Data Science vs Business Analytics: Which Path Should You Choose?
Choosing between becoming a business analyst or a data scientist can be tough. The fields are related to each other and both offer plenty of opportunity for hardworking and creative professionals to earn a healthy salary and find fulfilling, meaningful and challenging work.
It’s exactly because there are so many opportunities in these areas that you should be clear about what you hope to achieve in the field.
MS in Business Analytics vs MS in Data Science
At Adelphi University, we offer a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics and Data Science. This program is ideal for problem-solvers who love and excel at mathematics and statistics. The skills learned in this area have applications in everything from engineering to quantitative finance.
We also offer a Master of Science in Business Analytics. This area of study teaches students to understand and solve business problems using data and mathematical techniques. It opens the doors to a wide variety of occupations in an almost limitless array of industries.
How is Business Analytics different from Data Science?
Data science is an interdisciplinary field in which practitioners use the scientific method and mathematics to extract useful insights from data.
Business analytics is a particular flavor of data science, in which professionals use data science to uncover actionable business intelligence from the data collected by, and available to, a company.
The difference between data science and business analytics is at once smaller and larger than you might think. On one hand, the two deal with very different outputs: Data scientists are concerned with answers to mathematical problems, while business analysts are concerned with answers to business questions. But on the other hand, there’s a great deal of overlap between these two disciplines.
Data Science vs Business Analytics Curriculum
Data science curricula are typically focused on a combination of mathematics and computer languages, such as R and Python. Because students who graduate from these programs must be proficient in finding, cleaning, processing and interpreting large amounts of data, they typically also learn to work with databases of varying sizes.
Business analytics curricula are typically focused on a combination of mathematics and computer languages on the one hand, and general business knowledge on the other. Since business analysts are expected to know how to understand and apply insights gleaned from data to real business problems, a combination of technical and business skills is taught in these programs.
Data Science vs Business Analytics Program Cost
A Master of Science in Data Science and a Master of Science in Business Analytics will typically be approximately the same tuition. Of course, there might be some variation depending on the specific program you pursue, but, since they are often the same type of degree, their cost is often similar.
Is A Career As A Business Analyst or Data Scientist Better?
The answer to this question really depends on how deeply into the data you wish to dive. “Pure” data scientists typically deal with problems that can best be described in terms of mathematics or computer programming. Business analysts, on the other hand, usually deal with problems that can best be described in business terms.
Data science is the more desirable path for those people who can’t get enough of math, computer programming and data. Business analytics is best for those folks who like to apply what they learn from data to real-world business issues.
Which is better: data science or business analytics?
Neither data science nor business analytics are “better” than the other. There’s no business analyst vs. data scientist competition. Instead, they’re two unique disciplines with corresponding strengths and limitations. The things a business analyst can do are different than the things a data scientist can do, and vice versa.
Data Scientist vs Business Analyst salary
Salaries for both data scientists and business analysts are relatively high and generally increasing. There is significant overlap between the two disciplines with respect to compensation, but they are also both highly variable. Your salary as a data scientist or a business analyst will depend more on your employer and experience and skill levels than your job title.