Data Scientists

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

Salary by State

State Name Employment Annual Salary Hourly Salary
Alabama 520 $84,470 $40.61
Alaska 120 $105,150 $50.55
Arizona 2,420 $96,990 $46.63
California 17,750 $133,110 $64.00
Colorado 3,070 $105,790 $50.86
Connecticut 760 $102,100 $49.09
Delaware 370 $127,810 $61.45
District of Columbia 1,380 $117,470 $56.48
Florida 4,590 $90,850 $43.68
Georgia 4,340 $104,760 $50.36
Hawaii 70 $84,200 $40.48
Idaho 150 $99,240 $47.71
Illinois 4,670 $104,010 $50.00
Indiana 2,150 $75,280 $36.19
Iowa 1,510 $91,470 $43.98
Kansas 190 $93,070 $44.75
Kentucky $79,860 $38.39
Louisiana 130 $79,470 $38.21
Maine 540 $90,410 $43.46
Maryland 2,280 $117,660 $56.57
Massachusetts 2,720 $111,550 $53.63
Michigan 2,990 $86,680 $41.68
Minnesota 1,320 $106,130 $51.03
Mississippi 140 $81,240 $39.06
Missouri 2,630 $89,570 $43.06
Montana 50 $77,830 $37.42
Nebraska 800 $80,590 $38.75
Nevada 430 $97,710 $46.97
New Hampshire 310 $96,100 $46.20
New Jersey 2,840 $120,240 $57.81
New Mexico 180 $80,290 $38.60
New York 10,050 $122,540 $58.91
North Carolina 5,050 $113,980 $54.80
North Dakota 30 $94,230 $45.31
Ohio 3,320 $87,820 $42.22
Oklahoma 1,140 $80,040 $38.48
Oregon 1,280 $111,240 $53.48
Pennsylvania 4,310 $92,760 $44.60
Rhode Island 410 $103,950 $49.98
South Carolina 600 $100,620 $48.37
South Dakota 70 $87,560 $42.10
Tennessee 980 $90,720 $43.62
Texas 5,850 $114,360 $54.98
Utah 1,790 $79,830 $38.38
Vermont 150 $116,220 $55.88
Virginia 3,650 $115,630 $55.59
Washington 2,460 $133,900 $64.38
West Virginia 90 $64,360 $30.94
Wisconsin 1,490 $71,710 $34.48

Education

The programs listed below are typically the education paths that can land you this kind of job.

A program that focuses on the symbolic inference, representation, and simulation by computers and software of human learning and reasoning processes and capabilities, and the computer modeling of human motor control and motion. Includes instruction in computing theory, cybernetics, human factors, natural language processing, and applicable aspects of engineering, technology, and specific end-use applications.

Certificate
Master's Degree
Master's Degree

A program that focuses on the design of technological information systems, including computing systems, as solutions to business and research data and communications support needs. Includes instruction in the principles of computer hardware and software components, algorithms, databases, telecommunications, user tactics, application testing, and human interface design.

Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Oakwood University
Oakwood University
Huntsville, AL
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

A program that focuses on computer theory, computing problems and solutions, and the design of computer systems and user interfaces from a scientific perspective. Includes instruction in the principles of computational science, computer development and programming, and applications to a variety of end-use situations.

Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Faulkner University
Faulkner University
Montgomery, AL
Bachelor's Degree
Oakwood University
Oakwood University
Huntsville, AL
Bachelor's Degree

A program that prepares individuals to design and manage the construction of databases and related software programs and applications, including the linking of individual data sets to create complex searchable databases (warehousing) and the use of analytical search tools (mining). Includes instruction in database theory, logic, and semantics; operational and warehouse modeling; dimensionality; attributes and hierarchies; data definition; technical architecture; access and security design; integration; formatting and extraction; data delivery; index design; implementation problems; planning and budgeting; and client and networking issues.

Master's Degree
Certificate
Certificate Associate Degree

A program focusing on the principles of applied visual simulation technology and the application of quantitative analyses to human-computer interaction. Includes instruction in object-oriented programming, artificial intelligence, computer communications and networks, computer graphics, virtual worlds and simulation systems, probability, statistics, stochastic modeling, data analysis, human-performance evaluation, and human-behavior modeling.

Certificate
Academy of Art University
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, CA
Associate Degree Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

A program that focuses on the application of computer-based technologies and services to biological, biomedical, and biotechnology research. Includes instruction in algorithms, network architecture, principles of software design, human interface design, usability studies, search strategies, database management and data mining, digital image processing, computer graphics and animation, CAD, computer programming, and applications to experimental design and analysis and to specific quantitative, modeling, and analytical studies in the various biological specializations.

Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Master's Degree Post-Baccalaureate Certification

A program that focuses on computational theoretical approaches to understanding biological systems, including computational models of biological processes, computational management of large-scale projects, database development and data-algorithm development, and high-performance computing, as well as statistical and mathematical analyses.

Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Doctorate Degree
Bachelor's Degree Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

Any instructional program in biomathematics, bioinformatics, and computational biology not listed above.

Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Harvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

A general program that focuses on the analysis of quantities, magnitudes, forms, and their relationships, using symbolic logic and language. Includes instruction in algebra, calculus, functional analysis, geometry, number theory, logic, topology and other mathematical specializations.

Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Doctorate Degree Master's Degree

A program that focuses on the application of mathematics to the solution of functional problems in fields such as engineering and the applied sciences. Includes instruction in natural phenomena modeling continuum mechanics, reaction-diffusion, wave propagation, dynamic systems, numerical analysis, controlled theory, asymptotic methods, variation, optimization theory, inverse problems, and applications to specific scientific and industrial topics.

Doctorate Degree
Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree
Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
Montgomery, AL
Bachelor's Degree

A program that focuses on the application of mathematics to the theory, architecture, and design of computers, computational techniques, and algorithms. Includes instruction in computer theory, cybernetics, numerical analysis, algorithm development, binary structures, combinatorics, advanced statistics, and related topics.

Bachelor's Degree Doctorate Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

A program that focuses on the application of a broad range of mathematical and computational methods to modeling, analysis, algorithm development, and simulation for the solution of complex scientific and engineering problems. Includes instruction in numerical analysis, discrete mathematics, operations research, optimization, differential equations, statistics, scientific computation, and applications to specific scientific and industrial topics.

Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

A program that focuses on the application of mathematics and statistics to the finance industry, including the development, critique, and use of various financial models. Includes instruction in probability theory, statistical analysis, numerical methods, computation and simulation methods, stochastic processes, economics, and financial markets and applications.

Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Master's Degree
Master's Degree

A program that focuses on the application of mathematics to genomics, molecular modeling, structural biology, ecology, evolutionary biology and systems of analysis of neurobiology, physiology, and metabolism. Includes instruction in computational mathematics, chaos and nonlinear systems, perturbation methods, evolutionary biology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and neurobiology.

Bachelor's Degree
Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

Any instructional program in applied mathematics not listed above.

Bachelor's Degree Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

A general program that focuses on the relationships between groups of measurements, and similarities and differences, using probability theory and techniques derived from it. Includes instruction in the principles in probability theory, binomial distribution, regression analysis, standard deviation, stochastic processes, Monte Carlo method, Bayesian statistics, non-parametric statistics, sampling theory, and statistical techniques.

Master's Degree
Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Doctorate Degree Master's Degree Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Doctorate Degree Master's Degree Post-Baccalaureate Certification

A program that focuses on the mathematical theory underlying statistical methods and their use. Includes instruction in probability theory parametric and non-parametric inference, sequential analysis, multivariate analysis, Bayesian analysis, experimental design, time series analysis, resampling, robust statistics, limit theory, infinite particle systems, stochastic processes, martingales, Markov processes, and Banach spaces.

Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
University of Miami
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Master's Degree

A program with a general synthesis of mathematics and statistics or a specialization which draws from mathematics and statistics. Includes instruction in calculus, linear algebra, numerical analysis and partial differential equations, discrete mathematics, probability theory, statistics, computing, and other related topics.

Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

A program that focuses on the application of statistics to the solution of functional problems in fields such as business, engineering, medicine, and the applied sciences. Includes instruction in the principles in inference, probability theory, regression analysis, descriptive statistics, stochastic processes, Monte Carlo method, Bayesian statistics, non-parametric statistics, sampling theory, statistical computing, and statistical techniques.

Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

Any instructional program in mathematics and statistics not listed above.

Bachelor's Degree
Doctorate Degree

A program with a general synthesis of mathematics and computer science or a specialization which draws from mathematics and computer science.

Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

A program that focuses on the study of scientific computing and its application. Includes instruction in scientific visualization, multi-scale analysis, grid generation, data analysis, applied mathematics, numerical algorithms, high performance parallel computing, and numerical modeling and simulation with applications in science, engineering and other disciplines in which computation plays an integral role.

Doctorate Degree

A program of study that focuses on the theoretical and practical connections between computer science and economics. Includes instruction in data analysis, database design, data mining, computer algorithms, economics, econometrics, computer programing, mathematics, and statistics.

Marian University
Marian University
Indianapolis, IN
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree

A program that focuses on the relationship between computer and human language and computational techniques applied to natural language. Includes instruction in computer programming, human languages, linguistic analysis, logic, natural language processing, semantics, machine learning, psycholinguistics, software engineering, and syntax.

Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY
Master's Degree

A program that focuses on the analysis of large scale data sources from the interdisciplinary perspectives of applied statistics, computer science, data storage, data representation, data modeling, mathematics, and statistics. Includes instruction in computer algorithms, computer programming, data management, data mining, information policy, information retrieval, mathematical modeling, quantitative analysis, statistics, trend spotting, and visual analytics.

Post-Baccalaureate Certification

Any instructional program in data science not listed above.

Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Post-Baccalaureate Certification

A program that prepares individuals to apply data science to generate insights from data and identify and predict trends. Includes instruction in computer databases, computer programming, inference, machine learning, optimization, probability and stochastic models, statistics, strategy, uncertainty quantification, and visual analytics.

Golden Gate University
Golden Gate University
San Francisco, CA
Certificate
Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Post-Baccalaureate Certification
American University
American University
Washington, DC
Certificate
Lynn University
Lynn University
Boca Raton, FL
Bachelor's Degree

A program that prepares individuals to apply data science to solve business challenges. Includes instruction in machine learning, optimization methods, computer algorithms, probability and stochastic models, information economics, logistics, strategy, consumer behavior, marketing, and visual analytics.

Golden Gate University
Golden Gate University
San Francisco, CA
Certificate
Master's Degree
Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Bachelor's Degree

A program that prepares individuals to organize and derive meaning from data by using visual presentation tools and techniques. Includes instruction in cognitive science, computer programming, data management, data visualization theory, graphic design, infographics, perceptual psychology, statistics, and visual design.

Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Post-Baccalaureate Certification

A program that focuses on financial big data modeling from algorithms to cloud-based data-driven financial technologies. Includes instruction in financial analytics, financial data processing, knowledge management, data visualization, effective decision communication, machine learning for finance, statistical inference and dynamic modeling on financial data, and project management.

Certificate
Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Bachelor's Degree
Certificate Associate Degree

Any instructional program in data analytics not listed above.

Bachelor's Degree
Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Master's Degree

A program that focuses on applying computer science approaches in the representation, analysis, design, and modeling of chemical structures and associated metadata, such as biological activity endpoints and physicochemical properties. Includes instruction in chemical information technology, computational chemistry, computer science, database design, molecular modeling, scientific computing, and statistics.

Bachelor's Degree

A program that focuses on the systematic study of mathematical and statistical analysis of economic phenomena and problems. Includes instruction in economic statistics, optimization theory, cost/benefit analysis, price theory, economic modeling, and economic forecasting and evaluation.

Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
Master's Degree
Master's Degree

A general program that focuses on the application of statistical modeling, data warehousing, data mining, programming, forecasting and operations research techniques to the analysis of problems of business organization and performance. Includes instruction in optimization theory and mathematical techniques, data mining, data warehousing, stochastic and dynamic modeling, operations analysis, and the design and testing of prototype systems and evaluation models.

Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Doctorate Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Faulkner University
Faulkner University
Montgomery, AL
Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree

A program that focuses on the application of mathematical statistics to the description, analysis, and forecasting of business data. Includes instruction in statistical theory and methods, computer applications, data analysis and display, long- and short-term forecasting methods, and market performance analysis.

Master's Degree
Golden Gate University
Golden Gate University
San Francisco, CA
Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree Post-master's Certificate
  • $108,660 per year
    National average salary
    Very High
    Job growth rate
  • Bachelor's degree
    Typical education requirement

Educational Attainment

The following chart shows the highest education level completed by those working as data scientists.

  • Less than high school 0%
  • High school graduate 3%
  • College dropout 7%
  • Associate’s degree 4%
  • Bachelor’s degree 37%
  • Master’s degree 35%
  • Doctorate degree 14%

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