Bachelor’s Degrees in Data Science

Is a Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science Worth Considering?

The career outlook for data scientists remains strong, though outcomes depend on skills, experience, location, portfolio work, and employer needs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of data scientists is projected to grow 34% from 2024 to 2025, much faster than the average for all occupations. The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program reported a median annual wage of $120,230 for data scientists in May 2025.

Earning a bachelor’s degree or higher in data science may help students build skills used in this fast-growing field. Bachelor’s degrees in data science often begin with core courses that introduce students to tools and theories in data science, including programming, statistics, data management, working with large datasets, and data visualization techniques. Some programs may offer specialization options in areas such as geographic information systems (GIS), artificial intelligence, business analytics, or applied data science

Similar to master’s programs in data science, many bachelor’s programs are project-based, giving students the opportunity to build portfolios they can show to future employers. Some programs also partner with local organizations to give students the opportunity to gain real-world experience in which they define problems, gather and clean data, and analyze the results.

How Do You Choose the Right Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science for You?

When choosing a bachelor’s degree in data science program, there are a few factors to consider. First and foremost, consider your interests and career goals. Data science programs vary by school; some emphasize computer science and software development, while others focus more on statistics, applied analytics, business, artificial intelligence, or domain-specific work such as health, public policy, marketing, or geographic information systems. Review the curriculum carefully to determine whether the program aligns with the type of work you may want to pursue.

Look for a program that gives you a balanced foundation in statistics, programming, data management, machine learning, data visualization, communication, and responsible data use. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has emphasized that undergraduate data science education should include multiple pathways and should address ethics and privacy, not just technical coursework. In practical terms, data science work often involves real people, business decisions, public systems, and sensitive information.

You may also want to compare hands-on learning opportunities. Courses that include projects, capstones, internships, research, or partnerships with outside organizations can help you practice defining problems, cleaning and analyzing data, communicating findings, and building portfolio examples. If you are comparing several schools, ask whether students use current tools like Python, R, SQL, cloud platforms, visualization software, or machine learning libraries.

Cost, admissions requirements, transfer policies, location, and format are also factors to consider. Some students may prefer on-campus programs with access to labs, clubs, research, and local internships. Others may need an online or hybrid bachelor’s degree because of work, family, military service, or location. A review of undergraduate data science programs found that many were stronger in statistics and computer science than in domain-specific education, ethics, and communication, underscoring the need to examine curricula more closely.

Before applying, check whether the school is institutionally accredited, whether online students in your state can enroll, and whether the program’s prerequisites match your academic background.

What Are the Admissions Requirements for a Bachelor’s in Data Science?

Whether you’re considering a bachelor’s in data science or a master’s in data science, admissions requirements for a bachelor’s in data science vary by school and by applicant type. A recent high school graduate, a transfer student with community college credits, and an adult learner returning after time away from school may all follow slightly different admissions processes.

Most bachelor’s programs ask applicants to submit an application, transcripts, and an application fee. Some schools may also ask for a personal statement, a short essay, letters of recommendation, a resume, or standardized test scores. Requirements for SAT or ACT scores vary, so check whether each school is test-required, test-optional, or test-free before applying.

If you already have college credit, pay close attention to transfer policies. The Common App’s transfer application guide notes that transfer applicants may be applying from a four-year institution, community college, or re-enrolling after time away from college. Ask each school how it evaluates prior coursework, whether your credits will apply to the data science major, and whether you need to complete specific math, statistics, computer science, or general education requirements before entering upper-level courses.

Adult learners should also ask whether the school offers credit for prior learning. The American Council on Education defines credit for prior learning as a way colleges may recognize knowledge gained through work experience, military training, volunteer work, formal non-college learning, or other life experiences. Policies vary by institution, but this can be an important question for students with professional or military experience who want to avoid repeated coursework.

Because data science is a technical field, admissions teams may look for signs that applicants are prepared for quantitative and computing coursework. That does not always mean you need previous data science experience, but it may help to show strength in math, statistics, computer science, analytics, business, science, or communication. If you have work experience, an associate degree, coding coursework, industry certificates, military training, or completed college classes, use your application to explain how that background has prepared you for the program.

Before applying, ask these questions:

• What transcripts are required: high school, college, military, international, or all prior institutions?
• Does the school require SAT or ACT scores for your applicant type?
• How many transfer credits can be accepted?
• Will transfer credits count toward the data science major or only toward general education requirements?
• Are there prerequisite courses in math, statistics, programming, or computer science?
• Does the school offer placement tests, bridge courses, tutoring, or academic support for returning students?
• Can professional experience, military training, or other prior learning be reviewed for credit?
• Is the program available online, on campus, or in a hybrid format?

Educational requirements for data science bootcamps may differ from those of your bachelor’s program. There are bootcamps for people with varying educational backgrounds and levels of experience. Bootcamps may help to supplement your university training.

Full List of Bachelor’s Degrees in Data Science

The list below includes bachelor’s degree programs in data science and closely related fields. Use it as a starting point for comparing program names, formats, locations, tuition structures, and curriculum focus. Because data science programs vary by school, confirm all details with the school directly before applying or enrolling. Admissions requirements, transfer-credit policies, tuition and fees, online availability, prerequisites, course requirements, and program names may change.

For adult learners and transfer students, pay close attention to whether the school offers online or part-time options, how many previously earned credits may transfer, and whether the program includes applied projects, internships, or portfolio-building coursework.

Programs included in this list were last reviewed in July 2026.

What Is the Difference Between a Data Science Major and Minor?

A data science major is usually designed for students who want data science to be the central focus of their bachelor’s degree. It typically includes more required coursework in statistics, programming, databases, machine learning, data visualization, and applied projects. A data science minor is shorter and is usually meant to complement another major, such as business, computer science, economics, biology, public health, psychology, engineering, or political science.

For first-time college students, a minor can be a way to explore data science before committing to the full major. For transfer students or adult learners, the choice may depend more on time, cost, transfer credits, and degree-completion goals. The Common App transfer student guide notes that transfer applicants may come from a community college, a four-year institution, or be re-enrolling after time away from college, which is why it is important to ask how previous credits will apply before changing majors or adding a minor.

A major may make sense if you want deeper preparation for technical roles that involve programming, statistical modeling, machine learning, data engineering, or graduate study in data science. A minor may be a better fit if you want to add data skills to another field. For example, a business student may pursue a data science minor to prepare for analytics roles, while a biology or public health student may use it to build skills in research, health data, or informatics. A National Academies report on undergraduate data science education notes that four-year institutions offer data science majors and minors for students pursuing data science careers, as well as students who want to add data skills while majoring in another field.

Elective courses are a great way to customize your education to better meet your goals and career path. Courses in artificial intelligence, geographic information systems, business analytics, cybersecurity, data ethics, cloud computing, or domain-specific analytics can help you tailor the degree to your goals. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that undergraduate data science education include multiple pathways and address ethics and privacy, not just technical coursework. Before choosing a major or minor, compare the required courses, prerequisites, total credits, transfer-credit rules, and whether the program includes hands-on projects or portfolio-building work.

How Long Does a Bachelor’s in Data Science Take?

A bachelor’s degree in data science is often designed as a four-year program for students entering college with no prior credits. For adult learners, transfer students, military students, or students who already have an associate degree, the timeline may be shorter or longer depending on how many credits transfer, whether the program is online or on campus, and whether you enroll full-time or part-time.

Maryville University’s online Master of Science in Data Science is a 36-credit, fully online program that covers Python, R, SQL, SAS, machine learning, data mining, big data, deep learning, and related analytical methods. Students complete project-based coursework and can tailor the degree through electives in areas such as statistics, probability, business, and actuarial science. Maryville also offers a flexible entry point through 15-credit professional certificates in Big Data or Machine Learning. Each certificate requires five courses, and all 15 credits can be applied toward the master’s degree if the student later chooses to continue. The program has no entrance exam or application fee and offers three start dates each year.

Before choosing a program, ask how your timeline will be calculated. A school may advertise a four-year bachelor’s degree, but your actual completion time can depend on transfer-credit evaluation, course availability, required prerequisites, academic terms, and how many credits you can realistically take each term. If you are balancing school with work, family, military service, or other responsibilities, a slower part-time schedule may be more practical than the fastest possible route.

How Much Does a Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science Cost?

The cost of a bachelor’s degree in data science depends on the school, tuition structure, required fees, number of credits, transfer credits, financial aid, and how long it takes you to finish. For adult learners and online students, the most useful number is often tuition per credit hour or total program tuition, not the full on-campus cost of attendance.

How Should You Compare Tuition and Fees?

Start by checking whether the school charges tuition by credit, by term, or by academic year. Many bachelor’s degrees require around 120 credits, but transfer students may need fewer credits if previous coursework applies toward the degree. To estimate tuition, multiply the per-credit rate by the number of credits you still need to complete, then add required technology fees, online course fees, graduation fees, textbooks, software, or other program-specific costs.

Be careful when comparing programs. A lower cost per credit does not always mean a lower total cost if the school accepts fewer transfer credits or requires additional prerequisite courses. Likewise, a higher per-credit rate may still be competitive if the program accepts more prior credits or offers a faster path to completion.

What Is the Difference Between Sticker Price and Net Price?

Published tuition and fees are only part of the cost picture. Your actual cost may be lower after grants, scholarships, employer tuition benefits, military education benefits, transfer credits, or other aid. The National Center for Education Statistics explains that net price is the cost of attendance minus grant and scholarship aid, which is why students should compare estimated net price rather than relying only on published tuition.

Many colleges that participate in federal student aid programs are required to provide a net price calculator. Even if you are focused on online tuition or per-credit pricing, the calculator can help you understand how financial aid may change what you pay.

How Can Adult Learners Estimate the Cost of a Data Science Bachelor’s Degree?

Adult learners may also want to use several cost-estimation tools before applying. The Federal Student Aid Estimator can provide an early estimate of potential eligibility for federal grants, work-study, and loans. The U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard can help students compare schools by average annual cost, graduation rate, and typical earnings. Students with work experience, military training, professional certifications, or other nontraditional learning can also review the American Council on Education’s Credit for Prior Learning Inventory and Equivalency Exchange, then ask each college whether that learning may apply toward degree requirements.

How Can Transfer Credits Affect the Total Cost?

For adult learners and transfer students, the biggest cost question may be how many credits they still need to complete. Before enrolling, ask for a transfer-credit evaluation and confirm whether previous coursework applies to general education requirements, major requirements, electives, or only total credits. A program with a lower tuition rate may not be the least expensive option if it accepts fewer of your prior credits or requires extra prerequisite courses.

What Jobs Can You Pursue With a Bachelor’s in Data Science?

A bachelor’s degree in data science may help students build skills for roles involving data analysis, reporting, programming, database management, visualization, machine learning, and applied problem-solving. It can be relevant to first-time college students preparing for their first full-time role, as well as to adult learners who want to transition from another field into data science careers.

What Entry-Level Data Science Jobs Can You Apply For?

Entry-level and early-career job titles vary by employer. Graduates may look for roles such as data analyst, business intelligence analyst, reporting analyst, database analyst, operations analyst, marketing analyst, financial analyst with analytics responsibilities, junior data scientist, or analytics associate. Some students may also pursue technical support roles in data engineering, software development, cybersecurity analytics, or machine learning, depending on their coursework, projects, and prior experience.

Can You Become a Data Scientist With a Bachelor’s Degree?

A data scientist’s role may take time to reach after graduation. Some employers use “data scientist” to refer to roles that require advanced statistics, machine learning, programming, cloud computing, domain knowledge, or prior professional experience. Students who are new to the field may start in an analyst or data-adjacent role, build a portfolio, gain experience with real business or research problems, and then move into more specialized positions.

Do Bachelor’s in Data Science Programs Offer Career Support?

Some short-term coding and data bootcamps market job-placement support, career coaching, or tuition-refund policies, but bachelor’s-degree programs usually operate differently. Instead of looking for a job guarantee, ask each college what career services are available for data science students. Useful support may include internship advising, resume reviews, technical interview practice, employer events, alumni networking, portfolio guidance, and access to job boards. You can also ask whether the school publishes outcomes data for graduates and how those outcomes are measured.

How Can Specializations Shape Your Career Options?

Specialization can also shape your career options. A student who focuses on business analytics may pursue roles in marketing, finance, operations, or product analytics. A student who takes more computer science, cloud, or database coursework may be better prepared for technical data roles. A student interested in health, public policy, environmental science, or geographic information systems may want a program that includes applied projects in that domain.

Some students later pursue a master’s degree in data science, computer science, statistics, analytics, artificial intelligence, or a related field if their target roles require more advanced training. A bachelor’s degree can be one step in a longer career path, but job outcomes still depend on your skills, projects, experience, location, network, and the hiring expectations in your target industry.