The United States of America (USA) is a dream study destination for millions of international students. Its quality education, diverse culture, and ample job opportunities after graduation are some prominent factors that led the country to establish its dominance in the world.
Data Science comes under one of the most popular disciplines in the United States. As per the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, the sector is further expected to grow by 28% in 2026, creating more job prospects for data science enthusiasts. To start with, let’s know about the eligibility requirements for getting admission into the top data science universities in the USA.
Here are the eligibility criteria for the best universities in USA for MS in data science:
Applicants should have an undergraduate degree in mathematics, computer science, statistics, or economics with at least 80% marks.
GRE scores are required for admissions (minimum recommended scores are 130 and 140 in verbal and quantitative sections while 2.5 is recommended in the writing analysis section).
Scores in TOEFL/IELTS should also be submitted for admission.
Here are the leading universities offering data science programs, as per the 2023 QS Global rankings.
University
DS Subject Ranking QS 2023
Tuition fee (in USD, Latest Updates)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
1
$30,000/semester
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
2
$48,775
University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
3
$2,715/enrolment unit
Harvard University
5
$54,000
University of Washington
7
$49,000
Georgia Institute of Technology
9
$54,000
Cornell University
13
$65,000/year
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
14
$50,000/year
Source: QS Data Science 2023
Now let us have a look at the details of these universities:
1. The University of California, Berkeley (Cal)
Founded in 1868, the University of California, Berkeley is a public research university located in Berkeley, California. Holding 22nd rank in the Best Colleges is National Universities, Cal is one of the most selective universities in the USA with an acceptance rate of 18%. With a student-faculty ratio of 19:1, the university offers degree and certificate programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The university follows a semester-based academic calendar.
QS World University Ranking 2022
Type
English language proficiency
Top disciplines
32
Public
IELTS: 6.5
TOEFL: 600
Social Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Engineering
Mathematics
Source: QS World University Rankings 2022, US news, university’s official website
Scholarships at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley does not offer financial assistance to international students.
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Established in 1900, Carnegie Mellon University is a private institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. With over 350 clubs and organizations for student engagement, the university is well equipped with all kinds of resources to support the academic, financial, and health needs of the students. Falling under the list of one of the most selective universities in the USA, Carnegie has an acceptance rate of 17%.
QS World University Ranking 2022
Type
English language proficiency
Top disciplines
52
Private
IELTS: 6.5
TOEFL: Reading: 22,
Listening: 22, Speaking: 18 and Writing: 22
Computer Science
Business Administration
Management
Electrical Engineering
Statistics
Architecture
Source: QS World University Rankings 2022, US news, university’s official website
Scholarships at Carnegie Mellon University
Scholarship
Amount/ Coverage
Eligibility
Arthur F. and Mary Ellen Cranell Naylor Study Abroad Award (AFMEC)
$600
Students enrolling on an undergraduate program at the university demonstrate financial need.
Global Engagement Scholarship
$4,000
Students enrolling in an undergraduate program at the university. They must have been accepted into a study abroad or internship program and eligible for academic credit.
Source: University’s official website
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private university located outside Boston in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. The university traces its origin back to 1861. With a focus on scientific and technological research, MIT has been divided into five schools. Out of them, the highly ranked schools include the School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management. Known for being one of the most selective schools in the USA, the university has an acceptance rate of 7%.
QS World University Ranking 2022
Type
English language proficiency
Top disciplines
1
Private
IELTS: 7.5
TOEFL: 100
Physics
Computer Science
Mathematics
Data Science
Accounting
Source: QS World University Rankings 2022, US news, university’s official website
Scholarships at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Scholarship
Amount/ Coverage
Eligibility
MIT Scholarship
$45,146
Students commencing an undergraduate program at MIT.
Source: University’s official website
4. Stanford University
Stanford is a leading private research university founded in 1885. It is located in Stanford, California. The university has seven schools, out of which three offer undergraduate and graduate coursework, and the other four are graduate schools. The top-ranked schools at Stanford are the School of Engineering, School of Education, School of Medicine, School of Law, and Graduate School of Business. Stanford utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. As compared to other universities, the university’s admission process is quite selective with an acceptance rate of 5%.
QS World University Ranking 2022
Type
English language proficiency
Top disciplines
3
Private
IELTS: 7
TOEFL: 100
Arts and Humanities
Biology and Biochemistry
Microbiology
Mathematics
Economics
Source: QS World University Rankings 2022, US news, university’s official website
Scholarships/ Financial aid at Stanford University
Scholarship/ Financial aid
Amount/ Coverage
Eligibility
Need-based financial aid
$62,557
Eligibility for Stanford Scholarship funds is based on the family income level of the prospective students, the size of their family, and other family assets.
Source: University’s official website
5. University of Washington(UW)
Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is a public research university located in Seattle, Washington. Some of the highly ranked schools of the university include the School of Medicine, College of Engineering, and Michael G. Foster School of Business. With more than 100 clubs on-campus and volunteer activities for the students to participate in, the university offers a nurturing environment. Compared to other universities for data science, the University of Washington has a high acceptance rate of 56%.
QS World University Ranking 2022
Type
English language proficiency requirements
Top disciplines
85
Public
IELTS: 7
TOEFL: 90
Business
Marketing
Management
Data Science
Engineering
Source: QS World University Rankings 2022, US news, university’s official website
Scholarships at the University of Washington
The UW Office of Student Financial Aid does not offer any type of scholarship, grant or other forms of aid to international students commencing their study at the university, however, there are other ways for international students to fund their studies. These ways include;
Funding is offered by the government.
Funding is offered by their organizations, corporations, or institutions.
Founded in 1865, Cornell University is a private institution based in Ithaca, New York. The university’s oldest and largest campus in terms of enrollment is located in Seattle. Cornell consists of 16 colleges offering courses in various subjects such as engineering, arts and sciences, and social work. The top graduate schools of Cornell include the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, and the College of Education. With an acceptance rate of 10.7 %, the university has quite a selective admission process.
Source: QS World University Rankings 2022, US news, university’s official website
Scholarships at Cornell University
Scholarship
Amount/ Coverage
Eligibility
Tata Scholarship
Not specified
Indian citizens who have attended secondary school.
They must have been offered admission to Cornell as undergraduate students
Source: University’s official website
7. Georgia Institute of Technology
Started in 1885, the Georgia Institute of Technology is a public university based in Atlanta, Georgia. With 13 honor societies and more than 400 student organizations, the university offers an enriching student life beyond classroom learning. With a student-faculty ratio of 18:1, some popular majors at the university include Computer and Information Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, and Industrial Engineering. Georgia Institute of Technology is a highly selective university with an acceptance rate of 21% and an early acceptance rate of 27.6%
QS World University Ranking 2022
Type
English language proficiency requirements
Top disciplines
88
Public
IELTS: 7
TOEFL: 90 to 577
Computer and Information Sciences
Mechanical Engineering
Business Administration
Management
Data Science
Source: QS World University Rankings 2022, US news, university’s official website
Scholarships at Georgia Institute of Technology
Scholarship
Amount/ Coverage
Eligibility
Denning Chair for Global Engagement Fund
$200-$400
F1 Visa holders enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at the university.
Students experiencing unforeseen financial needs are eligible for the scholarship.
Students must not have received any
previous funds from the university.
Source: University’s official website
8. Columbia University
Founded in 1754, Columbia University is a private institution located in New York, United States. With more than 500 clubs for student engagement, the university offers a nurturing environment on campus. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Ranked 2nd among the best national universities, Columbia has three undergraduate schools – Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of General Studies. Considered one of the most selective universities in the USA, the university has an acceptance rate of 7%.
QS World University Ranking 2022
Type
English language proficiency requirements
Top disciplines
19
Private
IELTS: 7.5
TOEFL: 100
Computer and Information Sciences
Mechanical Engineering
Business Administration
Management
Data Science
Source: QS World University Rankings 2022, US news, university’s official website
Scholarship/ Financial aid at Columbia University
Scholarship
Amount/ Coverage
Eligibility
Need-Based Financial Aid
$66,350
International students enrolling in an undergraduate or postgraduate program at the university.
Source: University’s official website
9. University of Illinois
The University of Illinois is a public institution founded in 1867. It is located in the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign in east-central Illinois. Ranked 47 in National Universities, the university offers programs in various disciplines, including architecture, design, arts, engineering, dentistry, business administration, etc. Compared to other universities for data science in the USA, the University of Illinois has a high acceptance rate of 63%.
QS World University Ranking 2022
Type
English language proficiency
Top disciplines
82
Public
IELTS: 5 to 6
TOEFL: 61 to 79
Computer and Information Sciences
Mechanical Engineering
Business Administration
Management
Data Science
Source: QS World University Rankings 2022, US news, university’s official website
Scholarships at Illinois
Scholarship
Amount/ Coverage
Eligibility
Horace & Kate King Wu International Undergraduate Scholarship
$1,000
Undergraduate students experiencing financial hardship.
Source: University’s official website
10. The University of Michigan
Established in 1817, the University of Michigan is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Well known for its high standards of research, the university offers doctoral degrees in the humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) as well as professional degrees in architecture, business, medicine, law, pharmacy, nursing, social work, public health, and dentistry. The university has a peculiar admission process with an acceptance rate of 26%.
QS World University Ranking 2022
Type
English language proficiency
Top disciplines
23
Public
IELTS: 7
TOEFL: 100
Computer and Information Science
Mechanical Engineering
Business Administration
Management
Data Science
Source: QS World University Rankings 2022, US news, university’s official website
Scholarships at Michigan
Scholarship
Amount/ Coverage/ Award
Eligibility
Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship
50% fee remission
Eligible nationals residing in one of the countries where there are local Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), Aga Khan Education Services (AKES), or Aga Khan Education Board (AKEB). offices are located.
There are several advantages of studying a master’s program in data science in the USA. They include:
The USA is home to several globally recognized universities offering master’s programs in data science.
Well-known recruiters for skilled graduates include Facebook, Uber, Amazon, and many others.
Data science jobs are highly in demand throughout the USA and offer lucrative salaries. Career opportunities are expected to increase rapidly over the next few years.
Average salaries for data scientists stand at roughly $124,283 per year (approximately INR 92.34 lakh).
Approximate tuition costs stand at around $100,000 on average (approximately INR 74.5 lakh).
Salaries may be even higher in cities like New York and San Francisco.
An aspiring writer making the most out of every opportunity and growing from challenges on the way. Yashita is a mass communication graduate who has tried her hands on freelancing, worked as a creative content writer and has now stepped into the corporate
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