When you want to advance your business education, experience, skills, career, and network, pursuing a higher degree in business presents the opportunity to accomplish all of the above. Many graduate business schools offer several options for master’s-level degrees in business, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or Master of Science in Organization Leadership (MSOL) — and understanding the difference between an MBA and MSOL will help you determine which educational pathway is right for you, your career, and your future aspirations.  

To choose the degree path that fits your future, read on as we offer a comprehensive comparison of an MSOL vs. an MBA.  

Understanding the MBA and MSOL

While both are advanced business degrees, an MBA and MSOL are quite different; the former is typically considered to have a more quantitative business focus, and the latter has a more qualitative business focus. Generally, an MBA emphasizes business management, and an MSOL concentrates more on people management. 

Here are more specific differences between a master’s in organizational leadership vs. an MBA, along with the value of each degree path. 

What Is an MBA (Master of Business Administration)?

A Master of Business Administration, or MBA, focuses on overall business functions and operational business skills to help students develop a well-rounded business background, preparing them for a variety of positions and roles in business strategy and management.  

Business Systems, Finance, and Business Strategy

MBA students work to develop a quantitative and analytical understanding of business systems and functions, learning about strategic planning, marketing, operations, finance, data analysis, and data-driven decision-making.  

What Is an MSOL (Master of Science in Organization Leadership)?

A Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, or MSOL, deals more with people in business, including how to influence and motivate them. This degree focuses on human-centered leadership, preparing students to build and lead teams, develop positive work environments, and foster growth through improved productivity and retention.  

Leadership, People, and Organizational Growth

MSOL students’ studies strive to help students develop a strong understanding and command of leadership principles, team dynamics, change management, motivational techniques, and employee development.  

Core Curriculum Differences 

When deciding between an MBA or MSOL program, consider the coursework that both programs entail. The core curriculum of each program differs in terms of focus.  The MSOL degree has a major theme and focuses on leadership with the MBA also offering leadership but with other specializations to complement. Both degrees also tend to offer the opportunity to select elective courses and choose options from flexible courses to further specialize in one’s study.  

Choosing an MBA Concentration at Keiser University

Keiser’s MBA program is also offered with a choice of six concentrations for students who want to home in on an industry niche. These areas include:  

MBA Coursework

An MBA’s curriculum typically covers a broad expanse of business disciplines. 

Finance, Accounting, Economics, Operations, Marketing Analytics, and Global Business

Core courses included in an MBA program cover topics such as: 

  • Accounting 
  • Business ethics 
  • Economics 
  • Finance 
  • International business concepts 
  • Management and organizational behavior 
  • Marketing 
  • Operations management 
  • Statistics and quantitative analysis 
  • Strategic planning 

MSOL Coursework

The curriculum included in an MSOL provides in-depth instruction in human dynamics and leadership.  

Leadership Theory, Organizational Behavior, Human Resources, and Change Management

Core courses included in an MSOL program cover topics such as: 

  • Communication 
  • Conflict resolution 
  • Ethical leadership 
  • Influence and motivation 
  • Leadership theory 
  • Negotiation 
  • Organizational behavior 
  • Organizational change 
  • Policy analysis 
  • Project management 
  • Strategic leadership 
  • Talent management 
  • Team dynamics 

Shared MBA and MSOL Coursework

MSOL and MBA curricula include some overlapping coursework.  

Communication, Project Management, Decision-Making Frameworks and Strategy

Students in either an MBA or MSOL program can expect to study key topics like: 

  • Communication 
  • Decision-making 
  • Ethics 
  • Leadership 
  • Project management 
  • Business strategy

In an MBA, these topics have a greater emphasis on general business management, and in an MSOL, the topics are approached from the perspective of human-centered leadership.  

MBA Skills, Techniques, and Career Paths

MBA programs are designed to help students develop and acquire a unique set of skills to prepare them for a range of business-centered career paths.  

MBA Skills

Some of the key skills developed in an MBA program include: 

  • Business acumen and strategy 
  • Communication 
  • Critical thinking, analytical thinking, and problem-solving 
  • Data-driven decision-making 
  • Economics 
  • Entrepreneurship 
  • Financial analysis and management 
  • Global business perspective 
  • Leadership and management 
  • Management frameworks 
  • Marketing and market analysis 
  • Teamwork and collaboration 

Career Opportunities With an MBA

MBA programs are designed to help students develop their skills and acquire the necessary credentials to pursue leadership positions in business. Some of the career paths and opportunities MBA graduates pursue include: 

  • Business consultant 
  • Department head 
  • Entrepreneur 
  • Executive/C-suite roles 
  • Nonprofit leadership 
  • Operations manager 
  • Professional manager 
  • Project manager

MBAs emerge with a well-rounded understanding of all aspects of business as well as a comprehensive business skillset that enables them to pursue leadership positions across industries and sectors.  

MSOL Skills, Techniques and Career Paths

MSOL programs are designed to help students gain a thorough understanding of human-centered leadership that prepares them for a range of leadership roles in business.  

MSOL Skills

Some of the key skills developed in an MSOL program include: 

  • Change management 
  • Communication, conflict resolution, and interpersonal relations 
  • Ethical reasoning 
  • Leadership and people management 
  • Motivation theory 
  • Policy analysis and implementation 
  • Project management and implementation 
  • Research and data analysis 
  • Strategic management 
  • Talent performance management 
  • Talent development 
  • Team dynamics 

Career Opportunities With an MSOL

MSOL programs are designed to help students develop their leadership abilities and gain an in-depth understanding of advanced leadership competencies. They may pursue a variety of leadership-centered career paths in businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and other organizations across industries, like: 

  • General manager 
  • Human resources (HR) manager 
  • Leadership and development specialist 
  • Management consultant 
  • Nonprofit leader 
  • Organizational manager 
  • Production manager 
  • Training and development manager 

Deciding Which Degree Is Right for You

While both provide an advanced business education, the nuances of each degree, skills it develops, included coursework, and potential influence on career direction should be carefully considered and weighed against the student’s interests and goals when choosing between an MBA and an MSOL.  

Who Should Choose an MBA?

Professionals who are interested in global strategy or entrepreneurship and wish to develop a broad foundation of advanced business knowledge should consider pursuing an MBA degree. While including some focus on leadership development, this degree primarily helps students develop their strategic business skills for making data-driven decisions to optimize operations, improve efficiency and maximize return on investment (ROI).  

Who Should Choose an MSOL?

Professionals who aspire to inspire through team leadership, change management and people development might consider pursuing an MSOL degree. While MSOL students participate in some business strategy curriculum, they primarily focus on human-centered leadership, team dynamics, workplace culture, leadership theory and motivation theory to improve workplace environments, employee outcomes and productivity. 

Factors to Consider

When deciding between an MBA and MSOL program, consider several factors:  

Career Goals and Background

One consideration is a prospective student’s educational background and current work experience. Typically, MBA students have an existing background in business, having earned an undergraduate business degree and/or gained extensive real-world experience. On the other hand, MSOL students often come from a more diverse range of educational backgrounds and professional experiences. 

After accounting for your past and how it has prepared you to pursue an MBA or MSOL degree, consider your future and desired career path. Think about the business topics that most interest you and the types of roles that you most wish to fill in your future career. Are you more interested in people and talent development or operations, strategy and profits? Would you rather have an impact on the workplace experience and employee productivity or on a business’s overall vision and strategy? 

Leadership Philosophy

Prospective students should also consider the type of leadership philosophy that they find most interesting. An MBA helps students acquire the knowledge and skills needed for data-driven leadership. An MSOL presents the opportunity to hone the skills needed to facilitate human-centered leadership.  

Long-Term Value of an MBA vs. MSOL

The long-term value of any advanced degree largely depends on:  

  • What a graduate does with their education 
  • How they apply what they have learned 
  • How they present themselves in professional interviews  
  • How they conduct themselves in the workplace

As a result, the long-term value of an MBA or MSOL can be somewhat difficult to compare; the return on your investment in education depends on countless independent factors (sector, industry, geography, degree concentration, experience, role, long-term trajectory and performance). However, one can consider the career potential offered by both educational pathways to determine which makes the most sense in terms of interests and career goals.  

Salary and ROI

Due to the factors stated above, salary data for MBA graduates and MSOL graduates is murky at best. Some research has shown that MBA graduates earn an average annual base salary of $91,000 compared to an average base salary of about $78,000 for MSOL graduates — though many roles can offer higher wages. Other sources report an average salary of roughly $129,000 for MBA graduates. With this in mind, depending on the school and program, tuition for an MBA may prove more costly than that of an MSOL. 

Typically, due to their ability to reach senior management and executive-level positions in businesses, MBA degree holders do have a greater earning potential than MSOL degree holders. This mostly hinges upon the graduate’s ability to climb the corporate ladder and ascend to the highest levels of management.  

When considering a degree’s ultimate ROI, a prospective student should not discount the value of job satisfaction and fulfilling a higher purpose. Take the time to consider whether you would be more fulfilled in the kinds of roles that an MBA graduate will likely pursue or those that an MSOL graduate would pursue.  

Career Longevity and Advancement Opportunities

While MBAs more commonly aspire to the C-suite, both MBA and MSOL graduates can enjoy career longevity and opportunities for advancement. Each degree offers broad professional applications across fields and disciplines — lending graduates plenty of opportunities and options to pursue positions in business leadership, entrepreneurship and consulting (MBA) or leadership development, human resources and training (MSOL).  

Elevate Your Business Education With Master’s Studies at Keiser University

In addition to the general MSOL and MBA programs, business students at Keiser University can support their unique education and career goals by choosing from a wide array of master’s level business degree paths and concentrations, such as:  

To learn more about earning a master’s degree in business from Keiser University online or on campus, plus how our various programs are designed to support your education, professional development and future, contact a graduate admissions counselor today.