MSIT vs. MBA: Which Is Better for IT Leaders?

These days, we’re always hearing buzzwords like “data-driven,” “future-focused” and “disruptive technology.” For those of us who want to lead change, not just go with the flow, these phrases are more than buzzwords: they’re the backbone of our professional development.

Information technology (IT) is one area where individuals with this transformative mindset can thrive. IT is often thought of as just tech support, and while tech support professionals are critical to modern society, this field enables everything digital that we do: using computers, accessing the internet, sending emails, even tap-to-pay technologies at your favorite coffee shop.

To become a leader in information technology, earning an advanced degree can give you the skills you need to work with digital infrastructure, lead teams and develop long-term data strategies. Two options that are appropriate for aspiring leaders are the MS in Information Technology (MSIT) and the Master of Business Administration (MBA). While both of these degrees can prepare you for leadership roles, they offer different core focuses, thus preparing you for different domains.

What Is an MSIT Degree?

An MS in Information Technology provides students with an expert-level education in both technical skills and management ability, allowing you to make data-backed decisions, collaborate with teams and develop strong optimization strategies.

A formal IT education will help you understand not only the applications of digital technology, but also the technologies that underpin them and the ways you can drive innovation in the field.

MSIT Degree Focus

MSIT programs are primarily focused on the technical side of IT implementation and delivery. You’ll become an expert in digital technology, namely the hardware and software that organizations utilize to collect, analyze and apply data to achieve their goals. This can include:

• Computing hardware
• Networking software
• Database administration
• Operating systems configuration and application

MSIT programs are often designed to not only enhance your knowledge in core IT domains, but also to facilitate strong critical thinking abilities and prepare you for leadership opportunities in the IT field.

MSIT Curriculum

An MSIT curriculum will take a strong, specialized focus on the technical side of information technology. This will include subjects such as:

• Database design
• Technical analysis
• Data management
• Software development
• Operating systems
• Network technology
• Mathematics

Each course will also infuse business problem-solving skills into your technical training. By the time you graduate, you will have a powerful combination of technical skill, analytical thinking ability and leadership capability.

MSIT Career Outcomes

Because MSIT degrees fuse technical training with leadership skills, the jobs you can get with an MSIT vary. You may be interested in working specifically with the hardware and software side of things, or you may aspire toward a leadership role within an IT organization or department. An MSIT prepares you for both paths.

Some paths that students might pursue include:

• IT manager
• Database administrator
• Network administrator
• Webmaster
• Chief technology officer (CTO)
• Software developer

MSIT vs. MSIST

Another graduate degree option for aspiring IT leaders are MS in Information Systems Technology (MSIST) programs. The MSIST, like the MSIT, will help you become a technical expert and prepare you for leadership roles, but you also get the added bonus of information systems knowledge.

While information technology refers to the technology that we use, information systems includes that technology but with an expanded scope. IS also incorporates the holistic processes that organizations use to solve problems and enhance operations through technology.

Adding expertise in information systems to your toolkit not only expands your scope of knowledge, but it also expands your career opportunities to include information systems roles. MSIST programs also typically include education in management, leadership and project management to a greater extent than MSIT programs do, preparing you to lead cross-functional teams, develop technology strategies and make key decisions that impact IT operations and organizations as a whole.

What Is an MBA Degree?

An MBA degree educates students in the broad area of business leadership and administration. This includes core domains that are targeted toward successful business operations, such as:

• Leadership skills
• Human resources management
• Strategic decision-making
• Finance
• Economics
• Business ethics

Some programs might offer opportunities for students to specialize in the areas that are most relevant to their career, such as marketing, finance, human resources or business analytics.

MBA Degree Focus

Where MSIT degrees are a specialized MS degree targeted toward critical thinking in the IT environment, MBA degrees take an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving. Because of this, MBAs tend to cover broad topics focused on business management and administration.

For aspiring IT leaders, it is important to remember that even an MBA with an IT or IS concentration will still take a more broad and management-focused approach than an MSIT, MSIS or MSIST program.

MBA Curriculum

MBA curriculums will vary widely between universities because these programs can encompass a significant amount of business knowledge. Some of the core topics that all MBAs will cover include:

• Leadership skills
• Organizational administration
• Budgeting and finance
• Marketing
• Economics for businesses

MBA Career Outcomes

The interdisciplinary approach of an MBA  is very beneficial for individuals seeking high-level roles in management, organizational leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Career paths for MBA graduates often include senior management and leadership roles that require professionals to make strategic, cross-functional business decisions. These might include roles such as:

• Chief executive officer
• Chief operating officer
• Business or management consultant
• Marketing director
• Investment analyst
• Finance manager

MSIT vs. MBA: Which Is Right for Me?

MSIT and MBA degrees are both valuable graduate degrees that can serve as great investments in your future and career development, so which degree you choose largely depends on your long-term career goals and what you want to accomplish at an organization.

What Are Your Career Goals?

If you know you want to be a leader or manager in the future, but are not positive that you want to work in information technology, an MBA might be a good fit for you. MBA degrees prepare you for high-level leadership roles in business as well as mid-level management roles in a variety of industries. So, if you know you want to manage but aren’t drawn to a particular industry, pursuing an MBA is a great option.

Those interested in IT leadership may find an MBA (especially one with a focus in IT or IS) beneficial, especially if they are seeking very high-level roles in the C-suite where professionals will need to collaborate with fellow leaders who are not tech experts. But, MBAs help you solve organizational problems, and perhaps not the more specific ones that IT leaders may face. So, if you’re looking to land a role that combines both technical expertise and management, an MSIT might be a better fit for you.

What Do You Want to Achieve at Work?

If you want to find ways to achieve business excellence, create workflows that drive success and navigate the human side of organizational operations, you might find that an MBA program might help you build up the right skills and knowledge.

On the other hand, an MSIT or MSIST could be your perfect fit if you are more interested in building effective technological frameworks for information systems and technology, such as:

• Tech stacks that drive results
• Databases with highly effective querying capabilities
• Communications channels that support rapid collaboration

Advanced Tech Skills for Tomorrow’s Challenges: GW’s MSIST

Advance your career with the GW School of Business’s Master of Science in Information Systems Technology (MSIST), available online or in person. The MSIST prepares you to succeed in the face of IT challenges, use data effectively and drive sustainable growth. Through online MSIST coursework and live lectures, you’ll gain the skills you need to spearhead major technology initiatives and translate complex data into strategic business decisions.

We believe in supporting our students through their academic journeys: every student accepted into our summer and fall 2025 online graduate programs will receive an automatic tuition scholarship.

Learn more about the online MSIST by requesting a brochure, or starting your application today!

Since 1928, GW School of Business students have leveraged our global presence to pursue practical, insightful expertise in the world of business from an enviable vantage point. One of the most diverse cities in the United States, D.C. is home to leading organizations in the health care, hospitality, media, government, defense and technology sectors. Our faculty are thought leaders and educators in these areas and more, and they’re ready to provide you with the business and management expertise you need to succeed.