Great Lakes - PGDM & PGPM Admissions 2026
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.8 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2025
CAT Admit Card Date:12 Nov' 25 - 30 Nov' 25
MBA or Masters degree is the uncertainty faced by every graduate who wishes to pursue a masters degree. To answer this question, there are several things you need to know. In today's competitive market, higher education is one of the most important determinants of a successful career. Having an MBA or master's degree not only increases your professional value but also qualifies you for senior-level job roles. Check out this MBA vs Master’s degree article to know which one is better for you, how to choose, difference, fees, etc. This article will help the graduates to clear their doubts about an MBA vs Master’s degree which is better.
CAT 2025 is scheduled for November 30 and just 25 days are left. Aspirants are suggested to revise what they've studied and focus on the three sections by taking mock tests. They can take full-length mocks next week and work on weak areas. In the final weeks before the MBA entrance exam, students are recommended to emphasize on high-scoring topics and prepare exam-day strategy.
Read More: CAT 2025 revision tips for VARC, DILR, QA; difficulty level as per trends
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Ready to pursue an advanced business degree but not sure which option is right for you? Here, we will help students understand the differences between MBA vs specialised master's degrees.
Before diving into the topic, let's have a look at what MBA and Master's degrees are and know MBA vs Masters degree which is better.
Know more about career opportunities after MBA
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a general, multidisciplinary, postgraduate level degree. It is versatile as it covers various areas of business, including finance, marketing, accounting, human resources, management, information technology, sales, and more.
As a result, MBA focuses on providing students with the technical, managerial, and leadership skills needed to successfully run an organisation. Generally, there are three different types of MBA programmes: full-time, part-time, and executive MBA programmes.
A master's degree is a master's degree that focuses on imparting mastery over a specific field/ subject. This is the primary difference between a Master’s and MBA programme. While an MBA curriculum aims to train candidates as professionals with overall proficiency in various domains of business administration, a master's degree allows students to acquire skills related to a specific subject.
Check out the 20 Best Courses After MBA in India
MBA programmes focus on a broad range of business concepts, giving students an advanced but comprehensive look at business processes. On the other hand, specialized business master's programmes usually provide an in-depth look at a specific area of study. The table below explains the MBA vs Masters degree cost and MBA vs Masters degree salary.
MBA Programme | Master’s Degree |
Prepares students for business leadership roles | Can be specific or general, but usually covers only one subject area in business |
Usually continued after three years or more of employment | Usually followed after less than three years of employment |
Can be pursued full-time, part-time, or online | Can be pursued full-time, part-time, or online |
Duration: 2 years | Duration:1 to 3 years |
Total fee for MBA: 20K to 40L | Total fee for Masters: 5L to 46L |
Average salary for MBA: 7-12 LPA | Average salary for Master’s: 3-15 LPA |
The total fees for MBA and Master's degrees may vary based on the universities/institutions and the average salary may also vary depending on the organization.
Check out the salary ater MBA
While both MBA and master's degrees are great choices for career development, each takes a unique approach to career advancement. Master's degree programmes are designed for people who wish to obtain an advanced degree before entering the job market. Hence, candidates don't need any work experience to enroll in a postgraduate course.
Since a master's degree covers a wide range of individual specializations, it allows aspirants to expand on the knowledge and skills acquired at the UG level and become trained professionals in a specific field. The course syllabus aims to facilitate the development of technical and analytical skills.
While an MBA is a postgraduate degree, as the name suggests, it focuses only on business administration and, therefore, takes a more holistic approach to it. An MBA degree is ideal for candidates who want to advance their careers towards managerial or leadership-focused roles in industry.
Unlike master's degrees, MBA degrees value professional experience more. So, if you have one to two years of work experience, your MBA experience will be much richer. Since an MBA curriculum covers many business disciplines, it provides a broad and comprehensive view of business administration and management.
This is why the MBA programme is best suited for those aiming to enter entrepreneurship, executive leadership, and general management.
Before opting for MBA and Masters courses, students should keep a few things in mind.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.8 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2025
Ranked No. 3 Business School in India and no.35 in world by Financial Times MiM 2025 Ranking | Highest CTC: INR 89 LPA
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Master of Business Administration (MBA) typically commands higher salaries than Masters.
On Question asked by student community
Hello
You can get all the papers on the Careers360 website. To access the paper and download it for practice, just visit here:
https://design.careers360.com/articles/nift-cat-2024-question-paper-with-solutions
Hope it will help you!!
Hello dear candidate,
Yes, you have a very good chance of getting a BPT seat with 488 out of 600 and TS EAMCET rank of 14,000 under the ST category.
As the cut off of BPT for ST category students are generally between 25,000 to 45,000 ranks, depending upon the college and you have TS EAMCET rank of 14,000.
Thank you.
If you got 802 marks in Telangana Intermediate and belong to the ST category, you have a fair chance to get admission in a BPT course in 2025, but it depends on the college and cut-off. Most BPT colleges in Telangana ask for 12th marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, and some also use the TS EAMCET rank for admission. The cut-off for ST students is usually lower than for general students, but it changes every year. It is better to check the previous year’s cut-offs of the colleges you want to apply to.
Hello, Getting shortlisted for IIM Lucknow or IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) with your profile is challenging, primarily due to your 58% in Class 10th, which significantly impacts the composite score calculation for both institutes. While your 98 percentile CAT score is excellent, and your 24 months of work experience, B.Com (Hons) background (providing academic diversity, especially for IIM-L), and KVS National player status are valuable additions, top IIMs and IITs heavily weigh consistent academic performance. Your 74% in 12th is also on the lower side. IIM Lucknow places substantial weight on 10th and 12th marks, making a call quite difficult despite your strengths. You likely have a relatively better, though still uncertain, chance at IIT Bombay, as their weighting might be slightly less penalizing for past academics compared to IIM-L, and your high CAT score is a major factor. However, the low 10th score remains a significant hurdle for both prestigious institutions.
I hope you found this information helpful and for study related queries you can ask in careers360 app, Have a great day and!
Hey,
You already have a strong profile with the score of 58% in Class 10, 74% in Class 12, and 80% in graduation, but admission in IIT Bombay, Shailesh J Mehta School of Management is quite competitive, especially if you are in general category because the cutoff for general goes to 98.5-99%. Your CAT percentage is impressive but your 10th marks might reduce your score during the shortlisting process. If you perform well in Written Ability Test and Personal Interview, and present your commerce background you still stand a fair chance. But it would also be wise if you have some backups like MDI Gurugram, IMT Ghaziabad, IMI Delhi, where your marks and profile will fit well in their selection range.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.8 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2025
Ranked Under 100 B-Schools in India by NIRF | AACSB Member | AICTE Approved | Highest CTC 26 LPA | Average CTC of the Top 25% Students is 13 LPA
Ranked No. 3 Business School in India and no.35 in world by Financial Times MiM 2025 Ranking | Highest CTC: INR 89 LPA
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