You can begin a career in data science by learning programming languages like Python, and learning about statistics and machine learning. You can gain hands-on experience through online courses and their respective projects. Building a strong portfolio and networking can help land your first role.

Data scientists are in demand across industries like technology, healthcare, finance, retail, marketing, and cybersecurity. Reports indicate that demand for data scientists is expected to grow upwards of 20% across these industries in 2025.

A data scientist needs skills in programming, statistics, machine learning, and data visualization. Data scientists are also proficient in big data tools, cloud platforms, and data wrangling. Strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills are essential for a career as a data scientist.

A data scientist is generally considered a more advanced version of a data analyst. But their scope of work differs as well. Data scientists focus on using advanced techniques like machine learning and statistical modeling to uncover deeper insights from complex datasets. Data analysts, on the other hand, focus on interpreting data, generating reports, and using basic tools to identify trends and support decision-making. Data scientists typically have a more technical skill set and work on more advanced data problems.