Data science is on the rise, and it is increasing the demand for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) students. The greater need for STEM students in because of the growing importance of data science and how it can change the world for the better. This fact means more educational institutions want to produce more students skilled in STEM so they can be more effective data analytics professionals tomorrow. (Smartdatacollective.com)
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With the assistance of big data, it is possible to sort through tons of data that is produced in the daily activities of a company. Big data helps to calibrate a company’s strategy, optimizes its new product development, and helps to find the root causes of failure in a company.
Studying big data and data analytics is challenging, but it is the wave of the future. Students are embracing STEM have the ability to be the innovators of industry tomorrow and will probably make a big impact in the big data field.
Below is more information on why big data and data analytics is driving a need for STEM students.
Leaving a Big Impact
As the world is progressing technologically and data analytics is becoming so important, students want to join in on the excitement as data scientists. With data science and analytics, students can help change the world by solving serious problems such as terrorism, help police to reduce crime, fight climate change, and more.
For example, at the frontier of data analytics is the company Palantir, a Silicon Valley firm that provides critical insights into companies’ daily operations by analyzing big data. This company can help in fighting crime and in war zones. Most of their skilled workforce are young people who have a strong STEM background.
STEM students are investing much knowledge and time to solve many of the issues we have in the world right now. There is a study ongoing today that is being done by chemistry and biology students to attempt to beat cancer by using nanogold particles that can detect cancer cells. With a helping hand from data analytics, these STEM students may unlock some new knowledge to fight cancer we never had before.
Showing Interest
For a professional to work in STEM and data analytics, it is first necessary to be interested in both. Students of all ages who are interested in the sciences, engineering, and math are more likely to have a career in data analytics and data science.
With this in mind, many companies are investing in STEM in students from kindergarten to high school to ensure they have the labor they need in the future. According to one recent study, STEM jobs will increase by 14% by 2024, so there are millions of new jobs available for people with skill and interest in STEM and big data. (Forbes.com)
For companies with vision, managers need to invest in STEM and data analytics to ensure there is enough labor available to get the job done in the future. Still, some estimates say that millions of data analytics jobs may go unfilled because there are not enough skilled workers to fill them. (PWC.com)
Improve Your Skills
With data analytics and data science, you will improve your technical skills because you will do more because more is always needed as technology changes. That is why many students in high school on their way to college are attending summer programs that can help them improve their STEM skills.
Getting internships from companies also can enhance your STEM skills and gain you work experience. Leading companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Google always need new talent with interest in STEM and data analytics. If you do well in your internship, you may be able to get a full-time position later.
Excellent Pay
STEM students who decide to pursue a career in data analytics can get large salaries from many companies. Data scientists with a few years of experience can earn salaries that can rise above $100,000 per year.
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For example, a data analyst earns an average salary of $67,138 with a maximum of $118,500. A senior data analyst earns an average wage of $99,456 with a maximum of $155,500. A head of data analytics has average earnings of $145,994 and a maximum salary of $235,500. A manager of data analytics makes $109,519 per year on average, with maximum earnings of $134,000. (Ziprecruiter.com)
This high level of potential compensation has made students want to focus on sharpening their skills in math, science, and technology so they can get those types of jobs.
Top 25 Highest Paying Cities for Data Scientist Jobs
| City | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Palo Alto, CA - Data Scientist Salary | $140,507.00 |
| San Francisco, CA - Data Scientist Salary | $139,150.00 |
| Dublin, CA - Data Scientist Salary | $132,820.00 |
| New York City, NY - Data Scientist Salary | $130,011.00 |
| Boston, MA - Data Scientist Salary | $128,286.00 |
| Arlington, VA - Data Scientist Salary | $126,344.00 |
| Los Angeles, CA - Data Scientist Salary | $125,706.00 |
| Washington, DC - Data Scientist Salary | $125,305.00 |
| Parsippany, NJ - Data Scientist Salary | $124,787.00 |
| Alexandria, VA - Data Scientist Salary | $124,216.00 |
| Irvine, CA - Data Scientist Salary | $122,934.00 |
| Fairfax, VA - Data Scientist Salary | $122,501.00 |
| Minneapolis, MN - Data Scientist Salary | $121,677.00 |
| Chicago, IL - Data Scientist Salary | $121,624.00 |
| San Diego, CA - Data Scientist Salary | $121,425.00 |
| Sacramento, CA - Data Scientist Salary | $120,961.00 |
| Denver, CO - Data Scientist Salary | $119,703.00 |
| Atlanta, GA - Data Scientist Salary | $119,317.00 |
| Dallas, TX - Data Scientist Salary | $119,100.00 |
| Portland, OR - Data Scientist Salary | $118,537.00 |
| Philadelphia, PA - Data Scientist Salary | $118,495.00 |
| Detroit, MI - Data Scientist Salary | $117,941.00 |
| Houston, TX - Data Scientist Salary | $117,884.00 |
| Milwaukee, WI - Data Scientist Salary | $117,633.00 |
| Albany, NY - Data Scientist Salary | $116,958.00 |
Source: Ziprecruiter.com, Jan, 2020
STEM and Data Analytics Are Hot
Data analytics are hot. It is a big thing because there is so much data out there now that companies have access to but they do not always know what to do with it. If they have the right data professionals working for them, they can have that data analyzed and use it to make better business decisions, make better products, and make more money. These advantages are making smaller and smaller companies adopt data analytics, making the profession even more in demand.
Companies such as Uber, Palantir and Airbnb will pay you well if you are skilled in data analytics. Facebook is known to be one of the highest-paying companies for data scientists. They get a lot of information from their users and that information is used to serve them very specific advertisements when they are on the site.
Data Analytics Can Be Combined With Machine Learning
When data analytics is combined with machine learning, it can be very powerful. The two technologies can solve very complex problems, such as how YouTube can effectively serve you content, and how Google has greatly improved its search results in recent years. Data science and machine learning also can help in the fight against terrorism and prevent crime in our neighborhoods. (Wired.co.uk)
Palantir uses big data and machine learning in their daily operations and so do many other tech companies. The two together help to unlock some answers to questions that may not have been possible before. For example, Kaggle, a website that studies data science and machine learning, assists engineers land jobs at the companies they prefer. All of this has made students with skills in STEM more likely to land hot jobs in data analytics.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that data science and data analytics is creating millions of new jobs and will create more in the coming years. Students who focus on honing their STEM skills will be the first in line to get some of these high-paying and fascinating data analytics jobs. Are you in?