Rewarding Data Science Careers with a Master’s Degree

Published: Mar 17, 2022
Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Learn about the best careers in data science if you have a master’s degree. Online data science master’s programs make getting your degree more convenient than ever. Many of these data science careers pay six figures after a few years of experience, and demand is growing.

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Imagine a career in which you can make an excellent salary. Now imagine a career in which the median annual salary is over $151,000. That’s what master’s in data science jobs have to offer.

Not all data science degree jobs pay that well. But with a master’s degree and a few years of experience, you could earn a six-figure salary. You can also find high quality data science master’s degrees online. This means you can continue working even while getting your Online Master’s in Data Science degree.

There are also penty of job opportunities in data science. Data science is a growing field. You can specialize in these areas:

Database management
Statistics
Information research
Data analytics
Information analysis

Featured Programs

Read on for more details on these data science jobs.

Database Administrator

One of the top jobs after getting an MS in data science is database administration. Data scientists are like architects. It’s their responsibility to build systems that securely store data.

Database administrators also make sure that authorized users have access to the database. For example, you might work with a data analyst who need access to the database. It’s your job to make the data analyst can access this information.

There are two main types of database administrators - systems admins and application admins.

Systems admins focus more on the technical part of the database. For example, you might install an upgrade that improves database security.

Application admins focus on using the database for a specific application. For example, you might write a program that analyzes shipping routes and lowers the amount of time it takes for a customer to get their product.

Data science master’s earn a good salary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median wage for database administrators is $98,860 per year. With some work experience and a master’s degree, you could earn more than $155,000 per year.

Career Outlook for Students with Data Science Degree

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Data Science

Degree Level: Master's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $17,657
Avg. Expenses*: $16,305
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 7 years
Job Growth: 21.21%
Number of Jobs: 2,803,700
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Computer and Information Systems Managers	15.41%	$134,192
Computer and Information Research Scientists	22.74%	$126,122
Natural Sciences Managers	4.87%	$122,066
Database Architects	10.00%	$120,910
Software Developers	25.74%	$106,816
Data Scientists	35.11%	$91,799
Statisticians	31.83%	$90,928
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other	3.61%	$68,169

Average Career Salaries

Bottom 10%	Median	Top 10%
$67,672	$109,562	$161,110

Promising Job Markets

State	Cost of Living	Avg. Salary
#2 Washington	7% higher than average	$143,305
#3 North Carolina	11% higher than average	$118,243
#4 New York	5% higher than average	$139,348
#5 California	26% higher than average	$163,586
#6 Virginia	5% higher than average	$123,829
#7 South Dakota	7% higher than average	$118,655
#8 Georgia	13% higher than average	$111,240
#9 Texas	10% higher than average	$113,824
#10 Illinois	7% higher than average	$114,364
#11 Delaware	2% higher than average	$125,305
#12 Ohio	14% higher than average	$104,826
#13 Idaho	7% higher than average	$111,888
#14 Michigan	15% higher than average	$102,594
#15 Tennessee	14% higher than average	$103,223
#16 Wisconsin	7% higher than average	$109,836
#17 New Jersey	13% higher than average	$132,995
#18 Missouri	16% higher than average	$98,240
#19 Minnesota	4% higher than average	$110,869
#20 New Mexico	7% higher than average	$107,674
#21 Arizona	5% higher than average	$109,800
#22 Alabama	13% higher than average	$99,159
#23 Mississippi	18% higher than average	$93,925
#24 Kansas	9% higher than average	$103,670
#25 Colorado	3% higher than average	$117,055
#26 Maryland	18% higher than average	$129,708
#27 Massachusetts	24% higher than average	$135,888
#28 Pennsylvania	5% higher than average	$104,418
#29 Nebraska	6% higher than average	$101,996
#30 Florida	6% higher than average	$101,691
#31 South Carolina	8% higher than average	$99,078
#32 Oregon	11% higher than average	$118,555
#33 Kentucky	14% higher than average	$91,160
#34 Iowa	9% higher than average	$96,033
#35 Utah	4% higher than average	$101,096
#36 Arkansas	16% higher than average	$88,164
#37 West Virginia	11% higher than average	$92,634
#38 Rhode Island	20% higher than average	$122,703
#39 Oklahoma	13% higher than average	$88,678
#40 Indiana	11% higher than average	$89,363
#41 Wyoming	2% higher than average	$98,230
#42 New Hampshire	13% higher than average	$112,604
#43 Maine	9% higher than average	$105,953
#44 Connecticut	18% higher than average	$114,393
#45 Louisiana	9% higher than average	$86,756
#46 Montana	3% higher than average	$90,170
#47 North Dakota	average	$92,744
#48 Alaska	23% higher than average	$111,723
#49 Vermont	13% higher than average	$96,822
#50 District of Columbia	49% higher than average	$125,874
#51 Nevada	5% higher than average	$85,836
#52 Hawaii	40% higher than average	$106,590

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Computer and Information Systems Managers	$134,192
Computer and Information Research Scientists	$126,122
Natural Sciences Managers	$122,066
Database Architects	$120,910
Software Developers	$106,816
Data Scientists	$91,799
Statisticians	$90,928
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other	$68,169

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Computer and Information Systems Manager

A master’s degree in computer information systems let’s you work as a computer and information systems manager.

As a computer and information systems manager, you’ll do the these data science tasks:

Assessing the organization’s technology needs
Planning computer information systems development
Maintaining computer systems, including hardware and software
Overseeing a staff of IT professionals
Growing as a professional through continuing education

In many cases, computer and information systems managers also work on network and system security. They also work with other data science professionals to deliver reliable, dependable, and secure systems to their clients.

With a degree in this field, you can pursue these specialties:

IT director
IT security specialist
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Chief Information Officer (COO)

Your exact position will shape your data science master’s salary.

For example, Salary.com says the median wage for an IT director is just over $184,000. The median annual salary for a CTO is over $255,000. Higher pay usually relates to more job responsibilities.

Data Engineer

Database engineers build databases and other Big Data systems that allow other data scientists to collect, store, and analyze vast amounts of information.

A master’s program in data science is an excellent avenue for becoming a data engineer. In your studies, you’ll learn Java and C++. You’ll also learn R, Matlab, NoSQL, and many other programming languages.

As a data engineer, these skills will be necessary because you will be responsible for:

Building new databases and related systems
Updating and scaling existing computer systems
Maintaining data pipelines and related architectures
Optimizing the delivery of data

Data engineers are also tasked with designing and building data analytics tools. For example, as a data engineer, you might develop a data analysis tool that provides a business greater insight into customer acquisition and retention.

In other words, data engineers make it possible to analyze data to inform critical decision-making processes.

Whatever your specific duties as a data engineer, you can look forward to a good payday with a master’s degree. Salary.com estimates that the average yearly salary for data engineers is $110,213. The pay range is $92,222 to $128,594 per year.

Data Analyst

Many data analyst jobs only require a bachelor’s degree. These are usually entry-level positions. To get jobs with more responsibilities and a bigger paycheck, you’ll need a master’s degree.

In fact, according to a 2017 IBM study, about six percent of data analyst jobs require a master’s degree or higher. About 11 percent of managerial-level positions in this field require at least a master’s degree.

You can get a head start on your master’s degree in data analysis by choosing one of these undergraduate majors:

Computer science
Data science (Online data science programs available)
Management information systems
Applied math

Here are some common tasks that you can expect to do as a data analyst:

Data analysts collect, clean, organize, and analyze data. For example, if you work for a baseball team, you might be asked to collect and analyze data on how well each player hits at their home stadium. This analysis can be used to help each player improve his offensive numbers.

Data analysts are needed in many different businesses and industries. With a master’s degree, you could find a data analyst job in banking or finance, manufacturing or shipping, retail or marketing.

While this job doesn’t pay as well as other data science careers, you can still earn a very good wage. On average, data analysts with a bachelor’s degree make “$79,761 per year. However, a master of science in data science salary can be $90,000 per year or more.

Computer Information and Research Scientist

One of the best paying jobs in data science is in computer information and research.

Computer research scientists are responsible for handling complex computing problems. Computer research scientists can get jobs in healthcare, business, government, and more.

For example, as a computer information and research scientist, you might help build a user-friendly computer system for your company’s workers. As another example, you might develop new artificial intelligence that’s used to protect military service members on the battlefield.

These are some other common tasks for computer research scientists:

Experimentation with new and existing software
Hardware development
Development of new computing theories
Collaboration with other data scientists to conduct research
Development of machine learning tools

This is a complicated job. Employers often want people who have at least a master’s degree in data science, computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related field.

Getting a master’s degree in one of these subjects can lead to a top job with great pay. According to the BLS, the median yearly salary for computer information and research scientists is $126,830.

With a data science master’s degree, you can expect an even higher yearly salary. The highest ten percent of workers earn more than $194,430, making this a very high-paying master’s career.

No matter which of these master’s-level careers you pursue, you will earn a much higher salary than the national average. The field is also growing at a fast pace. Expect that many jobs will be available in the coming years.

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