Data Science: The Ultimate Path to Unlock the Best Paying Job?

Data Science, just one more helping hand!

Dhruti Dilipbhai Patel
Geek Culture
5 min readOct 9, 2021

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Photo by metamorworks from iStockPhoto

The universe of Data Science can be convoluted and multi-faceted. If you are thinking of starting a career in Data Science, you can get bemused without prior experience. Data Science is not just limited to just one Data Scientist’s designation. There are myriad Data Science careers you can explore. However, to know which career would best suit you, you must have those skills that fit a specific job profile. Let’s get to know about various career opportunities related to Data Science and what it would take for you to get the best job in Data Science.

How can Data Science be a Good Career Path?

As per the prior Data Scientist’s job description, it was only evolving around cleaning datasets and implementing statistical techniques. And, it was only entailed to some particular industrial fields. However, with advancements in technology, Data Science is now applied in Data Mining, Machine Learning, Business Intelligence, and Predictive Analytics.

Some might think, Data Science is just a trend that will eventually go away. But, the truth is far from that mindset. Data Science is here to stay for many more years to come, just as Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. Although Data Science has been gaining acclaim in recent years, its demand in various sectors is rising. Numerous companies, even government sectors, are using massive volumes of data to improve their business functionality.

The concept is about identifying and solving various business problems using data. Moreover, the typical job requirement includes finding and organizing raw data and processed information. Again, the scientist would structure patterns to help the company to make strategic decisions. Thus, Data Science can be excellent for you to get multiple career opportunities. Even the salaries are turning competitive over time. By developing additional skills, they can even grow in their career path.

The Importance of Data Science

Virtually the use of Data Science in various industries is limitless. Whether healthcare, finance, transportation, sales, e-commerce, or real estate, there is a strong requirement for Data Science. Regardless of its size, every sector has a Data Science team to leverage data within its organisation to achieve a competitive edge. Thus, Data Science has a critical significance in impacting any business’s decision-making process.

What do Data Scientists do?

A Data Scientist pretty much does everything. They are practically some big data wranglers who work on gathering and analyzing large-scale structured and unstructured data. Besides, the process and model of the data too. Afterward, they interpret the results to form strategic plans to take action for their organization. Additionally, Data Scientists use Machine Learning models to create innovative solutions for challenging problems. The master in incorporating statistical language processing for mining data and produce profitable business insights. They make use of advanced statistical techniques and algorithms to model structured data.

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What Skills do you Require for a Data Science Career?

  • Data Analyzing

As per various statistical surveys, a career aspirant in Data Science must possess analytical skills. So, they can organize their thinking and analyze the results to formulate decisive conclusions.

  • Mathematics and Statistical Skills

Of course, Data Science can’t work without maths and statistical functions. Thus, a Data Scientist must have basic to advanced knowledge in mathematics, specifically algorithms. So, they can perform critical computing and solve technical data.

  • Critical Thinking Ability

As Data Scientists perform their data analysis on conundrums, they must be able to think critically. This ability comes in handy to reason and interprets various data models logically.

  • Clear Communication Skills

No company’s Data Science team works on its own. Instead, they work in a team of various programmers and project managers. Hence, they must be able to form proper clarification to avoid any communication gaps within the team.

  • Programming Skills

No need to say it. As Data Science deals with computer science, a Data Science career aspirant must be fluent in their programming skills. They must be skillful to learn certain programming languages and software programs. Some of them are Python, R, and SQL, etc.

Some Data Science Career Opportunities you can Explore:

  • Data Analyst

This designation is generally considered an “entry-level” post in the data processing field. However, the job post can be about an assistant or junior analyst with salary value ranging widely. Data Analysts primarily work on company or industry data to answer multiple business questions. Moreover, the job description might include accessing data, cleaning them, and perform statistical analysis to interpret the results. By building Data Science skills, specifically Machine Learning, one can build their career as a Data Scientist. According to payscale, the national average salary for a Data Analyst is $61,841 per year in the USA.

  • Data Scientist

A Data Scientist has a similar work structure as analysts. However, they usually build Machine Learning models to produce precise and accurate business predictions. Furthermore, they work on assessing how any change in marketing strategy can affect their organization. The next job title for Data Scientists would be a senior scientist post to more. You can further specialise in Machine Learning to acquire this post or become a Chief Data Officer with acquiring Management Skills. According to payscale, the national average salary for a Data Scientist is $96,551 per year in the USA.

  • Data Engineer

Data Engineers work on managing an organization’s data infrastructure. This job description involves more statistical analysis and software development along with computer programming skills. Thus, Data Engineers are responsible for building data pipelines based on the latest sales. Besides, they prepare data structures for marketing and revenue data so the Data Analysts can quickly interpret them. With achieving more software development skills, Data Engineers can move to a senior position. According to payscale, the national average salary for a Data Engineer is $92,632 per year in the USA.

  • Data Warehouse Architect

Data Warehouse Architect position can be entailed within Data Engineering designation. However, Data Architects are in charge of a company’s data storage system. A Data Architect must be skilled with SQL skills and data management to manage the organization’s data. By developing Machine Learning skills or Management skills, you can become a Machine Learning Engineer or a Business Intelligence Analyst to grow in your career. According to payscale, the national average salary for a Data Warehouse Architect is $124,704 per year in the USA.

To actively participate in the Data Science career path, you must acquire the skills mentioned above. The future of Data Science is very much bright, as more and more industries are joining in the data collection system to enhance their business prospect. So the demand for Data Science jobs is certainly growing, just as the implementation of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in every sector.

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Dhruti Dilipbhai Patel
Geek Culture

M.Sc. Computer Science Grad 👩🏻‍🎓, passionate about exploring emerging fields. Occasional writer on cutting-edge topics. Hope it helps you 🚀