Best institutions to study Data Science
Any instructional program in data science not listed above.
13 U.S. institutions graduated 91 Data Science students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 30.7099, a specialization of Data Science (CIP 30.70), and leads most directly to the Data Scientists occupation (BLS SOC 15-2051).
About Data Science programs
Any instructional program in data science not listed above.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Data Science program offers a comprehensive education in the field of data science, focusing on the analysis and interpretation of large data sets. This program is ideal for students interested in harnessing data to drive decision-making across various industries, preparing them for a rapidly evolving job market. As a multi/interdisciplinary studies program, it provides a flexible curriculum that caters to diverse interests within data science. Students will gain essential skills that are applicable in numerous sectors, making them valuable assets to employers seeking data-driven insights.
Core coursework includes statistical software proficiency, data manipulation, and model evaluation techniques. Students will learn to apply algorithms for feature selection and utilize sampling techniques for data collection, equipping them with the necessary skills to analyze complex data sets effectively.
Credentials awarded
What Data Science graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Postbaccalaureate certificate44 graduates / yr · 5 institutions48%
- Bachelor's degree21 graduates / yr · 3 institutions23%
- Master's degree15 graduates / yr · 3 institutions17%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year11 graduates / yr · 3 institutions12%
Graduates over time
Data Science completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 15 |
| 2022 | 65 |
| 2023 | 29 |
| 2024 | 48 |
| 2025 | 91 |
CIP 30.7099 was introduced in CIP 2020, so the series starts when institutions began reporting under the new code.
Top 13 institutions for Data Science, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WAPublicPost-degree cert. | 18 | 65% | — |
| 2 | American University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 15 | 75% | $30,225 |
| 3 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GAPublicPost-degree cert. | 14 | 94% | — |
| 4 | New York University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 10 | 88% | $29,023 |
| 5 | College of Southern Maryland La Plata, MDPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 8 | 33% | — |
| 6 | Morgan State University Baltimore, MDPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 7 | 41% | — |
| 7 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicMaster's | 7 | 85% | — |
| 8 | Meharry Medical College Nashville, TNPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 6 | — | — |
| 9 | Weber State University Ogden, UTPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 2 | 46% | — |
| 10 | University of Connecticut Storrs, CTPublicPost-degree cert. | 1 | 83% | — |
| 11 | University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Durham, NHPublicPost-degree cert. | 1 | 76% | — |
| 12 | SUNY Brockport Brockport, NYPublicBachelor's | 1 | 55% | — |
| 13 | Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 24% | — |
Offered in 11 states
Where Data Science graduates come from. Each state links to all Data Science programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 1 | 18 | Western Washington University18 / yr |
| Maryland | 2 | 15 | College of Southern Maryland8 / yr |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 15 | American University15 / yr |
| Georgia | 1 | 14 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus14 / yr |
| New York | 2 | 11 | New York University10 / yr |
| Minnesota | 1 | 7 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities7 / yr |
| Tennessee | 1 | 6 | Meharry Medical College6 / yr |
| Utah | 1 | 2 | Weber State University2 / yr |
| Connecticut | 1 | 1 | University of Connecticut1 / yr |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 1 | University of New Hampshire - Main Campus1 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 1 | Community College of Philadelphia1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 15-2051, Data Scientists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Data Science program can pursue various careers, with Data Scientists being the primary occupation. The job outlook is promising, with a projected growth rate of 33.5% and approximately 23,400 annual openings. The median wage for data science professionals is $112,590, typically requiring at least a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 30.7099
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Data Scientistsprimary SOC 15-2051 | $120,230 | +33.5% Much faster than average | ~23,400 | Bachelor's degree |
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other SOC 25-1199 | $77,640 | +1.8% Little or no change | ~13,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Natural Sciences Managers SOC 11-9121 | $167,220 | +3.7% About as fast as average | ~8,500 | Bachelor's degree |
Database Architects SOC 15-1243 | $139,500 | +8.7% Much faster than average | ~4,000 | Bachelor's degree |
Computer and Information Research Scientists SOC 15-1221 | $140,300 | +19.7% Much faster than average | ~3,200 | Master's degree |
Statisticians SOC 15-2041 | $105,650 | +8.5% Much faster than average | ~2,000 | Master's degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Data Science programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
What graduates do on the job
- Analyze, manipulate, or process large sets of data using statistical software.
- Apply feature selection algorithms to models predicting outcomes of interest, such as sales, attrition, and healthcare use.
- Apply sampling techniques to determine groups to be surveyed or use complete enumeration methods.
- Clean and manipulate raw data using statistical software.
- Compare models using statistical performance metrics, such as loss functions or proportion of explained variance.
- Create graphs, charts, or other visualizations to convey the results of data analysis using specialized software.
Tools and technology used
Other Data Science specializations
The 1 other 6-digit CIP codes under Data Science (CIP 30.70).
Common questions
What credentials can I earn from this program?+
You can earn a Postbaccalaureate certificate, Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, or an award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 13 colleges offering the Data Science program in the U.S.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You'll develop skills in data analysis, statistical software, and model evaluation techniques.
What is the job outlook for data science graduates?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 33.5% and 23,400 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Data Science?+
Data Science is CIP 30.7099 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Data Science (CIP 30.70). NCES defines it as: Any instructional program in data science not listed above.
How many institutions offer Data Science programs?+
13 U.S. institutions reported Data Science graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 11 states, awarding 91 credentials in the year. That is 0.8% of all Data Science graduates.
How much do Data Science graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Data Scientists occupation, which Data Science most directly leads to, pays a median of $120,230 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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