Data Science Degree Programs in New Hampshire
The Granite State is one of the earliest states admitted to statehood after the U.S. gained its freedom from England in the 18th century. Situated in the far northeast of the U.S. (it borders Canada), New Hampshire’s fastest growing industry is the insurance sector, contributing $4.4 billion to its GDP. Aside from the insurance industry, tourism, smart manufacturing/high technology, and the healthcare field are the main economic factors that power New Hampshire’s economy.
Certainly, data science is a highly valuable expertise for all industries, but its relative newness as a job function isn’t as crystallized as software engineering or actuarial science. Additional confusion surrounds the differentiation between a data analyst, a data engineer, and a data scientist. For example, insurers are only now beginning to recognize that although actuaries have been using predictive models for decades, they aren’t data scientists (although they definitely have the math and statistics knowledge to move into data science positions).
While software engineers have the requisite programming proficiency, not all have the math and stats knowledge, nor do they have the research design and implementation experience that is a cornerstone of data science. Consequently, these and other important factors (e.g., New Hampshire’s overall economic outlook) combine to create an environment where most data science jobs are located in states with a higher concentration of tech industry employers.
As will be discussed below, New Hampshire isn’t currently what could be termed as a “hot spot” for data scientists. Indeed, there are data science types of jobs available, such as research scientist and data analyst. However, the outright data science job postings are scant, as are the available data science degree programs.
Career Outlook for Data Scientists in New Hampshire
The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics lists a mere population of 30 employees who have been classified under their Computer Information and Research Science category (this is where data scientists reside according to the BLS). Granted, the data is from May 2018, but a quick search on any one of the job sites (e.g., Indeed, Zip Recruiter, Monster) yields a paltry number of postings.
The lack of data science openings can work in favor of experienced data scientists who are eyeing the Granite State as a possible long term (or short term) home. Oddly enough, New Hampshire ranks 7th in the percentage of its workforce being employed in tech. IT Services and Custom Software Services have experienced an 8% growth, year over year, so the tech industry is present, especially within the smart manufacturing sector. It’s simply not quite translating into jobs for data scientists. At least, not yet.
New Hampshire’s cost of living is higher than the national average. For that reason, residents can expect to pay more for housing, groceries, and utilities. But, this tends to be the norm for most U.S. states in the northeastern area. The average data scientist salary rings in at $109,000, which may offset the higher cost of living. Prospective New Hampshire students should be particularly aware of the cost of living issue as this will certainly impact the financial feasibility of completing a degree.
On-Campus Undergraduate Data Science Programs in New Hampshire
New Hampshire neighbors other U.S. states that are the hubs of data science on the east coast, and this is highly beneficial for students who may want to live near those potential contacts (for future data science jobs), but stay in New Hampshire during their studies.
The University of New Hampshire offers an on-campus Bachelor’s Degree in Analytics with a data science concentration. Throughout the 128 required credits, students will complete courses in Calculus (through Multidimensional Calculus), Predictive Analytics, Machine Learning, and Computer Science (to name just a few). New Hampshire’s program meets all core competencies for data science. Since this a joint program between the Manchester and Durham campuses, you may need to travel between the two institutions in order to fulfill all of the course requirements.
On-Campus Graduate Data Science Programs in New Hampshire
All current on-campus master’s degree programs, graduate certificates, and Ph.D. programs in New Hampshire are centered on analytics rather than being entitled “data science.” The two directly correlate, but even though college level calculus or statistics may be a prerequisite for program entry, some analytics programs don’t have a heavy emphasis on a programming language (Python or R) and graduate level math/statistics. This does not mean that they are bad programs. Aside from the data science essentials — programming languages, math/statistics, business expertise, and industry knowledge — there are many paths leading to data science, and analytics is a direct path.
On-Campus Data Science Masters Programs in New Hampshire
For those who are ready for a graduate level degree in data science, The University of New Hampshire’s graduate school offers a Master’s Degree in Analytics to their on-campus students. This is a full-time program that can be finished in as little as 11 months. The university has partnerships with industry leaders, and students will be able to work on real-world projects as part of the well-rounded curriculum.
Throughout the 36 units of graduate work, you’ll focus on various analytics approaches, use the in-demand tools and techniques, and learn data architecture, management, governance, as well as data mining and cybersecurity protocols.
On-Campus Data Science Graduate Certificates in New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire’s main campus has designed an on-campus Graduate Certificate in Analytics. This three-month-long program located in Durham consists of learning the major programming languages, R, Python, SQL along with SAS. You can expect to take coursework that will teach you linear modeling, time series forecasting, and predictive modeling.
Certificates are excellent for getting an initial feel for data science while establishing the essential knowledge for a data science career. If you decide to enter a master’s degree program, then you’ll be prepared for more in-depth study on the above described (and additional) knowledge areas.
On-Campus Data Science Ph.D. Programs in New Hampshire
Some may be ready to venture into a data science-oriented Ph.D. program. The emphasis is on “oriented” since Ph.D.s in Data Science are still in the development phase for most universities outside of the data science hubs (e.g., Silicon Valley, New York, etc.).
One of the major Ph.D. programs of choice for a successful data science career is statistics. Even if you’re not certain that you want to be a data scientist, a graduate degree in statistics opens up other opportunities for the same data science earning capacity (if not higher).
As such, the University of New Hampshire offers a Ph.D. in Statistics at its Durham campus. Be prepared for completely saturating yourself with both practical and theoretical applications of both math and statistics: Bayesian and Computational Statistics, Design of Experiments, and Advanced Theory of Statistics are just a few of the courses required to complete the Ph.D.
Online Data Science Degree Programs in New Hampshire
Online data science programs are increasingly becoming the primary trajectory for data science education. That being stated, bachelor’s level data science degrees haven’t yet been established in a way similar to the math, statistics, and computer science counterparts. Online bachelors in data science may appear more frequently in the future.
As of now, in New Hampshire, the Southern New Hampshire University offers an online Bachelor’s Degree in Geosciences. The Geospatial Technology Concentration will have more relevance to data science than the Natural Resource and Conservation track. In addition to the core courses required of all bachelor’s degrees, expect to complete courses in Remote Sensing and Imagery Analysis (image analysis is huge in the world of AI), Spatial Analysis, and Geospatial Programming.
The program is only available to those living within the continental U.S., and there is no application fee required.
Online Data Science Masters Programs in New Hampshire
Southern New Hampshire University also has an online Master’s in Data Analytics program available for students who prefer the flexibility and convenience of distance education. After completing 36 units consisting of Foundations of Data, Enterprise Data Management, Predictive Analytics, and Decision Methods and Modeling (among others), you will have a substantial data science foundation for a career in data science.
Online Data Science Graduate Certificates in New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire’s online Data Science Graduate Certificate is perfect for those who want an introduction to data science, but may not be ready to enter an extended master’s degree program. In 16 weeks, you’ll complete four courses that take you through the ins and outs of Applied Analytic Statistics, Programming for Data Science, Data Architecture, and Data Mining and Predictive Modeling.
You’ll gain hands-on experience using Python, Git, GitHub, SQL, noSQL, while also learning cross-validation techniques, feature engineering, and devising the best predictive models that can be launched into a larger production environment.
Online Data Science Ph.D. Programs in New Hampshire
As data science becomes better defined, and universities see an increasing demand for Ph.D. programs in data science, online options for the highest level of education will likely become more ubiquitous. For now, there are no online programs for a Ph.D. in Data Science within New Hampshire. But, check back in the future as we continually update our university lists and their offerings as new programs become available.