What do they do?
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.
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28.8%
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Ranks #35 in job growth rate500Job Openings
Ranks #17 in net job growth
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- Bachelor's degree (39%)
- Master's degree (36%)
- Doctorate or Professional Degree (12%)
- Some college, no degree (6%)
- Associate's degree (4%)
- High school diploma equivalent (3%)
- Less than high school diploma (<1%)
Most Popular Majors that prepare Data Scientists
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#1
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Degrees Granted
87,789
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Female Students
22,217
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Male Students
65,572
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Median Starting Salary
$62,633
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#2
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Degrees Granted
37,058
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Female Students
11,081
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Male Students
25,977
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Median Starting Salary
$54,033
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#3
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Degrees Granted
34,247
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Female Students
14,449
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Male Students
19,798
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Median Starting Salary
$57,200
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#4
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Degrees Granted
23,130
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Female Students
8,345
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Male Students
14,785
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Median Starting Salary
$54,000
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#5
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Degrees Granted
22,812
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Female Students
8,549
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Male Students
14,263
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Median Starting Salary
$53,900
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People in this career often have these skills:
- Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
People in this career often know a lot about:
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
People in this career often have talent in:
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
- Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
People in this career often do these activities:
- Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities.
- Prepare graphics or other visual representations of information.
- Prepare analytical reports.
- Develop scientific or mathematical models.
- Present research results to others.
- Advise others on analytical techniques.
- Select resources needed to accomplish tasks.
- Apply mathematical principles or statistical approaches to solve problems in scientific or applied fields.
- Prepare data for analysis.
- Analyze data to identify or resolve operational problems.
- Analyze business or financial data.
- Analyze data to identify trends or relationships among variables.
- Write computer programming code.
- Update technical knowledge.
- Determine appropriate methods for data analysis.
- Develop procedures to evaluate organizational activities.
This page includes data from:
Career data:
O*NET 31.0 Database
by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA
Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Employment Statistics
Videos:
CareerOneStop
, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development
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