MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ANALYTICS
Benchmarking Student Outcomes
Michael Rappa Director and Distinguished University Professor
Institute for Advanced Analytics North Carolina State University
January 2012
The MSA program aims to be the leader in Analytics education at a level comparable to graduate programs offered at the nation’s top universities.
Four benchmarks:
1. Master of Information Systems Management at Carnegie Mellon
2. Master of Operations Research and Information Engineering at Cornell
3. Master of Finance at MIT
4. Top-ranking MBA programs at public universities
BENCHMARK #1 – Carnegie Mellon
How do MSA graduates fare relative to graduates of the Master of Information Systems Management at Carnegie Mellon, the nation’s top ranked university for Information Technology and Management?
Comparing the MSA to the Master of Information Systems Management (MISM)
• both have intensive one-year formats
• both cover a similar, but not identical mix of business and technical subjects
• both are comparable in size and academic profile of student cohort
• MISM was established in 1997, a decade prior to the MSA (2007)
Basis for MSA/MISM comparison:
• base starting salary
• job placement rate
• employers
• positions filled
• cost of tuition
• student demographics
Average starting salary of MSA and MISM graduates (with experience)
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000
2008 2009 2010 2011
MSAMISM
Source of MISM data from program website. MISM data based on May grads (experienced cohort) with data for experienced MSA grads.
Job placement rates of MSA and MISM graduates
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2008 2009 2010 2011
MSAMISM
Source of MISM data from program website; data for May graduates at time of survey.
AIGArgus InformationAribaBank of TokyoBeijing TelecomChevronCisco SystemsDeloitte ConsultingDeutsche BankEpicErnst & YoungEyeSee360Eze Castle SoftwareGCE FederalGetAbbyGoogleIBMLehigh UniversityLinked-InLockheed MartinLutronMedalliaMerck
MicrosoftMicrostrategyMizuho Financial GroupNextJumpNorthrop GrummanOraclePNC BankPricewaterhouseCoopersPropelRevenue SolutionsRicoh American CompanySEECSocial Security AdministrationSunTrust BankTeach for AmericaThe Bank of New York MellonTIBCOTmaxsoftVocollectWells FargoYahoo!Zynga
AcxiomAlltel WirelessAmazon.comBank of AmericaBarclaysBCBSNCBooz Allen HamiltonCACapital OneCharles SchwabConstellation EnergyCrossbit Solutionsd-WiseDeloitte ConsultingDeluxe CorporationDeticaDuke UniversityElder ResearchEpocratesFamily DollarFive x FiveFood Lion
Futures CompanyHSBC FinanceIBMJohnson & JohnsonKnowledge FoundryLabcorpMaxPointNetJetsQuaero/CSGQualcommQuintilesRBC BankRTI InternationalSanofi PasteurSAS InstituteSharefileT-MobileThe Body ShopTravelers InsuranceUNC–Chapel HillWells FargoWerum Software
MSA Employers MISM Employers
AssociateAssociate ConsultantAutomation EngineerConsultantCRM DeveloperIS Leadership DevelopmentIT ConsultantJunior Software DeveloperManagerPayments ArchitectProduct ManagerProgram ManagerSenior AnalystSenior Applications EngineerSenior ConsultantSenior DirectorSenior EngineerSenior Product Manager
Software DeveloperSoftware EngineerSoftware Quality EngineerSolutions ManagerStaff AdvisorSystems SupportTeam LeaderTechnical AnalystTechnical StaffTechnology AdvisorTechnology Analyst
AnalystAnalytic EngineerAnalytics AnalystApplications AnalystApplications DeveloperApplied StatisticianBiostatisticianBusiness AnalystBusiness Intelligence EngineerBusiness Technology AnalystChief, Quantitative Methods SectionConsultantCredit Risk AnalystData Mining AnalystDirector of AnalyticsDirector, Quantitative AnalyticsDirector, Web AnalyticsE-Commerce Business AnalystFraud AnalystInformatics AnalystLecturerLife Sciences ConsultantManagerManager, Forecasting and AnalyticsManager, Pricing and AnalyticsManager, Strategy and Analytics
Marketing AnalystMarketing ConsultantMarketing Database AnalystOperations Research AnalystPrincipalPrincipal ConsultantProgrammer/AnalystProject ManagerQuantitative Management AssociateResearch AnalystResearch StatisticianRisk AnalystRisk Solutions ArchitectSAS Analyst, Promotional PlanningSAS ProgrammerSenior AnalystSenior Business AnalystSenior ConsultantSenior Decision Science AnalystSenior Health Outcomes AnalystSenior SAS AnalystStatistical AnalystStrategic Business AnalystSystems EngineerTechnical SpecialistVP Risk Analytics
MSA Positions MISM Positions
Cost of tuition for MSA and MISM in 2011-12
$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
MSA MISM
NC residentNon-resident
Source of MISM data from program website. As a private university, it does not have a separate resident tuition rate.
Summary Comparison for Class of 2011
MSA MISM
Average Base Salary $88,500 $90,200
Job Placement Rate (90-days of graduation)
100% 93%
Tuition (2011-12) $14,000 /$29,000
$60,700
Source of MISM data from program web site. Source of MISM data from program web site. Source of MISM data from program web site.
Comparison of Student Demographics(Class of ‘08, ‘09 and ‘10 average)
MSA MISM
U.S. Citizens 80% 17%
Women 45% 35%
Class Size 38 30
Data are based on 3-year averages. Source of MISM data from program web site. Data are based on 3-year averages. Source of MISM data from program web site. Data are based on 3-year averages. Source of MISM data from program web site.
BENCHMARK #2 – Cornell
How do MSA graduates fare relative to graduates of Cornell’s M.Eng. in Operations Research and Information Engineering, which is consistently placed among a handful of leading programs worldwide?
Comparing the MSA to the Masters of Engineering in Operations Research and Information Engineering (ORIE)
• both are intensive one-year programs
• both cover a similar, but not identical mix of business and technical subjects (OR, data analytics, and financial engineering)
• both are comparable in size and academic profile of student cohort
• ORIE was established several decades prior to the MSA.
Basis for MSA/ORIE comparison:
• base starting salary
• job placement rate
• cost of tuition
• student demographics
Average starting salary of MSA and ORIE graduates
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000
2008 2009 2010 2011
MSAORIE
Source of ORIE data from program website; ORIE data for 2011 preliminary.
Job placement rates of MSA and ORIE graduates
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2008 2009 2010 2011
MSAORIE
Data is placement at 6 months after graduation. Source of ORIE data from program website; ORIE data for 2011 preliminary.
Cost of tuition for MSA and ORIE in 2011-12
$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
MSA ORIE
Source of ORIE data from program website. ORIE does not have a separate resident tuition rate, and take 2-3 semesters to complete.
Resident
Non-Resident
Twosemesters
Threesemesters
Summary Comparison of MSA with ORIE
MSA ORIE
Average Base Salary (2010) $83,500 $72,300
Job Placement Rate (2010)(90-days of graduation)
97% 83%
Tuition (2011-12)$14,000 /$29,000
$41,000/62,000
Source of ORIE data from program web site. Source of ORIE data from program web site. Source of ORIE data from program web site.
Comparison of Student DemographicsClass of 2011
MSA ORIE
US Citizens 85% 33%
Women 45% 24%
Class Size 40 38*
Average U-GPA 3.5 3.6
*Does not include Financial Engineering majors. ORIE data from program web site. *Does not include Financial Engineering majors. ORIE data from program web site. *Does not include Financial Engineering majors. ORIE data from program web site.
BENCHMARK #3 – MIT
How do MSA graduates fare relative to the Master of Finance graduates at MIT Sloan?
Comparing the MSA to the Master of Finance (MFIN)
• both are intensive one-year programs (summer-fall-spring)
• both have a strong quantitative/analytical focus
• both have a similar number of students
• MFIN was established in 2009, two years after the MSA (2007)
Basis for MSA/MFIN comparison:
• starting salary
• job placement
• employers
• cost of tuition
• student demographics
Average starting salary of MSA and MFIN graduates in 2010.
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000
2010 2011
MSAMFIN
Source of MFIN data from program website.
Job placement rate at graduation for MSA and MFIN
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2010 2011
MSAMFIN
Source of MFIN data from program website.
School-facilitated*job placement for MSA and MFIN graduates in 2010.
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2010 2011
MSAMFIN
*Placed with help of the program/school; source of MFIN data from program website.
Bank of AmericaBarclays Capital BlackRock BNP ParibasBooz & Co Boston Consulting Group Cambridge AssociatesCITICredit Suisse DeloitteDeutsche BankFEIS TradingGeneral Motors GETCOGoldman Sachs ICICI Equity ResearchJane St
AcxiomAlltel WirelessAmazon.comBank of AmericaBarclaysBooz Allen HamiltonBlue Cross Blue Shield of NCCACapital OneCharles SchwabConstellation EnergyCrossbit Solutionsd-WiseDeloitteDeluxe CorporationDeticaDuke UniversityEpocratesFamily DollarFive x FiveFood LionFutures Company
HanesbrandsHSBC FinanceIBMJohnson & Johnson Co.Knowledge FoundryLaboratory Corporation of AmericaNetJetsQuaero/CSGQualcommQuintilesRBC BankRTI InternationalSAS InstituteSouthern CompanySharefileT-MobileThe Body Shop InternationalTravelers InsuranceUNC–Chapel HillVerizon WirelessWells FargoWerum Software and Systems
MSA Employers MFIN EmployersJPMorgan ChaseMcKinsey & Co.Morgan StanleyNico Holdings, LLC Novo Nordisk Oliver Wyman Opera Solutions PRTM Raymond James RBS Sambreel Holdings Scout Capital Standard Chartered WholesaleOC&C Strategy Consultants State Street BankUBS Financial Services Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors
Cost of tuition for MSA and MFIN in 2011-12
$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
MSA MFIN
NC residentNon-resident
Source of MFIN data from program website. As a private university, it does not have a separate resident tuition rate.
Summary Comparison for Class of 2011
MSA MFIN
Number of Graduates 39 57
Seeking Employment 39 47
Average Base Salary $81,500 $84,900
Salary Range $60,000-140,000
$30,000-140,000
Placement by Graduation 97% 85%
Source of MFIN data from program web site. Source of MFIN data from program web site. Source of MFIN data from program web site.
Comparison of Student DemographicsClass of 2011 Profile
MSA MFIN
U.S. Citizens 85% 15%
Average Age 28 24
Female 45% 31%
Average U-GPA 3.50 3.78
Class Size 40 58
Source of MFIN data from program web site. Source of MFIN data from program web site. Source of MFIN data from program web site.
BENCHMARK #4 – MBA
How do MSA graduates fare relative to comparably-sized top-ranking MBA programs at public universities?
The MSA is not intended to mirror the conventional business education. However, data collected by polling organizations provide an opportunity to compare MSA student outcomes with MBA programs.
Chosen for comparison are the highest ranking full-time MBA programs in the US News & World Report poll for 2012, that are:
(1) located at public universities, and
(2) have small cohort sizes (less than 80)
The schools are:
#21 - University of Minnesota–Twin Cities (UMN)
#27 - Arizona State University (ASU)
#28 - Georgia Institute of Technology (GT)
#28 - University of California–Davis (UCD)
Basis for MSA/MBA comparison:
• cohort size
• admissions acceptance rate
• base starting salary
• job placement rate
• tuition & fees
Cohort Size for MSA compared to MBA programs.
0
20
40
60
80
100
MSA UCD GT UMN ASU
Source of MBA data: US News and World Report, April 2011.
Acceptance rate of MSA applicants compared to MBA programs.
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
GT UCD MSA ASU UMN
Source of MBA data: US News and World Report, April 2011.
Average starting base salary of MSA graduates compared to MBA programs.
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000
GT ASU MSA UMN UCD
Source of MBA data: US News and World Report, April 2011; MSA data for experienced candidates, which is the norm for top MBA programs.
MSA employment at graduation compared to MBA programs.
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
MSA GT UCD UMN ASU
Source of MBA data from US News and World Report, April 2011
MSA placement at graduation has been 90% or greater in each of the past four years.
MSA tuition & fees compared to MBA programs, 2011-12.
Figures are for total cost of degree.
$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
MSA ASU GT UMN UCD
ResidentNon-resident
Source of MBA data: US News and World Report, April 2011.
1. University of California–Berkeley (#7 in overall rank)2. University of Virginia (#13)3. University of California–Los Angeles (#14)4. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor (#14)5. University of Texas–Austin (#17)6. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill (#19)7. University of Minnesota–Twin Cities (#21)8. Indiana University (#24)9. Ohio State University (#25)10. Arizona State University (#27)11. Georgia Institute of Technology (#28)12. University of California–Davis (#28)13. University of Wisconsin–Madison (#28)
⎧⎨⎩
MSA studentoutcomes
Top MBA programs at public universities:
MSA graduates fare relatively well to comparably-sized top-ranking MBA programs at public universities, with competitive salaries, higher placement rates, lower tuition, and half the time to degree completion.
