The 20 Best Online Master’s in Data Science Degree Programs

Marketing is awash in data. Every step you take in a big box store, the hundreds of ads you see every day, what your hobbies are, and where you live, all are data used for successful marketing campaigns. And while most marketers are (or should be) data literate, the demand for real data gurus is massive. That’s what led data science to be called many things, including the “sexiest job of the 21st century” and “the latest in-demand skill for marketers. The payoff isn’t bad either. While the average marketing data analyst makes a little over $53,000 a year, data scientists in marketing make an average of over $93,000. If you could almost double you salary in less than two years of school, would you? If the answer is yes, we’ve already narrowed down your search some below. And if it’s just a maybe, note that almost all of the programs below were created with busy adult learners in mind. Methodology:

• Affordability (1/4): the average out-of-state (if applicable) tuition per credit hour.
• Flexibility (1/4): the range and quality of support features, and flexibility-enhancing components for adult learners.
• Academic Quality (1/4): a composite metric looking at many academic success indicators including student-faculty ratios, graduation rates, retention rates, number of full-time faculty, and more.
• Core Content Areas (1/4): whether or not each data science master’s degree covers core content areas related marketing in their curriculum including marketing data, data scraping and mining, business intelligence, and web analytics data.

1. Indiana University Bloomington

Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) is a public research institution. This flagship university is located in Bloomington, Indiana. There are 49,695 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1. The Higher Learning Commission accredits IUB to award comprehensive degree programs and professional certifications. The U.S. News accolades are endless including: 90th best school in the nation, 52nd best college for veterans, 14th best undergraduate teaching college 6th best marketing program, 3rd best entrepreneurship program, 9th best management program, 2nd best school for online graduate business programs and 2nd best school for online MBA programs. If that weren’t enough, IUB is well-known globally for its active visual and performing arts programs. This well-rounded school supports student success with remedial support, academic and career counseling, placement for completers, employment services for students, and even credit for life experience. Not only that, but IUB currently offers 20 online degrees and professional certifications. One of the many online opportunities offered through IUB is their online Master of Science in Data Science. We selected this course for the high academic quality, flexibility, and wide-range of courses available. The program is 30 credit hours and costs approximately $715 per credit hour. 15 credit hour are devoted to electives- meaning that you can literally tailor this program to your precise interests. All students will study: statistics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, data science, data analytics and visualization (of which there are many to choose). You may specialize in precision health or cyber security. For a top-notch master’s in data science that gives you the freedom to pursue your unique passion, you can’t go wrong with IUB.

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• Affordability: $715
• Flexibility: Tailor your degree to meet your needs
• Academic Prestige: 3/50

2. Dakota State University

Dakota State University is a public 4-year institution located in Madison, South Dakota. There are 3,190 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1. The Higher Learning Commission accredits Dakota State University to award associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees as well as professional certifications. According to U.S. New Dakota State ranks as the 118th best college in the region and 34th best public school. The university supports their students with remedial help, academic counseling, career counseling, and credit for life experiences. Their academic offerings hone in on a few career-ready degree programs including in the fields of biomedical science, medical informatics, kinesiology and exercise science and special education. Currently, there are over 25 online degrees and professional certifications available including their online associate degree in system, networking and LAN/WAN, online bachelor’s in special education, and online master’s in information sciences. Dakota State University (DSU) offers a Master of Science in Analytics. We selected this program for the affordable tuition rate, and for the number of options. You can follow one of three tracks: general, healthcare informatics, or information systems. This online degree prepares you for a career as a data scientist, data architect, market analyst, financial analyst, and more. The core courses include: Data Warehouse and Data Mining, Data Analytics, Big Data Analytics, Statistical Programming, Modern Applied Statistics I and II. If you follow the general track you will study business finance, business analysis for managerial decisions, economics for decision making, strategic marketing, and structure and design programming. We think this is a high value degree. For a straightforward route towards your master’s in data science, this is a great option.

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• Affordability: $444.25
• Flexibility: Three tracks available
• Academic Prestige: 17/50

3. Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)

Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) is a public research university located in University Park, Pennsylvania. There are 47,789 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 16:1. The Middle State Commission on Higher Education accredits Penn State to award comprehensive degrees and professional certifications. U.S. News ranks Penn State as the 52nd best school in the nation, 20th best school for undergraduate engineering, and 14th best public school. The university offers comprehensive student support services including remedial help, academic and career counseling, placement for graduates, employment for students and credit for life experience. Penn State’s global ranking is 66th. We think it’s so high for the incredible academic and research powerhouse this flagship institution has become. Students are spoiled for choice and can literally choose from just about any academic discipline thinkable including women’s studies, veterinary science, substance abuse counseling, forestry, and opera. The other factor that likely contributes to their incredible influence in academics is their global university where students can select from over 100 online degrees and professional certifications. Penn State University offers a Master of Professional Studies in Data Analytics. We selected this program for the high quality of academics and flexible two options. Students may either select to study the base option or the business analytics option. Both are 30 credit-hour master’s degrees. If you select the base option and really want to gain knowledge of business analytics, you can tack on their online business analytics certification. The MPS in Data Analytics focuses on the following courses: Foundations of Predictive Analytics, Data Mining, Applied Statistics, Large-Scale Database and Warehouse, Data-Driven Decision Making, Database Design Concepts, Principle of Demography, GIS, and more. For a top-notch degree that gives you options, check out these programs from Penn State.

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• Affordability: $930
• Flexibility: Two options
• Academic Prestige: 8

4. Bellevue University

Bellevue University is a private 4-year institution located in Bellevue, Nebraska. There are 8,896 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 31:1. U.S. News ranks Bellevue 153rd for online bachelor’s programs, and 120th for online graduate business programs. The student support services include academic and career counseling as well as credit for life experience. Their largest academic schools are in the fields of business, computer information sciences, and homeland security. Practically all of their academic programs are also available online including the online bachelor’s in education, online master’s in management science, and online bachelor’s in graphic design. Bellevue University offers an online Master of Science in Business Analytics. We selected this course for the affordable tuition rate and quality of the academic programming. The program requires 36 credit hours for completion and costs $545 per credit hour. Students are prepared to engage with data science in myriad of settings. The curriculum is divided into three main component parts: business foundation courses, information systems foundation courses, and business analytics courses. The business foundation courses are where you focus on business management, marketing and new media strategy, business analysis, and more. The information systems courses which are 9 credit hours of the course have some wiggle room You can select from the following courses: survey or system development, business system programming, infrastructure,information security management, managing emerging technologies, information technology project management, and IT strategy and policy. The remaining 12 credit hours of this program are in the are of business analytics and include: SAS programming for business analytics, enterprise data and information management, advanced business analytics, and advanced data mining applications. This is a well-rounded affordable program that works well with a number career paths.

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• Affordability: $545
• Flexibility: Information Systems Electives
• Academic Prestige: 21

5. DePaul University

DePaul University is a private Roman Catholic institution located in Chicago, Illinois. There are 23,110 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1. The Higher Learning Commission accredits DePaul University to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees as well as professional certifications. According to U.S. News DePaul University ranks as the 120th best university in the nation, 79th best value school, and 78th for best business programs. The university lends students support with remedial services, academic counseling and career counseling. DePaul is a great place to head for their wide range of academic offerings. Their degrees include programming in theater, playwriting, social work, anthropology, law, Italian, curriculum and instruction, computer graphics, real estate, and so much more. Currently, there are 15 online degree programs offered like their online master’s in medical informatics, and online bachelor’s in information technology. DePaul offers an online Master of Science in Data Science with four concentrations. We selected this course for the number of concentrations and high quality of the academic programming. Student may elect to focus on the computational methods concentration, health care, hospitality, or marketing. Each program requires 52 credit hours for completion and each are very thorough. Each degree culminates with a capstone experience that will either take the shape of a data analytics projects, course, internship, or thesis. With so many concentrations and so many electives you have an opportunity to tailor your programming to meet your specific needs. That’s why we love this option.

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• Affordability:$830
• Flexibility: 4 areas of concentration
• Academic Prestige: 21/50

6. Quinnipiac University

Quinnipiac University is a private institution located in Hamden, Connecticut. There are 9,900 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 16:1. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges accredits Quinnipiac University (QU) to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees. U.S. News ranks QU as the 13th best university in the region, 5th best college for veterans, 41st best value school, and 35th best online graduate school for business programs. The aid in student success the university provides academic counseling, career counseling, and placement for graduates. Academic life is varied at QU and includes some exciting programs in medical microbiology, adult health, civil engineering, Spanish language teaching, psychology and cinematography and film among others. Their online presence continues to grow and includes a number of courses in business and even graphic design. QU offers an online Master of Science in Business Analytics. We selected this course for the high quality of the academic programming and diverse course material. This is a great option for individuals looking to mine data, interpret big data, and make sound analytical business choices. This 33 credit hour degree costs $925 per credit hour. Though not our cheapest pick, we think this course has good value. Here’s what you’ll study: business analytics, predictive modeling, data management, data warehousing, data mining, text mining, data visualization, and you will complete a business analytics capstone. The electives are where you can stretch out and hone your choices to match your passions and include courses like: web analytics and web intelligence, insurance analytics, programming for data analytics, Health Care analytics, business design and object-oriented analysis, and project management. As you can see, this program has endless potentials. Looking for a quick and flexible route towards a degree in data science? This may be the one.

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• Affordability: $925
• Flexibility: Tons of electives
• Academic Prestige:7

7. West Virginia University

West Virginia University (WVU) is a public research university located in Morgantown, West Virginia. There are 28,488 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1. The Higher Learning Commission accredits WVU to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees. According to U.S. News WVU ranks as the 187th best school in the nation, 99th top public school, 151st top school for business programs, 15th for online graduate computer information technology programs, 47th for online MBA programs, and 63rd for best online graduate business programs. The university offers the full gamut of student support services including academic and a career counseling and even credit for life experiences. As you may have expected this flagship institution offers a wide-range of academic opportunities including degrees in fields like agriculture, computer analysis, education, Art, and sociology. WVU currently offers 23 online degree programs. WVU offers an online Master of Science in Business Data Analytics. We selected this program for the high quality of the academics and accelerated pace. This 30 credit hour program is 10 courses in length may be completed in one year. You will practice hands-on using GoFirst Cluster, so practicum is truly woven into the curriculum. The 10 courses are as follows: foundations of business intelligence, ethics and data collections, data management, business statistics I and II, business data mining, decision science and analytics, business simulation modeling, business data visualization, and a business analytics practicum. Are you looking for a fast solution to your career goals? This program is a no brainer.

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• Affordability: $993
• Flexibility: May be completed in one year
• Academic Prestige: 1/50

8. Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University (OSU) is a public research university located in Stillwater, Oklahoma. There are 25,622 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 20:1. The Higher Learning Commission accredits OSU to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees as well as professional certifications. U.S. News ranks OSU as the 156th best school in the nation, 80th best public school, 30th best school for online MBA programs, 37th best online graduate engineer programs, and 42nd for best online graduate business programs. Not only does OSU make programming accessible to all types of learners, but also successful with their myriad student support programs. The university offers remedial help, academic counseling, career counseling, and even credit for life experience. Academically, there’s a lot to choose from including some very unique programs like their PhD in animal nutrition, bachelor’s in soil sciences, Music teacher education, Russian language and literature, and much more. Currently, there are 30 online degree programs available. OSU offers a Master of Science in Business Analytics. This interdisciplinary program made our list for the high quality of the academic programming. Those who selected this program will learn to tackle data science from many angles making you a more marketable more diverse and desirable candidate for a job. You’ll even receive three certifications as a part of this degree. Online students study this program part time, so if you are busy with other commitments, this may be the right pacing for you. The program breaks down into two main areas: core courses and elective tracks. The tracks are either statistics or marketing analytics. Each program requires just 33 credit hours for completion and uses the same core courses. To get a comparison, let’s take a look at the course for each track as those differ. For the marketing analytics track you will examine marketing management, MBA financial reporting, and then 5 credit hours of your own choosing. The statistics track is different and focuses on Statistics for Experimenters, Time Series Analytics, Categorical Data Analysis and then 3 credit hours of your choosing. No matter what you choose as your focus, the academic quality is superb and requires the same time commitment.

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• Affordability:$1004
• Flexibility: two tracks
• Academic Prestige: 5/50

9. University of Alabama in Huntsville

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is a public research university located in you guessed it..Huntsville, Alabama. There are 8,468 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredits UAH to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees as well as professional certifications. U.S. News ranks UAH as the 216th best college in the nation, 122nd best public school, 183rd for business, and 89th for best online graduate nursing programs. The city itself is filled with scientists and researchers as this was one of the first NASA locations. It may come as no surprise that computer science, engineering, business, and physical science are among their most robust programs. Their online university provides 20 degree opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students alike. UAH offers a Master of Science in Management Science with an emphasis in Business Analytics. We selected this program because it’s accelerated and affordable. The degree requires 30 credit hours for completion and cost just $727 per credit hour. This program is divided into three main component parts including: Management Science Core, Business Analytics Core, and Program Electives. You can elect to study ACC Information systems, games and networks, econometrics, supply chain management, enterprise resource planning, and operations management. This is a great option for individuals living in Huntsville.

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• Affordability: $727
• Flexibility: May be completed in one year
• Academic Prestige: 21/50

10. Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private university located in Manchester, New Hampshire. There are 73,177 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 30:1. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges accredits SNHU to award associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees as well as professional certifications. U.S. News ranks SNHU as the 86th best university in the region, 83rd best value school, and 1st most innovative school. The on campus student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1. The university includes student support services like remedial help, academic counseling, career counseling, and credit for life experiences. The majority of their academic offerings are online and in career-ready fields like transportation, business, education, and health. Right now, SNHU offers 82 fully online degrees including an online degree in graphic design, online master’s in psychology, and online associate’s degree in accounting. SNHU offers a Master of Science in Data Analytics. We selected this course for the affordable tuition rate and for the accelerated pace. This 36 credit hour degree costs just $627 per credit hour and may be completed in as few as little as 15 months. The courses include: foundations of data, enterprise data management, decision methods and modeling, presentation and visualization of data, optimization and risk assessment, predictive analytics, project management, and a capstone in data analytics. If you are ready to skyrocket your career in data science and want to do it affordably and quickly, this program is a great pick.

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• Affordability: $627
• Flexibility:Accelerated
• Academic Prestige: 15/50

11. University of Wisconsin Systems

University of Wisconsin System is a system of 26 universities located across the state of Wisconsin. Their flagship institution is located in Madison, Wisconsin which enrolls 42,582 students and has a student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1. The Higher Learning Commission accredits UW to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees. U.S. News ranks University of Wisconsin as the 46th best school in the nation, 18th best college for veterans, 14th best undergraduate teaching school, 10th best school for marketing, and 7th best for online graduate engineering programs. The university supports its students with academic counseling, career counseling, employment for students and placement for graduates. This institution offers a ton of engineering programs, business programs, biology and biomedical programs, and foreign language programs. Their ethnic studies college is also robust. In other words, you’ll find a wide range of degree options both on campus and online. In fact, the University of Wisconsin System now offer an entire university completely online through their conveniently connected University of Wisconsin system. The University of Wisconsin offers a Master of Science in Data Science. We selected this online degree for the high value tuition rate and the fantastic quality of academics. This program requires 36 credit hours for completion and costs $825 per credit hour. Though not our cheapest pick, this is still a huge savings when compared to other similar degree programs. Your total cost for tuition is less than $30,000. The degree is offered entirely online and offered at a flexible pace so that you can work on your course content any time any where. Before starting, you must have the following prerequisite courses: elementary statistics, and intro to programming, and an intro to databases. For the main program you will take the following exciting classes: foundations of data science, statistical methods, programming for data science, data warehousing, big data, communicating about data, data mining, visualization and unstructured data analysis, ethics of data science, prescriptive analytics, and data science and strategic decision-making. This program culminates with a capstone experience. For any individual looking to create dynamic career opportunities, this master’s in data science is the way to get there.

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• Affordability: $825
• Flexibility: N/A
• Academic Prestige: 5/50

12. Northeastern University

Northeastern University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. There are 20,381 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 14:1. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges accredits Northeastern to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees as well as professional certifications. U.S. News ranks Northeastern University as the 40th best university in the nation and 67th best value school, 6th most innovative school, 9th best international business school, 51st best school for online graduate business programs and 76th best school for online MBA programs. The university offers student support with remedial help, academic counseling and career counseling. This heavy research university offers programming in music, illustration, industrial engineering, finance, animation, and so much more. Currently, there are over 60 online programs available. Northeastern offers a Master of Professional Studies in Analytics. We selected this online course for the quality of the academic programming. The program is 45 credit hours long and divided into 4 main areas: core courses, electives, experiential learning, and an experiential capstone. All students will study an introduction to analytics, probability theory and introductory statistics, predictive analytics, data warehousing and SQL, an introduction to data mining, an introduction to enterprise analytics, decision support and business intelligence, and communication and visualization of data. This program cost just $646 per credit hour.

• Affordability: $646
• Flexibility: N/A
• Academic Prestige: 18/50

13. CUNY School of Professional Studies

CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) was founded in 2003 to address the growing educational needs of adult learners. The university provides online and on campus programs to adult learners including online bachelor’s degrees online master’s degrees and in-person degrees in theater, urban studies, disability studies and much more. The campus, like many of the CUNY institutions, is located in New York, New York. CUNY SPS ranks 16th for best online bachelor’s programs according to U.S. News. CUNY SPS offers a Master of Science in Data Science that prepares your for a great career as a data scientist, informatics engineer, data analyst, data mining engineer and more. We selected this program because it’s affordable and high quality. The program requires 30 credit hours for completion and costs just $560 per credit hour. 21 of those credit hour are required core courses while the remaining 9 are electives. This is a great way to tailor your degree to meet your interests and includes everything from urban sustainability to machine learning, to quantitative finance. The core courses include among them advanced programing techniques, statistics and probability of data analytics and business analytics and data mining. This is why a number of prerequisite courses are required. CUNY SPS does offer some bridge courses for individuals who may be “rusty” at programming and statistics. This is a great affordable option for a master’s in data science.

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• Affordability: $560
• Flexibility: N/A
• Academic Prestige: N/A

14. Fairfield University

Fairfield University is a private Jesuit Catholic university located in Fairfield, Connecticut. There are 5,137 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 12:1. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges accredits Fairfield University to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees as well as professional certifications. U.S. News ranks Fairfield as the 3rd best university in the region, 3rd best undergraduate teaching university, and 19th best value school. The university supports its students with remedial help, academic counseling, career counseling and employment for their students. There are a number of fantastic academic programs from which to choose including a master’s in special education, bachelor’s in computer engineering, and an MBA. Currently, Fairfield offers 7 online degrees and certifications. Fairfield offers a Master of Science in Business Analytics. We selected this program for the high quality of academics. This is certainly an interdisciplinary degree that merges programming and data mining with business. Students have the freedom to selected from 3 areas of specialization: marketing analytics, healthcare, and accounting. There are 21 credit hours devoted to core courses that include an introduction to business analytics, business forecasting and predictive analytics, python for business analytics, databases for business analytics, business intelligence, data mining, and a capstone experience. The remaining 9 credit hours focus on your chosen specialization. For now, this program is a great fit for Fairfield residents. However, their mini MBA and other certifications are projected to move online by the Summer of 2018.

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• Affordability: $925
• Flexibility: Three specializations
• Academic Prestige: 21/50

15. University of Colorado Denver

University of Colorado Denver (UC-Denver) is a public research university located in Denver, Colorado. There are 23,960 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1. The Higher Learning Commission accredits UC Denver to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees. According to U.S. News UC Denver ranks as the 207th best university in the nation, 113th top public school, and 91st best business program. The university offers student services like academic counseling and career counseling as well as placement for graduates. This location has a large biology and biomedical sciences department, robust health department, education department, and more. When it comes to online degrees, UC Denver currently offers 26 online degree programs including their online MBA, online bachelor’s in Speech Communication and Rhetoric and online master’s in information science. UC Denver offers a Master of Science in Business Analytics. We selected this program for the high quality of academics. The TFE Times ranked this program as the 24th best program in business analytics. The degree is just 30 credit hours in length and costs $1315 per credit hour. Though not our cheapest option, we believe the program is still a high value. You will take 10 courses: predictive modeling, statistics for business analytics, operations management, project management, decision analysis, forecasting, supply chain management, marketing research, computing for business analytics, simulation modeling, and VBA for business analytics. An exam is not required. As you can see, this is truly an interdisciplinary program and one that will surely open doors to a number of career opportunities.

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• Affordability:$1315
• Flexibility: two tracks
• Academic Prestige: 21/50

16. Regis University

Regis University is a private Roman Catholic Jesuit institution that enrolls over 8,700 students and is located in Denver, Colorado. The student-to-faculty ratio is 14:1 where 60 percent of the student body is female. According to U.S. News Regis University is the 27th, 17th best college for veterans, and 28th best value school. G.I Jobs ranks Regis as one of the top military schools. Other accolades include the 25 best colleges online according to SuperScholar . GetEducated.com lists the Master of Nonprofit management as a “best buy online master’s degree.” Though all campuses are located in Colorado and primarily in Denver, Regis University is home to a large online degree program with dozens of degrees and certificate in fields like nonprofit management, healthcare, data science, nursing and several others. This university accepts credit for life experience. Regis University offers a Master of Science in Data Science. We selected this program for the high quality of academics, affordable tuition rate, and accelerated pace. This degree requires 36 credit hours for completion and costs just $710 per credit hour. 18 credit hours are core courses. 12 credit hours are data science electives, and 6 are degree completions requirements (practicum). The electives are a great way to fine-tune your degree to match your areas of interest and include data collection and preparation, big data design, exploratory data analysis, statistics inference and predictive analytics, visualization, visualization using open source tools, machine learning, text analytics, and optimal decision making.

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• Affordability: $710
• Flexibility: accelerated
• Academic Prestige: 21/50

17. La Salle University

La Salle University is a private 4-year institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There are 5,197 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredits La Salle to award comprehensive degrees and professional certifications. According to U.S. News La Salle ranks as the 34th best university in the North, 18th best college for veterans, 27th best value school, and 216th for best business programs. The student support services include remedial help, academic counseling, career counseling, placement for graduates, and employment for students. When it comes to academics the university offer a wide range of options including programming in American Civilization, accounting, nursing, chemistry, clinical psychology, theology, and digital arts. There are currently 11 online degrees available including the online master’s in human resource development, and online master’s in forensic science. La Salle University offers a Master of Science in Data Analytics. This program is online, and requires just under two years to complete. We selected this course not only for the accelerated format but also for the high value pricing- just $875 per credit hour. The program requires 30 credit hours to complete and is just 10 8-week courses. You will study: analytics, statistics for data analytics, optimization methods for data analytics, modeling and simulation for data analytics, database management systems, data mining, data warehousing, leadership and assessment evaluation. This is a great course for working professionals.

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• Affordability: $875
• Flexibility: accelerated
• Academic Prestige: 21/50

18. University of Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma (UO) is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. There are 27,918 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1. The Higher Learning Commission accredits UO to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees as well as postbaccalaurate programs. U.S. News ranks UO as the 97th best university in the nation, 128th best value school, 106th best school for high school counselor programs, and 30th best for online graduate computer information technology programs. The university supports its students with remedial help, academic counseling, career counseling, placement for graduates, employment for services, and even credit for life experience. UO offers a vast range of academic programs from architecture to cartography; aviation to zoology. Currently, there are 19 degrees available online including their online master’s in accounting and online master’s in petroleum engineering. UO offer an online Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics. We selected this online degree for the flexible format, quality of academics and for the affordable tuition rate. When taken full-time this program may be completed in as little as 14 months. This 33 credit hour degree costs just $791 per credit hour. The program is divided into two main components: core courses and electives. Your elective programs include: data analytics and media, an introduction to R, data analytics and meteorology, time series analysis, financial engineering, Bayesian statistics, text analysis, and data mining. For a fast and affordable program that sets you up for a wide variety of career options, the online Master of Science at UO is a great option.

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• Affordability: $791
• Flexibility: Full-time or Part-time. 14 month completion when taken full-time
• Academic Prestige: 19/50

19. South Dakota State University

South Dakota State University (SDSU) is a public research university located in Brookings, South Dakota. There are 12,600 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1. The Higher Learning Commission accredits SDSU to award associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees as well as professional certifications. According to U.S. News SDSU ranks as the 216th best school in the nation and 122nd top public school. The university offers remedial help, academic and career counseling, and credit for life experience as part of their student support services. The academic offerings are vast and wide-ranging including everything from printmaking to plant science. Currently SDSU offers 25 online degrees. SDUS offers a Master of Science in Data Science. We selected this online degree for the affordable tuition rate and accelerated pacing. This 30 credit hour degree costs just $444.25 per credit hour and may be completed in one year. Students have the option to take longer if needed. You will hone your skills in operations research, data mining, big data programming and management, data visualization, forecasting, statistics, and more. This is the perfect program for any individual who needs an affordable and fast track to an advancement in their career.

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• Affordability: $444.25
• Flexibility: accelerated
• Academic Prestige: 21/50

20. Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU) is a public research university located in Tempe, Arizona. There are 51,869 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 23:1. The Higher Learning Commission accredits ASU to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees as well as professional certifications. According to U.S. News ASU ranks as the 115th best school in the nation, 70th best college for veterans, 110th best value school, 2nd best school for online graduate business programs, 4th best online bachelor’s programs, 5th for best online MBA programs, and 11th for best online graduate engineering programs. To support their students success, ASU offers academic counseling, career counseling, and employment for students. Carnegie classifies ASU as an R:1 research university and ASU lives up to its classification. In fact, students may select from a vast range of degrees including in Hebrew Language studies, Geography Education, Informatics, Women’s Studies, Graphic Design and so much more. Currently, there are 15 online degrees available not to mention their global university. ASU offers an online Master of Science in Business Analytics. We selected this program for the high quality of the academic programming. As one of the best online schools in the world, ASU continuously provides and creates high-quality online degrees. This program covers data mining, data science, and data science for marketing, and is likely to set you up for a career advancement or a pay boost. This 30 credit hour program costs $1456 per credit hour. You will take 10 classes including enterprise analytics, applied analytics, data mining, data-driven quality management, analytics decision making tools, data mining, business analytics strategy, marketing analytics, and complete this degree with an applied project. The program is a fantastic fit for any individual working in business or data science.

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• Affordability: $1456
• Flexibility: N/A
• Academic Prestige:12/50