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STEM Career Paths
Looking for information on STEM and data-related career paths? You've come to the right place. Below are links to profiles of several careers in this field, as well as guides that compare common job titles and explain how data science and analytics are used across industries.
Syracuse University • Syracuse, NY
Master of Science in Applied Data Science
Enrollment Type
Full-Time and Part-Time
Length of Program
Complete in as few as 18 months
Credits
34
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree
- Two letter of recommendation
- Professional resume
- Statement of purpose
- Official transcripts
Southern Methodist University • Dallas, TX
Master of Science in Data Science
Enrollment Type
Full-Time and Part-Time
Length of Program
Complete in as few as 20 months
Credits
33.5
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree
- One letter of recommendation
- Professional resume
- Statement of purpose
- Official transcripts
University of California, Berkeley
Master of Information and Data Science
Enrollment Type
Full-Time and Part-Time
Length of Program
As few as 12 months
Credits
27
Admission Requirements
- Official transcripts
- Statement of Purpose
- Two letters of recommendation
- GRE not required
Learn More About STEM Jobs
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 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 Data Science and Analytics Across Industries
Below is an overview of how data science and analytics may be used across industries, from finance and health care to manufacturing, retail, government, sports, and transportation.
- 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
Each career profile includes a short definition of the role and examples of common responsibilities. Actual duties can vary by employer, industry, seniority level, and team structure.
Qualifications
In this section, you'll learn more about what employers may look for:
- Degrees
- Technical Skills
- Business Skills
- Professional Certifications
Requirements can change over time and vary by role. Before choosing a career path or education program, compare recent job postings in your target location or industry.
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 explain how related roles compare and where responsibilities may differ.
Job Outlook
Career profiles may discuss labor-market trends that could affect each position. For current salary, employment, and job outlook data, check sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and compare that information with recent job postings in your target market.
Professional Organizations
Finally, we've provided links to organizations that can help you learn more about the field, find events, explore certifications, or connect with other professionals.
General STEM Career Advice
Build Your Technical Skills
Depending on your target role, you may want to strengthen your technical skills through options such as:
- 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
Communication and problem-solving skills also matter in many data and technology roles. Data professionals often need to explain findings, trade-offs, and technical limits to people who do not work directly with code, models, or databases.
Build Your Network
Mentors, professional colleagues, alumni, instructors, and industry communities can be useful sources of career information. They may help you understand what a job is like day-to-day, which skills are useful in a specific field, and how hiring expectations are changing.
Stay Flexible
Technology tools, job titles, and employer expectations can change over time. As you compare career paths, focus on building durable skills—such as quantitative reasoning, programming fundamentals, data communication, problem-solving, and domain knowledge—while staying open to new tools and opportunities.
Interested in a different career? Explore 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
Information last updated June 2026.