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Top Online Data
Science Courses in 2021

Love data and tech? Then data science is a terrific career option for you. This tech field is future-proof and highly in-demand. So, how do you become a data scientist? Well, there are several educational pathways you can take, from a Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science to coding boot camps.

A popular way of learning data science is via online courses. This educational route is often faster and cheaper in comparison to the pathways mentioned above. In this article, we will include the best online data science courses in 2021 that will help you jumpstart your career.

What Is Data Science?

Data science is the study of structured and unstructured data that uses software tools and techniques to extract valuable information. This interdisciplinary field is a combination of mathematics, algorithms, machine learning, and statistics. The goal of data science is to successfully break down raw data into useful data.

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To achieve that goal, data scientists collect, store, analyze, and interpret data. In addition, data science is a field that is ubiquitous across every industry. Whether it’s business, UX/UI design, bioinformatics, or the sports industry, it is used for problem-solving purposes everywhere.

Why Study Data Science?

According to Glassdoor, data scientists are number two on the list of 50 best jobs in America in 2021. In addition, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, data science professions are projected to grow by 16 percent by 2028. According to ZipRecruiter, the average yearly salary for a data scientist is around $119,413.

These statistics are a testament to this rapidly growing and lucrative tech career. If data, math, and statistical analysis intrigue you, you should study data science to secure a place in this promising field.

Along with high salary and demand, studying data science also comes with a variety of career options. Depending on your interest, you can become a data scientist, data engineer, data analyst, or machine learning scientist. Besides, if you love applying mathematical reasoning to solve problems, you should definitely study data science.

What Do Data Science Courses Cover?

Data science courses cover everything from foundational subjects such as Python to advanced topics like advanced analytics. These courses cater to everyone, from tech newbies to tech professionals looking to switch to a career in data science.

Several data science courses also offer certifications that you can add to your professional portfolio to develop your data science career. Overall, the courses will help you master the software tools and techniques needed to boost your employability.

Overview of the Best Online Data Science Courses in 2021

Here is our list of the best online data science courses in 2021. The list covers both paid and free courses from several massive open online course (MOOC) platforms.

Provider and Course Price Length Certificate
Codecademy Pro
Data Scientist Career Path for Beginners
7-day free trial, then $15.99 per month
billed yearly. 35% off for students
35 weeks Yes
Google on Coursera
Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
7-day free trial, then $39 per month 6 months,
10 hours per week
Yes
Harvard University on edX
HarvardX’s Data Science Professional Certificate
$792.80 (subject to change) 17 months,
2-3 hours per week
Yes
IBM on Coursera
IBM Data Science Professional Certificate
7-day free trial, then $39 per month 11 months,
4 hours per week
Yes
IBM on Coursera
Introduction to Data Science Specialization
7-day free trial, then $49 per month 4 months,
4 hours per week
Yes
Johns Hopkins University on Coursera
Data Science: Foundations Using R Specialization
7-day free trial, then $49 per month 5 months,
8 hours per week
Yes
Johns Hopkins University on Coursera
Data Science Specialization
7-day free trial, then $49 per month 11 months,
7 hours per week
Yes
Microsoft on edX
Querying Data with Transact-SQL
Free 6 weeks,
4 to 5 hours per week
Yes, for a fee of $99
Stanford on Coursera
Machine Learning
7-day free trial, then $49 per month 60 hours Yes
The University of Michigan on Coursera
Applied Data Science with Python Specialization
7-day free trial, then $49 per month 5 months, 7 hours per week Yes
UC Davis on Coursera
SQL for Data Science
7-day free trial, then $49 per month 14 hours Yes
Udacity
Intro to Data Science
Free 2 months No
Udemy
Machine Learning A-Z: Hands-on
Python and R In Data Science
$129.99
(Subject to Change)
Approx 45 hours Yes
Udemy
Python for Data Science and
Machine Learning Bootcamp
$179.99
(subject to Change)
Approx 25 hours Yes
Udemy
The Data Science Course 2021:
Complete Data Science Bootcamp
$129.99
(subject to Change)
Approx 29 hours Yes
Top Data Science Courses of 2021

Top Data Science Courses of 2021

Below is a list of the top data science courses of 2021 to pursue a career in this tech field.

Data Scientist Career Path for Beginners by Codecademy

Whether you want to become a data scientist, a data analyst, or simply use data in your profession, this Codecademy program will help you gain the relevant expertise. It is a 35-week course covering data analysis with SQL and Python, Matplotlib, Pandas, and more. This course is designed for tech newbies.

Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate by Coursera

If you are interested in pursuing data analytics, this professional certification will help you build that career. You will learn the essential skills needed to become a junior data analyst. They include data organization, analysis, SQL, R, Tableau, and data visualization.

HarvardX’s Data Science Professional Certificate by edX

This certification course offered by Harvard prepares you for the world of data science by teaching key data science skills. The course covers the foundations of R programming, statistical principles, software tools, machine learning, and more.

This self-paced program comprises nine graduate-level courses and must be taken in the sequence it’s taught. By the end of the course, you will be proficient in GitHub, Linux, ggplot2, probability, and have an in-depth understanding of real-world data science cases.

IBM Data Science Professional Certificate by Coursera

IBM’s professional certificate program is ideal for those interested in a career in data science and machine learning. This course covers data science with Python and all the essential skills needed to excel in the field. They include using Python to build pipelines, machine learning models, data analysis, Pandas, SQL, and relational database management systems.

Introduction to Data Science Specialization by Coursera

IBM offers this four-course specialization and teaches you all the essential skills needed to become a data scientist. It is suitable for everyone, regardless of your background, as it’s an introductory course. You will learn tools such as JupyterLab, GitHub, and R-Studio. The course also covers machine learning concepts.

Data Science: Foundations Using R Specialization by Coursera

If you have looked into data science, you will know the importance of R programming in applying statistical operations. This course, offered by Johns Hopkins University, will help you specialize in R by teaching you essential tools such as GitHub, R-Studio, and more. You will learn to analyze, visualize, and manage data using these tools.

Data Science Specialization by Coursera

This course offered by Johns Hopkins is meant for those with a basic understanding of Python and regression. The course teaches data science with R to clean and visualize data. It also covers GitHub, regression analysis, and interference.

You will gain valuable data science skills including cluster analysis, debugging, machine learning, and plenty more. During the last phase of the course, you will work on a capstone project where you will use real-world data to build a data project.

Querying Data with Transact-SQL by edX

If you already have an understanding of databases and IT systems, and are looking to advance your data query knowledge, this course is for you. It especially applies to those wanting to become SQL database professionals. You will learn to query and modify data in Azure SQL, and program and configure a database server with Transact-SQL.

Machine Learning by Coursera

Machine learning is crucial in the field of data science as it aids the data analysis and prediction process. This course by Stanford University covers essential machine learning concepts used in data science. They include artificial neural networks, machine learning algorithms, and logistic regression.

Applied Data Science with Python Specialization by Coursera

This course by the University of Michigan is a great choice for anyone looking to learn Python and data science. It requires a base knowledge of Python programming and will teach you everything from machine learning to statistical application. In addition, the course also covers Matplotlib, pandas, scikit-learn, and NetworkX.

SQL for Data Science by Coursera

This course offered by UC Davis is the first of a four-part program on SQL for the data science specialization. This part focuses on the foundational concepts of using SQL commands, queries, analysis tables, and data manipulation. It also covers SQLite, a relational database management system.

Intro to Data Science by Udacity

This free data science introductory course covers the foundations of the field. Classed as an intermediate-level course, you will learn to work with big data, data analysis, data manipulation, machine learning, and information visualization. On completion, you can take Udacity’s Data Science Nanodegree program to get certified and advance your career.

Machine Learning A-Z: Hands-on Python and R In Data Science by Udemy

For those looking to learn the ins and outs of data science using both Python and R, this course is for you. It will teach you to build machine learning models, dimensional reductions, data preprocessing linear regression, and more. You will come out of this course having an understanding of data science and deep learning.

Python for Data Science and Machine Learning Bootcamp by Udemy

Udemy’s data science and machine learning course covers Python and an array of data science software tools. You will learn to implement machine learning algorithms, data analysis, Python plotting, linear regression, neural networks, and more. The software tools included are pandas, Apache Spark, Seaborn, Plotly, TensorFlow, NumPy, and Matplotlib.

The Data Science Course 2021: Complete Data Science Bootcamp by Udemy

Udemy is offering this bootcamp that covers all the in-demand data science tools and concepts needed to become a data scientist. This course teaches Python, statistics, machine and deep learning, and mathematics.

By the end of the course, you will code and solve big data tasks, and create machine learning algorithms in NumPy, Python, and statsmodels. You will also gain a deeper understanding of deep neural networks.

Choosing the Right Course

Choosing the Right Course

There is a multitude of aspects you must take into consideration to choose the right data science course. So, how do you select the right course? Let us help you with our top three tips.

Evaluate your background

The field of data science is a combination of several subjects including mathematics, statistics, programming, and software engineering. Therefore, to fully master this field you must know where to begin and you can do that by evaluating your background.

If you are new to the data world, start by enrolling in a beginner’s course that teaches the foundations. In addition, if you have a basic background in Python or R, you can enroll in courses that provide a specialization in data science with these languages.

Choose depending on your ideal career choice

Data science is a broad tech field that can help you branch into an array of careers. You can choose to become a data analyst, a data scientist, or a machine learning engineer within this exciting sector.

It’s important to choose a course that provides the certification and training needed to advance in your ideal career choice. You can refer to our list above to help with your course selection.

Choose a course that suits your financial situation

This is one of the most important aspects to take into consideration while choosing a course. Do your research and find the course that suits your budget best. There are plenty of platforms that offer discounts and free trials. Bear in mind there are several free courses too, although you usually have to pay a fee to receive a certificate.

Next Steps After Your Course

Now that you have completed the courses and gained valuable data science skills, what do you do? Well, to secure an entry-level position, you need to take several other steps.

Choose a specialization

By learning data science, you open yourself to the possibility of a multitude of in-demand careers. Potential positions include data analyst, machine learning scientist, data engineer, data architect, and more.

After completing the online courses, the next step is to enroll in courses specific to your career interest. You can attend a coding bootcamp or continue to take advanced online courses to learn more about the field.

Build your professional portfolio

Having an impressive professional portfolio will increase your chances of standing out and landing your dream job. So, the next step is to build your portfolio. Start by adding essential data science skills that you possess. Then add the certifications, projects, and any real-world experience you have attained.

Start freelancing

The demand for data scientists is soaring in today’s job market. More and more employers are looking to hire freelance data scientists. Once you have acquired the essential skills and have created a strong portfolio, you can start applying for data science freelance jobs.

Sign up for popular freelancing websites such as Upwork and Fiverr. Working as a freelancer will help you gain the real-world experience necessary to further your career.

Should You Study Data Science?

If you are data-driven and want to venture into a promising career, you should study data science. The field of data science has established itself as one of the most lucrative careers in the tech sector. In addition, data science allows you to pursue careers in education, business, healthcare, information technology, and countless other industries.

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