MCA Or MBA: Understanding The Key Differences For Career Growth

For better growth in career people mainly prefer to pursue a master’s degree after completing graduation. Computer students often get confused about whether to pursue an MCA or MBA. Both MBA and MCA are Master’s degree courses that can give your career a new direction. Today, we will talk about the differences between the two subjects.

The syllabus of the MBA or Master of Business Administration mainly focuses on business management. The subject offers specialisation in areas like Finance, Marketing, Human Resources and Operations Management. The duration of this course is two years. After completing your Bachelor’s degree, you can apply for an MBA. To get admission to some reputed colleges like IIMs or Xaviers, you might have to sit for exams like CAT, XAT, etc.

MCA stands for Master of Computer Applications. The syllabus primarily focuses on subjects like software development, database management, networking and web technology. It is a 2-year course, but with internships and training, it may extend to 3 years. If you want to pursue this degree, you must be a BCA or a computer science student. Thesis and project work is a mandatory part of the MCA program.

Difference Between MBA and MCA:

Course Duration: 

• MBA- 2 years
• MCA- 2.5 to 3 years

Specialisation areas: 

• MBA: Business Management, Finance, Marketing, Human Resource
• MCA: Computer Applications, Software Development, Database Management, Networking

Eligibility Criteria: 

• MBA: Bachelor’s degree (in any discipline)
• MCA: BCA, B.Sc. in Computer Science or any equivalent degree

Thesis or Project Work:

• MBA: Thesis or project work is not compulsory.
• MCA: Thesis or project work is compulsory.

Salary Package:

• MBA: The average salary of people who pursue an MBA degree is Rs 8 to 12 lakhs per annum.
• MCA: Students who studied MCA may get a salary package ranging between Rs 6-10 LPA.

Course Fees: 

• MBA: Rs 2-5 lakhs per year.
• MCA: Rs 1-3 lakhs per year.

Future Prospects:

• MBA: Senior management, entrepreneurship, etc.
• MCA: Software developer, IT consultant, data scientist, etc.