by our College Data Analytics TeamLearn the key facts every data analytics major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering data analytics programs.
Nationwide, data analytics is a widely-pursued major, with 12,891 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Data Analytics Schools ranking analyzes these 284 schools to determine the best overall colleges for data analytics students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of data analytics programs later in this article.
Programs in Data Analytics build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations data analytics graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a data analytics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a data analytics major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several data analytics degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 78 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 32 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 2,263 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 10,503 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 13 |
People currently working in careers related to data analytics tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 63.4% |
| Master’s degree | 21.6% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.3% |
| Some college courses | 3.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 2.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.1% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in data analytics careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in data analytics opens doors to numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to data analytics.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to data analytics.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 671,367 | 10.3% |
| Computer Programmers | 666,800 | 11.7% |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | 585,851 | 1.3% |
| Data Scientists | 507,848 | 8.1% |
| Management Analysts | 484,759 | 12.6% |
| Statisticians | 307,132 | 6.6% |
| Clinical Data Managers | 300,656 | -0.9% |
Salaries for data analytics graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers data analytics grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Treasurers and Controllers | $162,461 |
| Investment Fund Managers | $157,819 |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | $143,840 |
| Statisticians | $130,349 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $124,518 |
| Biostatisticians | $121,594 |
| Computer Programmers | $109,892 |
| Data Scientists | $106,295 |
With 284 different data analytics programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased data analytics school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in data analytics, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Analytics | 9,273 |
| Data Analytics, General | 1,675 |
| Financial Analytics | 1,644 |
| Data Analytics, Other | 232 |
| Data Visualization | 67 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 30,141 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 28,033 |
| MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES | 10,355 |
| Data Science | 7,716 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 5,740 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 5,456 |
| Behavioral Sciences | 5,391 |
| Sustainability Studies | 4,374 |
| Cognitive Science | 3,121 |
| Natural Sciences | 2,648 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
