text: what is importance of  mba in career growth ? i have work experience of 5 years as software engineer. at this point,  1. how beneficial will it be to go for mba?  2. will it make any difference if i go for online/executive mba course while continuing my present job?  from preparation point of view, i think it will take me atleast another 1 year to start any course.  please suggest what to do... the question you have to ask yourself is where you want to be in 5 years versus where you are today. i have seen too many classmates with technology backgrounds focus on mba courses that emphasize technology. the reason that someone with a technology background should pursue an mba is to broaden their exposure to other functional areas - in other words you have aspirations to achieve more through increased responsibility and control of resources: people, process, and technology.  as you have learned through your work experience there is a system/service lifecycle that takes into account a wide variety of considerations (user requirements, cost and schedule constraints, etc.); this is synonymous with what an mba degree will provide. translation - it will expose you to other functional elements so that you can better understand your work environment and the decision making process within. it will also provide you with tools to assess the external environment (customers, suppliers, and partners).  as for going onine, part-time, or through executive courses i would recommend part-time or the executive education for the following reasons. first, you don't give up your current income. second, you continue to amass experience. three, you can immediately apply your knowledge (reinforce concepts). four, your classmates are also working and serves as a great network for future opportunities. if you attend online you get added convenience but at a cost - you lose the classroom interaction (there is a lot to be learned from your fellow classmates in other industries).  i write from actual experience: i have an undergraduate degree in information systems, 11 years of practical work experience, and i'm nearing completion of a part-time mba program. i found that i could apply principles the day after each course and have found places to apply knowledge every day since.   if you should pursue a program make sure it is accredited by the aacsb (american) or equis (european).  i hope this helps.