Master’s in Data Science Programs in North Carolina

North Carolina’s Research Triangle and Piedmont Triad areas are home to some data science programs. Read on to learn all about the state’s schools, online degree options, scholarships and professional development activities.

Or if you want to get straight to the nitty-gritty, jump to our list of all the data science programs in North Carolina.

Studying Data Science in North Carolina

North Carolina has research facilities around the state. For some, this makes the state a great place to study the discipline of data science. If you don’t believe us, just look at the ZIP code for the National Consortium for Data Science (NCDS), a group of academic institutions and high-tech corporations like IBM.

Data Science Research & Initiatives at North Carolina Universities

In the data science sphere, check out the following school initiatives:

• North Carolina State University’s (NCSU) Institute for Advanced Analytics has the mission to “produce the world’s finest analytical practitioners”.
• University of North Carolina (UNC)-Charlotte recently opened the Carolinas’ first Interdisciplinary school of data science
• The Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) describes itself as “ a living laboratory fostering data science expertise, advancing software development tools and techniques, developing effective cross-disciplinary and cross-sector engagement strategies, and establishing sustainable business models for software and services.” The institute partners with NCSU, UNC, and Duke.

Online Data Science Programs in North Carolina

From North Carolina State University and UNC-Greensboro to East Carolina University and Duke, many North Carolina schools offer programs relating to data science. Programs range from the master’s level to certificates to even doctorates.

Online Graduate Certificates in Data Science

Three very different graduate certificates are available from the trio of publicly funded colleges mentioned above:

• The Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics and Data Management from NC State, which introduces students to statistical methods and programming techniques.
• The Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics from UNC Greensboro, which is tailored to meet the needs of corporate employers
• The Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics from East Carolina University, which accommodates both healthcare providers without IT skills and IT specialists with no healthcare knowledge.

For options outside of the state or outside of these certificate types, see our national listing of Online Graduate Certificates in Data Science.

There’s one option for a fully online master’s degree in data science: East Carolina University’s MS in Health Informatics and Information Management, an extension of the certificate program.

If health data isn’t your jam, check out our databases of online master’s degrees in data science, business analytics, and information systems from elsewhere in the U.S.

Data Science Bootcamps in North Carolina

Living in North Carolina and looking to jump-start a career in data science or data analytics? Consider attending a bootcamp! Data science and data analytics bootcamps are “crash courses” meant to practically prepare students for new careers in relatively short amounts of time. Bootcamps in North Carolina may focus exclusively on data science (the study of how information is extracted from raw data) or data analytics (the processes by which specific conclusions can be drawn from data) or both data science and data analytics. See our guides to learn more about data science bootcamps or data analytics bootcamps in North Carolina.

Data Science Scholarships in North Carolina

There are lots of scholarships are out there, both for master’s degree seekers in general and IT students in particular. But what about those awards specifically for aspiring data scientists? Here are a few:

Appalachian State University

• Assistantships are paid employment for full-time, on-campus students. All degree-seeking students are eligible for assistantships within their home departments and in other offices on campus. A semester with an assistantship pays at least $4,000.
• Walker College of Business General Scholarship: College of Business students are also eligible for general scholarships. These scholarships cover costs associated with the MS in Applied Data Analytics, such as tuition, books, software, and more. Scholarships are awarded after careful consideration of academic standing, financial need, and reason for applying.

East Carolina University

• College of Allied Health Sciences Scholarships: Several scholarships are available to all students within the College of Allied Health Sciences, including the Department of Health Services and Information Management, which houses the informatics degrees and certificates.
• HealthPort Scholarship in Health Information Management: Certificate seekers and master’s students in the Health Informatics field are eligible to apply for this award.
• Peggy H. Wood Scholarship: Apply for this award if you pursue the Health Information Management concentration in the Health Informatics and Information Management master’s program. You’ll need a 3.0 to qualify.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• DRReaM Graduate Fellowship: Continuing graduate students in the Health Informatics program are one of a handful of groups eligible for the DRReaM Fellowship, which is worth around $1,000. Applicants must have a 3.2 and show financial need.
• Fisher Family Fund Fellowship: You’ll need to clear a high threshold for this $2,000 award earmarked for Data Science and Business Analytics students: a 3.75 GPA, demonstrable financial need and a Charlotte residence.
• Ross Perot Doctoral Fellow in Mathematics: If you decide to transition to a PhD after completing your master’s program, $2,500 from Ross Perot will help. It’s specifically for candidates pursuing Applied Mathematics, Applied Statistics, or General Mathematics doctorates.

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

• Bryan School of Business & Economics Scholarships: Complete a single application. The Bryan School, which facilitates the Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics, will then determine which of its many scholarships you’re eligible for.

Data Science Events in North Carolina

Data Science Meetups & Communities in North Carolina

Here are six data science communities to consider joining:

1. Analytics.Club Raleigh: 500+ members in the Raleigh area meet regularly for partner events and skill sessions. The group focuses on preparing members for the annual Analytics Fair, a worldwide job fair for analytics gurus.
2. Big Data Developers in Raleigh: Sponsored by IBM and its Big Data University (a site with free courses in the discipline), this group meets throughout the year for hourlong presentations on new technologies and then sticks around for a few hours afterward to try them out.
3. This group of self-proclaimed “Data Wizards” explores different data visualization tools, pulling from their members’ specialized knowledge to give the entire group a broader understanding of available techniques.
4. Charlotte Hadoop Users Group (CHUG): Big data company Tresata, which hosts CHUG, is trying to grow a local talent pool. With 800+ members signed up for invites to its monthly discussion series, it’s chugging right along toward that goal.
5. NC Women in Machine Learning and Data Science: Female data scientists in the Research Triangle meet bimonthly for research presentations, lightning talks and even just to socialize with peers without getting bombarded by vendors.
6. Research Triangle Analysts (RTA): The 2,600+ strong RTA throws around the word “math” willy-nilly, using it to predict everything from NCAA Tournament results to the gratuity after one of its bar-based socials.

Data Science Conferences & Workshops in North Carolina

Does the idea of community give you a headache? You can condense Meetup presentations and workshops into just a few days if that suits your needs. We found five North Carolina conferences for big data lovers:

1. Analytics Frontiers: This conference, put on by UNC Charlotte, brings together business executives, scientists, and thought leaders to talk about innovations in data science.
2. Elon Business Analytics Conference: In the same vein as Data4Decisions, Elon University hosts a smaller one-day event for students and professionals who want to network while learning from industry leaders.
3. SPEIA Basketball Analytics Summit: Who said quants don’t have fun? Teams of students meet on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus for two days every fall to hear research on sports analytics and compete in basketball-themed competitions, using their data analysis skills to answer questions like “Is the three-point shot undervalued?”

Data Science Jobs in North Carolina

North Carolina accommodates three major markets for data scientists:

• Raleigh, NC is ranked #4 for professional opportunities as of 2020 on WalletHub’s list of Best & Worst Metro Areas for STEM Professionals. Tresata, Fuzzy Logix and Steeful are three small but vibrant data analytics companies operating out of Charlotte, but anywhere there are big companies, you can be sure big data jobs will follow. And they don’t come much bigger than Charlotte-based Bank of America.
• Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill make up the Research Triangle, where IBM is king, having invested over $300 million in R&D in the state between 2011 and 2016. It’s always on the lookout for postdoc researchers at its Raleigh facility. But really, you could just as easily stick to working for the area’s two major universities, UNC-Chapel Hill and NCSU, which are both members of the Chapel Hill-based National Consortium for Data Science along with IBM. Tour the Research Triangle Park to find analytics jobs with companies like Intel, Lenovo and SAS Institute — or drive down I-40 to Morrisville, where you’ll find the headquarters for MaxPoint, one of the state’s largest data science companies.
• Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point, aka the Piedmont Triad, features two massive research parks: Wake Forest Innovation Quarter and Gateway University Research Park. With the involvement of UNC-Greensboro, more opportunities may continue to be available for health informatics professionals hoping to stay in the area.

Data Scientist Salaries in North Carolina

According to the O*NET OnLine, in 2020 data scientists in North Carolina average $109,930 per year.

Last updated: April 2022

Interested in STEM Careers? 

If you’re looking for information on career paths that involve STEM, see our guides below:

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 and Information Research Scientist
• Computer Systems Analyst

Marketing and User Research Careers:

• Marketing Analyst
• Market Research Analyst
• Digital Marketer
• UX Designer 

Compare Careers and STEM Fields:

• Data Analyst vs Data Scientist
• Computer Science vs. Computer Engineering
• Cybersecurity vs. Computer Science
• Data Analytics vs. Business Analytics
• Data Science vs. Machine Learning

Related Graduate STEM Degrees

• Master’s in Business Analytics
• Master’s in Information Systems
• Master’s in Computer Engineering
• Master’s in Computer Science 
• Master’s in Cybersecurity Programs
• Master’s in Accounting Analytics
• Master’s Applied Statistics
• Master’s in Business Intelligence
• Master’s in Data Analytics for Public Policy
• Data Science MBA Programs
• Master’s in Geospatial Science and
• Geographic Information Systems
• Master’s in Health Informatics
• Master of Library and Information Science

Related Undergraduate STEM Degrees

• Online Bachelor’s in Data Science
• Online Bachelor’s in Computer Science
• Sponsored: Computer Science at Simmons

Data Science Programs in North Carolina

We found 8 universities in North Carolina offering Masters of Data Science programs (and/or closely related programs, like MS in Analytics / Masters in Business Analytics). The university’s website will have the most up to date information on specific programs.

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 info@mastersindatascience.org.

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.