We live in the information age. There's no denying it. The dramatic rise and constant creation of new data has resulted in an ocean of information.
Whether you work in finance, healthcare, information security, or engineering, every industry is currently confronting this inundation of data growth, and that growth has ignited a vital call for the identification, interpretation, and explanation of data patterns and trends.
Currently, the top five jobs in technology are positions that rely heavily on data mining and analytics, according to U.S. News & World Report. If you want to see the data on the best degrees available online, have a look at our ranking of the Top Online Colleges and Universities.
From computer systems analysts to information scientists, the need for people to collate, investigate, and interpret big data is on a dramatic rise in the U.S. A recent study conducted by the McKinsey Global Institute projects a 21 percent rise in data analysis jobs in the next eight years alone.
This means the need for people with analytical and data mining education is in high demand. Indeed, demand is high and the return is even higher; data analysts of all stripes and skills make, on average, between $81,000 and $131,000 annually.
Online programs in big data are an affordable, accessible, and flexible way to earn an advanced degree, especially if you find yourself in a situation that makes going back to school either logistically or financially problematic.
Despite the stigma online programs once held, they have mostly shed those stereotypes and have increasingly solid reputations, in large part because online programs are developed and taught by the same faculty who teach the traditional, on-campus courses. And in most cases, the diploma looks exactly the same as those garnered by "traditional students," yet it was obtained at half the price.
What are the Best Big Data Programs in the Country?
Below are the fifty best online big data programs in the country. While some programs are MS in Data Science degrees and others are MS in Business analytics programs, they all share one thing in common despite the difference of name and emphasis: they are the best at teaching big data.
Here at College Choice we've collated and compared the academic reputation, student satisfaction, affordability, and average annual salary of graduates from online big data programs across the country to create a definitive ranking of the nation's fifty best.
We first chose programs with the most renowned academic reputation and from those pared the list down to those with high retention rates—a reflection of student satisfaction—added those with the most economical accessibility, and finally we included the averages of early career salaries (care of PayScale) to arrive at a list marked by thorough research and extensive data aggregation.
Our figures come from the university and colleges' websites as well as nationally recognized U.S. News & World Report and The National Center for Education Statistics.
Rankings
See our rankings methodology page.
