Top Online Statistics
Courses in 2021
Finding information about online courses can be time-consuming. Fortunately, we’ve put together a list of the best statistics online courses for you to choose from. The best statistics courses can help you learn both basic and expert skills on your own time.
Read below to learn statistics for data science and mathematics careers.
What Is Statistics?
Statistics refers to the science of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. The study of statistics is also concerned with effective communication and presentation of data results. As technology advances, statistics is becoming more of a crucial aspect of scientific discoveries and predictions.
The science of statistics is important to many fields, with major ones being science, business, and finance. Many professionals use statistics in their day-to-day responsibilities, including data analysts and business intelligence analysts.
Why Study Statistics?
You should study statistics because it is a growing field that offers lucrative salaries and other benefits. Data is being collected across the globe, from research experiments to social media platform sites such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Statisticians are at the heart of data collection and analysis.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for statisticians is estimated to grow by 33 percent over the next decade, which makes statisticians one of the top five fastest-growing occupations. There are a variety of exciting career opportunities for those who complete statistics courses.
What Do Statistics Courses Cover?
In a statistics course, you can learn concepts like data visualization, data distribution techniques, hypothesis testing, and sampling distributions. Many online statistics courses allow you to specialize in topics like data science or the R programming language so that you can cater to your career needs.
Overview of the Best Online Statistics Courses in 2021
We’ve put together a list of the best online statistics courses, including the duration and price of each option. Read below to learn the basics of the top statistics courses of 2021.
Provider and Course | Price | Length | Certificate |
---|---|---|---|
HSE University on Coursera Probability Theory, Statistics, and Exploratory Data Analysis |
$59 per month | 22 hours | Yes |
IBM on Coursera IBM Data Science Professional Certificate |
$59 per month | 11 months | Yes |
MIT on edX Fundamentals of Statistics |
Free | 18 weeks | Yes, for $300 |
San Jose State University on Udacity Statistics: The Science of Decisions |
Free | 4 months | No |
Stanford University on Coursera Introduction to Statistics |
$59 per month | 15 hours | Yes |
Stanford University on edX Statistical Learning |
Free | 10 weeks | No |
Udemy Statistics for Data Science and Business Analysis |
$89.99 | 4 hours, 51 minutes | Yes |
University of Amsterdam on Coursera Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p? |
$59 per month | 16 hours | Yes |
University of Amsterdam on Coursera Basic Statistics |
$59 per month | 27 hours | Yes |
University of Colorado Boulder on Coursera Probability Theory: Foundation for Data Science |
$59 per month | 48 hours | Yes |
Top Statistics Courses of 2021
These courses will equip you with the academic skills necessary to launch your career in statistics. Some of the courses listed are certificate courses, while others are introductory courses from top universities.
Probability Theory, Statistics and Exploratory Data Analysis by HSE University on Coursera
HSE University is one of the best research institutes in Russia. While it is based in Russia, it offers global courses in English. HSE partnered with Coursera to create this Probability Theory, Statistics and Exploratory Data Analysis course.
For this course, you should have a background in probability and statistics. It will also help if you know calculus and discrete mathematics. The course focuses on the major statistics and probability theories necessary to launch your career in data science. You’ll also learn more about data analysis and data visualization in Python.
IBM Data Science Professional Certificate by IBM on Coursera
This program is designed to equip students with job-ready skills for entry-level positions as data analysts. This certificate is a good item to put on your resume if you’re ready to enter the field.
The course runs for about 11 months. During this time, you’ll work with data extraction and data analysis tools. Such tools include Microsoft Excel, SQL, IBM Cognos Analytics, Jupyter Notebooks, and Python. Although the course focuses on programming languages and statistical skills, you don’t need any prior experience or knowledge to enroll.
Fundamentals of Statistics by MIT on edX
This introductory course is offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and delivered online through edX. The course is designed to help students develop a deep understanding of the basics of statistics, making it ideal for beginners.
By the end of this statistics course, you’ll have learned how to construct estimators using the method of moments, make predictions using linear and nonlinear models, and interact with different models using the goodness-of-fit test.
Statistics: The Science of Decisions by San Jose State University on Udacity
This course is designed to teach you the science of decisions. It is split into two parts: descriptive and inferential statistics. It covers statistical analysis, introduction to statistics and methods, correlation, regression, and non-parametric.
However, if you are new to statistics, you might be better off starting with other introductory courses, as the course requires interested students to have a basic comprehension of math. If you already know the basics and want to become a business intelligence analyst, then you should enroll.
Introduction to Statistics by Stanford University on Coursera
All you need to start this course is a basic familiarity with computers and related software. This makes it perfect for those looking to kickstart their careers. It only takes 15 hours to complete, and you can set your own deadlines.
This course covers an introduction to descriptive statistics, probability, binomial distribution, regression, and analysis of categorical data. You’ll get a certificate upon completing the course that you can share on your LinkedIn profile or resume.
Statistical Learning by Stanford University on edX
This free course from Stanford is designed to help aspiring statisticians get started in the field. This course does not rely heavily on math and instead uses computer programming with R to organize data.
This program covers the following statistical concepts: linear and polynomial regression, linear discriminant analysis, concepts in data analysis, and R. The course is available for free from edX.
Statistics for Data Science and Business Analysis by Udemy
All that is required to enroll in this introductory course from Udemy is a willingness to learn and practice. If you are looking to break into the business analysis world with a strong focus on data, you should consider this course.
The online course will introduce you to the fundamentals of statistics and teach you more about correlation, covariance, regression analysis, measures of central tendency, and hypothesis testing.
Basic Statistics by University of Amsterdam on Coursera
According to Coursera’s official website, 28 percent of those who took this course had a tangible career benefit. Thirty-eight percent of those who completed this course started a new career. For such reasons, you should consider enrolling in this beginner course.
In about 27 learning hours, you can learn about correlation, regression, probability, probability distributions, sampling distributions, hypothesis testing, and confidence intervals. These are all key fundamentals of statistics.
Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p? by University of Amsterdam on Coursera
This online course is designed to train students on core aspects of probability and statistics. In about 16 lecture hours, you can learn about the science of decision-making and describing the world using statistics.
If you’re interested in statistics and don’t know where to start, this is a great option. It requires no prerequisites or previous math skills. You will earn a shareable certificate at the end of the course.
Probability Theory: Foundation for Data Science by University of Colorado Boulder on Coursera
Probability is a core aspect of statistics and data science. Students looking to further their education can take this course and use it toward academic credit when studying at the University of Colorado Boulder. However, the course is designed for advanced learners. You can use it as part of your Master’s Degree in Data Science.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to explain the relationship between statistics, data science, and probability. Among other things, you’ll learn more about conditional probability, joint distributions, and covariance.
Choosing the Right Course
The process of finding the right course is a daunting task for many students. However, having a checklist when browsing for courses can help you arrive at an informed decision.
Below are some factors that should help you choose the right online statistics course.
Quality of Education
Before you take a course from an online provider, you need to consider the school’s quality of education. If possible, look at the institution’s research and publication records to make sure they are of a good standard.
You should also make sure the relevant boards have approved the school and its courses. For instance, employers tend to prefer candidates with a certificate from an accredited course or institution.
Career Prospects
Before choosing a course, you need to ensure that it is in line with your career aspirations. One way to achieve this is by finding out about the jobs that are available after completion of the course in question. You can also look at job postings in your area to see what skills you need and whether you can get them from an online course.
Cost of the Course
The cost of a course can vary depending on the institution and other services offered. Some institutions offer financial aid programs to help students with tuition costs. Find out whether the course provider offers such services. You can also get a membership to a provider like Coursera and take unlimited courses within that time.
Next Steps After Your Course
After completing a course, the student has the chance to take whatever they have learned and apply it to the real world. If you are wondering what to do after your statistics course, consider the following steps.
Be Specific With Your Career Choices
After completing a statistics course, the next step that you should take is to apply for related jobs. Be specific with the career choices you make after completing your course. Make sure you have the right level of education because sometimes online courses aren’t enough for a job.
Improve Your Connections
Networks and connections are important in the modern marketplace. Forming strong connections with those you meet while studying can help you expand your professional network. Attend fairs and events related to your field of study. Exchanging ideas with people of common professional interest could improve your career prospects.
Practice and Keep Learning
Learning doesn’t stop after completing your course. You should set time aside for practicing. One way to achieve this is by joining online communities and forums related to your career or field of practice. You can also go to one of the best schools for mathematics and statistics.
Should You Study Statistics?
Yes, you should study statistics if you are interested in a career related to data. Organizations and businesses are looking for professionals who know how to research, collect, and analyze data to help them make informed decisions. You have broad career prospects with higher-than-average salaries after completing statistics courses.