30 Best Data Science Master’s Programs for 2023

By Tanner Abraham •  Updated: 10/25/22 •  25 min read

Highly skilled data scientist job openings are soaring in the market. All the statistics and studies show the job will be popular in the future.

According to the bureau of labor statistics, the demand for data science is expected to grow by 33% by 2029. Regarding popular jobs in the market, data ascents are one of the most looked-after jobs.

If you are planning to dip your toes in here, this article will guide you through all the things you need to know about professions and more.

There is a lot of information that hides in data scientists and what they do, and the most critical question is how you can get rolled into that.

The profession of data scientist will require you to deal with an extensive database system with nothing but your knowledge and experience. Here in the article, we will look at how you can succeed in the field of data science.

Before we get to the meat of the subject, let’s analyze almost all the aspects of data science to get a better idea about the professions and their future in the modern world if you are skeptical about the data scientist profession and what it might hold in the future.

You will need to keep reading to learn more about the salary data, the qualifications, the skill set, and the knowledge you will gain from choosing a data scientist as a career.

Table of Contents

Should you get a master’s degree in data science?

It is perfect for people who are seeking career advancement in their current field or want to choose from data science to a different domain.

Either way, they will benefit significantly from getting a master’s degree in data science. If you look at the current market trend, the popularity of data scientists is on the rise, so if you are seeking to start a new career in a new field. Data science has you covered.

The work here is complex, as data experts will have to work through volumes of complex data within an organization. So, why do it? The national shortage of data science experts and professionals with graduate egress in data science is becoming more demanding than ever.

The job of a data scientist is to use scientific methods, processes, and algorithms to analyze different types of data. Leveling up in the data scientist job requires you to put yourself through additional training. So you will be able to collect, maintain, and analyze the data much better.

Best 30 Data Science Master’s Programs

The courses here will be focused on statistics, business analytics, machine learning, data mining, data visualization, and data science fundamentals.

Each college will have experienced faculty members to give you the knowledge you need about these topics. Some colleges will have award-winning people in their faculty, so joining the colleges will grant you access to a unique insight into the data science field.

In the article, we will mention all the highlights of the college so you will know all the perks you will get from college.

Here we will focus on the world’s best data science master’s degree program. Every college will have details about their tuition rate, online teaching option, and other related topics. So you will get a better understanding before you decide to go to the college of your desire.

University of Michigan

Student Tuition rate: $34, 759 to $46,149

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 to 36 months

The university has a longtime partnership with Coursera, and quality members have experience teaching online. Online programs have been hugely successful, as over one million students have picked up online courses from UMSI faculty.

Graduates from the on-campus program have a 95% job placement rate from places like Google, Amazon, and Facebook.

Students will also have direct access to faculty and graduate students through email conversations and live office hours.

The members here are all professionals and will offer great insight into practical skills and other related information to database management. It is better to access data science professionals to understand database management and learn valuable skills from practical experience.

University of Colorado Boulder

Student Tuition rate: $20,010

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 months

The university follows performance-based admissions without submitting any admission form. You can just start right away without filing and access. The students will also get to choose a personalized learning journey of their own to their goals and objectives.

Performance-based admissions allow the students to demonstrate their own to gain acceptance from the universe.

The faculty members have long experience in statics, computer science, information science, and more. Students will also interact with academia, business, government, and nonprofit experts. They will also inform you about real-world skills that will come in handy in real-world dealings.

Communication is essential, so the college does pay attention to the students developing better engagement scenarios for the students.

Imperial College London

Student Tuition rate: $16,200

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 months

Imperial homes to famous mathematicians, the list includes three winners of the field medal recognized for their outstanding achievement in the field of mathematics.

The degree pushes students to get into mathematical and statistical theory to understand better the mechanism laid beneath machine learning. The university also teaches students practical skills for real-world interaction.

The university provides a different vision by allowing students to participate in a program-spanning module. It covers AI transparency, machine learning, limitation, and machine learning bias. It will help the student to develop practical skills to gain valuable experience to help with business challenges in the related field.

Some of the decision-making at work will come from practical experience; here, working with data scientist professionals will help you a lot in tackling the problems of the modern age.

The University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Student Tuition rate: $21,440

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 to 36 months

Fortune ranked the university as the #1 best online master’s data science program in 2022. You can expect to learn more about machine learning, data mining, visualization, and cloud computing.

There are also interdisciplinary data science courses offered to make your understanding stronger. The University of Illinois provides a flexible track for students pursuing a career in computer science.

The flexible track covers four core areas of computer science – artificial intelligence, database and information systems, interactive computing, software engineering, scientific computing, and high-performance computing.

The course also takes you through the process of skills to design, implement, and evaluate computer-based systems to your software system. The university also pushes for more interaction with peers and faculty members to get a better grip on your topics.

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Student Tuition rate: $10,000

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 months

Language – Spanish

University heart creates a methodology that merges different digital learning resources, which helps you to the culture of digital transformation.

Students will have access to virtual work in teams and proper interaction between national and international students. The professors here are experts in data science, data management, web science, machine learning, optimization, scientific computing, and other related topics.

Students will get to be involved in the field both practically and theoretically. Students here can later pursue their careers in data engineering, data analysis, and data science and follow and create technical ventures.

The university’s methodology will help you tackle different topics to build a strong foundation for your future.

Queen Mary University of London

Student Tuition rate: $11010.33

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 months

The university will focus on analytics software and techniques and how the students can use them in the industry. There will be a focus on machine learning skills using python programming language and other alternatives for a deeper analysis.

The university will also focus on study modules on manipulating, storing, and visualizing data.

The shift in industry will require the students to be aware of core mathematical knowledge, and long-term focus will be necessary for proper development.

University features experts, academics, and industry experts to give the students a deeper insight into topics. The faculty members have experience in the field, as they will help you better understand the analysis and manipulation of data.

Engagement with peers also encouraged the students to let go of their fear when sharing ideas in a group. Every group member must be aware of the critical process behind every idea that comes to the table.

By focusing on communication skills, students will have a vast understanding of the topics and learn how to tackle them in their daily work.

Universidad de los Andes

Student Tuition rate: $10,000

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 months

The courses will focus on addressing business questions that require the student to analyze a high volume of data to create proper solutions for challenges.

As the data flow will be complex, the courses will tackle the area of decision-making. The focus on method-based data analysis will enhance the experience and vision of the data scientist world. The university has a lot of name recognition to help you stand better in the market.

Universidad de Los Andes ranks 1st nationally and 5th in Latin America. The faculty members are professionals and have experience in the topics, and they can lay out the vision in a simplified manner for the students.

Online classes are the best way to learn for data science professionals and get in touch with academic disciplines for those planning to take the course from their location.

O.P Jindal Global University

Student Tuition rate: $6,500

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 to 36 months

Students will develop analytical skills in the data-driven world. The environment of focused analytical business will not stop the students who are aware of essential management and analytical skills. The curriculum focuses on leadership, marketing, finance, and more.

The students will also be able to make connections with diverse groups of people from around the world. A massive array of knowledge and information will make for a solid journey with O.P. Jindal university.

Skills you pick up here can take the students to business analysis, management consulting, HR analyst, marketing analyst, supply chain analysis, risk, and financial analyst, and more exciting career choices. Higher education will help you make better business decisions, as all your practical skills will be displayed here.

Georgia Tech Online

Student Tuition rate: $10,000

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 to 72 months

Georgia Tech’s online master of Science in Analytics program is considered a top 5 nationally ranked data science and analytics program.

The focus will be machine learning, statistical modeling, learning, data storage, pile linings, data visualization, optimization and simulation, and business applications and analytics. It is about helping the graduate with advanced skills to overcome complex problems and tackle new challenges at work.

The faculty here are professionals; they have experience in the field of computing. So they will be able to represent the course much better through their knowledge and vision.

They are learning from data science professionals to help you greatly in your interdisciplinary degree program. You will also gain practical experience to have better predictive analytics on the topic in real-world dealings.

Purdue University – West Lafayette, Indiana

Student Tuition rate: $9,208/ Year in-state // $28,010/Year out-of-state

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 11 months

They offer Science in business analytics and information management that takes advantage of an analytical business approach. The graduates are prepared for leadership roles.

The studies will also focus on developing better basic skills to tackle real-world challenges. The curriculum will focus on Python and Gurobi; within just 11 months, students can expect to receive their degrees.

The concentration will be on investment, corporate finance, and supply chain analytics. If you are looking for solid career advancements, then enrolling in Purdue University will be one of the best master’s data science degree programs in the United States.

From their website, you can learn more about Purdue’s data science master’s programs.

Indiana University – Bloomington, Indiana

Student Tuition rate: $9,786/year in-state and $31,932/year out-of-state

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 months

The coursework is top-tier as it helps the students learn all the necessary skills for a lifelong career in data science. The course will cover data wrangling, data visualization, and statistics. They will also have access to the IU campus’s top-level faculty and research facilities.

Hands-on training opportunities will allow the students to grasp the subject better. The relationship focuses on research projects, interdisciplinary collaboration, and internship.

The study will focus on the Applied data science track, extensive data systems, and managerial data science. The data science track here focuses on both computational and analytical ways.

Colorado State University – Fort Collins, Colorado

Student Tuition rate: $10,520/year in-state and $25,791/year out-of-state

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 months

The college curriculum lends practical methods in data science and statistics. You can expect to face a curriculum that puts the spotlight on the application and computational aspects of the field.

The course will be focused on business database systems, quantitative reasoning, and computational and simulation methods.

The faculty members are experts on data science-related subjects; students are allowed to communicate with them for further questions. Graduates can expect work as data scientists in government, industry, or academia after they reach the end of the course.

The prospective students will work with various computational methods, cloud computing, and statistical modeling to better understand data science degree programs.

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth – North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Student Tuition rate:$16,390/year in-state and $29,578/year out-of-state

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 to 24 months

The university offers a top on-campus master’s degree in data science by merging computer science departments in engineering and mathematics in arts and Science. The program here focuses on helping students build their leadership skills in data analytics and knowledge engineering.

The courses include database design, computational methods, and advanced data mining. The students can participate in faculty-led projects and get to know the industry better by contacting roles in faculty-sponsored projects.

The Dartmouth bridge program is a prevalent option with five courses to give students a better edge and help build a strong foundation in data science.

North Carolina State University – Raleigh, North Carolina

Student Tuition rate: $9,095/year in-state and $26,421/year out-of-state

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 to 24 months

The curriculum here focuses on helping students in reaching their goals. It gets revised to keep up with the latest changes and trends in the field. So the students will always be aware of the current trends and optimizations.

The learning structure will allow students to perfect their teamwork element in the area. The college also has industry and government sponsors to help the students with real-world data.

Being aware of the newest technology will allow them to cover different topics with the same or the latest tools used in the industry. Out of 116 students, 79% landed a job with a salary of $99,778 a year.

Northeastern University – Boston, Massachusetts

Student Tuition rate: $25,264/

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 – 36 month

The college offers a top interdisciplinary master’s in data science. The program is available for both full-time and part-time students.

The course will take around two to three years to get done. Students who lean towards technically or mathematically will have a better time understanding the subject better.

Northeastern University has better curricula for the students to get a grip on technical skills, research design, communicational engagement, and more.

New students must complete two introductory courses to pass the placement exams before starting the semester.

Internships and co-op will give the students a professional outlook on the job. So they will witness real-world challenges and learn how to tackle them if any of them arise in their working field.

University of Washington – Seattle, Washington

Student Tuition rate: $16,278/year in-state and $29,178/year out-of-state

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 18 months

If you are looking for an affordable master’s in data science, you need to consider putting some interest in the University of Washington. It offers both a part-time program and a full-time schedule.

The courses will help the students to work in a professional, engaging environment. The industry here covers data management, research design, and software engineering.

The place here is also diverse; almost 59% of them come from locations outside the U.S. Full-Time students can earn their degree in just 18 months.

Graduates have left to work for companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Zillow. Practical skills and experience on your side will help you a lot in dealing with problems in data management.

DePaul University – Chicago, Illinois

Student Tuition rate: $19,370

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 to 24 months

The college offers an affordable master of Science in data science. The program provides both online and on-campus options for the student. Their students can learn to manage and analyze complex data sets, develop models, and communicate results to stakeholders.

Students here will have to work with real-data collections throughout the program. They will be taking on meaningful analysis.

Experienced faculty members are experienced in the field so that students will get a better and clear understanding of the subject and a deep look into the area.

Real-world teaching will help them deal with the daily challenges that come with the job. The data science degree program here is focused on getting better results out of your online classes to give you practical experience in the field.

Cornell University – Ithaca, New York

Student Tuition rate: $29,500

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 months

Cornell University has one of the top data science programs in the county. Students can complete core courses, such as social analysis projects and elective coursework, within a year.

Cornell University provides a robust online program to help the upcoming students know about data management, data analysis, and a better vision of machine learning.

The master’s program focuses on the solid foundation behind theoretical statistics. The board of education will push the applied statistics areas to give students an edge in their skills.

Students will have to work with meaningful data to understand the profession clearly. Graduates from Cornell can expect to work worldwide in any industry, from biomedical research to finance.

University of Oklahoma – Norman, Oklahoma

Student Tuition rate: $6,583/year in-state and $21,242/year out-of-state

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 14 months

Full-time students can expect to get the degree in just 14 months. The University of Colorado offers a low-priced master’s program. Students can take the course both on campus or online.

The course focuses on computing structures, advanced analytics, intelligent data analysis, and metaheuristics.

Students can choose to tackle this in their way, either they can get from professional practice experience or a thesis, or a series of electives.

The coursework tackled calculus, linear algebra, and high language programming. The data science degree program from the University of Oklahoma covers the best master’s online classes to help you learn all the academic disciplines for good career advancement.

University of Colorado – Boulder, Colorado

Student Tuition rate: $11,826/year in-state and $31,284/year out-of-state

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 months

The University of Colorado offers the country’s least expensive master’s data science program. Students can choose to go on the side of either statistics or data science.

The program here allows students to tackle foundational skills required to analyze complex data sets. The courses here focus on statistical learning, deep learning, and spatial statistics.

The university pushes for more culminating experience to work with faculty experts in statistics or data science. It will take around two years to complete the entire degree.

They understand how beneficial data science professionals can have on young minds looking to make a career in database management or have a dominant role in business strategy.

University of Central Florida – Orlando, Florida

Student Tuition rate: $6,916/year in-state and $25,759/year out-of-state

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 20 months

Here is another great addition if you are looking for colleges that offer a low-cost master’s program in data analytics.

Weekend classes are available to help you work with professionals who have spent their time in the industry. The college-focused cohort model allows students to create strong relationships with peers to develop communication skills.

Students here can finish their degree in 20 months. The college also throws professional development opportunities, including paid internship opportunities with fortune 500 companies. Graduates often get a career in Big Data and Business Analytics.

Good career advancement will require you to put effort and time into your master’s degree programs. The University of Central Florida does better to give computational methods to young minds.

Carnegie Mellon University – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Student Tuition rate: $46,441

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 20 months

The data science master’s program here is designed for students with a background in computer science, computer engineering, or any computing-related course.

They can take between machine learning, advanced databases, and cloud computing. Students here can choose between a 20-month research preparation program or a 16-month professional preparation program that includes a summer internship.

The concentration area here will be focused on systems, analytics, and human-centered data science. The faculty members are experienced, so you will better understand machine learning, cloud computing, and advanced databases.

Prospective students will better understand large data sets, business strategy, statistical modeling, and linear algebra by learning straight from data science professionals.

University of Rochester – Rochester, New York

Student Tuition rate: $49,792

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 24 months

The data science master’s program focuses on a computational introduction to statistics, data mining, and introduction to databases.

The 30-hour master data science program is flexible that accepts students from all stages. It will take two to three semesters for full-time study. The credit hours will help the students to stand above the rest.

All students will have to compete for practical experience by working in teams on a sponsoring organization business problem. The hands-on treatment will allow them to explore ethical issues related to data science.

The final presentation will serve as an exit exam for the students. The graduate programs will help you build a strong foundation in artificial intelligence, data management, statistical analysis, and business analytics.

Columbia University in the City of New York – New York, New York

Student Tuition rate: $49,024

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 to 24 months

The data science master’s program here is unique as it allows students to apply data science techniques to their specific industry. They get to choose a focus area in entrepreneurship.

Course offers will focus on computer science, engineering, and statistics. If you have a bachelor’s or doctoral degree, you will have an easier time tackling online courses.

Columbia University also offers a capstone project that allows students to tackle challenges that impact industry affiliates and work in teams, using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to solve any challenging problems on the way.

The elective course will build up work experience to help you better at research design, develop technical skills, and learn to be a better part of a private institution.

New York University – New York, New York

Student Tuition rate: $34,704

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 to 24 months

The data science master’s program here focuses on developing new methods for data science. The 36-hour program covers industry concentration and specialization tracks.

The industry concentration focuses on the needs of the various industries to allow the students to tackle industry-targeted coursework and challenges. The practical training experience will do wonders for students who want to follow a career in the data science market.

The course here will focus on machine learning, probability and statistics for data science, and big data. The university can give scholarships to lower the burden of tuition on your shoulder.

The concentration areas include data science, biology, and data science biomedical informatics. All of it will help build a work experience for the student to create a strong background in developing statistical methods to tackle changes in the job.

University of Virginia – Charlottesville, Virginia

Student Tuition rate: $16,578/year in-state and $27,770/year out-of-state

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 11 months

The data science master’s program here takes around eleven months to complete. It will be taught by experienced faculty from the department of statistics, computer science, and information engineering. Students here can choose between online and on-campus options.

The online master’s degree here is the top tier that also helps students tackle any social sciences on their way to the on-campus program.

The program’s interdisciplinary focus allows students to get hands-on learning on the topics. The cohort experience also makes students create better engagements with their peers and tackle different challenges that come with the job.

Students take on capstone projects to showcase their skills in a real-world environment.

University of San Francisco – San Francisco, California

Student Tuition rate: $26,640/year

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 to 24 months

The University of San Francisco offers a budget-friendly option for students who don’t want to blow up their entire bank.

The curriculum teaches students to use analytical techniques to address many business problems. Private instruction is always known to offer better online master’s degree classes that cover a lot of fields and will help you build a better work experience for your long-term career.

The courses here are only available for data science students. Students can expect to learn machine learning and business communication and use programming languages such as python and R.

The nine-month practicum experience with various San Francisco companies will give the students valuable hands-on experience with real work.

They will encounter real problems that businesses go through every day and grow a unique perspective in tackling them.

Harvard University – Cambridge, Massachusetts

Student Tuition rate: $49.448

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 to 24 months

The university offers top master’s data science led by experienced faculty. All of them are from computer science and statistics.

The 12-course program covers reproducible data analysis, collaborative problem-solving, and visualization. Students must complete a research experience through a thesis or substantial data science project.

The graduates can create statistical models, analyze data, manage large data sets, and collaborate effectively within teams.

The university prioritizes group thinning, where peers can engage with each other to tackle the most common and uncommon issues around the business environment.

Harvard university is known for its elective courses and strong faculty to lay better vision and insight into business analytics, data management, and other core courses to shape a promising future for the students.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Cambridge, Massachusetts

Student Tuition rate: $53,450/year

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 months

The university master of business analytics helps students to learn and experience real-world business issues. The 12-month program covers optimization, machine learning, and modern data science.

Here students work with complex data science problems with their sponsor organization. Students must work together for four months before traveling to a host organization to finish their internship. To earn the degree, every student will have to submit their final report from the training.

Having an advanced degree will help you have a solid foundation to build your advanced degree for the job of your desire.

Stanford University – Stanford, California

Student Tuition rate:$54,315

Online Teaching: Available 100%

Course length – 12 to 24 months

The core courses here feature deep learning, modern applied statistics, data mining, and statistical learning theory. It will take around five quarters to finish the degree.

The student will not have to submit any thesis, as it is not a requirement. To learn a degree, every student must keep their GPA to 3.0.

Stanford University lays a strong foundation for students who want to excel at their work. The online program focuses on big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and other data science-related online courses to help you get a better grip on this world.

Here are all the best 30 data science master’s program colleges worldwide. Each university has its creative way of dealing with the academic challenges of the course.

Different layouts will result in students grasping the concept behind data science better. And they will have better knowledge to execute correctly.

Some colleges emphasize practical knowledge and experience to help students have problem-solving and decision-making abilities in the workplace.

So any common challenges will be met with solutions. You must know what stands out about a college before you start to rule them out on your list. Compare the perks, tuition fees, teaching methods, and style to point to the college or university that meets all your needs.

Conclusion

Data science degree programs are becoming hugely popular amongst students who want to take on new challenges.

The popularity of data scientists is not slowing down, as the increasing demand has made plenty of students change their course on their professional career to the side of the data scientist.

All the colleges mentioned above provide excellent online program teaching offerings that cover advanced and basic knowledge about professional work and other handfuls of skillset.

Some might provide scholarships to a few students, and you need to go to the college website to know the value you will get from that regard.

But all the critical points are mentioned in their respective places. Regarding growth in the data scientist industry, the average salary for the job sits at $91 857 per year for data scientists. Approximately the exact amount is offered for a data engineer.

An analytics consultant can make around $82,539 a year in their professions’. The job is expected to grow by 8% by 2030. Completing the degree will lead to higher recognition and an improved salary for your job.

Tanner Abraham

Data Scientist and Software Engineer with a focus on experimental projects in new budding technologies that incorporate machine learning and quantum computing into web applications.