Deciding whether a Master of Science in Management is the right next step comes down to where you are in your career. The MSM is built for recent graduates who are looking to gain business skills and broaden their early-career opportunities.
In 10 months, you add the finance, marketing, analytics, and leadership skills employers expect, on top of the degree you already have.
Is a Master of Science in Management worth it?
For a recent graduate with little or no work experience, an MSM is worthwhile if you want to expand your business acumen to enter the workforce. It is especially beneficial for those who did not major in business. In one year, you build the fundamentals that open entry-level business and analyst roles across finance, marketing, operations, and consulting, roles that pay well above the median for new graduates.
Tuition is $45,923 for in-state and $53,260 for out-of-state students (2026-27). If you’re coming in without a business background, this is a faster route to your ideal career than a traditional MBA. You enter the workforce sooner and can start earning right away.
Explore Careers and Industries with an MSM
MSM vs MBA: which is right for you?
The MSM and the MBA serve different candidates. The MSM is built for recent graduates and early-career candidates with little or no full-time work experience who are looking to build business knowledge and gain credentials that can expand their career opportunities. The MBA is built for professionals with at least a couple of years of full-time work experience returning to school to advance an existing career or pivot into a new industry or function. If you’re still early in your career, the MSM lets you build business skills now.
| MS in Management | Full-Time MBA | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Recent graduates with little or no full-time work experience | Professionals advancing or pivoting |
| Work experience | Little to none (0–3 years) | 2+ years minimum (5 years avg.) |
| Length | 10 months | About 2 years |
| Focus | Business fundamentals, built on any major | Broad business fundamentals, strategic decision-making and leadership |
| Typical next steps | Entry-level roles across industries | Mid-level management and Leadership Development Programs (LDPs) |
| Tuition | $45,923 in-state / $53,260 out of state | $84,890 in-state / $103,612 out of state |
If you are early in your career and want to build business skills quickly, the MSM is the fit. If you have several years of experience and are aiming for senior leadership, the MBA is the better path. Not sure? Talk to the admissions team.
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Why UNC Kenan-Flagler for an MSM?
UNC Kenan-Flagler has taught business to non-business majors for decades, and the MSM brings that experience to a general-management degree. You join an AACSB-accredited business school with an alumni network of over 46,000 professionals, and faculty who teach across graduate and undergraduate programs.
The most recent MSM class of 52 students came from 18 institutions and represented a wide range of undergraduate majors, from economics and philosophy to information science and sports administration, spanning most academic disciplines.