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Find the Most Affordable Data Science PhD Programs

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A PhD in data science opens up doors in both research-related fields as well as commercial or industry leadership positions in the private sector.

These days, data science-specific PhD programs are becoming more and more specialized and tailored to different outcomes.

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Featured Analytics Programs

School NameProgramMore Info
Grand Canyon UniversityD.B.A. Data AnalyticsVisit Site
Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster of Science in Data Analytics and PolicyVisit Site
Ohio UniversityOnline Master of Business AnalyticsVisit Site
Georgetown UniversityOnline MS in Business AnalyticsVisit Site

More options make decision-making more difficult. To help, the TechGuide research team compiled this new list of rankings for the most affordable data science PhD programs. Among 30 programs analyzed,

  • Lowest cost: University of Nevada, Reno at $24,768.
  • Average: $98,313.
  • Highest cost: Washington University in St. Louis costs $193,536.
Learn more about data science PhD programs

Affordable DSCA-Certified Programs

This year’s affordability rankings take into account overall tuition cost and quality of education. In order to be included in the rankings, each data science PhD program had to also hold a certification from the Data Science Council of America (DSCA).

To earn certification from DSCA, programs have to meet rigorous standards in data science and analytics education, including student learning outcomes and post-education employability. 

We are excited to present this year’s most affordable PhD in data science programs.

Check out the full list below.

Most Affordable Data Science PhD Programs for 2025

  1. University of Nevada Reno

    Reno, Nevada
    Program: Ph.D. in Statistics and Data Science
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $24,768
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $344
    Credits: 72
    GRE requirement: Required
    Learn more: Program details

  2. Columbia University

    New York, New York
    Program: Ph.D. Specialization in Data Science
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $28,980
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,380
    Credits: 21
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  3. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

    Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
    Program: Data Sciences Ph.D.
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $34,380
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $955
    Credits: 36
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  4. University of Delaware

    Newark, Delaware
    Program: PhD in Bioinformatics Data Science
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $35,277
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,069
    Credits: 33
    GRE requirement: Required
    Learn more: Program details

  5. Clemson University / Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) – Joint Program

    Clemson, South Carolina
    Program: Biomedical Data Science and Informatics, PhD
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $43,290
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $493 in-state | $666 out-of-state
    Credits: 65
    GRE requirement: Required
    Learn more: Program details

  6. University of Oklahoma

    Norman, Oklahoma
    Program: PhD in Data Science and Analytics
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $47,520
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $378 in-state | $1,056 out-of-state
    Credits: 45
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  7. Bowling Green State University

    Bowling Green, Ohio
    Program: Doctor of Philosophy Data Science
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $48,060
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $468 in-state | $801 out-of-state
    Credits: 60
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  8. University at Buffalo

    Buffalo, New York
    Program: Computational and Data Enabled Sciences PhD
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $49,968
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $314 in-state | $694 out-of-state
    Credits: 72
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  9. National University

    San Diego, California
    Program: Doctor of Philosophy in Data Science
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Online
    Total tuition: $64,320
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,072
    Credits: 60
    GRE requirement: Required
    Learn more: Program details

  10. Boston University

    Boston, Massachusetts
    Program: PhD in Computing & Data Sciences
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $66,672
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,389
    Credits: 48
    GRE requirement: Required
    Learn more: Program details

  11. Saint Peter's University

    Jersey City, New Jersey
    Program: Ph.D. in Data Science
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $69,650
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $995
    Credits: 70
    GRE requirement: Optional
    Learn more: Program details

  12. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

    New York, New York
    Program: PhD in Biomedical Sciences - Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Medicine curriculum
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $75,400
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,300
    Credits: 58
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  13. Kennesaw State University

    Kennesaw, Georgia
    Program: PhD in Data Science and Analytics
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $83,148
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $296 in-state | $1,066 out-of-state
    Credits: 78
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  14. Tufts University

    Medford, Massachusetts
    Program: PhD in Nutrition Epidemiology and Data Science
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $83,904
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,748
    Credits: 48
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  15. Stevens Institute of Technology

    Hoboken, New Jersey
    Program: Data Science Doctoral Program
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $88,956
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,059
    Credits: 84
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  16. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

    Worcester, Massachusetts
    Program: PhD in Data Science
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $96,600
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,610
    Credits: 60
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  17. University of Wisconsin Madison

    Madison, Wisconsin
    Program: PhD in Biomedical Data Science
    DASCA designation: Yes
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $102,588
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $594 in-state | $1,236 out-of-state
    Credits: 83
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  18. George Mason University

    Fairfax, Virginia
    Program: Computational Sciences and Informatics, PhD
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $109,440
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $589 in-state | $1,520 out-of-state
    Credits: 72
    GRE requirement: Required
    Learn more: Program details

  19. University of Virginia

    Charlottesville, Virginia
    Program: Doctor of Philosophy in Data Science
    DASCA designation: Yes
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $118,020
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,301 in-state | $1,967 out-of-state
    Credits: 60
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  20. North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University

    Greensboro, North Carolina
    Program: PhD in Computational Data Science and Engineering (CDSE)
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $121,892
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $544 in-state | $1,966 out-of-state
    Credits: 62
    GRE requirement: Required
    Learn more: Program details

  21. New Jersey Institute of Technology

    Newark, New Jersey
    Program: Ph.D. in Business Data Science
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $126,720
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,226 in-state | $1,760 out-of-state
    Credits: 72
    GRE requirement: Required for students who have a GPA below 3.0
    Learn more: Program details

  22. University of Tennessee-Knoxville

    Knoxville, Tennessee
    Program: Data Science and Engineering PhD
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $128,448
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $756 in-state | $1,784 out-of-state
    Credits: 72
    GRE requirement: Optional
    Learn more: Program details

  23. University of Vermont

    Burlington, Vermont
    Program: Complex Systems and Data Science (CSDS), PhD
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $133,500
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $678 in-state | $1,780 out-of-state
    Credits: 75
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  24. Chapman University

    Orange, California
    Program: Ph.D. in Computational and Data Sciences
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $133,700
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,910
    Credits: 70
    GRE requirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details

  25. Jackson State University

    Jackson, Michigan
    Program: Ph.D. Computational and Data-Enabled Science and Engineering
    DASCA designation: No
    Delivery method: Campus
    Total tuition: $142,776
    2024/2025 Cost per credit: $483 in-state | $1,983 out-of-state
    Credits: 72
    GRE requirement: Required
    Learn more: Program details

Data Science Scholarships

Account SPARK STEM Scholarship Fund
The Account SPARK STEM Scholarship Fund provides financial support to students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It aims to encourage innovation and academic excellence in STEM fields.
Amount: $2,500 – $10,000
Deadline: August 2025
Awards Available: Multiple
More information
ACM SIGHPC Computational and Data Science Fellowship
The ACM SIGHPC Fellowship supports graduate students specializing in high-performance computing (HPC) and data science. This fellowship provides funding to help advance research in computational science and engineering.
Amount: $15,000 annually for up to 2 years
Deadline: April 2025
Awards Available: Varies
More information
ASA Pride Scholarship
The ASA Pride Scholarship, offered by the American Statistical Association, supports LGBTQ+ students pursuing statistics or data science degrees. It promotes diversity and inclusion in the field of statistics.
Amount: Varies
Deadline: March 2025
Awards Available: 1
More information
BMO Capital Markets Lime Connect Equity Through Education Scholarship
The BMO Capital Markets Lime Connect Equity Through Education Scholarship provides financial aid to students with disabilities pursuing business, finance, or STEM degrees. It aims to create equal educational opportunities for students with disabilities.
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: April 2025
Awards Available: Multiple
More information
Career Development Grants
The Career Development Grants, provided by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), support women who are advancing their education to re-enter the workforce or change careers. These grants focus on empowering women in fields where they are underrepresented.
Amount: $2,000 – $20,000
Deadline: November 2025
Awards Available: Multiple
More information
Great Minds in STEM Scholarship
The Great Minds in STEM (GMiS) Scholarship provides financial support to underrepresented students in STEM disciplines. It encourages academic excellence, leadership, and contributions to the STEM community.
Amount: $500–$5,000
Deadline: April 2025
Awards Available: Multiple
More information
Kellie Cannon Memorial Scholarship
The Kellie Cannon Memorial Scholarship honors the memory of Kellie Cannon by providing financial assistance to students pursuing careers in healthcare or STEM fields. This scholarship recognizes academic achievement and community involvement.
Amount: $2,000 – $7,500
Deadline: Feb 14, 2025
Awards Available: 1
More information
MinneAnalytics Data Science Scholarship
The MinneAnalytics Data Science Scholarship supports students pursuing degrees in data science, analytics, or related fields. It aims to foster innovation and professional growth in data-driven careers.
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: March 2025
Awards Available: 1
More information
Orchard Scholarship for Women of Color in STEM
The Orchard Scholarship for Women of Color in STEM provides financial aid to women from underrepresented backgrounds pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It promotes diversity and inclusion in STEM industries.
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: December 2025
Awards Available: 1
More information

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