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

MBA Finance vs MBA Marketing: If you have decided to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, the options in 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 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 for you.

Also Read: Best MBA Specialisations in India for 2024

MBA in Finance vs MBA in Marketing

While elaborating on the difference between MBA Finance and MBA Marketing, we can say that an MBA in 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.

MBA in Finance is predominantly focused on the financial aspects of business and management. It trains students in the field of financing, budgeting, accounting, auditing, managing financial resources, handling investments, analyzing data, evaluating risks, and making financial decisions for businesses. A degree in finance will teach you how to manage debt and analyze financial trends.

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

Points of Comparison	MBA Finance	MBA Marketing
Skills	Number-crunching, analytical skills, an inquisitive mind, and a problem-solving ability	Creative ideas, good communication skills
Scope	Insurance and banking sector, mutual funds, the stock market, investment bankers, consultant	Hospitality, advertising, retail, digital marketing
Curriculum	Portfolio management, hedge funds, risk management, a study of financial institutes and markets	Marketing research, digital marketing, brand management, and customer relationship management.
Job Profile	Juggling with numbers forecasting analyzing market trends and focusing on optimum utilization of resources.	Positive outlook and enthusiastic outgoing have the zeal to interact with customers.

Now we are going to talk about various points of comparison between MBA in Finance and MBA in Marketing. This will help you understand exactly what both courses offer so that you can make an informed decision about picking the right course.

Also Read : General vs Specialised MBA

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, possesses good communication skills, and has the power to persuade others then MBA in marketing may be the right choice for you.

MBA Finance vs MBA Marketing: Scope

The scope of an MBA in Finance and the scope of an MBA in Marketing are rewarding in their own ways. If you are looking at pursuing a career in the financial domain then you can choose to work in various sectors like insurance and banking, mutual funds, and the stock market as an investment banker or Financial Consultant . For those who are inclined toward 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.

MBA Marketing Curriculum vs MBA Finance Curriculum

Since the two specializations 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, and 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.

Also Read : MBA in Finance Vs CFA

Salary after MBA in Marketing vs Salary after MBA in Finance

We cannot deny the fact that students usually consider the expected salary component while choosing an MBA specialization. Even if that is the prime criterion, 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 the 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:

Years of Experience	MBA Finance Annual Salary (in INR)	MBA Marketing Annual Salary (in INR)
Average	5,98,526	5,10,447
Less than 1 year	3,58,086	2,70,756
1-4 years	6,20,886	3,49,912
5-9 years	8,24,842	6,91,880
10-19 years	14,88,620	12,90,559
20 years or more	30,98,826	30,41,021

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.

Also Read : MBA Marketing vs MBA Digital Marketing

MBA in Finance vs MBA in 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 and outgoing, and have the 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 the optimum utilization of resources.

MBA in Finance Job Profiles		MBA in Marketing Job Profiles
Financial Manager	Financial Analyst	Marketing Manager	Brand Manager
Investment Banker	Portfolio Manager	Sales Manager	Business Development Executive
Wealth Manager	Credit Risk Manager	Business Development Manager	Market Research Analyst
Stock Analyst	Hedge Fund Manager	Product Manager	Relationship Manager

Also Read : MBA in International Business Vs MBA in Marketing

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 among management aspirants, many colleges for both domains are available. Given below are some of the top B-schools for both of these courses.

MBA Finance Colleges	MBA Marketing Colleges
IIM Bangalore	IIM Ahmedabad
IIM Calcutta	Manav Rachna University (MRU), Faridabad
VELS University, Chennai	Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) Delhi
XLRI Jamshedpur	University Of Engineering & Management (UEM), Kolkata
New Delhi Institute Of Management (NDIM)	Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad
NMIMS Mumbai	Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University (SOA), Bhubaneswar
Alliance University, Bangalore	Lloyd Business School (LBS), Greater Noida
Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon	Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) Delhi
Graphic Era Hill University Haldwani Campus	Silver Oak University (SOU), Ahmedabad
Happy Valley Business School (HVBS), Coimbatore	BM Group Of Institutions (BMGI), Gurgaon

Though the information provided above is 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.

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