Masters in Data Science in US is a 2 years program offered by most of the universities as MS degree. It is amongst those programs which are going to decide our technologically advanced future based on the numbers. International students planning to study the program can choose from 69 universities in USA offering MS in Data Science. Some universities like Northwestern University also offer MS in Analytics which is a related program of MS in Data Science.
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Students are required to display a bachelor's degree in computer science, mathematics, economics, and statistics to the related field to apply for Masters in Data Science in USA. Tuition fees of the US universities offering MS in Data Science are around 21,000 to 75,000 USD per annum. For an Indian aspirant, an equivalent of 15 to 55 lakh INR can be estimated as the tuition expense for studying in USA. The average annual salary of data scientists in USA is 155,000 USD.

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Top Universities for MS in Data Science in USA

Some of the top US universities for Masters in Data Science are listed below for you to take a look at, along with their course name and duration.

University Name Program Name Average Tuition Fee (INR)
Stanford University MS in Statistics - Data Science 35,00,270 INR
Harvard University MS Data Science
MS in Health Data Science
50,01,552 INR
50,01,552 INR
Yale University MA in Statistics and Data Science 39,98,399 INR
University of Pennsylvania MS in Engineering in Data Science 30,22,702 INR
Columbia University MS in Data Science 46,62,971 INR
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor MS in Data Science 22,56,994 INR
New York University MS in Data Science 31,03,610 INR
Duke University MS in Data Science 53,35,747 INR
University Of Washington MS in Data Science 25,11,093 INR
University Of Wisconsin MS in Biomedical Data Science 21,68,774 INR
University Of Southern California MS in Computer Science - Data Science 36,55,024 INR
Brown University MS in Data Science 67,30,730 INR
University Of Maryland MS in Data Science and Analytics 14,37,609 INR
Case Western Reserve University MS in Computer Science and Data Science 37,60,632 INR
Arizona State University MS in Computer Science - Big Data Systems 20,31,120 INR
University Of Rochester MS in Data Science 49,14,180 INR
Tufts University MS in Data Science 45,50,249 INR
George Washington University MS in Data Science 48,62,992 INR
University At Buffalo MS in Engineering Science - Data Sciences 21,58,638 INR
North Carolina State University MS in Computer Science - Data Science 40,59,386 INR
University At Albany MS in Data Science 15,88,180 INR
Syracuse University MS in Applied Data Science 49,78,208 INR
Georgia State University MS in Data Science and Analytics 36,56,385 INR
Wayne State University MS in Data Science and Business Analytics 19,83,163 INR
Oklahoma State University MS in Business Analytics and Data Science 17,03,010 INR

Why Study MS in Data Science in the USA?

Data Science market is one of the most mature markets in the evolution of analytics. With more and more organizations realizing the power of big data, demand for data scientists is also increasing. The USA is no exception to this.

  • With a job satisfaction rate of 4.4, a data scientist is considered as one of the most desired jobs in the USA.
  • San Francisco is the highest paying city for Masters in Data Science in USA with employees getting 26.4% more salary than the national average. 
  • Over 61,799 new jobs in the USA are expected to be created for data scientists and similar advanced analytics roles according to IBM’s Analytics Department. 
  •  According to the United States of Labor Statistics, data science employment is expected to increase by 20% by 2028.
Salary Increment for Data Scientists in USA

MS in Data Science in USA Highlights

Duration 1 - 2 years
Eligibility Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 3 GPA on the scale of 4 GPA
Entrance Exam  GRE, TOEFL or IELTS 
Course Fee 8-32 Lakhs/Year
Average Salary 70,70,726 INR to 96,75,731 INR
Jobs Available Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Machine Learning Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer
Types of Recruiting Organizations NVIDIA, Adobe, OpenAI, Gearset

Course Curriculum of MS in Data Science in USA

Master in Data Science imparts advanced knowledge in making decisions, understanding observations, and solving problems related to data. To study in the USA, students have to complete approximately 30 credits. Some universities ask for the submission of a project at the end of the program. Following are the core programs taught in most of the universities offering Masters in Data Science in US:

  • Statistics
  • Data Mining
  • Software Development
  • Data Optimization
  • Machine Learning 
  • Data Mining
  • Business Intelligence from Big Data.

Admission Process for MS in Data Science in USA 

Students applying for Masters in Data Science in US can be from a variety of backgrounds such as Statistics, Computer Science, Physics, Business, Mathematics, Engineering, Economics, Biology and Psychology. A bachelor's degree in any of such fields is compulsory for applying to US universities.

Admission Requirements for Masters in Data Science in US

Following table provides information on eligibility and documents required to get admission to the top ranking universities in USA: 

University Eligibility Score Required
Stanford University Linear algebra, statistics, programing in bachelor, LOR, Personal Statement GRE- 328 | TOEFL iBT- 105
Harvard University Maths, CS, statistics, or scientific computing in bachelor, LOR, Statement of Purpose GRE- 292 | TOEFL iBT- 120
Yale University Bachelors in a related field, 3 Letter of Recommendation, Work experience, Personal Statement GRE- 329 | TOEFL iBT- 100
University of Pennsylvania Mathematical & statistical proficiency, Programming experience, Resume, Personal Statement, 2 LOR GRE- Not Required | TOEFL iBT- 100
John Hopkins University Maths, Java or C++, a data structure in bachelor, CV GRE- 310 | TOEFL iBT- 100
University of California, Berkeley 3.0 GPA (80%) in bachelor; Experience in programming GRE- 320 | TOEFL iBT- 90
Columbia University Calculus, linear algebra, programming in bachelor, 3 LOR, Personal Statement, CV GRE- 320 | TOEFL iBT- 100
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor Bachelors in a related field, academic LOR, 1 professional LOR; SOP; Personal Statement; CV GRE- Not Required | TOEFL iBT- 84
New York University Calculus, CS in bachelor, 3 LOR, SOP GRE- 326 | TOEFL iBT- 110
University of California, San Diego Bachelors in engineering, maths, physics, and other science-related fields, 2 LOR, SOP, CV, 2 years of work experience GRE- Not Required | TOEFL iBT- 85
Visa Requirements for International Students

International students interested in pursuing a full-time academic course must apply for a US student visa. The following documents are required for the same: 

  • A valid passport
  • Form DS-160 (Nonimmigrant visa application confirmation page)
  • Application fee payment Receipt
  • Form I-20 
  • Proof of financial support.

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Cost of Studying MS in Data Science in USA

Another important factor that affects the decision of international students is various types of costs incurred while studying abroad. This cost can be broadly divided into three categories: Pre-arrival Cost, Tuition Fees and Cost of Living.

Tuition Fees of Masters in Data Science in USA

The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor has the lowest tuition fee for MS in Data Science in USA among the top 10 universities i.e. 21,389 USD per annum. Stanford University which ranks at the top among all universities of the world has the highest annual tuition fees of 74,540 USD. 

Affordable Universities for MS in Data Science in USA

University Tuition Fees/Year
Montana State University 8.02 lakhs
Florida Atlantic University 16.77 lakhs
Southern Arkansas University 10.45 lakhs
University of Montana 7.35 lakhs
Kennesaw State University 10.44 lakhs
San Francisco State University 6.88 lakhs

Cost of Living in USA

Considered as quite an expensive country, cost of living in USA is calculated to be 15,000 USD (~11.21 lakh INR) per month. An average of monthly expenses incurred while living here is provided below:

Categories Annual Cost (INR)
Books and Supplies 69,147
Food 4.85,415
Apartment Housing with amenities 12,83,069
Dormitory Housing 5,68,699-8,92,984
Meal Plan for Dormitory Residents 1,86,390
Miscellaneous 4,97,093

Scholarships for MS in Data Science in USA

It can be inferred from the above section that studying Masters in Data Science in USA is a costly affair. However, various universities, third-party organizations, and governments of students’ own home countries provide a variety of funding options to ease this financial burden. 

Some of the scholarships for international students in USA specifically to data science students are as follows:

Scholarship Awarding Committee Award (in INR)
ACM SIGHPC and The Intel Computational and Data Science Scholarships The Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on High-Performance Computing 11,16,150 annually
Bill Caspar Memorial Diversity Scholarship The Collective, LLC 7,44,185
MinneAnalytics Data Science Scholarship MinneAnalytics 74,418 to all the applicants; 3,72,092 to the grand winner of the award.
National GEM Consortium GEM’s Masters Fellowship Program 74,418 per term
National Defence Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship American Society for Engineering Education Varies
Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship DOE CSGF Program Coordinator Varies

Explore: Popular scholarships for international students in USA

Job Prospects after MS in Data Science in USA

After completion of Masters in Data Science in USA, a student can earn an average salary of 155,000 USD per annum. This can go as high as 134,000 USD per annum. To become a successful data scientist, knowledge of Machine Learning, Python, Data Analysis and Statistical Analysis is necessary. The curriculum of US universities is designed around these subjects. Hence, students are able to secure jobs in reputed organizations like:

Job Prospects after MS in Data Science in USA

Highest paying cities for Data Scientists graduates in United States are tabulated below:

Job Profile Average Salary of Fresher (USD) Average Salary (USD)
Data Scientists and Advanced Analysts 69,000 97,645
Analytics Managers 71,000 101,024
Data Analysts 46,000 63,632
Data Systems Developers 53,000 74,273
Functional Analysts. 51,000 72,300

Also Check: High Paying Jobs in USA

Students can also work as Financial Analysts, Data Analysts, Data Administrator, Business Analyst, and other such professions which involve managing big data. Apart from masters in data science, students interested in the field of data management and administration can also pursue MS in Data Analytics from USA

FAQ

Ques. Is MS in data science in USA worth it?

Ans. MS in Data science from USA may be worth considering if you're looking for a high-paying position in a field that is in demand and is expanding quickly. The job outlook for data scientists is expected to grow 22% from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Ques. What is the duration of MS in Data Science in USA?

Ans. MS in Data Science in USA from top-ranking universities requires 2 years to complete.

Ques. How much is the MS in Data Science in USA fees?

Ans. Masters in Data Science in US from top universities costs around 21,000 to 75,000 USD per annum. In addition to this, cost of living in USA for international students is approximately 15,000 USD per year. 

Ques. Which university is best for MS in data science in USA?

Ans. The top-ranked USA universities that offer an MS in Data Science include Stanford University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale, Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago.  

Ques. What is the eligibility for applying to Masters in Data Science in USA?

Ans. Students are required to have a bachelors degree in mathematics, statistics or related field to apply for MS in Data Science in USA. A good GRE score is also a compulsory requirement for most of the universities.

Ques. Can I apply for MS in Data Science in USA without GRE test scores?

Ans. Most of the top universities require GRE for admission in masters in data science in US. However, some of the universities offering admission without GRE are Northeastern University, University of Maryland, Oregon State University, Drew University, John Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania etc. 

Ques. What are the job prospects after completion of MS in Data Science in USA?

Ans. After completion of MS in Data Science in USA, you can work as Data Scientist, Data Analyst or any other such profession which involves management and administration of a large amount of data.