Master’s in Data Science Programs in New Jersey

New Jersey’s universities are packed with data science certificates and degrees. If you already know you’re headed there, jump to our list of all the data science programs in New Jersey. If you’re still exploring, we’ll show you the Garden State’s data science scene, from professional communities and salary ranges to online degrees and academic scholarships.

Studying Data Science in New Jersey

In 2013 Rutgers University got together with other universities in the state to form the New Jersey Big Data Alliance. The members work together on research initiatives, and the organization is developing a repository of publicly accessible data sets. The alliance includes the New Jersey Office of Information Technology and NJEDge.Net, which link the schools with government and private sector partners.

In addition to Rutgers, alliance members include The College of New Jersey, Kean University, Montclair State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rowan University, Saint Peter’s University, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Stockton University. Keep your eye on these nine schools for new data science programs.

Data Science Research & Initiatives at New Jersey Universities

What are New Jersey colleges within and outside of the Big Data Alliance up to in the field?

• Though not a member of the Big Data Alliance, New Jersey City University created a Master of Science in Business Analytics and Data Science in 2017.
• The Ivy Leaguers at Princeton don’t just want to analyze big data — they want to make it look cool. The university’s Visualization Consortium and Visualization Laboratory, formed in 2015, allow graduate researchers to do just that. Those who don’t care about making big data pretty may prefer to conduct research at the school’s Center for Statistics and Machine Learning.
• Stevens Institute of Technology is one of the country’s preeminent research institutions for financial analytics. Its startup incubator, the Stevens Venture Center, has spawned the financial analytics platform AdvantageInvestor, data app provider FinTech Studios, and machine learning-enabled vacation concierge Venture Me, just to name a few startups.
• Saint Peter’s University houses its own Data Science Institute, where students can collaborate on research — or just network — with industry partners such as IBM, Red Hat and Verisk Analytics.
• The Rutgers Discovery Informatics Institute main research efforts involve applying analytics to hard sciences. Two key projects include DataSpaces, a framework for managing scientific workflows and GreenHPC, an initiative leveraging analytics to maximize energy efficiency.

Online Data Science Programs in New Jersey

Three prominent New Jersey public universities — New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers University and Thomas Edison State University — publicize online data science programs at the certificate or master’s level. One private university, Stevens Institute of Technology, designs programs that prepare graduates for Wall Street jobs. While more colleges are adding degrees all the time, these four institutions offer reputable and established programs that are worth considering.

Online Graduate Certificates in Data Science

Even though just two New Jersey institutions are in the data science game at the online certificate level, they’ve managed to give students multiple options. Perhaps you’ll find your niche in:

• New Jersey Institute of Technology’s four-course Graduate Certificate in Data Mining, which is aimed at computer science, mathematicians and/or stat heads;
• Stevens Institute of Technology’s four-course Graduate Certificate in Business Intelligence and Analytics, geared toward managers in the IT realm; or
• Stevens’ Data Exploration and Visualization for Risk and Decision-Making Graduate Certificate.

If it’s a bull market you’re after, consider either:

• Stevens’ 15-credit Financial Services Analytics Graduate Certificate for advisors with fiduciary responsibilities; or
• Stevens’ four-courses Algorithmic Trading Strategies Graduate Certificate for financial engineers.

Online Master’s Degrees in Data Science

If you want the whole degree, four universities offer five diverse options:

• The Master of Information at Rutgers comes with a Data Science concentration for aspiring analysts.
• Rutgers’ hybrid Master of Business & Science with a concentration in Analytics approaches the topic from a different angle, combining computer science, management and statistics. Students must come to campus for one week every year.
• The Master’s in Information and Data Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology focuses on building the networks capable of storing and parsing data.
• Thomas Edison State University’s MBA in Data Analytics is an accelerated degree for students with undergraduate experience in accounting, statistics and economics.
• Rowan University’s accelerated MS in Data Analytics is designed for students with a baccalaureate degree in the field who are planning careers in healthcare or clinical research.

Data Science Scholarships in New Jersey

We’ll be honest: New Jersey isn’t the best state for financial aid and scholarships, at least when it comes to data science specifically. One school, however, stands out in terms of advertising its awards:

Rutgers University

• Rutgers Business School Graduate Scholarship (various): MBAers are eligible to win funds from a slate of 30 awards and fellowships, each with slightly different criteria.
• School of Communication and Information Scholarships: These awards, which vary in value, are available to Master of Information students, who can apply simply by completing the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA).

Data Science Events in New Jersey

Data Science Meetups & Communities in New Jersey

New Jersey’s universities pump out plenty of data science grads and not all of them move to NYC. Instead, graduates have formed pockets of analytical activity across the Garden State. Here are a few communities you can join:

1. Central NJ Data Science Meetup: Data science lovers of all skill levels meet once a month at the South Brunswick Public Library to hear presentations on business analytics and machine learning from fellow members.
2. Data Science + FinTech JC-NY: Folks in the financial sector explore ways to use machine learning to predict future performance. The group meets once or twice a month at host qplum in Jersey City to listen to outside speakers.
3. New Jersey Data Science Meetup: Data science wizards meet every third Saturday at the Parsippany-Troy Library to listen to outside speakers and enjoy member presentations.
4. NJ Data Science – Apache Spark: This Princeton group for advanced practitioners is concerned with using Apache Spark and other applications to maximize business profits. Expect to go in depth on what each application can do.
5. NJ Hadoop – Big Data & BlockchainNJ Hadoop – Big Data: By offering a mix of hands-on workshops and online and live classes, this Flemington-based group can help you earn various certifications, whether you’re new to data science or an old hand.

Data Science Conferences & Workshops in New Jersey

New Jersey periodically welcomes large big data conferences to the state, including the 2016 event Advanced Pharma Analytics USA Summit. We’ve assembled a small list of big data conferences that meet more regularly along this stretch of the Atlantic Seaboard.

1. Annual Stevens Conference on High Frequency Finance and Analytics: Stevens Institute of Technology takes its emphasis on financial data to the conference circuit with this three-day conference. Open to students, academics and practitioners, the forum is packed with research papers and student presentations.
2. Columbia-Princeton Probability Day: Hardcore stat heads will appreciate this free daylong event that pulls speakers from Ivy League mathematics departments. Probability Day comes to Princeton every odd-numbered year.
3. Four-University Rotating FinTech Conference: Princeton takes its turn hosting the FinTech Conference every four years, utilizing the opportunity to discuss applications of machine learning and big data for financial planning.
4. New Jersey Big Data Alliance (NJBDA) Annual Symposium: NJBDA is a consortium of academic institutions, government agencies, industry leaders, and nonprofits. Its annual symposium brings them all together for a day of networking, panel discussions and expositions.

Data Science Jobs in New Jersey

Because much of northern New Jersey is part of the Greater New York area, it’s hard to nail down the true number of data science career opportunities for New Jersey residents in particular. When looking at the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia, PA Region, Rutgers found the top 10 employers of data analytics graduates in 2016 to be Accenture, Amazon.com, UnitedHealth Group, Anthem Blue Cross, Deloitte, Oracle, JP Morgan Chase Company, Well Fargo, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc and PricewaterhouseCoopers..

But don’t neglect New Jersey-based Fortune 500 companies such as Honeywell, Cognizant and Prudential Financial. For a more entrepreneurial vibe, try smaller consulting firms like Datanomics, qplum, airis.DATA, Kovid Group or Cabeus.

Data Scientist Salaries in New Jersey

The average pay for data scientists in New Jersey is around $118,000, according to figures from Indeed.com. That’s below the national average, but Princeton provides a vibrant, well-paying safe haven for quants; salaries for data scientists in Princeton hover around $123,000, which is on par with the national average.

Taking a broader view, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lumps data scientists in with computer and information research scientists. These professionals make a median wage of $125,000 in New Jersey.

School Listings

We found 6 universities in New Jersey offering Masters of Data Science programs (and/or closely related programs, like MS in Analytics / Masters in Business Analytics).

If you represent a university and would like to contact us about editing any of our listings, or adding new programs, please send an email to mastersindatascience@2u.com.