In the digital age, data plays a vital role in the success of a business. So, it is not too surprising that the field of analysis develops strongly at lightning speed.
Companies or organizations need to find data scientists to assist them in finding key business decisions and insights.
High job demand and attractive benefits make this job desirable. To be a data scientist, you need to have a solid educational background.
Data scientist is a profession of the future. However, the path to becoming an expert is not easy.
To ensure you get off to a good start, choosing an institution should be a top priority. A bachelor’s degree from a reputable university will help you score points with employers.
Here is a list of the 10 best data science universities in the United States.
1. Harvard University
Information analytics is a relatively new multidisciplinary field. It has just exploded strongly in recent times but has extremely powerful applications in many fields.
The most talented professionals are capable of improving the efficiency of healthcare systems, security analysis, or business decision-making.
Tools and skills that professionals need to equip include data extraction systems, algorithms, and analytical methods.
With a salary of more than $120,000 per year, it is not too difficult to determine that this job is receiving very good incentives.
As a result, universities across the country are doing their best to improve courses and improve the quality of teachers.
The prestigious Harvard University will certainly not be out of this spiral. Here, the university added Data Science as a separate department.
To apply for admission, prospective students can apply through GSAS. Currently, Harvard does not require any requirements for students who want to study for a master’s degree.
Even so, you need to have a good background in statistics, math, and computer science. Extensive knowledge of calculus, inference, linear algebra, and programming languages also help your pass rate higher.
Website: https://gsas.harvard.edu/programs-of-study/all/data-science
2. Stanford University
Stanford University is one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Therefore, the Data Science major here is also a prestigious choice for students.
The school offers a wide range of bachelor’s and master’s programs tailored to each individual’s developmental needs.
In addition, postdoctoral fellows often choose Stanford as their destination. The school’s Data Science Institute hosts a wide range of summer research courses on and off-campus.
The best students will receive scholarships and grants from the school. Stanford creates a research community to benefit society.
The university also brings together diverse departments and fields to solve society’s problems.
The facilities at Stanford are also top quality. Students have access to big data through libraries, training programs, and research centers.
Website: https://datascience.stanford.edu/
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the top technology universities in the world. Their curriculum is of absolute quality and credibility.
However, MIT’s approach is radically different from the traditional one where bachelor’s degrees are awarded. The Information Analysis Center here is responsible for organizing large-scale research events.
In addition, the academic institute at MIT kicks off projects and organizes permanent faculty visits. The main objective is to increase the applicability of academic definitions to practice.
Students can choose from the courses or programs while studying at MIT:
- MicroMasters Program in Statistics and Data Science: Four separate thematic courses that potentially provide additional information background. This course is suitable for those who are just starting to learn about the field.
Upon completion of an upper degree, students have the option of participating in seven different graduate programs. It helps you to achieve a Master’s degree.
- Master’s in Business Analytics at the Sloan School of Business: The curriculum focuses on information analysis applied to an economic context.
- Online course for ten weeks so that students can actively study remotely if they want.
Website: https://stat.mit.edu/
4. University Of California, Berkeley
In 2022, the University of California – Berkeley made significant leaps to the top of the data analytics industry. The school’s reputation score is almost perfect.
In July 2019, the information and computer science division was born. Its goal is to make the most of the research capabilities and excellent teaching quality here to contribute to society.
This department was established with the contributions of all students and faculty. It is capable of studying the cross-cutting nature of information in the digital age.
The combination of scientific and social elements keeps the atmosphere here dynamic and balanced. As a result, students are free to collaborate to create groundbreaking research that meets cutting-edge technology.
Website: https://data.berkeley.edu/academics/data-science-undergraduate-studies/data-science-major
5. Carnegie Mellon University
The Data Science program at Carnegie Mellon University is one of the reasons why this university is so prestigious and so popular.
The current number of students studying at the school is about 12,963. Among them are more than 2,300 students pursuing master’s and doctoral programs.
Here, you can study all the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees to your liking. Carnegie Mellon University also offers part-time or full-time study programs for students to choose from.
Government agencies and philanthropic organizations regularly fund school programs.
The main reason is that Carnegie Mellon has made positive contributions to the field of technology and society. Their research programs have always attracted the attention of many experts.
Website: https://mcds.cs.cmu.edu
6. University Of Washington
The University of Washington is the sixth university on the list. The school’s reputation score is 4.4.
In-state students studying here will have to pay a tuition fee of $12,076. Out-of-state tuition is $39,906.
For students looking to start a career in data science, the University of Washington is a top choice. The center offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.
The main teaching objective here is to enable students to extract and analyze notable patterns in the database.
You can complete this program part-time or full-time to realign your schedule.
Classes typically begin in the fall quarter. Classes are mostly held in the evenings.
Website: https://www.washington.edu/datasciencemasters/
7. Columbia University
Columbia University is one of the leading educational institutions in data science. The Center established the Data Science Institute very early, precisely in 2012.
Compared to the joint education programs spread across many faculties at other universities, this integration is a significant plus.
Here, resources are closely fused to strengthen the mission and contribute continuously to the community. Theories in industrial engineering, statistics, and computer science are the pride of Columbia.
The university also offers master’s and doctoral degree programs. Students will have to complete capstone projects instead of dissertations to maximize the practical application of theory.
Columbia also provides facilities and information analysis services on campus. These services can make research go more smoothly.
After graduation, students can refer to affiliate programs with businesses to build relationships.
Website: https://datascience.columbia.edu/
8. New York University
The New York University (NYU) offers students a wide variety of data science options. Some specific examples include physics, processing programming languages, big data, and math.
Typically, a full-time student will need two years to complete the entire course. This program consists of 36 credits total.
Instead of writing a thesis, NYU requires students to complete capstone projects. It allows you to apply the theories you have learned to real-life contexts.
Experience in collecting, processing, and analyzing real-world information will give students a stronger competitive advantage when applying to organizations.
Website: https://cds.nyu.edu/
9. University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Since the 1960s, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has been a leader in database research and visualization.
Today, the university prides itself on providing some of the best information research, teaching, and training in the United States.
The topics that UIUC students are pursuing are diverse. They can predict climate, and analyze medical or financial functional images.
Inside the campus is the State Farm Research and Development Center. This area allows students to research and applies knowledge in real projects.
This center is also home to strong scholarship opportunities and financial support for outstanding graduate students.
Website: http://datascience.illinois.edu/
10. The University Of Michigan
The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor (UMich) is a public research university. This academy has a long history as it was founded in 1817.
Recently, UMich demonstrated its interest in the field of computer science by opening a new interdisciplinary center, MCubed.
The goal of this center is to focus on data science research and analysis across disciplines. You can find almost anything from finance, healthcare, and security to transportation here.
At UMich, students can also find undergraduate and graduate programs. The school also opens more online learning programs with the participation of teaching experts.
Website: https://lsa.umich.edu/stats/undergraduate-students/undergraduate-programs/majordatascience.html
What Is Data Science?
Data science is a technology that specializes in researching and processing huge databases through the support of modern techniques and tools.
As a result, experts can find new variables to analyze information that is meaningful to the business plan. They build complex models using machine learning algorithms.
One can extract information from many sources and present them in a variety of graphs. This information is the key to changing or deciding on a business plan.
The primary job of data scientists is to collect, analyze, process, store, and visualize databases using complex tools and methods.
All these data have meaning and their job is to find them. These experts then pass on this information to others.
The best data scientists have in-depth knowledge of machine learning, statistics, and programming languages like R or Python. Thanks to their powerful information mining capabilities, organizations and businesses can thrive.
What Do Data Scientists Do?
The field of data science is still not widespread in modern society. However, you can recognize its strong growth in the last half-decade.
Every year, businesses and organizations record an exponential number of databases. So, DS professionals have many opportunities to grow in the industry.
In essence, this industry requires users to uncover patterns and hidden information from raw information. They will have to employ many distinct machine learning principles, tools, and analytical methods.
Because of the analytical nature that requires the involvement of many processes, methods, and algorithms, data analysis is a multidisciplinary field. Some notable keywords include big data, machine learning, and algorithms.
Experts need to have top-notch analytical skills to understand the meaning behind the information and draw conclusions.
Short, detailed, and useful information helps organizations judge the future and make important decisions.
To summarize, the work of data scientists will include the following:
- Analyze the database to identify the biggest problems the organization is facing and needs to solve.
- Figure out the correct variables and data sets.
- Gather from different sources to derive structured and unstructured data.
- Validate and clean information to ensure the highest accuracy, uniformity, and completeness.
- Apply and develop algorithms and models to mine larger datasets.
- Present and interpret information to uncover opportunities and solutions to current problems.
- Identify and analyze patterns to find the right trends.
- Apply visual aids and communicate the results back to the relevant units.
Why Should You Learn Data Science?
Data science is a profession of the future as more and more practical applications are applied to diverse social aspects.
There are many job opportunities open to data scientist. According to information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 105,980 positions related to this profession in the market.
This number is really impressive and it certainly won’t stop. In the future, when businesses want to find analytical personnel, the demand for jobs will increase.
According to an IBM study, this profession will be one of the top talent attractions in the technology sector. It is expected that from 2019 to 2025, its growth rate will reach approximately 30%.
Although this field of science is developing rapidly, the recruitment market still does not have enough high-quality human resources.
An expert in this field needs diverse skills and deep knowledge of programming, statistics, mathematics, and business aptitude.
Companies compete a lot to find the right employees because they want to change quickly to adapt to the environment.
That is why the remuneration and incentives of these professionals are so attractive. Their average salary amounts to $124,540 annually.
In addition, organizations also provide additional social benefits and modern facilities for employees to maximize their potential.
Conclusion
There is no doubt about the potential of data science and its ability to thrive in the future.
Although many universities have implemented curricula in this area, their quality is not the same.
The universities on the list all have a wealth of experience, top-notch facilities, and a team of talented professionals. All these factors will be an important stepping stone for your future career path.