by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 311 U.S. colleges awarded 11,772 degrees and certificates in Data Science. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 66% of graduates. College Factual ranks 134 schools in its 2027 Best Data Science Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Its 14 related occupations pay an average median salary of $119,416 a year.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., data science draws strong interest, with 11,772 degrees awarded annually. 311 colleges award data science degrees, an average of 38 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 914.
By level, the 11,772 awards include 31 certificates, 137 associate degrees, 3,827 bachelor’s degrees, 7,718 master’s degrees and 41 doctorates.
Women earned 38% of data science degrees and certificates in the latest year (4,478 of 11,772). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (3,356) and Asian (1,579), and international students earned 4,800.
College Factual ranks 134 schools in its 2027 Best Data Science Schools ranking, including 58 for bachelor’s degrees and 86 for master’s degrees. It also ranks data science schools within 19 states. In all, 311 colleges offer data science programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Data Science Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common data science credential is the master’s degree: 7,718 of the 11,772 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to data science call most for Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Computers and Electronics, English Language and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension and Oral Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a data science degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 31 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 137 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 3,827 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 7,718 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 41 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to data science, at 59.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 59.0% |
| Master’s degree | 20.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 3.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.1% |
| Some college courses | 3.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 2.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.6% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
14 occupations are related to Data Science, with an average median salary of $119,416; the strongest outlook belongs to Software Developers, at 13.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Data Analyst, Data Engineer, Data Modeler and Assistant Professor.
The occupation related to data science with the most projected jobs is Postsecondary Teachers, All Other, at 964,215.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | 585,851 | 1.3% |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Data Scientists | 507,848 | 8.1% |
| Database Architects | 335,771 | 4.3% |
| Statisticians | 307,132 | 6.6% |
| Clinical Data Managers | 300,656 | -0.9% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 179,495 | 8.7% |
The highest-paying occupation related to data science is Water Resource Specialists, with a median salary of $179,716.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $175,079 |
| Database Architects | $148,480 |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | $143,840 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Statisticians | $130,349 |
| Biostatisticians | $121,594 |
| Data Warehousing Specialists | $117,424 |
Data Science includes 2 concentrations that together award 11,772 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Data Science, General (11,681) and Data Science, Other (91). It has 48 similar majors in the Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies field, which together award 138,650 degrees a year; the largest are Biological and Physical Sciences (29,811), Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (29,665) and Data Analytics (17,572). Browse all Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Data Science, General | 11,681 |
| Data Science, Other | 91 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 29,811 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 29,665 |
| Data Analytics | 17,572 |
| MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES | 11,175 |
| Behavioral Sciences | 6,906 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 5,644 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 5,569 |
| Sustainability Studies | 4,567 |
| Cognitive Science | 3,911 |
| Natural Sciences | 3,002 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
