Data Science vs. Business Analytics: MSDS, MSBA and Joint Degrees

If you are choosing between a Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) and a Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS), you are choosing between two related but different degrees. Both teach you to work with data and models. They differ in what the core is built around, which part of the university runs them, and what your diploma says. This guide explains those differences and how joint degrees that name both fields fit in.

How the fields are defined

The federal Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics, places the two in different families. Business Analytics (30.7102) sits in the Data Analytics series. Data Science (30.7001) has its own series.

• Business Analytics is defined as a program that "prepares individuals to apply data science to solve business challenges." Listed instruction includes machine learning, optimization methods, probability and stochastic models, information economics, logistics, strategy, consumer behavior and marketing.
• Data Science, General focuses on the analysis of large-scale data from the perspectives of applied statistics, computer science, data storage, data modeling and mathematics, with instruction in algorithms, programming, data management, data mining and statistics.

Put simply, business analytics is defined by the business problem, data science by the methods. Both definitions include machine learning, so the field name alone will not tell you how technical a program is.

MSBA vs. MS in Data Science: what to compare

Course lists are the most reliable way to see the difference. When you read a program's requirements, look at:

• The core. Count how many required courses are business subjects (marketing, operations, strategy, finance) and how many are statistics, programming and machine learning.
• Prerequisites. Check whether calculus, linear algebra, statistics or programming are listed as expected background on the program's own admissions page, rather than assuming.
• Electives. Business-focused electives (supply chain, pricing, marketing analytics) point one way. Deep learning, distributed computing or statistical theory point the other.
• The final project. A consulting project with a company and a research thesis are different experiences, and some programs offer both.

Why the academic unit matters

Where a degree sits inside a university shapes its faculty, prerequisites and electives. Business analytics degrees may be run by a business school, while data science degrees may sit in an engineering college, a statistics or computer science department, or a dedicated data science school. Check the catalog for the unit that awards the degree.

Some programs are deliberately shared between units:

• Indiana University Bloomington offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Intelligence and Data Science that it describes as uniting the Luddy School's data science work with the Kelley School of Business. Its 120 credits are organized as 33 credits of business core, 19 credits of data science core (Python, machine learning, data mining, databases), 16 credits of math and statistics, and 25 or more credits of electives and experiential learning.
• UC San Diego offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Data Science, launching in Fall 2026, as a collaborative degree between the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute and the Rady School of Management.

Both appear in our directory: the BS in Business Intelligence and Data Science at Indiana and the BS in Business Data Science at UC San Diego.

Joint degrees: Data Science and Business Analytics

A joint degree is one degree whose official title names data science together with another field. It is not two degrees.

UNC Charlotte's MS in Data Science and Business Analytics is an example. The university describes it as "an interdisciplinary blend of business, computer science, statistics, and operations research." According to the program page, the on-campus degree is 33 credit hours: six core courses (18 credits) including Databases for Data Scientists, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Applied Machine Learning and Strategic Business Analytics; 12 elective credits with at least one data science and one business analytics elective; and a capstone of either an internship (3 credits) or a master's thesis (6 credits).

A joint title like this can suit you if you want a technical core and business coursework in one degree. As with any program, check the required courses to see where the balance falls.

Why MSBA programs are not listed here

This directory lists data science degrees: dedicated data science degrees, joint degrees whose title names data science, and related degrees with an officially named data science concentration. A standalone MS in Business Analytics, without data science in the official degree title or a named data science option, is excluded. That is a scope rule, not a judgment of quality. Many MSBA programs are rigorous; they are simply a different degree.

In our directory (October 2026), 50 of the 217 listed programs are joint degrees, which is where titles combining data science with business, analytics or other fields appear.

Careers: two BLS occupations to read

Two BLS occupation profiles cover much of the work that business analytics and data science graduates look at.

• Data Scientists. BLS says data scientists "use analytical tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from data," including creating and testing algorithms and models and making business recommendations based on data analysis. It lists mathematics, statistics, computer science, business and engineering as common fields of degree. The median annual wage was $120,230 (May 2025), and employment is projected to grow 35 percent from 2025 to 2035.
• Operations Research Analysts. BLS says these analysts typically need at least a bachelor's degree, with fields such as operations research, business, mathematics, engineering or computer science. The median annual wage was $88,940 (May 2025), and employment is projected to grow 12 percent from 2025 to 2035.

These are national figures for occupations, not for graduates of any degree. Individual outcomes vary and are not program-specific.

Making the choice

If your goal is to apply data to decisions inside a business function and you want marketing, operations or strategy in your coursework, an MSBA or a joint degree with business content may fit. If you want to build and evaluate models, program throughout, and keep research or doctoral study open, a data science degree is the closer match. Joint degrees sit in between.

For a broader look at how analytics and data science degrees differ, see Data Science vs. Data Analytics.