Professionals interested in an online Ph.D. in Business Intelligence are in good company. As globalization takes over and technology becomes integral to the success of businesses, there is a growing need for both practicing analysts and researchers to help the sector keep pace with big data and the Internet of Things. Now employers are actively searching for business intelligence professionals to fill key positions at large and multinational companies.
Nowhere is this demand for business intelligence more evident than in the online offerings provided by several of the country's best colleges and universities. From hybrid programs to 100 percent online offerings, live sessions and cohorts to accelerated and asynchronous formats, there is an online degree program for every professional. And with lists like these that offer the most important information, a doctoral candidate need only look at the offerings to see which school fits their needs.
Explore these promoted online degree programs.
These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online graduate degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these online Master's or PhD programs.
Most Affordable Online Business Intelligence PhD Programs in 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Career Options for an Online Doctorate in Business Intelligence Degree?
Like many degree options, the type of careers available to students in business intelligence depends on the actual distinction of the degree. This is true for all fields of study, but sometimes students need more information on what actually that means. Students who take on an online Ph.D. in Business Intelligence are most likely interested in a career as a researcher or academic. This means that they don't work necessarily within the confines of the business sector.
Ph.D. candidates have several avenues open to them.They can become researchers who work for the government, as part of a business infrastructure that works in technology and business analytics, or in think tanks and research firms. They can become professors at universities worldwide; however, many institutions prefer employees who have some experience in the field. They can also work as published authors, both in scholarly journals or on the web as freelance writers or technical writers.
A DBA, or Doctor of Business Administration, is exactly what it sounds like: a professional degree geared towards preparing students to take on C-level executive positions. Students with this degree are often already working in the business sector and need higher education in order to move up through the ranks of management.
DBA graduates have a variety of options. They can create their own companies, focusing on strategic management and business technology issues; this allows them to act as a consulting firm for companies that may need additional support in these areas. They can also work as senior level business intelligence analysts or managers in existing companies. Finally, they can create nonprofit organizations to help struggling start-ups or other NGOs with big data and business intelligence.
How Much Can You Earn in this Field?
There is a large range of salaries available for this field, and it depends on whether a student becomes an academic or a business professional.
Academics generally begin with a salary of $65,000 for a professor position at most colleges and universities; the actual salary depends on whether or not the school is public or private and the actual contract of the individual. Researchers can make anywhere from $50,000 to $80,000; this also depends on whether they work for the public or private sector.
Business professionals with a doctorate in business intelligence begin their careers making no less than $71,000 per year; the actual salary depends on if a professional is working as an analyst or a manager, with managers making, on average, about $10,000 more a year at the entry level. Wages can go up as high as $125,000, depending on the position that a professional makes. C-level executives stand to make much more money; however, these positions are very competitive, especially with such a large range of professionals vying for the positions.
What are the Various Disciplines of Business Intelligence?
Business intelligence is an incredibly diverse field, which utilizes different disciplines depending on a professional's career path. It is safe to say that all business intelligence professionals will learn about economics, business, marketing, management, data science, computer science, and research methods.
But there is a difference between academics and business professionals in terms of the disciplines they are most closely aligned with at the university level. Business professionals learn about statistics, technology, and big data; they are also more likely to learn about management skills and the actual design of policies that are meant to be put into practice. They are also more likely to learn about statistical theories as a form of foundational understanding.
Academic business intelligence professionals are more likely to learn about the intricacies of computer and data science. They often spend their time working on their academic writing skills, going over statistics and experiments, and spending time evaluating their own research by using analytics from an objective standpoint. While they, too, learn about business, the disciplines employed in their careers often veer towards theory and history rather than the actual application of programs and strategies in the workplace.
Does Business Accreditation Matter?
Business accreditation does matter, especially at the postgraduate and terminal levels. Students who take on online or traditional degrees from accredited programs are often preferred over those candidates that didn't.
When discussing online degree programs, the general consensus is that business accreditation is not possible; this is simply untrue. Several of the above programs currently hold accreditation from one of the three leading business accrediting bodies. In fact, accreditation is becoming more accessible for online programs because many professionals are earning these degrees will working full time.
For students who are unaware of what the major business accreditation bodies, they are:
AACSB – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
ACBSP – Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
IACBE – International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
Each of the accrediting bodies listed above accredits both traditional and online doctoral programs. Finding a program that has just one of these accreditations is a great find for students, but it is also possible to find online degrees that have two or all three.
Students may not yet be convinced that accreditation matters, but consider this: an accredited program is most likely partnered with incredible businesses, enabling students to network with potential employers in the future. This is a factor that cannot be underestimated, especially as business is widely considered a networking sector.
What is the Demand for Business Intelligence Professionals?
The business intelligence market made 16.33 billion USD in 2015, and it is expected to grow by 40 percent through 2021. This means that there is a great demand for business intelligence professionals. With more and more companies utilizing the Internet, and indeed some that are based entirely on the web, the need for business intelligence is growing at an exponential rate. With big data, the Internet of things, and intelligence theories permeating the sector, it has never been more integral to have professionals who just focus on the relationship between technology and business.
There are also a wide variety of career options available for BI professionals, meaning that it can be difficult to pinpoint how much this industry is projected to grow. However, with the Internet revolutionizing both globalization and business, it is clear that demand will not be slowing down anytime soon.
Does an Online Degree Hurt Your Chances of Working in the Field?
An online degree will not hurt any professional's chances of working in business intelligence. It is a matter of fact that this community understands that many entering the BI field are working professionals, so the emphasis is not put on how a degree was earned. The only thing that matters is whether or not a student has a concentration in business intelligence.
It can also be an advantage to earn a degree online; students often continue to work full-time and can implement the strategies and skills they learn in their classes in real time to see the results. These professionals will also find that their employers will be eager to help with some of the cost of their degree; they only need to ask about that type of arrangement.
Business intelligence will continue to be critical to the success of the business sector. It will no doubt continue to grow in demand, requiring higher institutions of education to create professional online programs. All a professional has to do is make a decision based on their career goals and ambitions.
