Grad school · Interdisciplinary studies

Data science graduate programs: earnings and debt by school

94 colleges award master's degrees in data science. Graduates of the typical program earned $107,873 a year after finishing, and those who borrowed left with a median of $38,994 in federal loans taken at the school.

Master's programs94

Graduates in 2023-244,304

Typical median debt$38,994

Typical earnings 1 yr after$107,873

Typical earnings 4 yrs aftern/a

Earnings to debt2.8x

Official field: Data Science. Admission figures such as LSAT, MCAT or GRE scores are not part of this federal data, so check each school.

Degree level	Programs	Typical earnings 1 yr after	Typical median debt
Master's	94	$107,873	$38,994
Doctoral	7	n/a	n/a

Is it worth it? Debt vs first-year pay

Each dot is one master's program. Dots above the dashed line have graduates earning more in their first year than the program's median debt.

Master's programs in data science

Highest first-year earnings

University of Virginia-Main Campus$122,063

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse$122,027

Maryville University of Saint Louis$93,719

Bellevue University$86,893

Filter by school, city or state

College	Graduates (2023-24)	Earnings 1 yr after	Earnings 4 yrs after	Median debt
University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA	120	$122,063	n/a	$38,994
University of Wisconsin-La CrosseLa Crosse, WI	17	$122,027	n/a	n/a
Maryville University of Saint LouisSaint Louis, MO	71	$93,719	n/a	$41,000
Bellevue UniversityBellevue, NE	109	$86,893	n/a	$41,000
American UniversityWashington, DC	31	n/a	n/a	n/a
Augusta UniversityAugusta, GA	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
Boston UniversityBoston, MA	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Bowling Green State University-Main CampusBowling Green, OH	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Bradley UniversityPeoria, IL	98	n/a	n/a	n/a
Brown UniversityProvidence, RI	45	n/a	n/a	n/a
Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA	17	n/a	n/a	n/a
Carolina UniversityWinston-Salem, NC	14	n/a	n/a	n/a
Christian Brothers UniversityMemphis, TN	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
City University of SeattleSeattle, WA	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
Clarkson UniversityPotsdam, NY	27	n/a	n/a	n/a
College of CharlestonCharleston, SC	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
Colorado School of MinesGolden, CO	20	n/a	n/a	n/a
Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY	203	n/a	n/a	n/a
Drexel UniversityPhiladelphia, PA	58	n/a	n/a	n/a
Duke UniversityDurham, NC	36	n/a	n/a	n/a
East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC	12	n/a	n/a	n/a
East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
Eastern UniversitySaint Davids, PA	664	n/a	n/a	$19,405
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachDaytona Beach, FL	18	n/a	n/a	n/a
Fairfield UniversityFairfield, CT	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL	66	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida Polytechnic UniversityLakeland, FL	12	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL	18	n/a	n/a	n/a
Fordham UniversityBronx, NY	30	n/a	n/a	n/a
Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale, MI	40	n/a	n/a	n/a
Howard UniversityWashington, DC	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Juniata CollegeHuntingdon, PA	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, GA	12	n/a	n/a	n/a
Kent State University at KentKent, OH	29	n/a	n/a	n/a
Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA	10	n/a	n/a	n/a
Lewis UniversityRomeoville, IL	122	n/a	n/a	n/a
Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Michigan Technological UniversityHoughton, MI	28	n/a	n/a	n/a
Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
Monmouth UniversityWest Long Branch, NJ	3	n/a	n/a	n/a
Monroe UniversityBronx, NY	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewark, NJ	201	n/a	n/a	$39,922
New York UniversityNew York, NY	167	n/a	n/a	n/a
Newman UniversityWichita, KS	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VA	8	n/a	n/a	n/a
Pennsylvania Western UniversityCalifornia, PA	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Ramapo College of New JerseyMahwah, NJ	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Rice UniversityHouston, TX	52	n/a	n/a	n/a
Saint Mary's CollegeNotre Dame, IN	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
Saint Peter's UniversityJersey City, NJ	154	n/a	n/a	n/a
San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA	171	n/a	n/a	n/a
Seton Hall UniversitySouth Orange, NJ	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
South Dakota State UniversityBrookings, SD	20	n/a	n/a	n/a
Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, TX	69	n/a	n/a	$47,516
Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, TX	28	n/a	n/a	n/a
Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX	107	n/a	n/a	$26,326
The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX	174	n/a	n/a	n/a
Truman State UniversityKirksville, MO	16	n/a	n/a	n/a
Tufts UniversityMedford, MA	21	n/a	n/a	n/a
University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of ArizonaTucson, AZ	43	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA	73	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA	28	n/a	n/a	$42,837
University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of DelawareNewark, DE	26	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL	21	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of IowaIowa City, IA	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of KansasLawrence, KS	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of KentuckyLexington, KY	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MA	55	n/a	n/a	$20,500
University of MemphisMemphis, TN	98	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI	63	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMinneapolis, MN	26	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Missouri-Kansas CityKansas City, MO	17	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of North TexasDenton, TX	344	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Phoenix-ArizonaPhoenix, AZ	34	n/a	n/a	$31,389
University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA	47	n/a	n/a	$36,409
University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireEau Claire, WI	16	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Wisconsin-Green BayGreen Bay, WI	22	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Wisconsin-OshkoshOshkosh, WI	15	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointStevens Point, WI	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Wisconsin-SuperiorSuperior, WI	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of the PacificStockton, CA	32	n/a	n/a	n/a
Utica UniversityUtica, NY	12	n/a	n/a	n/a
Walden UniversityMinneapolis, MN	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
Weber State UniversityOgden, UT	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wentworth Institute of TechnologyBoston, MA	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wichita State UniversityWichita, KS	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Willamette UniversitySalem, OR	27	n/a	n/a	n/a
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MA	48	n/a	n/a	n/a

Doctoral programs in data science

Filter by school, city or state

College	Graduates (2023-24)	Earnings 1 yr after	Earnings 4 yrs after	Median debt
Bowling Green State University-Main CampusBowling Green, OH	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, GA	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
New York UniversityNew York, NY	13	n/a	n/a	n/a
South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyRapid City, SD	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA	3	n/a	n/a	n/a
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MA	7	n/a	n/a	n/a

Frequently asked questions

How much do data science graduates earn?

Graduates of the typical master's program earned a median of $107,873 one year after finishing, in 2024 dollars.

How much debt do data science graduate students take on?

The typical program's graduates who borrowed left with a median of $38,994 in federal loans taken at that school. Undergraduate loans are not included.

Undergraduate: Data science major

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field of study file, data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. One-year figures: graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Four-year figures: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. More on the data.