Best Value Data Science Degree Programs 2026

Best Data Science Programs - Top 10 Best Value — Complete Program Data

1. #1. Bridgewater State University Data Science Program

   Hakia ranks Bridgewater State University as the #1 in data science degree program. Location: Bridgewater, MA | Type: Public | Tuition: $910/year | Graduation Rate: 97% | Score: 100.0

   What makes Bridgewater State University stand out: Bridgewater State emphasizes mathematical foundations and theoretical understanding as the foundation for applied data science, appealing to students aiming for advanced analytics or graduate-level work.

   Hakia Insight: Access to EdTech and educational assessment company internships

   Program Overview: Bridgewater State's data science program emphasizes teaching students how to ask the right questions before diving into models—a rare curricular priority that reflects the institution's teacher-education heritage and commitment to clear communication. The program builds from data literacy and visualization fundamentals, recognizing that many students enter without strong quantitative preparation, and scaffolds toward machine learning and advanced analytics. Practical experience is baked in: partnerships with local school districts and municipal governments provide real datasets and internship placements, allowing students to solve actual problems while still in coursework. The program's modest size means accessible faculty, manageable cohorts, and the ability to tailor learning to individual interests—whether that's education analytics, municipal data governance, or corporate analytics. Graduates are particularly well-prepared for roles in public sector, education technology, and smaller-to-mid-sized companies where data literacy across teams matters more than specialization in exotic algorithms. Bridgewater's location in the Boston exurbs offers proximity to tech opportunities without the Cambridge-centric competitive pressure.

   Degree Programs: MS in Data Science (2 years)

   Industry Partners: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Town of Bridgewater

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2. #2. Western Carolina University Data Science Program

   Hakia ranks Western Carolina University as the #2 in data science degree program. Location: Cullowhee, NC | Type: Public | Tuition: $1,000/year | Graduation Rate: 95% | Score: 82.2

   What makes Western Carolina University stand out: A program built on interdisciplinary research collaborations, allowing students to apply data science to environmental, business, or health sciences problems alongside faculty researchers.

   Hakia Insight: Proximity to Asheville tech ecosystem

   Program Overview: Western Carolina's approach to data science centers on interdisciplinary collaboration, with students learning to translate messy real-world problems into data-driven solutions across domains like environmental science, business analytics, and public health. The program's strength lies in its integration of domain expertise—students choose concentration areas and work alongside faculty who are active in research, not just teaching. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the university leverages unique datasets and partnerships in environmental monitoring and regional economic analysis, giving students portfolio projects with genuine scientific or civic value. The curriculum scaffolds from foundational statistics through advanced machine learning and specialized electives, with flexibility to pursue research interests. Internship placements draw from Asheville's growing tech community and regional healthcare systems, where data science skills are in high demand but talent is scarce. Graduates often move into analyst or junior scientist roles where their ability to communicate findings to non-technical stakeholders—cultivated throughout the program—gives them an immediate edge.

   Degree Programs: Bachelors in Data Science

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3. #3. Fayetteville State University Data Science Program

   Hakia ranks Fayetteville State University as the #3 in data science degree program. Location: Fayetteville, NC | Type: Public | Tuition: $1,000/year | Graduation Rate: 86% | Score: 79.8

   What makes Fayetteville State University stand out: An HBCU data science program grounded in applied capstone projects and community partnerships rather than purely theoretical coursework.

   Hakia Insight: Access to North Carolina's Research Triangle region

   Program Overview: Fayetteville State's data science program emphasizes applied problem-solving within a supportive HBCU environment, where students work directly with faculty on real-world datasets from local and regional organizations. The curriculum balances statistical foundations with modern machine learning tools, requiring capstone projects that address actual business or research challenges. What distinguishes this program is its intentional bridge between foundational coursework and immediate application—students don't just learn algorithms in isolation but deploy them to solve problems for community partners and local industries. The relatively small cohort size means closer mentorship and better access to faculty expertise in areas like predictive analytics and data visualization. Graduates have found success in roles ranging from junior data analyst positions at healthcare systems to business intelligence roles at regional financial institutions. The program also benefits from North Carolina's growing tech corridor, with internship opportunities in Raleigh and Chapel Hill while maintaining lower cost-of-living advantages in Fayetteville.

   Degree Programs: Bachelors in Data Science

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4. #4. Westfield State University Data Science Program

   Hakia ranks Westfield State University as the #4 in data science degree program. Location: Westfield, MA | Type: Public | Tuition: $970/year | Score: 77.1

   What makes Westfield State University stand out: Westfield State bridges academic computer science and business intelligence, with curriculum tracks and industry partnerships emphasizing data science as organizational problem-solving.

   Hakia Insight: Regional access to manufacturing and retail analytics roles

   Program Overview: Westfield State positions its data science curriculum at the intersection of computer science rigor and business intelligence application. The program structure moves students from core competencies in databases, statistical analysis, and programming into specialized tracks in business analytics, machine learning, and data engineering, allowing customization based on career goals. Faculty have backgrounds in both academic research and industry consulting, bringing real consulting engagements and client projects into the classroom. Students engage with tools and platforms commonly used in enterprise environments—SQL Server, Tableau, Apache Spark—rather than purely academic ecosystems. The university's connections to manufacturing, insurance, and retail firms across western Massachusetts create regular internship and post-graduation employment pipelines. Westfield's advantage lies in treating data science not as pure computer science but as a problem-solving discipline deeply connected to organizational decision-making and business value creation.

   Degree Programs: BS in Data Science (4 years)

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5. #5. Fitchburg State University Data Science Program

   Hakia ranks Fitchburg State University as the #5 in data science degree program. Location: Fitchburg, MA | Type: Public | Tuition: $970/year | Score: 76.6

   What makes Fitchburg State University stand out: Fitchburg State delivers practical, hands-on data science education at an accessible price point, with direct connections to regional employers and a focus on immediate workforce readiness.

   Hakia Insight: Central Massachusetts location near manufacturing and healthcare employers

   Program Overview: Fitchburg State's data science programming reflects the university's commitment to providing accessible, practical education rooted in regional workforce needs. The graduate and undergraduate offerings emphasize foundational statistics, data management, and applied analytics skills that connect directly to employer demand across manufacturing, healthcare, and services sectors in central Massachusetts. The program is designed with working professionals and career-changers in mind, balancing rigor with flexibility. Faculty bring teaching-focused expertise and industry connections; many have backgrounds in business intelligence, healthcare analytics, and operational management that shape course content toward real problems students will encounter. The smaller cohort size means closer faculty interaction and mentorship compared to larger research universities. Capstone and project-based learning anchor the curriculum, giving students portfolio pieces and concrete examples to discuss during job interviews. Graduates find positions in regional organizations and increasingly in remote roles, with particular strength in roles requiring both technical skill and business acumen—such as analytics manager, business intelligence analyst, and data engineer positions.

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

   Career Outcomes: | Common Roles: Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Analytics Manager, Database Administrator

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6. #6. University of North Carolina at Pembroke Data Science Program

   Hakia ranks University of North Carolina at Pembroke as the #6 in data science degree program. Location: Pembroke, NC | Type: Public | Tuition: $1,000/year | Score: 69.8

   Degree Programs: Bachelors in Data Science

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7. #7. University of North Carolina at Charlotte Data Science Program

   Hakia ranks University of North Carolina at Charlotte as the #7 in data science degree program. Location: Charlotte, NC | Type: Public | Tuition: $3,812/year | Graduation Rate: 76% | Score: 29.7

   What makes University of North Carolina at Charlotte stand out: First School of Data Science in the Carolinas, uniquely positioned in the big data hub, and the first and only to offer a bachelor's degree in Sports Analytics in the southeast region

   Program Overview: UNC Charlotte's School of Data Science is the first in the Carolinas, uniquely centered in the hub of big data and created through innovative collaboration between five colleges. The programs offer a dynamic blend of theory and practical skills, preparing students to lead in the data-driven world.

   Degree Programs: BS in Data Science; BS in Sports Analytics; MS in Data Science & Business Analytics; MS in Health Informatics & Analytics; PhD in Data Science

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8. #8. North Carolina A & T State University Data Science Program

   Hakia ranks North Carolina A & T State University as the #8 in data science degree program. Location: Greensboro, NC | Type: Public | Tuition: $3,540/year | Graduation Rate: 84% | Score: 29.2

   What makes North Carolina A & T State University stand out: NC A&T's Data Science programs stand out as among the top-ranked programs at an HBCU, combining rigorous technical training with a diverse, collaborative learning environment that has historically produced leaders in STEM fields.

   Hakia Insight: North Carolina A & T State University's industry network — including IBM and Cisco — provides students with internship and hiring pathways.

   Program Overview: North Carolina A&T State University's Data Science programs are housed within the College of Engineering and represent a rapidly growing area of focus for this historically black public research university. The programs emphasize both theoretical foundations and practical applications, leveraging the university's strong engineering and computer science heritage to provide students with comprehensive training in statistical analysis, machine learning, and big data technologies. The university's commitment to diversity in STEM fields creates a unique learning environment that prepares students for leadership roles in the data science industry.

   Degree Programs: MS in Data Analytics (2 years); MS in Data Science and Engineering (1-1.5 years); PhD in Computational Data Science and Engineering (not specified)

   Research Labs: Center for Advanced Studies in Identity Sciences - Data analytics and computational research; Computational Science and Engineering Lab - Big data applications and modeling

   Industry Partners: IBM, Cisco, Local Research Triangle companies

   Career Outcomes: Placement Rate: not specified | Top Employers: Big Four accounting firms, Fortune 500 service companies, national accounting firms, regional accounting firms, industrial firms, governmental agencies | Common Roles: data analysts, data scientists, big data specialists, predictive modelers

   Notable Faculty: Faculty information (Data Science and Analytics)

   Admissions: GPA: 2.5 minimum for undergraduate, 3.0 for graduate | Acceptance Rate: 60-70%

   Accreditations: ABET Accredited (College of Engineering), SACS-COC Accredited

9. #9. Bellevue College Data Science Program

   Hakia ranks Bellevue College as the #9 in data science degree program. Location: Bellevue, WA | Type: Public | Tuition: $4,074/year | Graduation Rate: 96% | Score: 27.1

   What makes Bellevue College stand out: Meets the critical and pervasive demand for rigorously trained computer science professionals specializing in Data Science, with practical application experience through a senior capstone design project

   Program Overview: Bellevue College offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science with an emphasis in Data Science (from the first source) that prepares graduates to use mathematics, statistics, artificial intelligence algorithms, scientific computing, and systems to analyze, design, and implement data-driven systems. The program enables students to derive insights and solutions from complex datasets of varying size and complexity.

   Degree Programs: BS Computer Science: Data Science Emphasis (180 credits)

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10. #10. Florida Polytechnic University Data Science Program

    Hakia ranks Florida Polytechnic University as the #10 in data science degree program. Location: Lakeland, FL | Type: Public | Tuition: $3,152/year | Graduation Rate: 81% | Score: 25.9

    What makes Florida Polytechnic University stand out: A polytechnic-model program emphasizing practical data engineering and systems skills, backed by industry-sponsored capstones and direct employer pipelines in Florida's tech-forward region.

    Hakia Insight: Through ties with Infosys and Deloitte, Florida Polytechnic University bridges the gap between academic training and industry practice.

    Program Overview: Florida Polytechnic's data science program emerges from an institution deliberately designed around applied engineering and technology education, with deep integration into hands-on labs, industry certification, and competitive internship pipelines. The curriculum prioritizes practical skills in data engineering, statistical computing, and machine learning systems design—preparing students for immediate technical contributions in industry. Small, cohesive cohorts work closely with faculty on industry-sponsored capstone projects and participate in data science competitions that build portfolio credentials while solving real technical problems. Located in Lakeland's emerging innovation corridor and backed by aggressive industry partnerships with major tech employers, students benefit from direct pathways into internships and graduate positions at companies like Infosys, Deloitte, and major manufacturing firms using advanced analytics. The program's emphasis on hands-on, project-based learning over pure theory mirrors the polytechnic model and appeals to students seeking rapid skill development and immediate career relevance.

    Degree Programs: BS in Data Science (4 years); MS in Data Science (1.5 years)

    Research Labs: Applied Research and Innovation Center - Industry-sponsored applied data systems and analytics projects

    Industry Partners: Infosys, Deloitte, Duke Energy, Amazon Web Services

    Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Infosys, Deloitte, Duke Energy, Tech companies expanding to Florida | Common Roles: Data Engineer, Analytics Engineer, Data Scientist, Business Analyst

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    Accreditations: Industry certifications in cloud platforms and data tools