Analytics is a fast-growing STEM field with a high demand for individuals who possess the skills and expertise necessary to navigate the process of transforming data into insight for making sound business decisions.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the Data Science field is expected to grow 36% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than average for all occupations. About 13,500 openings for data scientists are projected each year, on average, over the next decade.  Data scientists also enjoy some of the best salaries with an average base salary of over $123,000 in the U.S. in 2023 and over $104,000 for employees with even less than 1 year of experience (Source: Indeed.com, June 2023). It's the reason WSU College of Engineering and the Mike Ilitch School of Business launched an innovative and interdisciplinary new master's program in data science and business analytics. Leaders in this field use data to fundamentally rethink all facets of business in many sectors, including manufacturing, supply chain, finance, and healthcare.

At Wayne State's College of Engineering, you'll learn from nationally renowned faculty experts and benefit from our High Impact Practices of Student Success: team-based learning, global perspective, undergraduate research, internships and co-ops, and community service.

I joined the MSDSBA program to make a career transition from finance into data science. The classes are well designed and very hands-on. The curriculum included visualization, machine learning and optimization with methods from both statistical and computer science perspectives. Each class offered practical assignments on real-world data which helped in understanding the concepts in depth.

Vidhi Shah

MS '21