Which One is Better - MBA in Finance or MBA in Marketing?

If you have decided to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, the options of the list of MBA specializations available can be a bit overwhelming. There are many things that you have to consider while choosing which area to specialize in. You have to keep in mind the earning potential, skill set and the scope of the job. To make this task a little easier for you, let’s narrow it down to the two top business fields: marketing and finance and take a look at what they both offer in order to draw a comparison between MBA in Finance and MBA in Marketing. In this article, let us compare an MBA in Finance and an MBA in Marketing and try to find out which of the two is better.

MBA in Finance vs MBA in Marketing

Let's compare MBA in Marketing vs MBA in Finance on the basis of a few parameters as listed and elaborated below:

1. Basic difference between MBA Finance and MBA Marketing

While elaborating on the difference between MBA Finance and MBA Marketing, we can say that marketing involves promotion and communication regarding various products and services with clients and customers. The focus is to increase the sales of a company and a lot of measures are taken to achieve that including advertising, public relations, corporate branding, and market research.

Finance, on the other hand, involves computation, handling investments, budgeting money and assets. A degree in finance will teach you how to manage debt and analyze financial trends.

2. Skills Required for MBA Finance vs MBA Marketing

There are a certain set of skills required for a successful career in MBA Finance and another set of skills for MBA Marketing functions. If you are good at number-crunching, have analytical skills, an inquisitive mind and problem-solving ability then MBA in finance may be a good option for you. But if you are someone who is brimming with creative ideas, possess good communication skills, and have the power to persuade others then MBA in marketing may be the right choice for you.

3. Scope of MBA Finance vs Scope of MBA Marketing

The scope after MBA in Finance and scope after MBA in Marketing is rewarding in its own ways. If you are looking at pursuing a career in the financial domain then you can choose to work in the insurance and banking sector, mutual funds, in the stock market, as an investment banker or work as a consultant. For those who are inclined towards marketing, there are a plethora of options in the hospitality, advertising, e-commerce and retail industry. Digital marketing is also a lucrative option and one can even choose to be a researcher.

4. MBA Marketing Curriculum vs MBA Finance Curriculum

Since the two specialisations are completely different from each other, there are remarkable differences between the MBA marketing curriculum and MBA finance curriculum. If you have made up your mind to pursue a career in finance, here are some things that you can expect to be a part of your curriculum. These include portfolio management, hedge funds, risk management, a study of financial institutes and markets. Those who are interested in marketing will be expected to study marketing research, digital marketing, brand management and customer relationship management.

5. Salary after MBA in Marketing vs Salary after MBA in Finance

We cannot deny the fact the students usually consider the expected salary component while choosing an MBA specialisation. Even if that is the prime criteria, one must keep in mind that the salary drawn by a candidate will vary from individual to individual and their own performance and capabilities. However, since the return on investment is an important factor, here is an approximate comparison between the salary after an MBA in Marketing and salary after MBA in Finance. Let’s take a look at the table given below to understand what is more lucrative when it comes to salary:

Note: Salary figures mentioned above may vary depending upon the academic and b-school background a candidate has and his/her performance while in a working environment.

6. MBA Finance Job Profiles vs MBA Marketing Job Profiles

The job profiles after MBA Marketing are very different from the job profiles after MBA Finance. MBA marketing is all about creativity, innovation and market image. You are expected to have a positive outlook, be enthusiastic, outgoing and have a zeal to interact with customers in order to sell or promote a product. While working in finance, you’ll be juggling with numbers and involved in forecasting, analyzing market trends and focusing on optimum utilization of resources.

7. MBA Finance vs MBA Marketing Colleges

Both, MBA Finance and MBA Marketing have good private and government colleges available. Since both courses have high popularity amidst management aspirants, many colleges for both domains are available. Given below are some of the top B-schools for both of these courses.

If you need help with admission to MBA colleges in India, you can fill the Common Application Form (CAF) or call our helpline number 18005729877.

MBA Finance and MBA Marketing Comparison

To sum it up, we have mentioned important points of comparison between MBA Finance and MBA Marketing in the table below.

Though the points listed above are helpful in drawing a comparison between MBA finance and MBA marketing, you need to consider what your interests are and which one of the two matches closely with your skillset. That will help you weigh your options and help you in making an informed decision.

Here are some other course comparison articles to help you choose the best MBA specialization.

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