Marketing Analytics vs. Business Analytics: Which to Choose?

When considering ways to advance your career, it’s important to understand how marketing analytics differs from business analytics. Both careers require specific business skills and involve analysis for actionable insights, but they focus on different areas.¹ How do they differ, what hard and soft skills do they require, and what are the career opportunities?

As you consider these questions, bear in mind that the analytics job market is exploding. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 36% employment increase in data science—using analytical tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from data—from 2023–2033.² Operations research analysts, who often work in business analytics roles, are expected to see 23% job growth in that same timeframe.³ Choosing the right path depends on your interests, skills, and long-term goals.

Keep reading to discover whether being a marketing analyst or business analyst would be the best fit for your interests and career goals and learn how you can attain the necessary skills to pursue the career of your choice.

Understanding How Marketing Relates to Business Analysis

Marketing and business analytics work like puzzle pieces; they fit together but serve different purposes.

Marketing teams need data to understand customers. They track campaign performance, measure brand awareness, and analyze purchasing behavior. Business analysts help make sense of this information. They spot patterns marketing teams might miss.

Take Netflix as an example. Its marketing team runs campaigns to promote new shows. Marketing analysts track which ads work best, while business analysts examine how marketing spending affects overall company growth. They connect marketing data to customer lifetime value and retention rates.⁴

The relationship works both ways. Business analysts need marketing insights to understand customer behavior. Marketing analysts need business context to make their campaigns more effective. Understanding business analytics and why it is important becomes clearer when you see these connections.

This overlap creates opportunities. Professionals who understand business analytics and marketing become more valuable.

How Do Marketing Analytics and Business Analytics Differ?

These roles focus on different problems and use different approaches.

Business Functions

Business analytics covers the entire organization. Analysts examine operations, finance, supply chain, human resources, and marketing. They look for ways to improve efficiency and profitability across all departments.⁵

Marketing analytics zeroes in on customer-facing activities. The focus stays on campaigns, channels, customer segments, and brand performance. Everything revolves around attracting, converting, and retaining customers.⁵

Types of Data Used

Business analysts work with operational data such as sales figures, production costs, employee productivity, inventory levels, and financial statements. They pull information from ERP systems, accounting software, and internal databases.⁶

Marketing analysts dive into customer data–website traffic, social media metrics, email open rates, advertising performance, and customer surveys. They use tools such as Google Analytics, social media platforms, and marketing automation systems.⁶

Understanding how data and analytics work together helps explain why different data types require different analytical approaches.

Metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Measured

Business analysts track revenue growth, profit margins, operational efficiency, and cost reduction. They measure return on assets, employee turnover, and process cycle times.⁷

Marketing analysts focus on customer acquisition cost, lifetime value, conversion rates, and brand awareness. They track campaign ROI, lead quality, and customer satisfaction scores.⁷

Marketing Analytics vs. Business Analytics Careers

Both marketing analytics and business analytics are high-growth fields with many opportunities to advance your career. However, since business analysts must focus on the entire organization with an in-depth knowledge of all business processes (and not just marketing), salaries tend to be significantly higher. These roles require a graduate-level knowledge base and next-level skills taught in highly-ranked MSBA programs.

Marketing analysts earn between $55,000 and $156,000 annually.⁸ Business analysts make $66,000 to $150,000 per year.⁹ Salary potential increases with specialized skills, and senior roles in both fields can exceed these amounts. Further, expertise in machine learning, statistical modeling, and industry can boost a person’s earning potential.

Skills You Can Learn That Apply to Both Fields

Smart professionals develop skills that work in both areas. These transferable abilities make you more valuable to employers and open more career options.

Data visualization is a necessary skill for both roles. Marketing and business analysts need to present complex information clearly.¹⁰ Tools such as Tableau, Power BI, and Excel create charts and dashboards that stakeholders can understand.

Statistical analysis applies everywhere. Understanding correlation, regression, and hypothesis testing is helpful whether you're measuring campaign effectiveness or operational performance. Python and R programming languages work for both fields.¹⁰

Communication skills often matter more than technical abilities. Analytics professionals spend significant time explaining findings to executives and other departments. Writing clear reports and giving compelling presentations separates good analysts from great ones.¹¹

Database skills are also fundamental. SQL queries, data cleaning, and understanding database structures apply to both marketing customer data and business operational data.¹⁰

Data analytics can drive better business decisions. These core skills translate across different business contexts.

How To Choose the Right Analytics Path

When considering your next educational and professional move, first examine your current interests. Do you get excited about understanding customer behavior? Marketing analytics might be a better fit. Are you drawn to solving operational puzzles and improving efficiency? Business analytics could be your path.

Consider your background, too. Technology professionals often gravitate toward business analytics because they understand systems and processes. People with marketing or psychology backgrounds might prefer marketing analytics.

Think about work environment preferences. Marketing analysts often work closely with creative teams and advertising agencies. Business analysts typically collaborate with internal departments like finance, operations, and IT.

Your long-term career goals matter most. Do you want to become a chief marketing officer someday? Marketing analytics builds the foundation. Are you interested in general management or CEO roles? Business analytics provides a broader organizational perspective.

The good news is that your choice doesn't have to be permanent. Many professionals start down one path and move to another, as their analytical skills transfer. Understanding the differences between business analytics and data analytics can help clarify where different analytical roles fit in the bigger picture.

Get the Skills You Need for a Leadership Role in Business Analytics

The Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) will help you finely hone your business analytic skills while developing the analytical mindset needed to stand out from the competition and face any business challenges. The core curriculum includes data science and machine learning, data analytics with Python, database management systems, prescriptive analytics, and more. It also includes electives in specialized areas such as natural language processing, data visualization, and big data modeling and analytics.

Santa Clara University's Online MSBA program offers unique connections to Silicon Valley and prepares you to thrive in today’s most innovative organizations. Learn more about networking events and career resources that can propel you into your next opportunity. For more information, schedule a call with an admissions outreach advisor.