Posted by Data drives decision-making in nearly every facet of our lives. The best data science colleges in the world prepare prospective students to join the ranks of data science experts.
Many of the colleges on our list welcome international students. However, admission requirements for international students may vary.
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What is Data Science?
Data science is a multidisciplinary approach that combines principles from mathematics, statistics, artificial intelligence, and computer engineering to analyze large amounts of data.
It is important because it helps organizations understand what happened, why, what will happen, and what can be done with the results. It is crucial in today’s data-driven world.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, data scientists are projected to be one of the fastest-growing occupations in the next decade, with a 35% increase in employment from 2022 to 2032.
A survey by Kaggle, a platform for data science and machine learning, found that 20% of data scientists have a PhD, 39% have a master’s degree, and 23% have a bachelor’s degree.
Criteria for Selecting the Best Data Science Colleges in the World
1. Academic Reputation
2. Research Output: We assessed the research output of institutions in data science-related areas by the number of publications, research impact, and collaboration with industry or other research organizations.
3. Notable Alumni
4. Facilities and Resources
5. Industry Connections: We evaluated the institution’s connections with industry partners, internship opportunities, and support for students’ career development.
6. Accreditation
List of the Best Data Science Colleges in the World
Below is a table showing the best Data Science Colleges in the World:
20 Best Data Science Colleges in the World
1. University of Oxford
- Founded: 1096
- Location: Oxford, England
- Tuition fee: International Students Tuition Fee; 28,040 GBP per year
- Ranking: 1st in the UK, 5th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2023)
- Accreditation: Accredited by the British Accreditation Council
- Financial aid: Available for students from low-income families
The University of Oxford is a research university in Oxford, England. It is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world’s second-oldest university in continuous operation.
2. Stanford University
- Founded: The program was founded in 2009.
- Location: Stanford, California.
- Tuition fee: $43,089 per year.
- Ranking: The program is ranked #1 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
- Financial aid: The program offers financial aid to students who qualify.
Stanford University’s data science program is one of the top-ranked programs in the world.
3. Harvard University
- Founded: 2015
- Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- Tuition fee: The tuition fee for the Data Science Master’s program at Harvard University is $61,768 per year.
- Ranking: The program is ranked #1 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
- Financial aid: The program offers financial aid to students who qualify.
The Master of Science in Data Science program is a top-ranked program that prepares students for careers in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
Here are some additional details about the program:
- The program is full-time and typically takes two years to complete.
- The program requires students to have a strong background in mathematics, statistics, and computer science.
- The program has a strong emphasis on hands-on learning, and students are encouraged to participate in research projects.
- The program has a diverse student body, and students come from all over the world.
4. University College London
- Founded: 1826
- Location: London, UK
- Tuition fee: The tuition fee for the Data Science MSc program at University College London (UCL) is £18,000 for UK students and £38,300 for international students.
- Ranking: 10th in the world for data science (QS World University Rankings 2023)
- Accreditation: Accredited by the British Computer Society
- Financial aid: UCL offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
UCL is a public research university in London, England. It was founded in 1826 and is one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
5. University of Washington – Seattle
- Founded: 1861.
- Location: Seattle, Washington.
- Tuition fee: $30,912 per year.
- Ranking: The MSDS program is ranked #12 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The MSDS program is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
- Financial aid: The MSDS program offers a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
The University of Washington – Seattle Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program is a professional master’s program designed for students who want to begin or advance their careers in data science.
The program is offered full-time or part-time and is available online or on-campus.
6. Carnegie Mellon University
- Founded: The CMU MSDS program was founded in 2013.
- Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- Tuition fee: The tuition fee for the data science course at Carnegie Mellon University is $48,775 per year.
- Ranking: The CMU MSDS program is ranked #1 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The CMU MSDS program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
- Financial aid: CMU offers financial aid to students in the MSDS program.
The Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program at CMU is a highly ranked program that prepares students for careers in data science.
The program is offered by the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy.
Here are some additional details about the program:
- The program is full-time and can be completed in two years.
- There are no prerequisites for the program, but students are expected to have a strong foundation in mathematics and computer science.
- The program is taught by a faculty of experienced data scientists and engineers.
- The program offers a variety of specializations, including healthcare, finance, and business analytics.
- The program has a strong alumni network that can help students with their job search.
7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Founded: MIT was founded in 1861.
- Location: MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a city located just outside of Boston.
- Tuition fee: The tuition fee for the academic year 2023-2024 is $59,750.
- Ranking: MIT is ranked #1 in the world for data science by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: MIT is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
- Financial aid: MIT offers a variety of financial aid resources to students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
MIT is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, and its data science programs are highly ranked.
8. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
- Founded: The University of Michigan was founded in 1817.
- Location: The university is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Tuition fee: The annual tuition fee for the University of Michigan Ann Arbor data science masters program is $52,456.
- Ranking: The University of Michigan is ranked #22 in the world for data science by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The data science programs at the University of Michigan are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
- Financial aid: The university offers a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the oldest university in the state of Michigan and is ranked among the top 20 universities in the United States.
9. University of California – Berkeley
- Founded: The BS in Data Science was founded in 2013.
- Location: The BS and MS programs are located in Berkeley, California.
- Tuition fee: US$2,850.
- Ranking: The BS in Data Science is ranked #1 in the world by U.S. News & World Report. The MS in Data Science is ranked #15 in the world by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The BS in Data Science is accredited by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). The MS in Data Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of ABET.
- Financial aid: UC Berkeley offers a variety of financial aid options for students enrolled in the data science programs, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
UC Berkeley offers a variety of data science programs, including a BS in Data Science, an MS in Data Science, and a Certificate in Data Science. The programs are offered by the College of Letters & Science, the School of Information, and UC Berkeley Extension.
10. University of Toronto
- Founded: The BSc program was founded in 2015. The MSc program was founded in 2018.
- Location: Both programs are offered at the University of Toronto’s St. George campus in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Tuition fee: Approximately CAD 24,900 for domestic students and CAD 73,500 for international students.
- Ranking: The BSc program is ranked #1 in Canada and #15 in the world for data science programs by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: Both programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
- Financial aid: The University of Toronto offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
11. University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Founded: The data science program at UW-Madison was founded in 2013.
- Location: Madison, Wisconsin.
- Tuition fee: The total fee estimates for completing the MSDS program are around $2960 for part-time students or $2220 for full-time students.
- Ranking: The data science program at UW-Madison is ranked 17th in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The data science program at UW-Madison is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
- Financial aid: The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
The data science program at UW-Madison is offered by the Department of Statistics. It is a multidisciplinary program that combines coursework in statistics, computer science, and mathematics. The program prepares students for careers in data science, machine learning, and other related fields.
12. University of California-San Diego
- Founded: The Data Science program at UCSD was founded in 2014.
- Location: The Data Science program is located at the UCSD campus in La Jolla, California.
- Tuition fee: $37,620.
- Ranking: The Data Science program at UCSD is ranked #15 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The Data Science program at UCSD is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
- Financial aid: UCSD offers a variety of financial aid options for students in the Data Science program, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
The Data Science program at UCSD is a Master of Science (MS) degree program that prepares students for careers in data science and related fields.
13. University of Manchester
- Founded: 1824
- Location: Manchester, England
- Tuition fee: £15,500 per year for UK students and £31,000 per year for international students.
- Ranking: 27th in the world for data science (QS World University Rankings 2023)
- Accreditation: The University of Manchester is accredited by the British Accreditation Council for Higher Education (BAC) and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).
- Financial aid: The University of Manchester offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
The University of Manchester is a public research university in Manchester, England. It was founded in 1824 and is one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the United Kingdom.
14. McMaster University
- Founded: The Data Science program at McMaster University was founded in 2019.
- Location: The program is located on the McMaster University campus in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
- Tuition fee: $6,307.20 per term (international students)
- Ranking: The Data Science program at McMaster University is ranked 15th in Canada by Maclean’s magazine.
- Accreditation: The Data Science program at McMaster University is accredited by the Canadian Association of University Schools of Business (CAUSB).
- Financial aid: There are a variety of financial aid options available to students in the Data Science program at McMaster University.
The Data Science program at McMaster University is offered by the Faculty of Science. It is a 12-month, full-time program that leads to a Master of Science degree.
The program is designed to train students in the skills and knowledge they need to become data scientists, with a focus on applied data science.
15. Imperial College London
- Founded: The program was founded in 2000.
- Location: London, England.
- Tuition fee: The tuition fee for the MSc Data Science program at Imperial College London is £34,750 per year.
- Ranking: The program is ranked #1 in the UK for data science by the Guardian University Guide.
- Accreditation: The program is accredited by the British Computer Society.
- Financial aid: The program offers financial aid to students who qualify.
The Imperial College London Data Science program is a world-renowned program that offers students the opportunity to learn from leading experts in the field. It is a 1-year Master of Science program that is designed to give students the skills and knowledge they need to become data scientists.
16. University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign
- Founded: The UIUC was founded in 1867.
- Location: The UIUC is located in the central part of Illinois
- Tuition fee: $17,572 per semester if you are an Illinois resident, or $36,068 per semester if you are a non-resident.
- Ranking: The undergraduate program is ranked #11 by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The UIUC data science programs are accredited by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC).
- Financial aid: The UIUC offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
The UIUC offers a variety of data science programs at the undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. levels. The programs are designed to prepare students for careers in data science, data analytics, and other related fields.
17. Cornell University
- Founded: 1962.
- Location: Ithaca, New York.
- Tuition fee: The tuition fee for this program is $59,000 for 24 months.
- Ranking: The MPS in Applied Statistics is ranked #1 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The MPS in Applied Statistics is accredited by the Council of Graduate Schools.
- Financial aid: The Cornell University Graduate School offers a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
The Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Applied Statistics is a one-year program that prepares students for careers in data science. The program is offered by the Department of Statistics and Data Science, which is one of the top-ranked statistics departments in the world.
18. University of Cambridge
- Founded: The University of Cambridge was founded in 1209.
- Location: The University of Cambridge is located in Cambridge, England.
- Tuition fee: £9,250 for the year.
- Accreditation: The University of Cambridge Data Science program is accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS). The BCS is a professional body for IT professionals in the UK.
The University of Cambridge Data Science program is a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree program that provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to work in data science.
The program is taught by world-renowned experts in data science and covers a wide range of topics, including machine learning, statistical analysis, and data visualization.
Here are some additional details about the program:
- The program is full-time and typically takes one year to complete.
- The program is taught in English.
- Students must have a strong background in mathematics and statistics.
- The program has a strong research component. Students are required to complete a research project in their area of interest.
19. Pennsylvania State University
- Founded: The Data Science program at Penn State was founded in 2018.
- Location: Pennsylvania.
- Tuition fee: 33,264 USD per year.
- Ranking: The Data Science program at Penn State is ranked #40 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
- Accreditation: The Data Science program at Penn State is accredited by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
- Financial aid: Penn State offers a variety of financial aid options to students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.
The Data Science program at Penn State is offered by the College of Information Sciences and Technology. It is a 4-year undergraduate program that prepares students for careers in data science, data analytics, and related fields.
20. University of Bristol
- Founded: 1876
- Location: Bristol, England
- Tuition fee: The tuition fee for the Data Science program at Bristol University is £9,250 per year.
- Ranking: 62nd in the world (QS World University Rankings 2023)
- Accreditation: Accredited by the British Accreditation Council
- Financial aid: Financial aid is available for students from low-income families.
The University of Bristol is a public research university in Bristol, England. It was founded in 1876 and is one of the Russell Group of universities. The university is ranked 62nd in the world by the QS World University Rankings.
FAQs on the Best Data Science Colleges in the World
Do these colleges offer online data science programs?
Some of the colleges on our list may offer online or hybrid data science programs. We recommend visiting the college websites for details on their program offerings.
Are there scholarships available for data science students at these colleges?
Many colleges offer scholarships and financial aid to eligible students. Check with the individual colleges for information on scholarships, grants, and other financial assistance options.
How can I apply to these colleges?
Each college has its own application process, deadlines, and requirements. Visit the official website of the college you're interested in for specific application details.
Do these colleges offer internship opportunities for data science students?
Many colleges have strong industry connections and offer internship and co-op programs to help students gain real-world experience. Research the college's career services and internship opportunities for more information.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the duration of data science programs can vary from one to several years, depending on the level of study (e.g., bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral) and the specific program. Check with the colleges for program-specific details.
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