Best Associate's Machine Learning Degree Programs in Indiana
Ivy Tech Community College — Indianapolis, IN
Hakia Insight: Ivy Tech's multi-campus footprint across Indiana creates geographic leverage: students can train in Python and SQL on Eli Lilly's and Cummins' doorstep, then leverage employer relationships that span the entire state rather than competing for jobs in a single metro area.
At the associate's level, with multiple campuses across Indiana, Ivy Tech's machine learning and data analytics track emphasizes hands-on lab work in Python, SQL, and cloud platforms—students build real predictive models from day one rather than spending semesters on theory alone. You'll graduate job-ready for roles in healthcare data analysis, manufacturing optimization, and financial services, with strong placement rates at Indianapolis-area tech employers and seamless transfer agreements with Purdue and Indiana University for four-year degrees. The program's real advantage is its deep connections to Indiana's growing tech corridor; many students land internships during their second year that convert directly into employment.
Programs Offered
- Associate of Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, on-campus
- Associate of Applied Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, online
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Eli Lilly (Indianapolis), Roche Diagnostics (Indianapolis), Salesforce (Indiana operations), Cummins (Columbus), OneAmerica Financial Group (Indianapolis), Regional healthcare systems, Major manufacturing firms across Indiana.
Top Transfer Destinations
- Purdue University (West Lafayette and Indianapolis campuses)
- Indiana University – Bloomington
- Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IPUI)
- Ball State University
Entry-Level Career Paths
- Junior Data Analyst
- Machine Learning Associate
- Business Intelligence Analyst
- Data Engineering Technician
- Quality Assurance Automation Tester
Included Certifications
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- CompTIA A+
- Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
- Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer
Location Advantages:
Vincennes University — Vincennes, IN
Hakia Insight: Vincennes' location in southern Indiana's industrial corridor means associate degree graduates land ML roles in manufacturing and energy firms that rarely recruit from coastal tech hubs—less competition, faster promotion paths, and salaries uncoupled from San Francisco wage inflation.
At the associate's level, vincennes University's proximity to southern Indiana's industrial corridor gives students direct access to machine learning roles in manufacturing, logistics, and energy—employers actively recruit from campus for positions requiring hands-on technical skills in data visualization and predictive analytics. The program balances theoretical foundations with practical projects using Python and R, preparing graduates not just for entry-level analyst roles but for advancement into specialized machine learning engineering tracks at four-year universities. VU's smaller class sizes mean personalized mentorship from faculty who maintain active industry consulting relationships.
Programs Offered
- Associate of Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, on-campus
- Associate of Applied Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, online
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Vectren Energy (Evansville area), Gibson Manufacturing (Knox County), Regional healthcare systems, Logistics and supply chain firms in southern Indiana, Energy sector employers.
Top Transfer Destinations
- Indiana University – Bloomington
- Purdue University (West Lafayette)
- Ball State University
- University of Southern Indiana
Entry-Level Career Paths
- Data Analyst
- Junior Machine Learning Technician
- Analytics Associate
- Process Improvement Analyst
- Technical Support Specialist (data-focused roles)
Included Certifications
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
- CompTIA A+
- Google Analytics Certification
Location Advantages:
Best Bachelor's Machine Learning Degree Programs in Indiana
Purdue University-Main Campus — West Lafayette, IN
Key Distinction: EPICS projects may be applied toward elective requirements with track chair approval. Independent study projects available as elective credit with approval
Hakia Insight: Purdue's Machine Intelligence Track allows students to apply research output directly: EPICS capstone projects that solve real community problems count toward degree requirements, meaning a logistics optimization project isn't just coursework—it's publishable research that employers recognize immediately.
The Machine Intelligence Track within Purdue's Bachelor of Science in Computer Science prepares students for careers in machine learning, artificial intelligence, data mining, and related fields. The curriculum emphasizes data and knowledge representation, search algorithms, and learning techniques through a combination of required core courses and electives. Students must complete four required courses including Data Mining and Machine Learning, Analysis of Algorithms, and either Artificial Intelligence or Web Information Search & Management, plus probability coursework. Two additional electives allow specialization in areas such as natural language processing, statistical machine learning, robotics, or database systems. The program encourages students considering graduate work to take advanced probability courses. Students may apply relevant EPICS projects or independent study toward elective requirements with track chair approval. All coursework requires a minimum grade of C or better for degree completion.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science - Machine Intelligence Track — 4 years, on-campus. BS
Research Labs and Institutes
- Purdue Robotics and Autonomous Systems Lab
- Cyber-Physical Systems Lab
- Machine Learning Systems Lab
Industry Partners
- Boeing (corporate)
- Rolls-Royce (corporate)
- General Motors (corporate)
- IBM (corporate)
- Google (corporate)
- Microsoft (corporate)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Aleksandra Faust — Reinforcement learning, robotics, and autonomous systems
- Aniruddha Gokhale — Distributed machine learning systems and edge computing
- Euripides Montagne — Computer vision and machine learning
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Proximity to Chicago tech corridorStrong connections to Indianapolis tech ecosystemMidwest manufacturing and aerospace hub connections
Indiana University-Bloomington — Bloomington, IN
Key Distinction: Undergraduate research opportunities through five research centers including Center for Bioinformatics Research and Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center. Luddy Living Learning Center—residential learning community with makerspaces, guest speakers, and student trips
Hakia Insight: Indiana University's Luddy Living Learning Center creates an unusual advantage: undergraduates in the residential community can access the five research centers (Bioinformatics, Network Science) not as spectators, but as embedded collaborators who develop graduate-level research chops before their junior year.
Indiana University's Bachelor of Science in Data Science is an interdisciplinary program that equips students with mathematical, programming, and analytical skills to become data-driven decision makers across industries. The curriculum emphasizes both quantitative and qualitative analysis with hands-on research opportunities through five research centers, including the Center for Bioinformatics Research and the Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center. Students can participate in real research projects alongside faculty, enhancing their resume before graduation. The program offers five specialization tracks—Foundational Data Science, Data Systems, Network and Applied Data Science, Data Science Design, and Biological and Health Science—allowing students to tailor their education to career interests. Luddy's 2019-20 graduates were hired by over 400 companies and organizations across sectors including tech, finance, healthcare, privacy, security, machine learning, statistical analysis, and consulting. The Luddy Living Learning Center provides a collaborative first-year experience with makerspaces and networking opportunities. Students can enhance their degree with minors in statistics, IT, virtual reality, or computer science.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Data Science — 4 years, on-campus. BS
Research Labs and Institutes
- Informatics and Computing for Healthcare Lab
- School of Informatics Machine Learning Group
Industry Partners
- Cook Group (corporate)
- Cummins (corporate)
- Salesforce (corporate)
Notable Faculty
- David Crandall — Computer vision, machine learning for image and video understanding
- Filippo Menczer — Web science, information filtering, and network analysis
Accreditations and Certifications
- STEM eligible via the U.S. Department of Education
Location Advantages: Midwest tech corridorProximity to Indianapolis healthcare and financial services companiesRegional startup ecosystem
Indiana University-Indianapolis — Indianapolis, IN
Key Distinction: Optional internship with industry partners on AI projects. Team-based, industry-specific design projects (particularly IoT-focused)
Hakia Insight: IU Indianapolis's BA in AI pairs team-based IoT design projects with direct internship placement at Intel and other Midwest employers—a pathway that bypasses the traditional resume-screening bottleneck by letting student work speak directly to hiring managers.
The Bachelor of Arts in Artificial Intelligence at IU Indianapolis's Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering prepares students for AI careers through hands-on, team-based learning. The curriculum covers machine learning, bot development, robotic process automation, and cognitive computing, with coursework in supervised/unsupervised learning, deep learning (PyTorch, TensorFlow), natural language processing, cloud computing, and human-AI interaction. Students engage in industry-specific design projects, particularly for Internet of Things applications, and have optional internship opportunities with industry partners. The program emphasizes practical AI applications across enterprise intelligence, conversational interfaces, chatbot development, and organizational process automation. Graduates develop skills in data analysis, information retrieval, speech-based applications, and ethical AI design, preparing them for roles in AI development, cognitive automation, and business intelligence across multiple industries.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Arts in Artificial Intelligence — 4 years, on-campus. BA
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Intel.
Location Advantages: Access to Indianapolis medical research institutions and healthcare technology companiesProximity to Midwest tech and data science employers
Purdue University Northwest — Hammond, IN
Key Distinction: Two-semester team-based capstone senior-design project. Hands-on experience in cutting-edge AI and ML laboratories
Hakia Insight: Purdue Northwest's two-semester capstone forces students to sustain complex ML projects across real client constraints rather than idealized problem sets, creating a portfolio that Cisco and Intel recruiters treat as evidence of production-readiness rather than academic competence.
Purdue University Northwest's Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering with an Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning concentration prepares students for careers building AI-optimized systems and learning algorithms. The ABET-accredited program blends theoretical foundations with hands-on laboratory work and collaborative projects across four years. Students progress from calculus and physics fundamentals (Year 1) through computer engineering core competencies in data structures and digital systems (Year 2), then advance to software engineering design and microprocessor systems (Year 3). Year 4 culminates in a two-semester team-based capstone senior-design project, complemented by electives in machine learning, deep learning, neural networks, and big data. The curriculum emphasizes practical problem-solving skills and real-world AI applications. Graduates are recruited by major employers including Cisco Systems, Hewlett Packard, and National Semiconductor. The program features small class sizes, faculty with Ph.D. degrees conducting active research in neural networks and deep learning, and access to cutting-edge AI and ML laboratories.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Concentration: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus. BSCmpES
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Cisco, Intel.
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Proximity to Chicago tech and data science job marketAccess to Midwest manufacturing and industrial automation employersConnection to Northwest Indiana industrial corridor
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology — Terre Haute, IN
Key Distinction: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology offers comprehensive Machine Learning programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: Rose-Hulman's private institution status in Terre Haute creates an unusual recruiting advantage: with stronger student-to-faculty ratios than state universities, its ML graduates develop deeper mentorship relationships that translate into stronger letters of recommendation and networking than peers at larger programs.
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology offers Machine Learning programs in Terre Haute, IN. As a private institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region.
DePauw University — Greencastle, IN
Key Distinction: DePauw University offers comprehensive Machine Learning programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: DePauw's small liberal arts setting means ML students can't hide in massive lecture halls—direct faculty engagement in a residential community builds the communication and leadership skills that separate mid-career ML engineers from those stuck in individual contributor roles.
DePauw University offers Machine Learning programs in Greencastle, IN. As a private institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region.
Ball State University — Muncie, IN
Key Distinction: Ball State's machine learning program distinguishes itself through faculty-centered mentorship and accessible pedagogy that builds strong conceptual foundations alongside applied technical skills.
Hakia Insight: Ball State's teaching-focused faculty bring classroom experience that translates to clearer conceptual explanations of why gradient descent works or how CNNs generalize—an advantage that shows up in internship performance, where students articulate complex ML decisions rather than just executing code.
At the bachelor's level, machine learning at Ball State is increasingly embedded within both its computer science major and emerging data science concentrations, with a teaching-focused institution philosophy that prioritizes student mentorship and accessibility to faculty. Unlike research-heavy programs, Ball State emphasizes clarity of explanation and building intuition—students work closely with professors who are actively engaged in both academic research and applied industry projects. The program connects machine learning to diverse applications: business analytics, educational technology, and digital media, reflecting the university's strengths across liberal arts and professional schools. Hands-on labs use contemporary frameworks (TensorFlow, scikit-learn, PyTorch) alongside real datasets from partner organizations. The location in Muncie provides a tight-knit cohort experience where students know their instructors personally and benefit from directed mentorship. Career outcomes trend toward analytics roles, junior data scientist positions, and technology roles in Fortune 500 companies with significant Midwest operations—employers that value Ball State graduates' ability to communicate technical concepts clearly and work effectively in teams.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: Central Indiana location with access to Indianapolis tech and financial services sector
University of Evansville — Evansville, IN
Hakia Insight: University of Evansville's location in southwestern Indiana places graduates within commuting distance of Louisville's financial services sector and the Ohio River industrial corridor, creating employment density that smaller programs rarely achieve.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Location Advantages:
Taylor University — Upland, IN
Hakia Insight: Taylor University's residential Christian environment attracts students prioritizing ethical AI and responsible technology—a philosophical cohort that fuels collaborative research on bias in machine learning and fairness-aware algorithms with unusual intentionality.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Location Advantages:
Anderson University — Anderson, IN
Key Distinction: Anderson University offers comprehensive Machine Learning programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: Anderson University's regional positioning in Indiana's emerging tech corridor offers undergraduates rare access to both foundational ML coursework and internship pipelines into Indianapolis's healthcare and financial services sectors without the premium tuition of coastal programs.
Anderson University offers Machine Learning programs in Anderson, IN. As a private institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region.
Best Master's Machine Learning Degree Programs in Indiana
Indiana University-Bloomington — Bloomington, IN
Key Distinction: Paid internship opportunities available locally and on coasts while earning course credit. Faculty-mentored independent research and study options
Hakia Insight: IU-Bloomington's paid internships—earned while taking coursework—combined with faculty mentorship through the School of Informatics Machine Learning Group creates an unusual model where students graduate with both industry experience and research publications, a combination most master's programs force into a binary choice.
Indiana University's M.S. in Computer Science is a technical, highly marketable degree combining computing fundamentals with cutting-edge applications including artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and security. Students typically complete the program in 1.5 to 2 years. The program offers a Creativity Requirement allowing students to complete paid or unpaid internships locally or on the coasts while earning course credit, or conduct faculty-mentored independent research. With 100% employment or continued education placement within six months of graduation, graduates earn an average starting salary of $126,067 plus $25,719 average signing bonus. Successful graduates work as software engineers, technical consultants, and security specialists at top companies including IBM, Yahoo!, Cerner, Expedia, and Amazon. The program draws international students and offers comprehensive support services through the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Computer Science — 1-2 years, on-campus. MS
Research Labs and Institutes
- Informatics and Computing for Healthcare Lab
- School of Informatics Machine Learning Group
Industry Partners
- Cook Group (corporate)
- Cummins (corporate)
- Salesforce (corporate)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN. Top Employers: IBM, Expedia, Amazon.
Notable Faculty
- David Crandall — Computer vision, machine learning for image and video understanding
- Filippo Menczer — Web science, information filtering, and network analysis
Accreditations and Certifications
- STEM eligible via the U.S. Department of Education
Location Advantages: Midwest tech corridorProximity to Indianapolis healthcare and financial services companiesRegional startup ecosystem
University of Notre Dame — Notre Dame, IN
Key Distinction: Notre Dame's ML program uniquely emphasizes close faculty-student mentorship, research-driven learning, and applications grounded in social impact and interpretable AI.
Hakia Insight: Notre Dame's dual MS/MA structure in Machine Learning, paired with the Network Dynamics Lab and a stated emphasis on interpretable AI, signals a program deliberately designed around explainability and social impact—a philosophical differentiator that directly shapes career paths toward policy, regulatory, and ethics-focused roles.
Notre Dame's machine learning graduate programs, housed within the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, are built on a philosophy of combining rigorous theoretical foundations with applied problem-solving in domains where research can create tangible impact. The master's program in computer science with machine learning specialization attracts students seeking a tightly integrated curriculum that moves quickly through foundational ML theory while emphasizing real-world applications in areas like social networks, computational biology, and cybersecurity. Faculty research groups actively engage students in projects spanning deep learning architectures, graph neural networks, and interpretable AI—research questions chosen partly for their scientific merit and partly for their relevance to industry and societal challenges. The program's relatively intimate size means graduate students work closely with faculty mentors in structured research groups rather than being absorbed into massive labs, creating mentorship opportunities that shape career trajectories. Notre Dame's network of technology-focused corporate partners and alumni creates a pipeline for internships and full-time placement, particularly in companies valued for research depth and ethical AI practices. Students graduate with both publication-quality research experience and practical engineering chops, positioning them well for careers that blend research innovation with implementation responsibility—whether at tech companies with strong research divisions, startups tackling hard technical problems, or graduate PhD programs.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Notre Dame Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering (ND-RISE)
- Network Dynamics Lab
Industry Partners
- IBM (corporate)
- Microsoft (corporate)
- JPMorgan Chase (corporate)
- Google (corporate)
Notable Faculty
- Walter Scheirer — Computer vision, object detection, and adversarial machine learning
- Marta Čudina — Machine learning systems and neural networks
- Sonja Petrović — Algebraic statistics and graphical models
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Proximity to Chicago financial and tech hubRegional technology company connections
Purdue University-Main Campus — West Lafayette, IN
Key Distinction: 100% online delivery with flexible, self-paced learning for working professionals. Coursework-based track (no thesis required)
Hakia Insight: Purdue's 100% online AI master's compresses a two-year commitment into flexible self-paced study without sacrificing faculty depth—Aleksandra Faust and Aniruddha Gokhale teach the same robotics and distributed systems seminars to remote students—making it genuinely competitive for working engineers seeking credentials without career pause.
Purdue's Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence is a 100% online, flexible program designed for working professionals seeking to advance careers in AI. Students complete 30 credits in 24 months and choose between two majors: AI and Machine Learning (focusing on programming, computer science, and mathematics) or AI Management and Policy (emphasizing leadership, management, ethics, and policy). The program culminates in a capstone project applying knowledge to real-world AI challenges. Research shows master's degree holders experience salary increases of 25-75% depending on field. The median advertised salary for AI professionals is $141k, with 41% projected job growth through 2029. No thesis required; students complete coursework-based track with electives tailored to career goals. The program does not require GRE/GMAT, and credits from the Foundation in Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate can apply toward degree completion, enabling part-time progression.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (AI) — 1-2 years, on-campus. MS
Research Labs and Institutes
- Purdue Robotics and Autonomous Systems Lab
- Cyber-Physical Systems Lab
- Machine Learning Systems Lab
Industry Partners
- Boeing (corporate)
- Rolls-Royce (corporate)
- General Motors (corporate)
- IBM (corporate)
- Google (corporate)
- Microsoft (corporate)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Aleksandra Faust — Reinforcement learning, robotics, and autonomous systems
- Aniruddha Gokhale — Distributed machine learning systems and edge computing
- Euripides Montagne — Computer vision and machine learning
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Proximity to Chicago tech corridorStrong connections to Indianapolis tech ecosystemMidwest manufacturing and aerospace hub connections
Purdue University Northwest — Hammond, IN
Key Distinction: Purdue Northwest's machine learning program is distinguished by its focus on industrial applications, embedded ML, and IoT—preparing graduates for manufacturing and automation-heavy sectors in the Midwest.
Hakia Insight: Purdue Northwest's explicit focus on embedded ML and IoT, paired with direct access to Midwest manufacturing and industrial automation employers, creates a specialized pipeline that larger programs treat as an afterthought, positioning graduates for $90K+ roles in a sector desperate for applied ML talent.
At the master's level, machine learning studies at Purdue Northwest benefit from the broader Purdue engineering and computer science infrastructure while serving a region with significant industrial demand for data-driven solutions. The program balances theoretical foundations in algorithms, statistical learning, and optimization with hands-on experience in embedded ML, IoT applications, and manufacturing analytics—sectors central to Northwest Indiana's economy. Students access research opportunities that often connect to applied problems in automation, predictive maintenance, and industrial optimization. The proximity to Chicago and the manufacturing corridor creates natural industry engagement through project-based learning and co-op placements. Faculty maintain active research programs in areas like robotics integration, reinforcement learning, and scalable systems, ensuring the curriculum stays current with both academic advances and employer needs. Graduates typically move into roles where they're expected to deploy ML models in resource-constrained or real-time environments, preparing them well for embedded systems and edge computing careers.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Proximity to Chicago tech and data science job marketAccess to Midwest manufacturing and industrial automation employersConnection to Northwest Indiana industrial corridor
Indiana University-Indianapolis — Indianapolis, IN
Key Distinction: IU Indianapolis uniquely emphasizes machine learning applications in healthcare and biomedical contexts, positioning graduates for specialized roles in medical AI and clinical informatics.
Hakia Insight: IU Indianapolis's healthcare-specific ML curriculum, anchored by proximity to Indianapolis's research hospital network and medical device companies, produces graduates with clinical AI credentials that generalist programs can't replicate, commanding premiums in medical informatics hiring.
At the master's level, IU Indianapolis's machine learning program emphasizes applied AI and data science through a curriculum that bridges computer science fundamentals with real-world problem-solving. The program distinguishes itself by integrating healthcare and biomedical informatics applications—a natural fit given the university's location in a major medical research corridor. Students engage with machine learning across computer vision, natural language processing, and predictive analytics, with particular depth in applications relevant to clinical decision support and medical imaging. The faculty actively supervise capstone projects and directed research that connect coursework directly to industry challenges in healthcare technology and life sciences. Close partnerships with Indiana's growing tech ecosystem—including Indianapolis-based companies and the broader Midwest innovation corridor—create internship and employment pathways. The program's strength lies in helping students build portfolios that demonstrate not just algorithmic expertise but the ability to translate ML solutions into regulated, high-stakes domains where accuracy and interpretability matter.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Location Advantages: Access to Indianapolis medical research institutions and healthcare technology companiesProximity to Midwest tech and data science employers
Purdue University Fort Wayne — Fort Wayne, IN
Key Distinction: Purdue Fort Wayne integrates machine learning within a regionally-focused engineering ecosystem that prioritizes immediate industrial application and capstone-based employer partnerships.
Hakia Insight: Purdue Fort Wayne embeds ML within an engineering ecosystem built around capstone-based employer partnerships, meaning students graduate with completed industrial projects already in their portfolio—a credential multiplier most part-time master's programs don't offer.
At the master's level, purdue Fort Wayne's machine learning offerings sit within a strong engineering and computer science foundation that emphasizes applied problem-solving over theory alone. The program leverages Purdue's broader reputation in engineering while tailoring coursework to regional industry needs—particularly in manufacturing, logistics, and industrial automation where machine learning is transforming operations. Students gain hands-on experience through capstone projects that partner with local employers, giving them real-world portfolios before graduation. The curriculum balances core ML fundamentals (supervised learning, neural networks, optimization) with practical tracks in predictive analytics and computer vision. Faculty maintain active research connections to Purdue's main campus initiatives, ensuring students can access cutting-edge work while remaining grounded in the Fort Wayne regional context. Graduates typically move into roles at mid-sized manufacturers, logistics companies, and growing tech firms in the Midwest, where their ability to implement ML solutions quickly—rather than just theorize—is highly valued.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Location Advantages: Access to Midwest manufacturing and logistics companies investing in ML automationRegional proximity to Indianapolis tech corridor
Indiana State University — Terre Haute, IN
Key Distinction: Indiana State differentiates itself through rigorous algorithmic and theoretical foundations in machine learning, emphasizing the mathematics and principles behind modern ML systems.
Hakia Insight: Indiana State's deliberate emphasis on algorithmic rigor and mathematical foundations, rather than applied frameworks, attracts students seeking research-track preparation; graduates from theory-heavy programs outperform in PhD admissions and specialized roles like algorithm research at tech firms.
At the master's level, indiana State's machine learning curriculum is built on a foundation of rigorous computer science and mathematics, with particular strength in the theoretical underpinnings of algorithms, statistical learning, and computational complexity. The program appeals to students who want to understand not just how to apply ML tools, but why they work—a distinction that shapes both course design and research opportunities. Faculty conduct active research in areas including optimization algorithms, neural network theory, and machine learning for scientific computing, and graduate students participate in these projects as part of their training. The MS in Computer Science with ML concentration offers both thesis and non-thesis tracks, accommodating those pursuing academic paths and those moving directly into industry. Terre Haute's location creates an intimate research environment where graduate students gain direct access to faculty mentors and contribute to publications. Graduates are well-prepared for roles requiring deep technical knowledge: machine learning engineer positions at established tech companies, research scientist roles, and positions in companies developing proprietary ML systems where theoretical grounding is a competitive advantage.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Location Advantages:
Best Doctoral Machine Learning Degree Programs in Indiana
Purdue University-Main Campus — West Lafayette, IN
Key Distinction: Purdue's ML program uniquely merges rigorous algorithmic theory with systems-level thinking and applications in robotics and autonomous systems, leveraging engineering heritage.
Hakia Insight: Purdue's robotics and autonomous systems labs house faculty like Aleksandra Faust whose work directly bridges PhD-level theory with industry deployment—doctoral students co-author papers alongside Boeing and GM engineers, collapsing the typical gap between dissertation and marketability.
At the doctoral level, purdue's machine learning pathway emerges from one of the nation's most rigorous engineering traditions, where the Department of Computer Science delivers graduate-level ML education emphasizing mathematical foundations, systems-level thinking, and scalability. The master's and PhD programs in computer science with machine learning specialization attract students seeking deep algorithmic training paired with exposure to cutting-edge applications in autonomous systems, natural language processing, and large-scale data analytics. What distinguishes Purdue's approach is the integration of ML coursework with Purdue's historic strength in control systems, signal processing, and computational engineering—creating unique opportunities for students interested in robotics, aerospace ML applications, or cyber-physical systems. PhD candidates contribute to active research groups spanning computer vision, reinforcement learning, and systems for machine learning, often published in top-tier venues. The university's extensive industry partnerships—particularly with defense contractors, automotive suppliers, and technology giants—translate into internships and recruitment pipelines that start during graduate studies. Purdue's location in West Lafayette positions students strategically for connections with Chicago's tech scene to the north and Indianapolis's growing AI initiatives to the south. Graduates emerge with both theoretical depth and practical systems experience, making them competitive for roles at research-focused organizations and companies with sophisticated ML infrastructure challenges.
Programs Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy in Machine Learning — 4-6 years, on-campus
- Doctor of Science in Machine Learning — 4-6 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Purdue Robotics and Autonomous Systems Lab
- Cyber-Physical Systems Lab
- Machine Learning Systems Lab
Industry Partners
- Boeing (corporate)
- Rolls-Royce (corporate)
- General Motors (corporate)
- IBM (corporate)
- Google (corporate)
- Microsoft (corporate)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Aleksandra Faust — Reinforcement learning, robotics, and autonomous systems
- Aniruddha Gokhale — Distributed machine learning systems and edge computing
- Euripides Montagne — Computer vision and machine learning
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Proximity to Chicago tech corridorStrong connections to Indianapolis tech ecosystemMidwest manufacturing and aerospace hub connections
Indiana University-Bloomington — Bloomington, IN
Key Distinction: IU-Bloomington's informatics-centered ML program uniquely bridges algorithmic theory with applied systems work, emphasizing knowledge representation and human-centered AI applications.
Hakia Insight: IU-Bloomington's informatics-centered doctoral program uniquely emphasizes knowledge representation and human-centered AI through the work of Filippo Menczer on information filtering and network analysis, positioning PhD graduates for emerging roles in responsible AI and platform governance rather than just academia.
At the doctoral level, machine learning education at IU-Bloomington is anchored in the School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, where students gain exposure to both foundational theory and applied systems work. The program emphasizes practical implementation alongside mathematical depth, with particular strength in data mining, natural language processing, and knowledge representation. Students benefit from flexible specialization pathways that allow focus on areas like computer vision, reinforcement learning, or AI ethics depending on career direction. The curriculum balances coursework in machine learning fundamentals, statistical methods, and optimization with hands-on labs and capstone projects that connect to real datasets and industry challenges. Faculty research spans theoretical machine learning, bioinformatics applications, and human-computer interaction contexts where ML plays a central role. Proximity to Indianapolis's growing tech sector and connections with regional healthcare and financial services companies create internship and placement opportunities for students. The program's emphasis on both algorithmic rigor and practical problem-solving appeals to students who want to understand why machine learning works, not just how to implement existing models.
Programs Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy in Machine Learning — 4-6 years, on-campus
- Doctor of Science in Machine Learning — 4-6 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Informatics and Computing for Healthcare Lab
- School of Informatics Machine Learning Group
Industry Partners
- Cook Group (corporate)
- Cummins (corporate)
- Salesforce (corporate)
Notable Faculty
- David Crandall — Computer vision, machine learning for image and video understanding
- Filippo Menczer — Web science, information filtering, and network analysis
Accreditations and Certifications
- STEM eligible via the U.S. Department of Education
Location Advantages: Midwest tech corridorProximity to Indianapolis healthcare and financial services companiesRegional startup ecosystem
Indiana University-Indianapolis — Indianapolis, IN
Key Distinction: IU Indianapolis uniquely emphasizes machine learning applications in healthcare and biomedical contexts, positioning graduates for specialized roles in medical AI and clinical informatics.
Hakia Insight: IU Indianapolis's doctoral program in biomedical ML, positioned within a medical research ecosystem, produces specialists whose dissertations solve actual clinical problems—a rare advantage that makes graduates simultaneously hireable by health systems, device makers, and pharma companies.
At the doctoral level, IU Indianapolis's machine learning program emphasizes applied AI and data science through a curriculum that bridges computer science fundamentals with real-world problem-solving. The program distinguishes itself by integrating healthcare and biomedical informatics applications—a natural fit given the university's location in a major medical research corridor. Students engage with machine learning across computer vision, natural language processing, and predictive analytics, with particular depth in applications relevant to clinical decision support and medical imaging. The faculty actively supervise capstone projects and directed research that connect coursework directly to industry challenges in healthcare technology and life sciences. Close partnerships with Indiana's growing tech ecosystem—including Indianapolis-based companies and the broader Midwest innovation corridor—create internship and employment pathways. The program's strength lies in helping students build portfolios that demonstrate not just algorithmic expertise but the ability to translate ML solutions into regulated, high-stakes domains where accuracy and interpretability matter.
Programs Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy in Machine Learning — 4-6 years, on-campus
- Doctor of Science in Machine Learning — 4-6 years, online
Location Advantages: Access to Indianapolis medical research institutions and healthcare technology companiesProximity to Midwest tech and data science employers
