MS Data Science/Data Analytics options?

[mcjon77]

Since you're looking to use it as a checkbox for a promotion, the faster you get it, the earlier you get the $$ salary increase.  I say that eliminates programs like Georgia Tech or UT Austin.  If you look at their curriculum and visit their student forums, it is very difficult to complete those programs within 2 years.  

One program that hasn't gotten that much attention on this board is Southern New Hampshire's Masters in Business Analytics.  It's only 12 months long and costs $12K total.  Since it's a cohort format, you will have an incentive to finish within the 12 month timeframe.  

https://www.snhu.edu/online-degrees/mast...-analytics

If any masters will do, you can also consider an MBA with an analytics / data concentration.  In my mind, that will be way easier to complete as a part-time student than highly-specialized MS programs.  You also get the MBA label which will allow you to try different areas throughout your career.

I definitely agree that a faster degree is preferable to a slower one for purely financial reasons.  I chose Eastern over Georgia tech because I estimated that I would finish 18 months earlier, and as a result get a new higher paying position 18 months sooner.  The opportunity cost of losing 18 extra months of a data scientist salary was a compelling reason to pick Eastern.  I actually plan on going to Georgia tech for an MS in CS with a machine learning concentration later next year.  That will be primarily for my own enjoyment.

The one thing I will caution is the Business Analytics degree at SNHU that you linked.  If someone wants to stay a data analyst, Business Intelligence Specialist or perhaps become a manager of an analytics team, that is a good option.

However, it is not a good option if one's goal is to be a data science.  Looking at the courses in the program, it seems that they don't teach the machine learning models, are very light in teaching statistics, and very light on programming.  This degree would not prepare one for a data scientist interview or position.