MastersinDataScience.org is owned by 2U, LLC, parent company of edX. Our goal is to help learners make confident, informed decisions about their education and career. Some programs shown here are offered by universities that partner with 2U, for which 2U provides marketing and operational support and receives compensation. Other programs shown may be paid advertisements from third parties. Both types of programs are identified with the word AD or Advertisement. We aim to keep information current and accurate. Learn more about edX and our partners.
STEM Career Paths
Data Science and Analytics Careers:
- Data Scientist
- Statistician
- Data Architect
- Data Engineer
- Data Analyst
- Business Analyst
- Business Intelligence Analyst
- Financial Analyst
- Quantitative Analyst
Computer Science, Computer Engineering and Information Careers:
- Computer Engineer
- Computer Scientist
- Information Security Analyst
- Computer & Information Research Scientist
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Web Developer
Marketing and User Research Careers:
Compare Careers and STEM Fields:
- Data Analyst vs Data Scientist
- Computer Science vs. Computer Engineering
- Cyber Security vs Computer Science
- Data Analytics vs. Business Analytics
- Data Science vs. Machine Learning
Top Industries for STEM Careers
Below you can see an overview of how STEM disciplines get used in a variety of different major industry areas.
- Biotech
- Energy
- Finance
- Gaming and hospitality
- Government
- Health care
- Insurance
- Internet
- Manufacturing
- Pharmaceutical
- Retail
- Telecom
- Travel and transportation
- Utilities
- Food
- Sports
What Our Job Profiles Cover
Responsibilities
Discover whether you’re an analyst by nature or an engineer by inclination. On each page, you’ll find a short definition of the role and a list of what your daily tasks might be. Keep in mind that responsibilities will vary from job to job.
Qualifications
In this “checklist” section, you’ll learn more about what employers want for:
- Degrees
- Technical Skills
- Business Skills
- Professional Certifications
We’ll be the first to admit that details are subject to change. When in doubt, check recent job boards for comparison.
Similar Jobs
Confused about the difference between a data architect and a data engineer? How about a statistician versus a data scientist? In your search for employment, you’ll encounter a lot of overlap between job titles. We’ve done our best to clear up any confusions and point you in the right career direction.
Job Outlook
Technology jobs that exist today may well not exist tomorrow. We discuss the trends that could affect each position.
Professional Organizations
Finally, we’ve provided links to organizations that can aid you in your climb to the top of your profession.
General STEM Career Advice
Enhance Your Technical Skills
To buff up your technical skills:
- Enroll in a tech bootcamp
- Go to data science conferences
- Participate in coding contests
- Take MOOCs
- Pursue professional certification from specific vendors
- Contribute to open source projects
- Apply for data science internships
And don’t underestimate the importance of soft skills. Time and again, employers reject job candidates who don’t have communication and/or problem-solving abilities. Remember that most data experts spend a fair amount of time collaborating with non-technical team members. You need to know how to explain what you’re doing.
Network Like Hell
Your best source of job information are your mentors, professional colleagues and favorite bloggers/authors. They can give you real-world advice on the pros and cons of each job, including the challenges currently faced by the industry. They may even be in a position to direct you towards a career.
Stay Flexible
The technology job you have today is not going to be the job you will have in a year. Or in 5 years. Or in 10. If the history of data science teaches us anything, it’s that industries morph as fast as technology. Concentrate on your strengths, remedy your weaknesses and stay open to new opportunities.
Interested in a different career? Check out our other bootcamp guides below:
- Data Science Bootcamp Guide
- Data Analytics Bootcamp Guide
- Coding Bootcamp Guide
- FinTech Bootcamp Guide
- Digital Marketing Bootcamp Guide
- UX/UI Bootcamp Guide
- Cybersecurity Bootcamp Guide
Last updated: February 2021


