9 Best Data Science Courses By Data Scientists (Free & Paid) – 2024

Best Data Science Courses

Data scientists, one of the hottest professions of this decade, are poised to become one of the most lucrative career paths, especially when you expand the field to encompass data analysts, research engineers, and machine learning engineers. Well-structured and effectively processed data can be a valuable resource for an organization.

Data science is the field of gaining insights and predictions from data using algorithms and scientific methods and processes. Assessing and analyzing data is what Data Science is all about–turning it into something valuable that helps companies stay ahead of the curve with accurate and precise decisions. Therefore, data scientists are increasingly in demand across all industries, including industrial, retail, finance, transportation, education, etc. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 11.5 million jobs will be available in analytics and data science by 2026. 

Looking to become a data scientist? If you wish to take advantage of the abundance of growth opportunities offered by the data science area, you should enrol in the best data science course on the market. It will result in steep career growth. With these courses, students acquire the knowledge and skills they need to cope with real-world problems. The specialized courses for data scientists will provide you with the needed exposure, no matter if you are just getting a taste of the field or intend to build a promising career.

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In this article, we’ve listed the best data science courses and programs you can take to upskill yourself and secure one of the top data scientist jobs in 2024. It is best for you to take part in one of these online data scientist courses and certifications to get on the right path to mastering data science.

Top Online Data Science Courses

While curating the list of best data science courses for 2024, a number of factors/aspects were taken into consideration, including:

  • Syllabus Covered: The list is prepared considering the scope of the syllabus and how well it has been designed to accommodate different expertise levels.
  • Course Highlights & Outcomes: We have also talked about the outcomes of the courses and other features, including placement assistance, hands-on projects, etc., that will help students acquire marketable skills.
  • Course Duration: We have determined how long each course will last.
  • Skills Required: We have discussed the prerequisite skills that candidates need to possess to enrol in the course.
  • Course Fees: All of the courses are ranked according to their features and fees to make sure you get the most bang for your buck.

Following is a list of the top data science courses, certifications, and programs you can pursue in 2024 to upskill yourself and get a data scientist job. This list includes both free and paid online certificate programs that have been widely acclaimed and used by thousands of students and professionals. 

1. Data Science and Machine Learning Program by Scaler 

This Data Science and Machine Learning program by Scaler – InterviewBit is a tailor-made program and is considered one of the most popular online courses in data science, built with insights from advisors at the top 50 tech companies. This program provides you with the opportunity to work on real-world projects and receive real-time feedback from industry professionals. The well-structured modules combined with hands-on practice will prepare you to tackle the toughest Data Science and Machine Learning challenges, along with real-world business projects. It is one of the most enrolled and highly rated courses on this list.

Course Highlights: 

  • Covers all aspects of data science, starting with the basics of programming (binary, loops, number systems, etc.) to intermediate programming topics (arrays, OOPs, sorting, recursion, etc.) to ML Engineering (NLP, Reinforcement Learning, TensorFlow, Keras, etc.) and advanced programming topics (Deep learning, DB and System design, Predictive modelling, Hashing, Greedy, etc.).
  • Has dedicated career support, 1:1 mentorship programs with Machine Learning Engineers and Data Scientists, and a strong student community of 20K.
  • Give you access to 600+ placement partners (such as Myntra, Paytm, Olx, Atlassian, Google, Flipkart, Adobe, etc.) to help you find a data science job.
  • Cater to all students belonging to different expertise: beginners, intermediates, and advanced.
  • Offer affordable scholarships and financing.
  • You can try it for free with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
  • Helps you prepare for interviews by conducting mock interviews.
  • Provide you with ongoing support after you complete the course, building your confidence day by day.

Skills Required: Coding experience or the knowledge of at least one programming language is needed to get started with Scaler’s Data Science and Machine Learning program.

Course Duration: 11–15 months.

Course Fees: INR 3.59 lakhs including GST, 100% refund if you decide to withdraw within two weeks (EMIs available).

Check the course details here.

2. IBM Data Science Professional Certificate 

The IBM Data Science Certification Program prepares students and professionals for data science positions. During the course, you will gain hands-on experience in data science and machine learning concepts. This program contains 9 online courses designed to equip you with the latest tools and skills, such as open-source tools and libraries, SQL, data analysis, Python, databases, predictive modeling, statistical analysis, and machine learning algorithms. Once you have successfully completed these courses, you will have a portfolio of data science projects that will give you the confidence to enter an exciting career in data science.

Course Highlights:

  • Become familiar with what data science is, how it works, and how data scientists think and work.
  • The program offers extensive hands-on experience in data science and machine learning topics.
  • Learn how to use open-source tools such as Zeppelin, RStudio, Jupyter Notebooks, and IBM Watson in data science.
  • You can start learning immediately and at your own pace.

Skills Required: Programming knowledge is not mandatory, but applicants should have a basic understanding of mathematics and statistics.

Course Duration: Self-paced; Learning full-time (2-3 months), Learning part-time (6-12 months)

Course Fees: $29-$99 per month with a Coursera subscription.

3. Advanced Program in Data Science by IIM Calcutta

This program introduces students to different techniques and tools for handling, managing, analyzing, and interpreting data. It is designed for working professionals who are interested in gaining hands-on experience working with data and analyzing it. This program primarily focuses on data management and analysis with introductions to tools such as SPSS Modeler, Oracle SQL, Tableau, Python, @Risk, R, Hadoop, Arena, etc. After completing the program, the students will have a solid foundation for applying advanced statistics and quantitative methods to make informed, effective decisions.

Course Highlights:

  • This course will introduce you to the fundamentals of Data Science, Mathematics, and Statistics for Data Science, Machine Learning, Data Interpretation, and Analysis, Business Intelligence with Data Analytics, etc.
  • You will learn how to analyze, manage, and interpret data to garner valuable insights. 
  • It offers hands-on practice with different programming languages necessary for data science. 
  • You will receive guidance from experts at IIM during the project. 

Skills Required: Programming knowledge is not mandatory, but applicants should have a basic understanding of mathematics and statistics.

Course Duration: 12 months

Course Fees: INR 4.40 Lakhs + GST

4. Professional Certificate in Data Science from Harvard University

This program allows students to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to tackle real-world challenges related to data analysis. Introducing you to R programming, machine learning, and others using real-life case studies, will give you a head start in your data scientist role. In addition, you’ll gain skills in data visualization using ggplot2, data wrangling using dplyr, R programming, and Linux file organization. There are nine courses in this program, all of which are affordable and flexible.  Upon completion of this program, you will be able to work independently on a data analysis project.

Course Highlights:

  • This course will introduce you to Data Science Basics, Data Science Visualization, Probability, Inference and Modeling, Productivity Tools, Wrangling, Linear Regression, Machine Learning, and more.
  • You will be able to grasp fundamental data science concepts through real-world case studies.
  • In addition, you will learn how to implement machine learning algorithms using advanced tools.
  • Through this specialization, you can learn from global partners of the university.
  • Upon program completion, students receive a Professional Certificate in Data Science, which they can highlight to potential employers.

Skills Required: Programming knowledge is not mandatory, but applicants should have a basic understanding of mathematics and statistics.

Course Duration: 1 year 5 months (2-3 hours/week approx) 

Course Fees: $792.8

5. Data Science Specialization from Johns Hopkins University 

In this course, you will be introduced to all the tools and concepts you will need for your data science journey. In the final capstone project, you will demonstrate the skills you have learned from working with real-world data to create a data product. For prerequisites, you should have some experience with programming (it need not be in R) and a decent understanding of algebra. It may also be helpful but not necessary to have a basic knowledge of linear algebra and calculus. Students who complete this course will be able to display their mastery of the subject in an impressive portfolio.

Course Highlights:

  • This program is a fun, exciting way to learn topics such as Github, R Programming, Machine Learning, Data Science, Rstudio, Data Analysis, Cluster Analysis, Debugging, Regular Expression, Data Manipulation, Cleansing, etc.
  • It did a good job of balancing the breadth and depth of the curriculum. 
  • The R programming language provided the perfect blend of theory and application.
  • The course will teach you the main ideas and tools of a data scientist’s toolbox. 
  • Here you will learn about the questions, data, and tools that data analysts and data scientists use. 

Skills Required: Programming knowledge is not mandatory, but applicants should have a basic understanding of mathematics and statistics.

Course Duration: 11 Months 7 Hours Weekly (approximately)

Course Fees: Free or $49/month for certificate and graded materials

6. MicroMasters Program in Statistics and Data Science from MIT 

This Micromasters program is designed to allow students to learn and master data science, statistics, and machine learning. You will learn how to handle big data and make predictions based on solid data analysis. Upon completing the course, you will be qualified to work as a Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Data Engineer, etc. The program consists of 4 intensive online courses followed by a virtual proctored online test to earn a certificate. 

Course Highlights:

  • The course will teach you the fundamentals of data science, machine learning and statistics.
  • Furthermore, you will learn how to use and analyze big data and make data-driven predictions by gaining valuable insights.
  • Through hands-on Python projects, students gain a deep understanding of machine learning, from linear models to deep learning and reinforcement learning.
  • As part of the course, you will get a chance to work on supervised learning methods such as deep neural networks as well as unsupervised learning methods such as clustering.

Skills Required: Anyone can take this MicroMasters course.  However, if you want to excel, you must be familiar with mathematical reasoning and Python programming.

Course Duration: 14 months

Course Fees: INR 1 Lakh

7. Data Science with R and Python 

This course will teach you how to use statistical models in programming languages such as R and Python to discover hidden but valuable information in data. The course is an excellent introduction to machine learning. It is designed to help you gain a solid grounding in the lucrative field of Data Science. You will discover how to extract knowledge and insights from structured and unstructured data using different methods, algorithms, and processes.

Course Highlights:

  • Students will learn about Programming Basics and Logic, Data Structures and Algorithms, Web and API, Data Types and Data Structures, Tools and Utility, Algorithms and Machine Learning.
  • The course is great for finance, biology, economics, and humanities students.
  • Step by step, you will learn Python fundamentals and its beautiful libraries, such as Pandas, Numpy, and Matplotlib. 

Skills Required: This course does not require prior Python or R knowledge. No prior coding experience is necessary.

Course Duration: 14 hours (approx.) with full lifetime access 

Course Fees: INR 500-3500 (varies)

8. Python for Data Science and Machine Learning Bootcamp

In this course, you will learn how to use Python for Data Science and Machine Learning. This is for those who have already mastered the basics and don’t need to go through the foundations. To help you solidify your understanding, the instructor walks you through Jupyter Notebook workbooks throughout the course. He then follows up with a video explaining the solution to each challenge. This course is best taken with a separate statistics and probability course. 

Course Highlights:

  • In this course, you will learn how to implement machine learning algorithms for analyzing data and gaining insights.
  • The course will introduce you to the use of Python for Data Science and ML, Random Forest and Decision Trees, Analysis of Big Data, Support Vector Machines, Neural Networks, Natural Language Processing, and Spam Filters, etc.
  • The course is very reasonably priced for the value it provides.
  • Also, students have the opportunity to learn more about data sets by using resources such as Kaggle.

Skills Required: Some programming experience is needed. Programmers should be familiar with Python, preferably.

Course Duration: 25 hours (approx.) with full lifetime access

Course Fees: INR 500-3500 (varies)

9. Machine Learning, Data Science and Deep Learning with Python

This course is designed for technologists who want to transition into data science, big data, and deep learning. It is not recommended for beginners since it requires experience with Python. This course will teach you how data scientists and machine learning practitioners work in the tech industry – as well as help you prepare for a job in this field. 

Course Highlights:

  • The course will introduce you to Predictive models, Recommender systems, Generative models, Regression analysis, Deep Learning & Neural Networks, etc.
  • The course covers a wide range of topics related to ML, Deep Learning, and Neural Networks.
  • You will have lifetime access to the course as well as some downloadable resources. 

Skills Required: You must have prior coding or scripting experience. You should also have basic math skills.

Course Duration: 16 hours (approx.) with full lifetime access

Course Fees: INR 500-3500 (varies)

Conclusion

The World Economic Forum estimates that over 40% of professional workers will need to upskill by 2025. For this reason, it’s essential to acquire modern, highly-demanded skills if you want to land your dream job. Data science is a highly in-demand field that can give you the chance to work for some of the most renowned companies in the world and assist in making crucial business decisions. Taking a data science training course tailored to your needs would be a great way to take your career to a new level. 

The courses mentioned in this list, such as those from Scaler, Harvard University, IIM Calcutta, etc., will assist you in becoming an expert at data science since they cover most of the topics as they are full-length courses. Moreover, these courses provide fantastic career and placement guidance. In contrast, some of the courses offered by Udemy, Coursera, etc., are short-duration courses that focus on specific topics and might not be able to cater to all of the students regardless of their expertise level. Hopefully, this article met your expectations and you enjoyed learning about different options along the way. Become certified in Data Science to expand your horizons and grow your career. 

Additional Resources

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