Data Scientists

Data scientists use analytical tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from data.

Duties

Data scientists typically do the following:

• Determine which data are available and useful for the project
• Collect, categorize, and analyze data
• Create, validate, test, and update algorithms and models
• Use data visualization software to present findings
• Make business recommendations to stakeholders based on data analysis

Data scientists often begin a project by gathering or identifying relevant data sources, such as surveys. They may use a variety of methods to obtain data, including through access to other organizations’ databases or by using web-scraping tools (software that extracts specific information from websites). They may start with large, unstructured datasets, commonly referred to as raw data. To properly analyze the data, these scientists must “clean” the raw data, a process by which they structure the data to make them readable by software programs.

Data scientists develop algorithms (sets of instructions that tell computers what to do) and models to support programs for machine learning. They use machine learning to classify or categorize data or to make predictions related to the models. Scientists also must test the algorithms and models for accuracy, including for updates with newly collected data.

Data scientists often use data visualization software to present their findings as charts, maps, and other graphics. Visualization techniques allow data scientists to clearly communicate their analyses to technical and nontechnical audiences, including colleagues, managers, and clients. Ensuring that audiences understand the information helps data scientists make recommendations for business decisions or process changes based on the results of their analysis.

Some data scientists choose to focus on a particular area of work. For example, data scientists who have a strong coding or engineering background may develop or recommend systems, build machine learning algorithms, and devise ways to enhance web-browsing functions. Others conduct research for reports or academic journals. Still others focus on improving business strategy for activities such as marketing, sales, and user engagement.

Data scientists held about 245,900 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of data scientists were as follows:

Data scientists spend much of their time in an office setting.

Work Schedules

Most data scientists work full time.

Data scientists typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science, or a related field to enter the occupation. Some employers require or prefer that applicants have a master’s or doctoral degree.

The median annual wage for data scientists was $112,590 in May 2024.

Employment of data scientists is projected to grow 34 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 23,400 openings for data scientists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.