Learn about jobs in data science and find resources for next career move.
Data science jobs tend to be high-paid and in high demand. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities in data science are projected to grow by 36 percent between 2021 and 2031 with a median salary of $100,910 [1].
In this guide, we'll discuss some common data science jobs that you may consider pursuing, whether you're seeking entry-level, mid-career, or advanced roles, as well as offer resources for getting started.
With a career in data science, you'll seek meaningful insights from data. Although people often think about data science in the tech industry, the reality is that all industries can benefit from this type of work. Outside of traditional tech companies, some industries that employ data scientists and related data professionals include:
Health care
Finance and banking
Insurance
Energy
Agriculture
Retail
Entertainment and media
Before you start your job search, consider what type of data you'd like to work with and what business problems you'd like to help solve. From there, you can tailor your resume and target roles in industries that you feel most excited to pursue.
Here are some articles that can help contextualize how you might work with data in various industries:
If you're interested in working with data, there are several different job areas that you may be interested in pursuing. Once you know the basics, it's possible to move from one area to another as you expand your technical and analytical skill set.
Additionally, as you grow your management skills, you'll qualify for higher level positions throughout your career. Some job-level indicators you may see as you look through job postings are:
Entry-level jobs may have junior, associate, or coordinator in the job title. Internships also tend to be entry-level.
Mid-level jobs may have mid-level in the job title or may not have any qualifier. You may also see some manager titles at this stage in your career.
Advanced jobs may have senior, lead, or head in the job title. You may also come across director-level positions.
Let's take a closer look at some common data science jobs.
Data scientists use analytical skills to solve complex business problems. They're typically presented with a problem, then tasked with figuring out the right questions to ask in order to solve the problem, as well as how to answer those questions using data.
Median annual salary: $100,910 [1]
Typical education: 51 percent have a bachelor's degree, while 34 percent have a master's degree [2]
Keep learning with these articles:
The IBM Data Science Professional Certificate gave me a lot of confidence. I never saw myself as a computer person, but the program has you do all these complicated-seeming things like working in the Cloud and connecting to APIs, and it was so cool to me, to see how easy Watson Studio actually was to use, and how much you could do on it.
— Sam B.
Data analysts collect and interpret data to solve specific problems within an organization. Becoming a data analyst can be an excellent starting point for prospective data scientists because they use similar tools as data scientists to provide data-driven insights, but are usually given the business questions they're tasked with answering.
Median annual salary: $82,360 [3]
Typical education: 65 percent have a bachelor's degree, 15 percent have a master's degree, and 12 percent have an associate degree [4]
Keep learning with these articles:
Data engineers design and build systems for collecting, storing, and analyzing data. They may start their careers as data analysts or software engineers because they need a solid foundation in data management and optimizing business outcomes.
Median annual salary: $101,000 [5]
Typical education: 65 percent have a bachelor's degree, 22 percent have a master's degree, and 7 percent have an associate degree [6]
Keep learning with these articles:
Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly advancing data science. Both machine learning engineers and AI engineers are experienced members of data science teams who research, build, and design algorithms. Machine learning engineers develop models for AI systems, and AI engineers program those systems to "think" like humans do.
Median annual salary: $131,490 [7]
Typical education: 63 percent have a bachelor's degree, while 17 percent have a master's degree [8]
Keep learning with these articles:
From working with the cloud to developing games, exciting and unique opportunities are ahead if you decide to explore a career in data science. Learn about more opportunities with these articles:
There are several technical skills and tools common to data scientist jobs. As you read job descriptions, take note of the high-level skills companies are looking for in their candidates. Here are some articles that detail what you can expect:
There are several ways to expand your professional skill set. Many data science professionals enroll in bootcamps, earn certifications, or pursue advanced degrees as they navigate their career. Here are some articles that can help you decide what type of degree or certification is right for you:
A great way to brush up on data science is by reading a book or listening to a podcast. Here are some media recommendations to continue learning:
A career in data science starts with learning how to transform data into meaningful business insights. Begin your journey in data with Coursera. Enroll in Google's Data Analytics Professional Certificate to learn how to process and analyze data, or practice using the tools data scientists use with IBM's Data Science Professional Certificate. Sign up and start learning today with a free seven-day, all-access trial.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook: Data Scientists, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/data-scientists.htm." Accessed March 28, 2023.
Zippia. "Data Scientist Education Requirements, https://www.zippia.com/data-scientist-jobs/education/." Accessed March 28, 2023.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook: Operations Research Analysts, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/operations-research-analysts.htm." Accessed March 28, 2023.
Zippia. "Data Analyst Education Requirements, https://www.zippia.com/data-analyst-jobs/education/." Accessed March 28, 2023.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook: Database Administrators and Architects, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/database-administrators.htm." Accessed March 28, 2023.
Zippia. "Data Engineer Education Requirements, https://www.zippia.com/data-engineer-jobs/education/." Accessed March 28, 2023.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook: Computer and Information Research Scientists, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-and-information-research-scientists.htm." Accessed March 28, 2023.
Zippia. "Artificial Intelligence Specialist Education Requirements, https://www.zippia.com/artificial-intelligence-specialist-jobs/education/." Accessed March 28, 2023.
Editorial Team
Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.
Take your skills to the next level with expert-led courses and Coursera Coach, your AI-powered guide.
Earn recognized credentials from top companies like Meta, Google, Microsoft, and more.
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.