Data Science (BSc) - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Students who love math and computer science don’t have to choose between the two. The Data Science major allows a student to build towards a career in big data through statistics, math, business, and computer science coursework. The goal of a data scientist is to assess, analyze, and interpret large volumes of information and create new information from existing data. The skilled data scientist then communicates their findings so that the information can be applied in all types of decision-making scenarios, whether in business, government, or any other industry.

Data scientists will use the scientific method to test and validate various hypotheses applicable to the data set and will create algorithms and computer processes. Their jobs are related to and work closely with data analysts, but are more math and computer programming intensive than those of an analyst. Similarly, data scientists also work with data engineers; while engineers focus on the computer infrastructure and architecture, a data scientist brings in the knowledge of how to apply the output to various decision-making scenarios.

For example, a data scientist may work within a government agency to predict how an economic policy initiative will impact the unemployment rate in various regions. A data scientist may work with Amazon to detect buying patterns among certain demographic groups and make recommendations for marketing promotions. Or, a data scientist may work in a healthcare organization helping to create an app that uses artificial intelligence to assess self-reported medical symptoms.

Salaries can vary greatly by region, educational level, and industry, but the national median salary was $122,000 in 2019.