Students are often confused about whether to go for an MBA or MCA after completing a BCA course. This article provides a comparison of various factors of the two courses to help you make the choice between an MBA vs MCA.

There is no shortage of options when it comes to selecting a postgraduate course for a candidate in almost any stream. This might cause some confusion in the mind of a student. Choosing the correct postgraduate course is very important for any student to ensure that they follow the correct career pathway for their goals.
Two courses that are often considered particularly by students with a background in BCA are MBA and MCA. Both MBA and MCA are professional postgraduate courses but in different streams. Both courses have an excellent career scope and potentially good salary prospects. In this case, the question that arises is whether is it equally beneficial to take up MBA or MCA after BCA?
Generally speaking, MBA is a better course for a candidate who is more inclined to take up leadership and managerial roles while MCA is more suited for a student who wishes to hone their technical skills. |
In this article, we provide a comparison between the MBA and MCA to help you make the right choice. When choosing between the two courses, it is important that you first identify your interests and define your career goals. This will not only help you in choosing the right course but also make it easier.
MBA vs MCA: About the Courses
Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a management course that imparts and nurtures managerial and administrative skills in a candidate. The course provides in-depth knowledge to a student about how by using various logical and analytical methods, they can help a business manage its various resources such as Finance or HR.
Master of Computer Applications (MCA), on the other hand, is a core technical course. It provides advanced knowledge in the core technical aspects related to computer applications. An MCA course involves the study of subjects including software development, database management, networking, various programming languages etc.
A large fraction of the students considering the choice between MBA and MCA are those with some level of work experience. It is common knowledge that having work experience is recommended for an MBA degree (it is even mandatory for some colleges or courses). There is no such conception about MCA, even though work experience before MCA is desirable for better results.
Choosing the right course is as simple as aligning it to your career goals. Let's take a look at how some key factors of the two courses compare.
MBA vs MCA: Overview
Features | MBA | MCA |
Stream | Management | Computer Application |
Duration | 2 years | 3 years |
Eligibility | Graduate in any stream | BCA / BSc / BCom / BA |
Admission Process | Entrance Exam + GD / PI | State / University-level Entrance Exam |
Popular Colleges | ||
Average Course Fee | Rs. 5 lakhs | Rs. 2 - 3 lakhs |
Average Salary | Rs. 7.64 LPA | Rs. 7.59 LPA |
Also Read | MBA Admission Process in India | All about the MCA Admission Process |
MBA vs MCA Specializations
Here are some of the top specializations for MBA and MCA in India.
MBA Specializations | MCA Specializations |
Computer Science etc. | Systems Development Software Development Management Information Systems Networking Hardware Technology etc. |
Also Read:List of MBA Specializations and How to Choose
MBA vs MCA: Course Curriculum
The exact course curriculum of MBA and MCA depends upon the specialization. Here is a comparison of some of the subjects included in an MBA (IT) and MCA courses.
MBA Curriculum | MCA Curriculum |
Software Project Management Information Systems Management Database Management Business and Legal Environment Financial Management Business System Design etc. | Information Systems Design Database Management Systems Management Support Systems Software Engineering Programming and Data Structure Accounting and Management Control etc. |
Also Read:MBA Subjects and Syllabus
MBA vs MCA: Career Scope
An MBA makes you eligible for some of the top-level administrative positions in the business. MBA is one of the most in-demand courses today and MBA graduates earn some of the best salary packages in any industry. Plus, since subjects such as Finance, Accounting, Marketing etc. are common across industries, MBA is a very versatile degree and can open up career prospects in a wide range of sectors.
Some of the job profiles available for MBA graduates include the following.
Job Profiles | Average Annual Salary |
Rs. 6.95 lakhs | |
Finance Manager | Rs. 9.94 lakhs |
Rs. 5.99 lakhs | |
Rs. 3.56 lakhs |
Also Read:Government Jobs after MBA
The case with MCA is quite different since it is a highly specialized course that targets technical aspects of the software development and IT industry. MCA graduates are hired for roles which include writing software, providing custom software solutions for a client's needs, taking care of the networking requirements of a client, managing the IT department of a business etc. MCA graduates are generally hired in tech-based or software development companies.
Some of the popular job profiles for MCA graduates are given below.
Job Profile | Average Annual Salary |
Software Developer | Rs. 4.94 lakhs |
Rs. 2.82 lakhs | |
Rs. 5.29 lakhs | |
Database Manager | Rs. 14.15 lakhs |
Network Engineer | Rs. 3.24 lakhs |
MBA vs MCA: Salary
The salary prospects for MBA and MCA courses are compared in the table below.
Course | Entry-Level | Mid-Level | Top-Level |
MBA | Rs. 5 - 6 LPA | Rs. 8 - 10 LPA | Rs. 12+ LPA |
MCA | Rs. 4 - 5 LPA | Rs. 8 - 9 LPA | Rs. 10 + LPA |
MBA vs MCA: Which is better?
Now that we have seen how the basic aspects of each course compare, let's analyse which course is better suited for which type of candidate.
Feature | MBA | MCA |
Type of Job | MBA jobs are more outgoing in nature and can range from a variety of tasks including:
| MCA jobs can be considered to have more of a desk job feel as compared to the MBA. It is a good course for a technically-sound candidate and includes the following tasks:
|
Ideal Skill Set |
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|
Hiring Sectors |
|
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Returns | MBA is generally an expensive course but offers good returns straight from the start. The starting salary for MBA graduates can be pretty decent if you do it from a good college. | MCA is a generally inexpensive course with almost equal salary prospects as MBA. While the starting salaries can be a bit low but it does increase quite a bit with experience. |
It is very important to consider each and every aspect of a course before making a final choice. Carefully analyse your interests, skills and think of where you see yourself working down the line. Here are some other articles to help you choose the right postgraduate course.
Related Articles | |
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