Best Online Data Analytics Degree Programs 2026

Best Data Analytics Programs - Top 10 Online — Complete Program Data

1. #1. University of Southern California Data Analytics Program

   Hakia ranks University of Southern California as the #1 in data analytics degree program. Location: Los Angeles, CA | Type: Private | Tuition: $66,640/year | Graduation Rate: 92% | Score: 100.0

   What makes University of Southern California stand out: USC uniquely offers data analytics training across three world-class schools - Viterbi Engineering, Marshall Business, and through extensive research at the Information Sciences Institute - creating the only comprehensive ecosystem where students can pursue analytics from pure engineering, business strategy, or applied research perspectives.

   Hakia Insight: Students at University of Southern California benefit from active collaborations with Amazon and Google, connecting classroom learning to the workforce.

   Program Overview: USC offers three distinct data analytics pathways that showcase the university's comprehensive approach to data education. The MS in Analytics, housed in the Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (recently ranked top 10 by U.S. News), is a 28-unit program that blends engineering rigor with cutting-edge analytics. Students master tools like Python, R, SQL, Snowflake, and Google Cloud Platform while choosing from four specialization tracks: Data Engineering/ML Engineering, Data Science, Data Analysis, and AI Engineering. The MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) at Marshall School of Business is a 2-year, full-time STEM program ranked #8 in the U.S. by QS, combining technical training with business strategy in the heart of Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the MS in Applied Data Science from Viterbi is a 32-unit program designed for students from diverse backgrounds, emphasizing hands-on experience with the goal of having students 'live in the data' through extensive practical projects and a unique professional practicum.

   Degree Programs: MS in Analytics (1.5-2 years); MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) (2 years); MS in Applied Data Science (1.5-2 years)

   Research Labs: Information Sciences Institute (ISI) - World leader in AI, machine learning, and computational systems research; Data Science Lab - Machine learning and data mining research; Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society - AI applications for social good

   Industry Partners: Amazon, Google, Salesforce, Boston Consulting Group, Goldman Sachs

   Career Outcomes: Placement Rate: Strong placement across multiple industries | Top Employers: Amazon, Google, Salesforce, Boston Consulting Group, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, Tencent, Meta | Common Roles: Data Scientist, ML Engineer, Business Intelligence Analyst, Analytics Consultant, Product Analyst

   Notable Faculty: Dr. Dawn Porter (Statistics, Academic Director of MS Business Analytics); Dr. Mohammed Alyakoob (Digital marketplaces and economic impact); Dr. Arif Ansari (Data mining, business intelligence, data warehousing); Dr. Cosimo Arnesano (AI/ML applications to business processes)

   Admissions:

   Accreditations: STEM OPT extension eligible, DEN@Viterbi online delivery available

2. #2. University of California-Santa Barbara Data Analytics Program

   Hakia ranks University of California-Santa Barbara as the #2 in data analytics degree program. Location: Santa Barbara, CA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,834/year | Graduation Rate: 90% | Score: 90.9

   What makes University of California-Santa Barbara stand out: UCSB CS excels in machine learning, distributed systems, and data science research. Strong emphasis on undergraduate research opportunities. Growing tech presence in Santa Barbara with Amazon, Google, and startups nearby.

   Hakia Insight: With a 26% acceptance rate, University of California-Santa Barbara's data analytics program is among the nation's most competitive, attracting top talent to its nationally recognized faculty.

   Program Overview: UC Santa Barbara CS department is ranked top 40 nationally with strong research in machine learning, data science, and systems. Beautiful coastal campus with 90% graduation rate and strong tech industry connections.

   Degree Programs: BA Statistics and Data Science (4 years); BS Statistics and Data Science (4 years); Master of Environmental Data Science (MEDS) (1 year)

   Research Labs: Four Eyes Lab - Human-computer interaction; MINDS Group - Machine learning

   Industry Partners: Amazon, Carpe Data, Franklin Templeton, Capital One, Deutsche Bank

   Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple, Meta | Common Roles: Software Engineer, Data Scientist, ML Engineer

   Admissions: | Acceptance Rate: 26%

   Accreditations: ABET Accredited

3. #3. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Data Analytics Program

   Hakia ranks Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University as the #3 in data analytics degree program. Location: Blacksburg, VA | Type: Public | Tuition: $12,698/year | Graduation Rate: 95% | Score: 90.8

   What makes Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University stand out: Virginia Tech combines CS and business analytics strengths. Strong research in big data and machine learning. DC metro proximity enables government and corporate analytics careers.

   Hakia Insight: Through ties with NASA and Leidos, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University bridges the gap between academic training and industry practice.

   Program Overview: Virginia Tech offers strong data analytics education through CS department and business school. Strong research in big data, machine learning, and business intelligence. DC metro proximity provides career opportunities.

   Degree Programs: BS (4 years); MS

   Research Labs: Discovery Analytics Center - Big data research; Sanghani Center - Data science

   Industry Partners: NASA, Leidos, Boeing, Advance Auto, Norfolk Southern, Lockheed Martin

   Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Capital One, Deloitte, Amazon, Microsoft, Booz Allen | Common Roles: Data Analyst, Business Analyst, Data Scientist

   Notable Faculty: Holly Caldwell (program contact); Johann Rudi (Luther and Alice Hamlett Junior Faculty Fellow); Steffen Werner (Luther and Alice Hamlett Junior Faculty Fellow)

   Admissions: | Acceptance Rate: 57%

   Accreditations: ABET Accredited

4. #4. University of California-Los Angeles Data Analytics Program

   Hakia ranks University of California-Los Angeles as the #4 in data analytics degree program. Location: Los Angeles, CA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,834/year | Graduation Rate: 92% | Score: 88.2

   What makes University of California-Los Angeles stand out: UCLA CS combines top-tier research with LA tech ecosystem access. Strong connections to entertainment, gaming, and tech industries. Research excellence in machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing.

   Hakia Insight: With a 9% acceptance rate, University of California-Los Angeles's data analytics program is among the nation's most competitive, attracting top talent to its nationally recognized faculty.

   Program Overview: UCLA Computer Science is ranked top 15 nationally with world-class research in AI, systems, and theory. Located in Los Angeles tech hub with strong entertainment industry connections. 94% graduation rate with extensive industry partnerships.

   Degree Programs: MSBA (15 months); Data Science Certificate (10 weeks intensive or self-paced)

   Research Labs: UCLA AI Lab - Machine learning research; Vision Lab - Computer vision; NLP Lab - Natural language processing

   Industry Partners: Google, Amazon, Meta, Disney

   Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Intuit, Nextdoor, Uber | Common Roles: Senior Business Data Analyst, Data Scientist

   Notable Faculty: Felipe Caro (Faculty Director of MSBA Program, supply chain engineering, fast fashion retail); Francisco Castro (former Uber research scientist, operations and design of markets); Paola Giuliano (culture, economics and political economy); Auyon Siddiq (quantitative models for societal problems, urban mobility, health care)

   Admissions: | Acceptance Rate: 9%

   Accreditations: ABET Accredited

5. #5. University of California-Berkeley Data Analytics Program

   Hakia ranks University of California-Berkeley as the #5 in data analytics degree program. Location: Berkeley, CA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,834/year | Graduation Rate: 96% | Score: 87.7

   What makes University of California-Berkeley stand out: Berkeley pioneered undergraduate data science education. Division of CDSS leads data science curriculum innovation. Bay Area location provides unmatched tech industry access.

   Hakia Insight: With a 11% acceptance rate, University of California-Berkeley's data analytics program is among the nation's most competitive, attracting top talent to its nationally recognized faculty.

   Program Overview: UC Berkeley Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society offers pioneering data science education. First undergraduate data science major at a major US university. World-class faculty and research in ML, statistics, and domain applications.

   Degree Programs: B.A. Analytics (4 years); Professional Program in Data Analysis (1 year)

   Research Labs: Berkeley AI Research - ML and AI; Berkeley Institute for Data Science - Data science research

   Industry Partners: Pinterest, MapR Technologies, @WalmartLabs, Green Dot Corporation

   Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Google, Meta, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft | Common Roles: Data Analyst, Data Scientist, ML Engineer

   Notable Faculty: Professor Dorit Hochbaum (Analytics faculty advisor)

   Admissions: | Acceptance Rate: 11%

6. #6. University of California-Davis Data Analytics Program

   Hakia ranks University of California-Davis as the #6 in data analytics degree program. Location: Davis, CA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,834/year | Graduation Rate: 91% | Score: 87.0

   What makes University of California-Davis stand out: UC Davis combines CS excellence with agricultural and environmental research leadership. Unique data science applications in precision agriculture, climate science, and biotech. Part of UC system with strong industry connections in Sacramento region.

   Hakia Insight: Students at University of California-Davis benefit from active collaborations with Intel and Apple, connecting classroom learning to the workforce.

   Program Overview: UC Davis College of Engineering offers strong CS and data science programs with 94% graduation rate. Located in an agricultural research hub with unique applications in agtech, biotech, and environmental science. Strong interdisciplinary research opportunities.

   Degree Programs: BS in Data Science (4 years); MS in Statistics (2 years)

   Research Labs: Center for Data Science and AI Research - ML and data science; Genome Center - Bioinformatics

   Industry Partners: Intel, Apple, Google

   Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Intel, Apple, Google, Amazon, Meta | Common Roles: Data Scientist, Software Engineer, ML Engineer

   Admissions: | Acceptance Rate: 37%

   Accreditations: ABET Accredited

7. #7. University of Washington-Seattle Campus Data Analytics Program

   Hakia ranks University of Washington-Seattle Campus as the #7 in data analytics degree program. Location: Seattle, WA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,524/year | Graduation Rate: 97% | Score: 86.3

   What makes University of Washington-Seattle Campus stand out: UW offers one of the fastest business analytics tracks nationally at just 12 months through Foster, while simultaneously providing deep technical data science education through MSDS - creating dual pathways that serve both business-focused and technically-oriented career trajectories in Seattle's booming tech market.

   Hakia Insight: Students at University of Washington-Seattle Campus benefit from active collaborations with Amazon and Microsoft, connecting classroom learning to the workforce.

   Program Overview: The University of Washington-Seattle Campus offers multiple pathways into data analytics through two distinct programs housed in different schools. The Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) is a 12-month, STEM-designated professional program through the Foster School of Business, designed specifically for career acceleration with a focus on extracting business value from data. Simultaneously, the Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) provides a more comprehensive 1.5-year full-time or 2.5-year part-time program that covers statistical modeling, machine learning, data visualization, and software engineering with evening classes accommodating working professionals. Both programs leverage UW's position in Seattle's thriving tech ecosystem, with the MSBA program featuring direct industry engagement through faculty like Professor Oliver Rutz (O'Dell Award winner from the American Marketing Association) and Professor Hema Yoganarasimhan (Director of Foster Customer Analytics Center). The MSDS program emphasizes practical application through capstone projects with external organizations, connecting students directly with companies like JP Morgan Chase, IBM, Costco IT, Toyota, and local healthcare organizations like Seattle Children's Hospital.

   Degree Programs: MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) (12 months); MS in Data Science (MSDS) (1.5 years full-time)

   Research Labs: Foster Customer Analytics Center - Database marketing, e-commerce, and big data social influence models; eScience Institute - Data-intensive discovery across disciplines, serving as campus hub for data science innovation

   Industry Partners: Amazon, Microsoft, Google

   Career Outcomes: Placement Rate: Strong outcomes with dedicated career services including annual Data Science Career Fair | Top Employers: JP Morgan Chase & Co., IBM, Costco IT, Toyota, Northrop Grumman, Zillow, T-Mobile | Common Roles: Business Analysis Manager, Data Scientist, Operations Research Analyst

   Notable Faculty: Professor Oliver Rutz (Customer Analytics, database marketing and e-commerce); Professor Hema Yoganarasimhan (Big data and social influence models); Professor Lalit Jain (Experimental design and artificial intelligence in marketing)

   Admissions:

   Accreditations: ABET accredited

8. #8. University of California-San Diego Data Analytics Program

   Hakia ranks University of California-San Diego as the #8 in data analytics degree program. Location: La Jolla, CA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,834/year | Graduation Rate: 81% | Score: 81.7

   What makes University of California-San Diego stand out: UCSD CSE excels in systems research and HCI. Unique cognitive science integration for UX and AI work. San Diego biotech corridor provides unique career opportunities in health tech.

   Hakia Insight: With a 24% acceptance rate, University of California-San Diego's data analytics program is among the nation's most competitive, attracting top talent to its nationally recognized faculty.

   Program Overview: UC San Diego CSE ranks top 20 nationally with cutting-edge research in systems, AI, and human-computer interaction. La Jolla location near biotech and tech companies. Strong interdisciplinary programs with cognitive science.

   Degree Programs: BS Computer Science (4 years); BS Data Science (4 years)

   Research Labs: ACES Lab - Advanced computing and engineering systems; Calit2's Qualcomm Institute - Telecommunications and information technology with cyberinfrastructure focus; San Diego Supercomputer Center - High-performance computing and data systems; Center for Networked Systems - Network systems research; Cooperative Association for Internet Data Analysis - Internet data analysis; Center for Visual Computing - Visual computing and graphics; Center for Wireless Communications - Wireless communication systems; Institute for Neural Computation - Neural computation and brain-inspired computing

   Industry Partners: Qualcomm, Microsoft, Adobe, Amazon Web Services, IBM, Roblox Corporation, ServiceNow, AT&T, Sony Electronics, Abbott

   Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Qualcomm, Google, Amazon, Apple, Illumina | Common Roles: Software Engineer, Data Scientist, UX Researcher

   Notable Faculty: Dr. Andrew B. Kahng (Integrated-circuit design and performance analyses); Dr. Paul H. Siegel (Information theory and data storage systems); Dr. Truong Nguyen (Digital signal processing and image analysis); Dr. Tara Javidi (Statistical learning and network optimization); Dr. Farinaz Koushanfar (Hardware security and acceleration systems); Dr. Nuno M. Vasconcelos (Computer vision and machine learning)

   Admissions: | Acceptance Rate: 24%

   Accreditations: ABET Accredited

9. #9. University of Houston Data Analytics Program

   Hakia ranks University of Houston as the #9 in data analytics degree program. Location: Houston, TX | Type: Public | Tuition: $8,685/year | Graduation Rate: 91% | Score: 80.8

   What makes University of Houston stand out: UH data analytics programs leverage Houston's position as a hub for energy, healthcare, and aerospace industries. Online format designed for working professionals with strong industry partnerships.

   Hakia Insight: University of Houston's industry network — including ExxonMobil and Memorial Hermann — provides students with internship and hiring pathways.

   Program Overview: University of Houston offers data analytics programs through its Bauer College of Business and College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Online MS in Data Analytics provides flexible pathways for Houston-area professionals and beyond. Strong connections to energy, healthcare, and aerospace industries.

   Degree Programs: MS Business Analytics; MS Statistics and Data Science (30 credit hours); MS Engineering Data Science and AI

   Research Labs: Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Institute - AI research; Decision Sciences Institute - decision sciences; Institute for Regional Forecasting - forecasting and analytics

   Industry Partners: ExxonMobil, Memorial Hermann, NASA

   Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: ExxonMobil, Shell, Memorial Hermann, MD Anderson, NASA | Common Roles: Data Analyst, Business Analyst, Data Scientist

   Notable Faculty: Xiao Ma (Associate Professor, Business Analytics program contact)

   Admissions: | Acceptance Rate: 67%

   Accreditations: STEM

10. #10. Rutgers University-New Brunswick Data Analytics Program

    Hakia ranks Rutgers University-New Brunswick as the #10 in data analytics degree program. Location: New Brunswick, NJ | Type: Public | Tuition: $13,674/year | Graduation Rate: 82% | Score: 80.6

    What makes Rutgers University-New Brunswick stand out: Rutgers data analytics programs benefit from NYC metro location and strong pharmaceutical and financial industry connections. Online format ideal for working professionals in the Northeast corridor.

    Hakia Insight: Rutgers University-New Brunswick leverages partnerships with Johnson & Johnson and Prudential to offer students real-world project experience valued by employers.

    Program Overview: Rutgers offers data analytics education through its School of Communication and Information and Department of Statistics. Online Master of Business and Science degree with data analytics concentration provides flexible professional development. NYC metro proximity enables strong industry connections.

    Degree Programs: Bachelors in Data Analytics; Data Science Major; Computer Science and Data Science Double Major

    Research Labs: Rutgers Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Collaboratory - AI and data science innovation with emphasis on responsible, interdisciplinary research; Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute - Climate change and energy challenges through interdisciplinary research; Center for Cognitive Science - Complex, interdisciplinary field of cognitive science research; New Jersey State Policy Lab - Equitable public policy solutions through rigorous data research; Education and Employment Research Center - Intersection between education and work through research and evaluation

    Industry Partners: Johnson & Johnson, Prudential, NYC financial firms

    Career Outcomes: Placement Rate: 84% | Top Employers: Rutgers University, Amazon, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, RWJBarnabas Health

    Notable Faculty: Dr. Wendie Cohick (Vice Provost and Vice Chancellor for Research); Dr. Sheila Borges Rajguru (Research Development & Strategy); Amy Mandelbaum (Research Development with focus on AI and Data Science)

    Admissions: | Acceptance Rate: 67%