We particularly like the fact that live online classes for the MSMA are kept small, with a maximum of 15 students, and are delivered in an interactive seminar-style. Sound like your jam? Check out Kogod’s work on AI integration and the faculty profiles to learn more about your potential mentors.

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AU’s Online MSMA

#6 Drexel University

Overview | Online MS in Marketing: Marketing Technology & Analytics

• Format: 100% Online w/ Optional Residencies
• Department: LeBow College of Business
• Accreditation: MSCHE; AACSB
• Credit Hours: 45
• Program Length: 24-36 Months (Part-Time)
• Core Concepts: Marketing Strategy, Buyer Behavior Theory, Business Analytics for Managers, Digital Marketing, Marketing Information Management & Research, Customer Analytics + Analytics Concentration + Electives + Experiential Opportunities

Program Summary

Thinking about leadership positions? Drexel’s STEM-designated Online Master of Science in Marketing: Marketing Technology & Analytics is more comprehensive than some of the “in & out” programs in our rankings. In addition to tackling a technical concentration in marketing analytics, you’ll be able to explore ideas around buyer behavior theory, management, and business law. You can add electives to suit your career interests. And you’ll participate in consulting projects, mentorship sessions, and case competitions throughout the program.

Experiential learning opportunities are where Drexel justifies its price. The LeBow College of Business organizes on-campus & international residencies for folks who wish to network. It leans hard on consulting work. And it’s built a sturdy track record of employment with companies who hire marketing graduates. Think of names like Penn Mutual and Nielsen. The program is open to a wide range of applicants; future marketing leaders could even think about a Dual MBA/MS. One thing to note—the online version is only available in the part-time plan of study.

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Drexel’s Online MS in Marketing: Marketing Technology & Analytics

#7 Texas A&M University – Commerce

Overview | Online MS in Marketing & Marketing Analytics

• Format: 100% Online or Hybrid
• Department: College of Business
• Accreditation: SACSCOC; AACSB
• Credit Hours: 30
• Program Length: 18 Months or Less
• Core Concepts: Marketing Management, Consumer & Buyer Behavior Analytics, Product Innovation & Supply Chains, Integrated Marketing Communications & Promotions, Interactive & Digital Marketing, Marketing Strategy + Electives + Minor + Optional Certificate and/or Internship

Program Summary

The title is bang on the money—A&M Commerce’s Online Master of Science in Marketing & Marketing Analytics is a judicious mix of marketing management and analytics credits. You won’t get the hard-core data science training of some other programs, but you will be schooled in key tenets of digital marketing. Plus you can customize the curriculum to suit your needs. Although there’s no capstone, you could choose to pursue a minor in Marketing Analytics, add an optional certificate in a topic like Business Analytics or Operational Excellence, or focus your electives on an area of interest (e.g. CRM).

Price is a big attraction for A&M Commerce. Tuition is ridiculously affordable for Texas residents and remarkably reasonable for out-of-state residents. During your studies, you can ask Career Services for help with internship opportunities. Folks in the Dallas area also have the option to take classes in-person. Before you apply, read through the bios of analytics faculty and reach out to the Department of Marketing and Business Analytics Student Organization to learn more about networking opportunities. Bear in mind that this master’s program is not open to international applicants.

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A&M Commerce’s Online MSMMA

#8 University of Colorado Boulder

Overview | Online MS in Business Analytics: Marketing Analytics

• Format: 100% Online
• Department: Leeds School of Business
• Accreditation: HLC; AACSB
• Credit Hours: 33
• Program Length: 24 Months (Part-Time)
• Core Concepts: Business Analytics, Machine Learning in Python, Structured Data Modeling & Analysis, Data Analytics, Modern AI, Data Modeling + Marketing Analytics Electives + Experiential Projects

Program Summary

Data geeks won’t be surprised to see CU Boulder’s Online Master of Science in Business Analytics: Marketing Analytics in our rankings! Colorado is a hub of tech innovation & start-ups. With this MSBA, you’ll plunge straight into data science and technical coursework, including training in Python and Modern AI. Then you’ll be able to focus on marketing analytics with electives in Customer Analytics, Marketing Intelligence, and Digital Advertising. The program culminates in experiential analytics projects with an area client company.

No coding or technical background is required to apply for this part-time MSBA, but everyone completes a Python bootcamp in the first summer semester. As an online student, you’ll also be expected to take part in synchronous lab sessions in the evenings. Leeds has a track record in ethical leadership, social impact, and sustainability, so be sure to ask if MSBA students can take part in the Net Impact Case Competition. Networkers may also wish to attend the Boulder Summer Conference on Consumer Financial Decision Making.

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CU Boulder’s Online MSBA: Marketing Analytics

#9 University of North Texas

Overview | Online MBA in Marketing Analytics

• Format: 100% Online or Hybrid
• Department: G. Brint Ryan College of Business
• Accreditation: SACSCOC; AACSB
• Credit Hours: 36
• Program Length: 18-24 Months (Part-Time)
• Core Concepts: Accounting, Business Decisions, Financial Management, Marketing Management, Organizational Behavior, Leveraging IT, Administrative Strategy, Consumer Behavior, Advanced Marketing Research & Analytics, Intro to Data Science, Data Management

Program Summary

Aspiring C-level executives, this one’s for you! Like all business administration programs, UNT’s Online MBA in Marketing Analytics begins with foundational coursework in every major corporate domain (e.g. accounting, financial management, etc.) before sliding into a 12-credit concentration on marketing analytics. It’s not going to be as in-depth as an MSBA or MSMA, but you’ll be able to explore topics like consumer behavior and data science. In the final semester, all MBA students complete a management-level capstone in Administrative Strategy.

And you can do it all for under $30,000. Granted, the G. Brint Ryan College of Business isn’t anywhere near Wharton or Kellogg in terms of name recognition or reputation. But it has ties to plenty of corporate and internship partners. Online coursework is asynchronous, which means you can complete it on your own time. And Texas residents have the option to network through on-campus evening classes in Frisco or Denton. Talk to recent graduates to get a sense of whether the MBA has paid off for them in their current workplace. It’s a niche degree in the world of marketing analytics.

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UNT’s Online MBA in Marketing Analytics

#10 Texas Tech University

Overview | Online MS in Marketing Research & Analytics (MS MRA)

• Format: 100% Online
• Department: Rawls College of Business
• Accreditation: SACSCOC; AACSB
• Credit Hours: 30
• Program Length: 24 Months or More (Part-Time)
• Core Concepts: Marketing Concepts, Consumer Behavior Research, Marketing Analytics, Advanced Statistics, Measurements & Survey Research, Market Forecasting & Analytics, Digital Marketing Analytics, Qualitative Research + Capstone

Program Summary

Applied research is top priority with Texas Tech’s Online Master of Science in Marketing Research & Analytics. This MS is crammed with coursework in areas like research design, surveys, advanced statistics, market forecasting, and the like. Because of this focus, you’ll follow a set curriculum (no electives) that ends with a capstone project in the Applications of Marketing Research. It’s a solid choice for folks who are interested in jobs at advertising agencies, marketing research firms, and strategic consulting organizations.

For more on the Rawls College of Business and its strengths, pay a visit to the Rawls Research section and read up on the Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management. The Department has invested a lot of time and ideas into the realms of sales and CRM and it sponsors an annual Sales & Customer Relationship Strategy Competition with Texas companies. Head over heels in love with research? Consider the PhD in Business Administration: Marketing Specialization instead.

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Texas Tech’s Online MS MRA

What Does a Master’s in Marketing Analytics Look Like?

Why Pursue a Graduate Degree in Marketing Analytics?

Many roads lead to a master’s degree in marketing analytics. But the decision to pursue this qualification will usually come at a key turning point in your career:

• You’ve been told by your employer it would be a good idea to gain advanced skills in analytics and marketing research.
• You’ve worked in digital marketing, but you want to understand what’s happening under the hood.
• You have a non-STEM background and you want to acquire technical tools & industry connections quickly.
• You prefer the structure of a degree—coursework, deadlines, group discussions & capstone projects—over self-directed learning and certifications.
• You want to take advantage of peer networking and alumni connections at the School of Business.
• You’d like the credibility of a technical master degree on your résumé before you start consulting work or launch a start-up.

Unlike the MBA, the MS in Marketing Analytics is a specialist degree for folks who are interested in advanced analytics, statistics, and market research. Don’t jump into the academic pool without doing your homework on career opportunities after graduation.

Popular Majors for Marketing Analytics Master’s Students

Once you’ve made the decision to earn a graduate degree in marketing analytics, you’ll have a lot of options! Our listings are stuffed with offerings from regionally accredited schools. Here’s a quick rundown of your choices:

• MS in Marketing Analytics: An MSMA will focus on marketing analytics topics from the get-go. It will often lead off with strategic marketing courses in consumer behavior, marketing management, market research & brand management before seguing into more complex analytics topics and electives. The level of technical difficulty in this degree will depend on the school. And on-campus programs may be more rigorous than online versions.
• MS in Business Analytics: If you want to start with a broader business view, look for MSBA programs in our listings. For example, you could be investigating topics like operations management and financial analysis, before choosing a concentration in marketing analytics. We’ve noticed that MSBA programs tend to have more technical coursework than MSMA programs.
• MS in Data Analytics: Are you in love with data science & research design? You could consider an MSDA with a concentration in marketing analytics or an MSDA that’s offered by a Department of Marketing. An MSDA won’t be as business-focused as the MSBA or MSMA, but you may find it very useful if you’re working in a research-focused industry. See our directories of campus and online programs for more info.
• MBA in Marketing Analytics: Aspiring business leaders should investigate MBA programs in our listings. Instead of pursuing a specialist degree, you’ll be getting a grounding in high-level concerns (e.g. accounting, finance, management, etc.) before you tackle 3-4 courses in marketing analytics. You won’t be an expert, but you will be able to speak intelligently with your technical teams.
• Dual Degree: Incredibly motivated students can double-down (e.g. MBA and MSDA). This might be a good choice for aspiring consultants and start-up founders. It shows clients and investors that you can lead a business and get down & gritty with data.

How to Choose a School of Business

A School of Business can make or break your MSMA experience. Choose the right school and you’ll be on the fast track to a high-paying job in the industry of your choice. Choose the wrong one and you’ll be frustrated with money wasted on non-technical hogwash. Here’s are some markers that you can use to assess the value of the school:

• AACSB Accreditation: It’s a quality marker for employers. AACSB accreditation is held by most of the top business programs in the U.S. and abroad. Here’s how to search for accredited schools.
• Geographic Location: It matters—even when you’re considering an online degree. Schools of Business in Virginia and DC usually have superb connections to government & military organizations. Schools in NYC and Connecticut are often tight with banks & financial firms. Schools in Utah and Colorado may have the jump on what’s happening in tech startups.
• MSMA Class Profiles: Evaluate recent cohorts to gain an understanding of where your fellow students are in their career trajectory. What’s their level of technical and industry experience? Will you feel underqualified, overqualified, or just about right?
• Analytics & AI Research: After you’ve explored the program page, take a look at MSMA faculty research projects and visit the School of Business’s section on institutes and initiatives. Does the School have a Center of Applied Business Analytics like USC? Does it fund a Marketing Leadership Institute with an analytics hub like UW? And how are these institutes addressing the intersection of analytics, data science, and AI?
• Adjunct Professors & Advisory Boards: If they’re working within the industry at a high level, they may be the most valuable people you meet in your degree. Find out who is delivering—and overseeing—your coursework. Then ask the program coordinator if marketing analytics students can collaborate with them on real-world projects.
• Experiential Opportunities: Strong master’s degrees will weave industry experiences into the fabric of the program. We’re talking about consulting practicums, client-based projects, internships, international residencies, analytics forums with business leaders, and case competitions (e.g. Pace University’s Hackathons). You should be building a portfolio and connections well-before you graduate.
• Personalized Career Services: AI can write & assess your résumé. LinkedIn can identify potential job openings. But a great School of Business will help you think through the next year, 5 years, and 10 years of your career. They’ll have inside connections to major companies. They’ll help you negotiate higher starting salaries. And they may be able to identify skills & talents you didn’t know you possessed.

Marketing Analytics Coursework & Requirements

Admissions Requirements for Master’s in Marketing Analytics

To save you time, we’ve provided a direct link to each program’s admissions page in our listings. Find the titles that interest you and then use the requirements to weed out the programs that don’t match up with your qualifications.

Baseline requirements for a master’s degree in marketing analytics are similar to most graduate programs in the U.S. We’re talking about a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, minimum undergraduate GPA (e.g. 3.0), current résumé, 2-3 letters of recommendation, and a statement of your goals.

These qualifications will insert your foot into most academic doors. Here’s where you may need to push a little harder to get in:

• Work Experience: Some universities are looking for MSMA candidates with at least 1-2 years of experience. That’s a good thing—employers are often reluctant to hire marketing analytics graduates who’ve never worked in the field. Ask the program coordinator for a Class Profile to see how you match up against other students.
• Technical Skills: Some programs are happy to accept candidates with no coding & technical skills. Others may want to see evidence of undergraduate coursework in areas like statistics and quantitative ideas. If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in business or a STEM field, you may need to complete prerequisites and/or bootcamps. In general, marketing analytics programs are often more lenient than data analytics programs.
• GRE/GMAT: It’s up to the university. We’ve seen no test required, test optional, and test required. Sometimes, they may ask to see scores if you’re GPA is low. You may also be able to submit scores in order to give yourself the edge over other candidates.

Coursework for Master’s in Marketing Analytics

Standard Courses

The Master of Science in Marketing Analytics (MSMA) is a bit of a rogue player in the field of analytics. Yes, it’s a specialist degree that focuses on data science & analytics applications in marketing. But there’s plenty of scope to play within that framework.

Here’s what a boilerplate curriculum for an MSMA might look like:

• Marketing Research & Analytics
• Consumer Behavior
• Digital Marketing
• Data Science for Marketing
• Pricing Strategies
• Marketing Metrics
• Strategic Brand Management
• Advanced Marketing Analysis
• Capstone Project

However, we’ve seen graduate programs that focus purely on advanced technical tools and others that prioritize marketing consulting, strategy & research. Use the coursework links in our listings to get a handle on the direction of the degree. You’ll notice that Departments of Marketing like to play to their strengths.

Concentrations & Electives

Many MSMA programs will allow you to customize your degree with at least 2-3 electives. You could also consider broader degrees that offer a dedicated concentration in marketing analytics (e.g. MBA in Marketing Analytics or MS in Marketing: Marketing Analytics).

Electives may be where faculty & adjunct professors are teaching their true interests (e.g. CRM, Internet of Things, Game Theory, etc.). Or they may offer you the chance to investigate advanced AI, predictive analytics, Python, and the like.

When you’re browsing through elective choices, think about how you will:

• Apply those unique skills to your capstone, practicums, and client-based projects
• Implement your learning into your current job—especially if your employer is subsidizing your degree
• Use them to pivot to career opportunities in new fields or get involved with your professor’s research projects & industry partnerships

Internships

A number of MSMA programs now include mandatory or optional internships. Check the coursework links in our listings to see what’s on offer. It’s up to you on whether you think an internship is necessary.

• If you’re mulling over a career shift or you’re relatively new to the job market, an industry internship could be the best move you make.
• If you’re already working with a great company and studying part-time, you may find that traveling to a company site is a royal pain in the backside.

Before you commit, ask for a list of recent internship placements and talk to alumni about their experiences. Even if the internship was outside of their usual industry, you may find that they were able to use the corporate experience to leverage themselves into better-paid positions.

Capstone Projects

Not all MS programs offer a capstone project in the final semester—we favor the ones that do. A capstone is a chance for you to synthesize all of your analytics & strategic skills and apply them to a real-world industry problem. It also makes for a sparkling addition to your résumé.

Ask the program coordinator for a list of recent capstone projects before you commit to a school.

• What’s the caliber of the companies involved?
• What do those companies say about their experience with students?
• Was group work involved? How did students collaborate together on projects?
• Did students produce actual change & improvements within the company?
• How technical were their analytics findings?

If you’re not having any luck sourcing examples of MSMA capstones, check out examples from related programs like MS in Analytics Capstone Projects from the Mays Business School at Texas A&M or MSBA Capstone Projects from the Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati.

You should also be talking to your potential MSMA professors about their industry interests. They may be ready & willing to provide you with project ideas.

Can You Earn a Master’s in Marketing Analytics Online?

Absolutely. Departments of Marketing are well-aware that many of their MSMA students are currently employed. We’ve flagged the distance learning programs in our listings with an “Offered Online” tag so you can scan through your options. We’ve also profiled the best of the best in our Top 10 rankings.

Most of these MSMA programs will be 100% online, with no campus visits required. But it always pays to shop around and see how they’re differentiating themselves:

• Some will be asynchronous, which means you study on your own time and have little interaction with others. Others will involve group work and synchronous learning—live online class sessions at set times.
• Some will give you the option to attend campus residencies or present your capstone project in person. Others may offer international residencies where you can travel abroad with fellow classmates.

The MSMA is a technical degree, so you should also be pumping the program coordinator about the logistical side of things:

• What kinds of analytics software will you be using? Does the university pay for that software?
• Will you be analyzing real-world data sets? Will you have the same quality of data as on-campus students?
• Can online students access career & networking resources? Have alumni been successful in landing jobs with those resources?

What Can You Do with a Master’s in Marketing Analytics?

What Does a Job in Marketing Analytics Look Like?

There’s no cookie cutter template to a job in marketing analytics—the scope of your role is going to depend on the size of your organization and your level of seniority. A generalist in an ad agency isn’t going to have the same job as a marketing analytics specialist within a major financial institution.

But there are a few commonalities. We canvassed Reddit and message boards to see what folks were saying about their daily responsibilities. Here are just a few of the day-to-day tasks they mentioned:

• Monitoring: Building and maintaining dashboards & platforms; creating and revising reports on standard marketing analytics metrics; etc.
• Analysis: Reviewing Year-over-Year and Year-to-Date trends in customers, competitors, and products; assessing client behavior & lead conversions; evaluating the efficiency of marketing initiatives; etc.
• Testing: Designing, constructing, documenting & measuring tests (e.g. geo-incrementality, landing pages, holdouts, A/B, etc.)
• Forecasting & Modeling: Building predictive models to forecast future trends & predict customer actions like churn or conversion; using models to quantify the impact of marketing campaigns and estimate ROI; issuing forecasts for channels based on recent data; etc.
• Research: Exploring theories & ideas around new market challenges; researching consumer behavior & trends; demonstrating thought leadership; etc.
• Ad Hoc Projects: Conducting emergency analyses due to a sudden crisis; fixing broken dashboards or reports; forecasting changes to strategy and budgets; revising procedures; etc.
• Interpersonal: Collaborating with internal teams and/or outside clients; engaging with the sales team to identify new prospects; creating data visualizations for stakeholders; working with data engineers & data scientists to create new tools and models; participating in status & performance meetings; etc.

Industries Hiring Marketing Analytics Graduates

Despite the rise of automation, the job market looks rosy for recent analytics graduates. According to a 2023 report from Global Market Insights (GMI) on the Marketing Analytics Market, the market was forecast to experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.5%+ between 2023 and 2032, growing from $4.6 billion to $27.6 billion.

• One of the primary industries driving that growth? Retail & consumer goods. The retail sector accounted for a business share of 26% in the marketing analytics market in 2022 and it’s going to be forever striving to keep on top of consumer behavior.
• GMI also noted that North America looks likely to be one of the biggest employers, thanks to the “presence of key industry players and a focus on innovative marketing strategies in sectors including retail, e-commerce, and finance.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) agrees. It’s forecasting a 13% growth in employment for market research analysts from 2022-2032 with high levels of employment in industries like consulting, management, tech, advertising & digital marketing, and software. We’d also add healthcare to that list.

If you’re out to shoot the moon, here are a few of the biggest marketing analytics players in GMI’s 2023 report. They’re going to have funds for high octane research & development:

• CleverTap
• Google
• HubSpot
• Mailchimp
• Microsoft
• Salesforce
• SAP SE
• SAS Institute, Inc.
• Semrush

But bear in mind that you may have more freedom & flexibility in a smaller organization or start-up. Don’t be afraid to use your MSMA practicums and industry projects as test runs to see where you’ll be happiest.

5 Key Career Tips from the Pros

The field of analytics is moving so rapidly with AI that you really need to ask hard questions about whether a degree is going to pay dividends for your career. We’ve unearthed tips from experts across the web, but we’ve also added our own two cents.

1. Be Strategic About Your Education: Work experience often trumps academic qualifications in the field of analytics. That means a master’s degree should be a strategic choice when you have specific career goals in mind. Research the School of Business, its industry connections, and its track record in job placements before committing.
2. Amass Work Experience First: Many marketing analytics experts agree that accruing 2-3 years of experience in marketing & data can clarify what you want to do and where you want to do it. Some MSMA programs won’t even let you in without it.
3. Get Your Employer to Subsidize Your Learning: You don’t have to start with an MSMA—you could ask your company to take a punt on a graduate certificate or certifications. Or even an affordable online degree. If you can prove that your learning will result in significant ROI, then it’s worth their investment.
4. Use Your Master’s Portfolio for Leverage: MSMA students have parlayed experiences from case competitions, internships, and capstone projects into lucrative consulting gigs immediately after graduation. Every experiential opportunity is a chance to impress future employers.
5. Network, Network, Network: With a master’s degree, you’re paying for the connections through the School of Business as much as for the coursework. Attend the forums with industry guest speakers. Ask if the school can sponsor your trips to conferences. Participate in projects with the analytics research institutes. That’s where the value lies in an academic qualification.

Marketing Analytics Job Titles & Salary Numbers

Sample Job Titles for Marketing Analytics Graduates

Use this list as a starting point for your AI prompts, job searches, and salary research into marketing analytics positions! Daily job requirements will vary widely depending on the industry (e.g. retail vs. finance), so it pays to be specific.

Marketing Fields

• Marketing Analyst
• Market Research Analyst
• Marketing Strategy Analyst
• Marketing Operations Analyst
• Marketing Strategist
• Marketing Manager
• Marketing Consultant

Related Fields

• Business Intelligence Analyst
• Client Manager
• Consumer Insights Manager
• Data Strategist
• Pricing Analyst
• Product Manager
• Statistical Analyst
• Supply Chain Analyst

AI-Related Fields

• Sixth Sense Analyst
• Bot Manager
• Neuro A/B Tester
• Mood & Empathy Manager

Salary Numbers for Marketing Analytics Professionals

You can get a handle on ballpark salary numbers for Market Research Analysts & Marketing Specialists and Marketing Managers by analyzing the BLS’s annual wage maps. Take a look at the state map and then dig down into the metropolitan areas.

• In recent years, the best paying industries for marketing experts have often been the most prosaic and sturdy. We’re talking about fields like information services, aerospace manufacturing, oil pipelines, banks & monetary authorities, and web-based services.
• The highest concentration of jobs—and the highest salaries for marketing research analysts—tend to be in tech hotspots like Boulder, Provo, Washington DC, Seattle, and the Northeast. Just remember that these numbers may also reflect the cost of living.

Salary numbers from Payscale and Glassdoor can be fed into your algorithm, but this is where we’d urge you to talk to recent MSMA alumni. We’ve heard stories of folks who have used their school’s career services to negotiate their way to much higher wages than they originally estimated. Don’t go into job negotiations without knowing your true worth.

Marketing Analytics FAQ

How Long is a Master of Science in Marketing Analytics Program?

On a full-time plan of study, you’ll be able to polish an MSMA off in 2-3 semesters. But that means you’ll be tackling 3-4 courses per semester. Universities usually advise working professionals to avoid that commitment!

If you have a job, consider part-time study. This could be anywhere from 16 months to 3-4 years. Ask the program coordinator for a sample calendar. Some programs are cohort-based, which means you’re locked into a schedule with a group of fellow classmates. Others will be self-paced.

Is a Master’s Degree in Marketing Analytics Critical for Job Applications?

Not necessarily. If you have a solid technical track record and plenty of industry certifications, you may be a much more attractive candidate than a recent MSMA graduate with no practical experience.

But it really depends on the job. A company may be looking for reassurance that you’ve had formal academic training in market research. Or they may be fond of hiring MS graduates from a certain School of Business. You’ll have to do some homework to find out where their preferences lie.

Once you get to the senior level in technical positions, a prestigious master’s degree is going to be a selling point on your résumé.

What is a STEM-Designated Degree?

It’s an official designation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that’s given to undergraduate & graduate programs in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

• International students who graduate from STEM-designated programs can apply for a 24-month extension of their Optional Practical Training (OPT) on their an F-1 visa.
• This means they can work in the U.S. in their field of study for up to 3 years after graduation. Non-STEM degree holders are only eligible for 1 year of OPT.

Master’s degrees that are solely devoted to marketing analytics tend to be STEM-designated, but it’s always best to check with the program coordinator. Master’s degrees in marketing with an analytics concentration may not have enough science & math courses to qualify.

Remember, too, that you may also be required to choose an on-campus program or hybrid program in order to qualify for an OPT extension.

What’s the Difference Between Marketing Analytics and Digital Marketing?

Marketing analytics tends to be technical & strategic. Digital marketing is often more creative & operational.

• Marketing Analytics: You’re a technical expert with a deep understanding of data, analytics, and data science principles. You’re adept in advanced analytics tools and data visualization software. You love evaluating past performance, analyzing current trends, uncovering insights, generating predictions, and inventing data-driven marketing solutions. You know how the engine works.
• Digital Marketer: You’re skilled in a wide range of online marketing techniques, including social media, SEO & SEM, paid ads, email marketing, websites, and content creation. You love planning creative campaigns, experimenting with new marketing tools, and engaging with customers through multiple channels. You understand how to interpret metrics and analytics reports, but you rely on experts to do the serious number crunching and in-depth research. You like to drive the car.

Marketing Analytics Resources & Organizations

Case Competitions

• Adobe Analytics Challenge

Certifications

• AMA Professional Certified Marketer (PCM®) Credentials
• Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
• INFORMS Certified Analytics Professional (CAP®)
• Our List of Data Analytics & Business Analytics Certifications

Conferences & Networking Events

• Analytics Summit – Europe
• Marketing Analytics & Data Science (MADS) Conference
• Marketing Analytics Summit (MAS)
• Marketing Analytics Symposium – Sydney
• Our List of Data Analytics & Business Analytics Conferences

Courses & Resources

• Google Analytics Academy
• HubSpot Academy
• Semrush Academy: Marketing Analytics

Job Boards

• MarketingHire

Journals & Publications

• Applied Marketing Analytics (AMA)
• Industrial Marketing Management
• Journal of Marketing Analytics
• Marketing Science

Organizations & Associations

• American Marketing Association (AMA)
• Insights Association
• Market Research Society (MRS)
• Our List of Data Analytics & Business Analytics Organizations