Virginia Data Science Degree Programs

Click to see more featured 100% online data science programs currently accepting applicants for 2024.

Many of the larger public universities in Virginia (University of Virginia and Virginia Tech) offer an online program in data science for graduate students, as well as accelerated graduate certificates that are geared toward a specialization.

With a number of government and federal agencies in the area, there is a high level of tech employment in the northern part of Virginia and numerous data science career options.

Click for more online data science programs that are taking applications.

Are there online data science programs in Virginia?

Yes. Here is the list of some of the best online data science degree programs in Virginia that we have found so far.

University Program Location

George Mason University

Spatial Business Intelligence Graduate Certificate Online

Radford University

MS in Data and Information Management Online

Full List of the Best Virginia Data Science Degrees

Here is the list of some of the best data science programs online and at campuses in Virginia..

University Program Location

College of William and Mary Mason School of Business

M.S. in Business Analytics
Williamsburg
Explore machine learning and artificial intelligence concepts in business analytics. Bootcamp session gives students ability to complete prerequisites before the main program. Opportunity to finish curriculum in two semesters.

George Mason University School of Physics, Astronomy, and Computational Sciences

Computational Data Sciences Minor (undergrad)
Fairfax
Minor requires 15 total credit hours to complete. Students choose between introductory data science or computing course. Electives selected in Computational and Data Sciences, and Computational Sciences and Informatics categories.

George Mason University School of Physics, Astronomy, and Computational Sciences

Doctorate: Computational Sciences and Informatics
Fairfax
72 total credit hours required for the doctorate program. Concentration in Computer Modeling and Simulation, or Data Science. Dissertation topic requires approval and research requires oral defense with committee. Should have a strong mathematical background and programming knowledge in C++ or Python.

George Mason University Volgenau School of Engineering

M.S. in Data Analytics Engineering
Fairfax
This unique discipline blends together subjects in operations research, statistics, and systems engineering. Offers concentrations in Business Analytics, Bioengineering, and Data Mining. Admission consideration requires statement of career goals and two letters of recommendation.

George Mason University Department of Computer Science

Masters in Information Systems
Fairfax
Data management overview on infrastructures at the enterprise level and over the cloud. Curriculum divided with five mandatory courses and five courses from a specific focus. Focuses include data mining and information assurance. Graduates gain preparation for roles as designers, administrators, and engineers within these systems.

George Mason University School of Physics, Astronomy, and Computational Sciences

MS in Computational Science
Fairfax
Areas of emphasis include Data Science, and Modeling and Simulation. Data Science focuses on technical aspects of scraping and organizing big data. Accelerated format applicable to Mechanical Engineering, or Computational and Data Sciences, undergraduate disciplines. Can select research or thesis project to fulfill electives.

George Mason University School of Management

Spatial Business Intelligence Graduate Certificate
Fairfax
Requires 18 total credit hours, with five courses taken by all students and one elective. Explore topics in earth image processing, geographic information systems, and geospatial intelligence. Courses offered are available online with extended on-campus opportunities.

Radford University College of Science and Technology: Department of Information Technology

MS in Data and Information Management
Radford
Provides comprehensive studies in collecting, managing, and securing various data sources. Students will explore concepts and real-world training with traditional and big data sources. Applied Research Center offers latest innovations for students to apply skills and collaborate.

University of Virginia Darden School of Business and McIntire School of Commerce

M.S. in Business Analytics
Charlottesville
Students gain descriptive and predictive analytics at the enterprise level. Capstone project links individuals with organizations to develop data-driven solutions. Blends online and on-campus education at the Washington DC campus. Two four-day residencies take place at the Charlottesville location.

University of Virginia Data Science Institute

Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS)
Charlottesville
Topics include data mining, Bayesian statistical methods, and big data ethics. Undergraduate degree required with foundational coursework in programming, statistics, and linear algebra. Available through the Charlottesville campus or online for scheduling flexibility.

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business

Master in Decision Analytics
Richmond
Offers risk analysis, simulation methods, optimization, and SQL programming. Students become comfortable working with unstructured data and complete an analytics practicum. Courses take place every other weekend on campus. Incoming students should have a Bachelor's degree with two years of work experience.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University College of Science

Bachelors in Computational Modeling and Data Analytics
Blacksburg
Work with manipulating big data from various sources and using quantitative methods.. Provides data-driven solutions for businesses with simulation and predictive modeling. Students can specialize in biological sciences, economics, or physics.

Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business

M.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Analytics
Blacksburg
Analytics program requires 11 months to 2 years of study based on enrollment. Curriculum divided up with business and analytics courses over 30 credit hours. Topics include quantitative analysis and data visualization. Students complete corporate capstone project solving real-world business problems.

William and Mary Mason School of Business

Masters in Business Analytics
Williamsburg
Use big data and analytical tools for predictive modeling and better business solutions. Technical skills in Python and R programming leads to mining and organizing databases. 100 percent online format requires 32 total credit hours to complete.
Notice a missing or inaccurate program? Our data is hand-collected and edited. If you notice a missing data science program, please email schools at datascienceprograms.org to enter a program to be reviewed or to adjust a current listing.

In Depth Review of the Best Online Data Science Programs in Virginia, Updated 2023

Virginia Tech University Online Master of IT

The Pamplin College of Business provides an Online Master of Information Technology both 100 percent online and a graduate certificate for accelerated education. Students need to complete 11 total courses to obtain the advanced degree which are made up of core courses and electives. The program can take between 2.5 years and five years to complete part-time depending on a student's desired timeline.

The core courses focus on the basic conceptual knowledge needed for the program. In addition, there is a focus on Java programming, web apps, software engineering, and computer systems. Students can select four of six core courses:

  • Information Systems Design & Database Concepts
  • Web-Based Applications and Electronic Commerce
  • Object-Oriented Programming with Java
  • Software Engineering
  • Fundamentals of Computer Systems
  • Strategic Leadership in Technology-Based Organizations

Next, students complete seven elective courses which span different specialization areas. Students can select an area of specialization that will also include recommended core classes to take. There are twelve areas of specialization available and students may complete up to three areas of specialization throughout the program.

  • Analytics and Business Intelligence
  • Big Data
  • Business Information Systems
  • Cybersecurity
  • Cybersecurity Management
  • Cybersecurity Policy
  • Decision Support Systems
  • Health Information Technology
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship in AI/ML
  • Networking
  • Software Development
  • Software Engineering

Some of these specializations can be used to satisfy graduate certificate requirements, which need 12 credits and can also be completed fully online. There are ten graduate certificates available:

  • Big Data
  • Business Data Analytics
  • Cybersecurity Policy
  • Cybersecurity Management
  • Cybersecurity Technologies
  • Health Information Technology
  • Information Systems Design
  • Internet and Network Technologies
  • Software Development

One important thing to note is that some students may choose to complete more than one certificate as part of their degree program. According to the school's online brochure, the 2022-2023 tuition for the program is $1,025 per credit hour or $3,075 per course, bringing the total cost for the full 33-credit program to $33,825 plus the cost of books, supplies, and campus fees.

The online experience features a synchronous class using Zoom software that is held on one evening each week for each course with supplemental on-demand narrated PowerPoint lectures and a virtual computer lab for programming. Zoom can also be used for study sessions with other classmates and conferences with faculty members.

George Mason University Online MS in Data Analytics Engineering

The Volgenau School of Engineering offers a 30-credit online Master of Science in Data Analytics Engineering program. In as little as two years, students will learn to gather and manipulate structured and unstructured data to create business solutions. Half of the 10-class curriculum focuses on traditional data science subject such as statistics, data visualization, and decision making. Example elective options to complete the program are big data, machine learning, decision theory, predictive analysis, and risk analysis. The program is accredited by the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

Students can also choose to earn a graduate certificate through GMU by completing four courses in approximately 12 months. These credits can then count towards the full MS degree if a student chooses to continue their studies as GMU.

While there is an in-person version of the program, the online course can be completed 100% remotely. For the most part, the courses are asynchronous, with the majority of the curriculum composed of pre-recorded videos, readings, and task-based learning assignments. However, the website states that the program can include several synchronous class meetings online.

The program is open to all United States residents and there are opportunities for any term start date as long as the university is accepting admissions. Those that may not have a strong background in analytics are recommended to take a fundamental course before beginning the degree. Graduates have found work in various public and private sectors with various data science, analyst, and engineering roles.

University of Virginia Online Master of Data Science

Another online option in Virginia is through the Data Science Institute, who provides an online Master of Science in Data Science. The coursework surrounding the degree includes learning how to extract data in various structures and analyzing it with various tools to solve complicated data sets, and doing so in an ethical manner. The program includes 30 credit hours and can be completed across five terms. The school recommends at least a three-year degree and completing subjects like calculus, linear algebra, statistics, and introductory programming.

The curriculum is expected to take two years to complete with 14 courses, but that could change each year as it is updated to keep up with innovation. Example courses include Foundations of Computer Science, Data Mining, Ethics in Data Science, and Bayesian Machine Learning. There is a capstone project that is completed over the final two terms.

The online system features live classes and coursework that can be completed at the student's own pace. A one-hour synchronous online meeting is scheduled once per week per course in the evenings. There will be opportunities to talk with faculty during office hours and programming software will be included, along with additional resources from a 24/7 virtual library. Students that have completed the program have gone on to take roles as a data analyst, data scientist, systems engineer, and machine learning engineer.

Typically, students enrolled in the online program studying part-time will spend 10-12 hours per week per course completing their homework, projects, and readings. In addition, the MSDS program at the University of Virginia features a final capstone project for all students. Students work in groups of two or four with the assistance of a faculty advisor to analyze data to solve practical problems. Many of the students' capstone projects are sponsored by an organization.

The College of William and Mary B.S. in Data Science and PhD in Data Science

At The College of William and Mary, students may major or minor in data science in their undergraduate degree. This program does not require students to have prior programming experience.

For the B.S. in Data Science major, students are required to complete at least 40 credits in the area. This is made up of six core courses.

  • Programming for Data Science
  • Intro to Data Science
  • Ethics in Data Science
  • Data Visualization
  • Applied Machine Learning
  • Databases

In addition, the program offers three tracks: Data Application, Algorithms, and Spatial Data Analytics. At the end of the program, all students complete a capstone course which focuses on a specific area of data science such as Advanced Applied Machine Learning, Neural Networks, or Independent Research in Data Science.

In addition to the Data Science major, William and Mary offers an accelerated Data Science Minor program over the summer. Between late-May and early-August, students will complete 15 credits and then during the fall they will take the remaining two courses required for the minor. This program features small cohorts of students (~25).

For the PhD program, students apply directly to the Graduate Program in Applied Sciences.

Scholarship Opportunities within Virginia

Full-time graduate students enrolled in a data science program at the University of Virginia are eligible for a presidential fellowship that provides full tuition and a $28,000 stipend each academic year for living expenses. This is given to students that can demonstrate working on real-world data-driven solutions.

In addition to university-specific scholarships, there are several external awards for those studying data science. For instance, the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship is awarded to female undergraduate and master’s students studying artificial intelligence/machine learning, data science, computer science or mobile/web development. Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group on High Performance Computing (SIGHPC) Computational and Data Science Fellowship awards $15,000 annually, for up to two years.

The Acxiom Diversity Scholarship program supports women, veterans, minorities and individuals with a disability studying data science. The award is for $5,000 and up to 10 awards are distributed each year.

Data Science Careers in Virginia

Virginia has the sixth-highest tech employment in the United States with over 436,500 workers according to CompTIA. They have one of the biggest ratios of any state in terms of the amount of people working in the tech industry compared to other jobs (10.7 percent).

Data Science Careers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Area

The busy metro area of Washington-Arlington-Alexandria that also spreads into the District of Columbia, Maryland, and West Virginia, houses over 437,000 jobs, the third-most in the nation.

Charlottesville is another hot job market in the data science field with firms like Elder Research and S&P Global.

According to the BLA, the average data scientist salary in the state is $103,210, which is higher than the national average of $100,910. This is among the highest in the Northeast and is comparable to Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.

Data Science Events, Meetups, and Conferences in Virginia

Big Data for Intelligence Symposium

Big Data for Intelligence Symposium Big Data for Intelligence Symposium Website
This two-day event hosted by the Defense Strategies Institute is geared toward those that are in the Department of Defense and related federal employees and will host many of those in the intelligence community, government agency, and academia members.

The goal of the event is to use advanced analytics to secure big data and the cloud from malicious attacks, hacking, and cyberterrorism. Many high-level officials from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the US Navy are scheduled speakers at the event.

Day for Data at Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech hosts an annual Day for Data, which takes place in September. This new conference connects students and professionals and data science, featuring keynote speakers, networking events, and recruitment opportunities.