Which is better: MBA in marketing or an MBA in finance?

Which MBA is best: Finance or Marketing?

Which one is a better choice: an MBA in Marketing or an MBA in Finance? To help you with deciding which type of MBA to pursue, we asked MBAs, CEOs, and business leaders for their best insights.

Here are sixteen answers to whether a MBA in Finance or an MBA in Marketing is best:

01

MBA in Finance

It is better to use school for learning subjects that don’t change very much. Mathematics literally means “the things that must be learned,” referring to those facts that must be part of a structured course of study, not likely to be obtained in the normal course of life. Although not exactly pure math, finance is a much better fit for such a definition than marketing, as there is an internal logic to the system that takes time to master. Although you will learn hard financial lessons that make you wise in life, you can get a good foundation through a traditional course of study.By contrast, marketing is constantly evolving, with new approaches and technologies arising every year. The history of marketing is a history of change. Although there are foundational concepts, the rules of the game constantly shift with new trends, technology, and demographics. It is better to get a general grounding in the subject and then in your work learn the specific skills that marketing demands.

Both Are Great, but It Depends…

The answer depends on what your undergraduate degree is. If your undergraduate degree is in finance or accounting, then get your MBA in marketing. If your undergraduate degree is in marketing or business, then get your MBA in finance. Having diverse educational experiences will be valuable as you work your way up in your career. If you go deep in 1 subject, yes, you may be an expert in that area, but how well will you genuinely understand other functions?

Bernadette Grattan, Accounting & Finance Recruiting Director, The Resource Link, Inc.

02

Which Choice Allows You to Be the Most Creative?

The choice between an MBA in Marketing or an MBA in Finance is a matter of which one allows that creative side of your brain the most connectivity to other disciplines. Marketing and Finance, both, have their foundational content that is true, no matter what. We gravitate toward the content that allows us to articulate and reinforce that truth. What matters is how much room does each discipline allow for creative exploration in order to build in innovation.

03

Marketing Career Has More Upside

Marketing is a better choice because the ceiling is higher and the space is wider. You have more freedom for creativity when you choose marketing as a career. In the beginning, you’re probably going to have some restrictions. If you’re selling an established brand, you’re probably going to have to stick to a script or adhere to a few restrictions. The further you go, the more leeway you have. You’ll earn excellence equity along the way. Maybe you’ll even join a fledgling brand, one that you’ll create a marketing strategy for. That’s where I wound up – and it’s a place that I wouldn’t have wound up had I earned an MBA in finance.

04

Learn Why Finance Destroys Marketing as a Degree

JKJK! Marketing does more than teach you how to write click-baity titles. Both can be valuable and in most cases I would recommend following your passion. But if it is a toss up – Finance should be the winner every time.Finance teaches an aspect of the numbers-side of business that becomes more valuable the higher your position within an organization. At the Senior level a competence in budgeting and forecasting is a huge asset. Finance also has the perception of being a more challenging degree. Having that listed on your LinkedIn or resume automatically receives some associative properties of being good with numbers, smart, and hard working. Source: I received a Finance-emphasis MBA and am now a Director of Marketing.

05

I Would Recommend the Mba in Finance

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best MBA program for an individual depends on their specific goals and interests. However, if I had to choose between an MBA in marketing or finance, I would recommend the MBA in finance. The reason for this is that finance is a more versatile degree that can lead to a variety of different career paths. For example, with an MBA in finance, you could go into investment banking, financial planning, or even entrepreneurship. Marketing is a more specialized field, and therefore an MBA in marketing may limit your career options down the road.

06

The Array of Options An Mba in Finance Offers

An individual should choose an MBA based on which specialization they feel they are best suited for. However, I feel that an MBA in finance opens more employment options, and offers a more fruitful return than an MBA in marketing. Having an MBA in finance opens the door to various departments in the finance industry. In addition to the banking industry, an individual with an MBA in finance can work in corporate finance, financial management companies, mutual funds organizations, and the stock market sector, just to name a few options. Individuals with this MBA are also qualified to open their own financial consulting business. There is no shortage of individuals looking for financial advice. If this is your niche, then you can provide people with accurate knowledge about their finances, and be a great representation of everyone working in the finance world.

07

It Depends On Your Long Term Career Goals

I believe an MBA in finance is better because it’s going to be more practical. Marketing is something that you can learn faster by doing.An MBA in finance will teach you how to manage money and make your company more profitable. You will learn skills such as accounting, finance, and business strategy. You will also have the opportunity to network with other professionals in the field. An MBA in marketing will teach you how to reach your audience and sell your products. You will learn skills such as marketing, communications, and leadership. You will also have the opportunity to network with other professionals in the field. Ultimately, it depends on what you want to do. If you want to be a manager or leader in a company that sells products or services, then an MBA in finance is better for you. If you want to market products or services, then an MBA in marketing is better for you.

08

Finance

An MBA in finance is a slightly better choice among the two. Finance forms the backbone of any business or industry. It also potentially offers a lot more opportunities in the public sector. Also, if you are not a great people person and tend to work alone, finance is a great option for you. It’s mostly a desk job. Even if your graduation was not related to business and finance, this course would add great value to you and open several new growth opportunities.

09

Mba in Finance Teaches You Specialized Skills

MBA in marketing vs MBA in finance is an age old debate and in my opinion the latter holds a greater significance when it comes to job potential as well as corporate growth. One of the reasons for this is the sheer number of individuals that posses MBA in marketing and as such that field has become considerably saturated, where as MBA in Finance still holds relevance and demand. Another reason is the learning curve associated with finance, it is considered more technical than marketing due to the involvement of mathematics and several accounting technicalities.Finally, from my personal experience, I have seen multiple Finance MBA’s make a shift to marketing managers as opposed to the opposite. This I believe is due to the specialized approach involved in teaching students finance. Learning the principals of marketing is relatively easier when compared to learning the principals of finance.

10

More Career Options

An MBA in Marketing is a much broader degree than an MBA in Finance. If you are unsure what you want to do with your career, an MBA in Marketing will give you more flexibility with what direction you want to take your career versus a MBA in Finance. An MBA in Finance is a very specific degree where a MBA in Marketing is much broader and can apply to many roles and jobs. If you are unsure what you want to do with your career, but are set on getting your MBA than I suggest getting an MBA in Marketing. You will have more options to take your career in different directions and it will allow you to get some really high paying marketing roles.

11

Finance Reigns Supreme

In order to emerge in the financial space, you need to be armed with as many educational tools as you can. The more lessons you learn, numbers you crunch and lectures you listen to pertaining to finance, the greater your chances of success. You have to be armed with the knowledge and much of that does come from a classroom. Marketing, by comparison, is seen mostly as a space that relies on intuition, personality and creativity. Fairly or unfairly, people approach marketing as a you-either-have-it-or-you-don’t profession. It’s like people who excel in marketing are born to sell a brand, while financial experts are made. That’s why having your MBA in finance is a better choice.

12

Finance

If you want to make more money, get an MBA in Finance over Marketing. Obviously excluding jobs like being the CMO of Tesla or something you will likely make more money if you pursue a degree in Finance. Investment banking is a very lucrative business to get into and you will learn a lot in this industry. If I was to have to choose between the two, I would get a degree in Finance.

13

It All Depends On Your Skill Set

It all depends on your skill set and what specialization your temperament encourages. For example, if you are someone who is gifted with numbers and problem solving, an MBA in finance might be the right choice. However, if you are more creative, the MBA in marketing is ideal for you as it will pair you up with other creative and collaborative people for you to help bring each others ideas to life.

14

The Marketing Domain is Universal

The universal tag may seem like a rather watered-down argument in favor of marketing, but we must understand that choosing an MBA in marketing puts students at an unmatched advantage, especially in comparison to an MBA in finance. For starters, every business and industry in the world needs a marketing team to drive it forward, and the pay matches the efforts and returns. Finance only has a few key domains that offer lucrative pay, and these domains are so niche-specific that it usually takes an entire career plan to notch a win. Universal also means that a marketing professional can always move from one industry to another, with their wins and experience still making a difference in the new niche. On the other hand, not every financial institution can entertain candidates who have skipped their primary domains.

15

Where Does Your Strength Lie?

When trying to decide on the right MBA program, there are a variety of factors to consider. But the most important is having self-awareness about what you’re best at and enjoy doing. To answer which degree is better, we have to consider the individual. Marketing and Finance are very different functions and result in career paths on varying sides of the professional spectrum. Before investing thousands on an MBA, answer this question: “Are you a numbers person or more creative?”. That will help lead you to the right decision.

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