UT Austin MSBA vs Columbia MSBA vs NYU MSDS

[RedBT]

I'm currently choosing between three programs and could do with some advice. My goal after graduation is to start as a DS who can solve business problems and move onto leading analytics/DS teams and strategy down the line. I already have ~3 YOE in Analytics and DS.

NYU MSDS: One of the best DS programs and I can shape it too my liking with electives. However, some subjects would be too technical. A lot of proof-based content. Also. It doesn't seem wise to spend 2 years when 1 year courses are available and to go too deep into the theory when I want to move into management in 5 years. Also losing out on 1 year's salary here so program cost automatically doubles. Due to these reasons, Columbia and UT Austin are my primary options.

Columbia MSBA: Curriculum is flexible so I can shape it according to my interests. It's quite expensive though. I do have the option of pursuing an internship and TAing to defray the cost a little. Since this is a 1 year program, more if I get an internship, I think this will be slightly less hectic and could provide a break from academic pressure as opposed to Austin. One red flag for me is that the program doesn't seem to have ML in the core courses. There are a couple of electives like MS Machine Learning (1.5 Credits), and Machine Learning for Financial Engineering and Operations Research, but I don't know how in-depth those are, or do they only cover certain topics from the context of FE & OR. I can also take electives from other departments, but not in the first semester, when I'll be applying for internships. Does anyone have a view on this?

UT Austin MSBA: Great place, reputed program, and cheaper than the others. Very little flexibility though. It's only 10 months so would be quite rigorous as well. It doesn't cover a lot of stats (bootcamp and self-learning) much. ML and Optimization courses are good though. Also, most people here have 2+ YOE, Columbia would have some recent grads as well. How important is it to study with experienced people?

Also, how important are career services? I know Columbia's career services are not really good but most people do get jobs.

My thinking is that Columbia is a good option due to the flexibility to choose electives from any school, the reputation, the location, and the internship. It's expensive but I hear people pay back the loans within 3 years.

What would you guys suggest? Should I look at any other factors?

I'll be grateful for any help.

Thanks!