Studies show that about two in every five Americans have at least a four-year degree. For many students, seeking higher education doesn’t stop at a bachelor’s.

After your four-year degree, you may seek a graduate degree. These degrees are most often called master’s degrees, which cover a broad spectrum. Two of the most popular options are MBA vs Master’s degrees.

If you’re curious about which of these paths is the right one for your career development, we’re here to help. Read on for a thorough guide on these degrees and how they’ll affect your future. We’ll also discuss how to decide which path is best for you.

MBA Vs Master’s: What Is An MBA?

MBA is short for Master of Business Administration. As the name suggests, this is a graduate degree that focuses solely on the business world.

Seeking an MBA is an exceptionally popular choice for many business majors. Most MBA programs will require a related undergraduate degree for acceptance. However, there are many exceptions, such as some MBA paths being a great fit for psychology, English, and other paths.

An MBA is a great way to find your way up the rungs of the ladder in the business world. It also has a great deal of variety in what other industries you’ll have options in.

Coursework

To start, what sort of coursework will you deal with in an MBA? Since it’s a graduate path for the business world, the vast majority of classes will focus on business, marketing, finance, and similar fields.

Here at Notre Dame de Namur University, our MBA is a 36-unit program. These 36 units are earned through 12 courses, which fall under four categories. These categories are Foundational, Analytical, Strategy, and Practice.

For your Foundational courses, we’ll task you with the baseline knowledge you’ll need for an MBA. These courses are Organizational and Management Theory, Legal and Ethical Dimensions, and Market Plan and Analysis.

While handling these classes, you’ll tackle your Analytical courses. These are Management Foundations, Management Accounting, and Corporate Financial Management.

Our Strategy and Practice sections are more varied and customizable. For Strategy, students will select three courses from our set of specialized electives. These help you learn how to make evidence-based business decisions.

Finally, our Practice courses function similarly. Here, you’ll pick three other specialized electives that focus on learning from experts. These courses give you the ability to create your own solutions to the challenges you’ll face.

Our coursework is a cut above what many other MBA programs will offer. However, you can expect somewhat similar coursework, should you choose to go with a different institution.

Potential Job Offerings

After you’ve finished your MBA, what sort of job offerings are available? Career development is one of the most important reasons to seek higher education.

Your job outlook will lead to management and administration in most cases. For other positions, you can often find the same jobs that you can find with a BA. However, due to your higher education, you have strong negotiation power for increasing your salary.

Some of the most popular jobs are:

• Accountant
• Marketing Management
• Logistics Management
• Business Operations Manager
• Budget and Financial Analyst

Another excellent option is to move into consulting. Many companies and firms will hire a business consultant to look over their business and see where improvement is possible or necessary. These positions are often high-paying and populated by people with graduate or post-graduate degrees.

Popularity

The MBA is currently the most popular graduate degree in the United States. Mostly, this is because it covers an immense breadth of job opportunities, careers, industries, and available positions. There are few non-specialist fields that an MBA won’t excel in.

The MBA has been the most popular graduate degree since about 2010. Currently, there are about a quarter-million graduate students chasing MBAs. While this number fluctuates, it always remains above other graduate options.

MBAs are particularly popular among business executives, which is far from surprising. According to a Fortune article from the summer of 2023, nearly 40% of Fortune 1000 executives have an MBA. Many of the employees of these companies also have MBAs.

MBA Vs Master’s: What Is A Master’s?

One place of confusion for some graduate students is the difference between an MBA and a Master’s. Master’s is a much broader category that is often used to refer to any graduate degree.

One of the most popular of these is the Master of Science (MS). These programs are popular in the business world as well, often focusing on sciences like advertisement, psychology, and more. Most often, these are useful for marketing or human resources positions.

In the business world, if someone refers solely to a Master’s, they often mean an MA program. These programs often focus on business management, but do so by focusing solely on one specific topic.

For example, an MA program might focus on data, finance, or digital marketing. These programs help make the student a specialist in those fields, rather than in business as a whole.

Since they’re still closely related to an MBA, these programs have similar coursework and job offerings. However, they vary immensely based on the specialization in question, as well as where you’re studying.

Coursework

Currently, our programs do not include a flat MA option. An excellent alternative that still falls under the same umbrella is our MS program. The Master of Science in Technology Management (MS TM) program is an exceptional Master of Science choice.

Like our MBA, the MS TM is a 36-unit 12-course program. These courses are split into Foundational, Infrastructure Service, Management, and Technology.

Your Foundational courses are required core classes. These three are Accounting and Finance for Technology Managers, Modern System Architecture and Cloud Computing, and Ethics in Technology Management.

Infrastructure Service (IS) classes are also required. These are DevSecOps (development security operations), Systems Management, and Agile/Product discovery.

Your electives fall under the Management and Technology categories. For each, you’ll choose three courses from a list of specialized electives. These are designed to help you build a foundation in these categories.

Potential Job Offerings

Your job offerings for an MA will focus on your specialization. If you focus on management, expect management positions, for example.

Many MAs will also focus on human resources, IT services, and more. As such, you should chase an MA in these fields if you intend to chase this career path.

As such, it’s difficult to highlight things like job offerings, potential earnings, and more. Your results will vary drastically depending on what field you choose to specialize in.

Popularity

Due to the variety of paths available, finding an exact number of graduate degree holders with this path is tough. Some studies show that, as of 2019, roughly 13% of students obtained a graduate or post-graduate degree.

The majority of these degrees are MA degrees, which these programs fall under. They’re excellent if you’re specializing in a field that you want to dedicate your career to.

If you have intentions of branching out, you may prefer an MBA. These degrees and certificates allow you to explore a broader industry rather than focusing on one specialization.

Should you prefer an MA or MS, we suggest our MS TM program. Our coursework is flexible and gives you the foundation you need for any technology-related business field.

Types of MBA Degrees

Now that we’ve highlighted what each of these degrees are, what sorts of degrees are available in each category? When choosing your preference for an MBA vs. Master’s, it’s critical to know what paths are available to you.

Here are four of the most common paths for an MBA.

Finance

Finance MBAs focus heavily on the finance side of business. As such, they’re exceptionally popular among the more money-centric sides of business.

Many banking executives focus on finance for obvious reasons, but there’s more at work than just executive pathways. Finance is popular for marketing, budgeting, and many similar paths.

Finance is also a broad subject, helping MBA students who choose this path branch out. It’s closely tied to economics and similar fields.

Accounting

Accounting is one of the largest industries in the business world. Accounting deals with many things, but is generally tied closely to finance. As such, there’s a heavy overlap between these two fields.

Accounting is both internal and external. You may choose this path if you’re seeking to work on the accounting team of a specific company.

Another popular field for this path is consulting and budgeting. Due to accounting’s close ties with finances, there are few doors that this pathway closes.

Global

A Global MBA will focus on international business management. These are similar to a conventional MBA program but have a much stronger emphasis on broader business practices. 

Global MBAs are often paired with accounting and finance. For example, a global accounting pathway could help you work on the international tax team of a company.

It’s also a great path if you’re planning on working overseas or intend to travel. Global focuses help you learn more than just the conventional MBA path, letting you flourish in any setting.

Executive

Finally, an Executive MBA focuses on furthering and jumpstarting your career development. These MBAs are typically engaged once someone is already in their business field.

You may choose an EMBA if you have several years of experience in your career. They’ll help you grow your management skills and work toward leadership positions.

Typically, people chasing an EMBA intend to make business their permanent career path. These degrees help you work toward joining management and leadership teams, such as the board of directors for a company. They’re focused mostly on interpersonal and intercompany skills.

Types of Master’s Degrees

MA and MS degrees are much more varied than MBAs, making it so that there are many more programs available. It’s important to consider what you want to chase for your career development before picking an MA or MS.

One benefit is that many companies and employers are pleased to see an employee with a graduate education. As such, simply having an MA or MS is often enough to increase your competitiveness in the workplace. The same is true for negotiations for salary.

Still, it’s best to pick a program that will directly benefit you. Here are some of the most common MA, MS, and post-grad programs.

Graduate and Post-Graduate

“Graduate” refers to any degree that one explores beyond the standard four-year degree. Anything post-Bachelors falls under this category.

Post-Graduate is anything beyond the graduate level. Graduate programs are often six-year degrees when considering everything. The duration includes the two-year associate program, the two-year bachelor’s, and the two-year master’s.

Post-graduate programs are typically doctoral programs. The most well-known is the Philosophy Doctorate, or Ph. D.

Post-graduate programs vary immensely in time, coursework, and more. They’re typically programs with a high specificity on what you’ll study. Most often, they’re done in tandem with working professionally and take several years at a minimum.

Master of Science (MS)

In the business world, the Master of Science that’s most common is Science in Management. These are often shorter than an MBA but are in high demand.

The average MBA is roughly 72 credit hours, depending on your institution. These can take two or three years to complete. Our MBA is a significantly faster track, but these averages are common.

An MS, by contrast, is about 36 credit hours. Generally, this evens out to roughly 9-12 courses, depending on capstone requirements. Again, this varies by program, institution, path, individual student, and more.

An MS in management focuses on marketing, business management, leadership, and data communication. There are also many courses that highlight finances.

These degrees teach business and project management and focus on global business challenges. Overall, they’re a fantastic counterpart to an MBA and are often what someone is referring to if they say MS in the business world.

Non-Master’s

Some graduate programs don’t fall under the category of MA or MS. These aren’t common but are prevalent enough to keep in mind.

The most common form for this is a certificate rather than a degree. These are most often called graduate certificates.

A certificate is a smaller investment in time and money than a full degree. They often require the completion of a handful of graduate-level courses rather than an entire program. The average amount of courses is about four.

All institutions don’t offer these degrees. They focus heavily on a narrow topic or field, allowing you to specialize in that topic. As such, they’re useful for that field but rarely have a broad set of job outlooks.

Specialized

Finally, a specialized graduate program is rather self-explanatory. These are graduate programs that have a strict and narrow focus on one topic or field.

These degrees go more in-depth than a graduate certificate will. As such, they’re still fully-fledged MA, MBA, or MS programs. You should expect the same volume of coursework as a standard graduate program.

These programs are a great choice if you intend to dedicate your career development to your current field. They’re often EMBAs as well, making them ideal if you’re attempting to move “up the ladder,” so to speak.

MBA Vs Master’s: Which Is Right For You?

With a better understanding of what sorts of options are available, how can you decide which program is right for you? Whether you’re focusing on your career path or seeking higher education for personal fulfillment, knowing your goals on the offset is critical. 

Here are some of the most important factors to consider during your decision-making.

Career Development

Career development is one of the most common reasons for someone to seek higher education. A standard four-year degree will open most doors in the professional world.

However, there are some positions that are only obtainable with a graduate or post-graduate degree. These are often leadership, executive, or management positions.

In some companies, you may have luck working up to these positions with experience and dedication. Still, it’s often a good idea to seek a graduate degree to make sure as many doors are open as possible.

Necessary Income

Another critical thing to consider is what sort of income you desire. Many people enter the business industry with income in mind. While some people don’t prefer to focus on income, having a desired income is common.

If you’re supporting your family, having a higher income isn’t a luxury. Depending on where you live, the standard of living may make a high income a necessity. A six-figure income in New York City isn’t quite the same as in places with a low cost of living, for example.

An MBA opens many doors that have similar income levels. Many people will chase an EMBA for the higher-paying executive positions that come along with the degree.

Other fields, like accounting, finance, tax, and consulting are excellent choices for a high income. There are also positions like IT and management that provide room for growth. These positions may not have the highest starting salaries but have ceilings higher than competing positions.

The best first step is to calculate what sort of income you need to feel comfortable. Your needs will change depending on dozens of personal factors, from preferences and goals to your budding family.

Consider these needs and look into which field you want to enter. From there, consider what program best suits your chosen path.

If you’re uncertain, then the NDNU MBA program is an excellent choice. Our program is broad enough to keep the doors to several fields and industries open. We’ll provide you with everything necessary to grow in these fields and it’s offered both in hybrid and fully online formats.

Geographical Location

Another important thing to consider is what programs are available near you. Not every institution offers every program. Your preferred institution may not offer the degree or program you want, forcing you to look into other options.

For some students, the opposite is true. You may have a strong preference for your local or in-state tuition and no preference for a path. It’s not uncommon to choose your program based on what your institution has available.

A great way around this is to look into online programs. However, for some students, it’s critical to have a hands-on and in-person program. These programs are also better for networking.

As such, the best choice is a blend of both, as you can then take the benefits of each style of learning. Our programs offer a blend of in-person and online learning to provide real-time engagement with instructors and classmates. These classes take place in Belmont, CA, and serve the entire greater Bay Area region.

Quality of Life

Graduate programs are far from easy. For most students, it’s important to also keep up full or part-time employment while chasing a graduate degree.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed or to struggle with the immense workload. Managing these two factors at once creates a strong need for a healthy work-life balance.

You should consider this before jumping into your degree. How many credit hours can you handle at once, and will your program offer flexibility?

Our hybrid or fully online courses are ideal for ensuring a high quality of life. Without the need to commute to every class, the online learning modules help to ensure you have enough time to handle everything on your plate.

Education

Finally, you’ll need to consider your previous education. You’ll also want to think of your future education goals.

Some graduate programs have requirements before you can join them. An MBA may require a BA in business, for example.

Look into what the prerequisites for your program are before you apply. If you’re still working on your undergraduate career, you should look into what future degrees will require.

Consider what your graduate degree can help you accomplish later. If you’re chasing a doctorate, that may affect what MA path you choose.

Choosing Your Higher Education

The choice between MBA vs Master’s is a personal one informed by your goals, desires, preferences, and capabilities. No matter which you pick, Notre Dame de Namur University is happy to provide you with your path to success.

With over 100 years of service in Belmont, NDNU is pleased to offer multiple graduate paths. Our MBA, MPA, and MSTM programs are among the best in the nation. Contact us today to discuss your application and future with Notre Dame de Namur University. You can reach an Admissions Counselor at: 650-508-3600