Directory of States with Data Science and Related Degrees

With big data now representing a major piece of the puzzle for literally hundreds of different industries, and as demand for skilled professionals continues to outstrip supply, data science is the field to be in for anybody with the right blend of analytical, statistical and computer science skills.

High-tech companies on the bleeding edge in Silicon Valley are big users. But so are agri-business giants in the Plains and the big money guys on Wall Street, trading at the speed of light. Even the oil industry out in the last frontier relies on big data pros to maximize yields out of the fields on the North Slope.

With strong demand for highly-trained data science professionals all across the nation, universities in every single state have put together quality training programs designed to develop the exact set of that industry demands.

Whether you are looking for traditional data science degrees on campus and close to home, or online options halfway across the country, we’ve got your options mapped out.

Data Science is Now a Part of Nearly Every Industry, So Every State Has Something Unique To Offer

One of the great things about the variety of different data science degree options around the country is the kind of diversity in perspective and application it helps bring to the table.

Data science is such a new field that there is still a ton of back and forth between academia and industry. Your professors are very likely to have recent on-the-job experience in the field. Regional companies hungry for data science expertise are likely to be knocking on the door of local universities, looking to recruit graduates with skills developed around the needs of local business and industry.

Data science degrees offered at universities around the country reflect the needs of local industry.

In Oklahoma, for example, you’re probably going to find a lot of project opportunities and case studies in deep geological scans, looking for oil pockets and how to maximize extraction processes. In California, you’re likely to get immersed in machine learning programs, driving AI projects in cutting edge startups, or developing the latest computer animation simulations for Hollywood.

Different states also have different levels of support and investment in their technology industries and educational programs. We tell you about that, too, so you can find an area that offers you exactly what you’re looking for in a data science school.

Degrees at Every Level Offer Opportunities for Every Student

The diversity in data science programs you’ll find around the country isn’t just about industry expertise, either. Data science education is happening at every level of academia, from fast-track certificate programs to PhD programs that will take you a decade to get through.

Certificates in Data Science Open the Door Quickly on a Fast-paced Career

At the entry level, or to polish up a degree from a related field, certificate programs do the heavy lifting. At a low cost, these fast-paced courses last only a few months. Packing dense and focused training in, certificate programs can give you precisely the skills and know-how employers are looking for when sourcing new talent.

Undergraduate Data Science Programs Deliver Entry-level Expertise

Associate or bachelor’s degrees in data science come with a bigger time commitment than certificates. But they reward your studies with a more in-depth understanding of complex concepts, and the skills to put those concepts to work in the real world. You’ll come away from a two- or four-year degree program in data science with a broader perspective on the field, along with stronger critical-thinking and problem-solving skills in general.

Graduate Studies in Data Science Put You at the Top of the Profession

Many employers today are looking for data scientists with a graduate-level education. That can come in the form of:

• Graduate certificate programs – A fast-paced option for focused data science studies for people who already hold a master’s degree in a related field, but need more analytical training
• Master’s degrees – Two to three-year advanced studies in the specifics of intensive data processing and analysis, culminating in advanced research and practical applications.
• Doctoral degrees – The most advanced level of study qualifies you for advanced research and breakthrough developments in the field, or to serve as a professor training the next generation of data scientists.

Our degree guide gives you a quick reference to what is going on in every state. We even give you an overview of the best schools, the programs they offer, and how the curriculum is delivered – whether online, on-campus or a hybrid of the two.

And since every state has different ranges of tuition rates, we throw in a few examples so you can get some idea what your data science degree will cost you.

Online Data Science Programs Offer Options in States Far from Home

In every state, you’ll also find that these different types of programs come in multiple formats:

• Traditional – The old-fashioned on-campus coursework approach remains the best way for some people to learn. You bounce ideas off other students directly, collaborate in class, and buttonhole professors in the corridor. Many programs are still available with the traditional college experience.
• Online – Data science is cutting edge technology, so it also makes sense that more and more programs are offered through high-tech online courses. This is a blessing for students who need the flexibility that comes with asynchronous studies, or who can’t easily relocate for traditional programs.
• Hybrid – For the best of both worlds, some universities offer their data science programs in a hybrid format. You get the flexibility of primarily online learning in some classes, with the option of face-to-face teaching in others.

We list the different formats that these programs are available in, so you can broaden your search for schools that have the expertise you want to develop, regardless of location.

Integrated Data Science Programs Reflect the Many Fields Transformed by the Big Data Revolution

The degrees we list aren’t just strictly data science. Instead, we give you a full range of programs that offer specializations across a broad field that continues to find new applications year over year. That means you’ll find degrees in data science with specializations in these and other areas:

Business analytics

• Information technology
• Computational data science
• Health informatics and Biostatistics
• Geographic information systems and spatial analytics
• Technology project management

There’s no telling which path offers the right choice for your career. But if you are interested in any kind of data science studies, you’ll find all your options here.

Your Career Outlook May Depend on the State Where You Earn Your Data Science Degree

Although you might not always plan to get a data science job in the same state where you earned your degree, many people do. It’s a natural fit when you’ve made connections in the area and often worked on cooperative projects with local companies as part of your field work or internship. Whether you plan to work in your home state or are open to the possibility of taking a job on the other coast, wherever you end up, you want to make a good life and a solid career out of your data science degree. 

That’s why we also give you a snapshot from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for each state. We drill down on both current numbers of employed data scientists and average salaries for the job. If future job prospects look hotter than usual for data scientists in a particular state, we let you know. For states with high employment numbers in data science and multiple metro areas, we even give you some details on jobs found with employers in those major cities.

Because wages are only part of the picture, we give you an idea of how they stack up against cost-of-living expenses in each state.

Beyond the brass tacks of salary figures, we offer a perspective on what it’s like to live and work as a data scientist in each state, providing insights you can use in your own decision-making process.

No matter where you are in the United States, we have a selection of schools that can offer you a first-rate data science degree.