Part of our series What does a ___ actually do?, plain-English guides to the careers students ask us about most.
A data scientist uses data to answer questions and make predictions. How many patients will a hospital need to treat next winter? Which customers are likely to cancel? Is this payment fraud? Data scientists collect and clean data, build statistical and machine-learning models, and explain what they find so that others can make better decisions.
What the job involves
Working out which business or research questions data can answer.
Gathering data from different sources, then cleaning and preparing it.
Analysing large datasets with statistical software and programming.
Building, testing and comparing models that predict outcomes, such as sales or demand for healthcare.
Creating charts and visualisations to show results.
Presenting findings and recommending data-driven decisions.
Making sure data is handled securely and meets quality standards.
A typical day
A data scientist might start the morning checking that an overnight data pipeline ran correctly, then spend a few hours in code, often Python or SQL, exploring a new dataset and testing a model. Much of the time goes on cleaning messy data before any analysis can start. Later there could be a meeting with a marketing or operations team to understand what they need, and a short presentation turning results into a clear recommendation.
In the US occupational survey, 96% of data scientists said they use email every day, and 40% said being exact and accurate is extremely important in their work.
Where they work
Data scientists work in banks, hospitals, airlines, retailers, telecoms, government and technology companies: anywhere that collects a lot of data. The work is office-based or remote. In the UK, typical hours are 37 to 39 a week, often worked flexibly between 8am and 6pm.
Is it a good fit for you?
Data science mixes the Investigative interest type (asking questions and finding answers) with the Conventional one (working precisely with numbers and information). You might enjoy it if you:
Like maths, especially statistics and probability.
Enjoy coding, or would like to learn.
Are curious and like finding patterns.
Can explain a complicated result in simple words.
Tools you will hear about include Python, SQL, PyTorch and cloud platforms such as AWS and Microsoft Azure.
How to become a data scientist
Route | What it involves |
|---|---|
University degree | Maths, statistics, data science, computer science or operational research. Most data scientist jobs ask for at least a bachelor’s degree. |
Degree apprenticeship (UK) | The Data Scientist Level 6 degree apprenticeship, which takes 2 to 3 years |
Moving across | Some people move in from data analyst or software roles after building strong skills with data |
In the UK, a degree usually needs 2 to 3 A levels or equivalent. Keep maths at the highest level you can. Further maths or statistics helps if your school offers them.
Where to study in the GCC
Degrees that lead into data science, with details from each university’s official page.
University | Programme | What the university states |
|---|---|---|
Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi | BSc in Applied Mathematics, Statistics, and Data Science | 123 credits |
Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar | BS in Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering | 4 years, 128 credits |
BSc in Statistics | Accredited by the Royal Statistical Society (2011) | |
BSc (Hons) Computer Science (Data Science) | 3 to 4 years | |
Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi | BSc in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence | 130 credits |
Top universities worldwide
Looking beyond the Gulf? These are the top eight for data science and artificial intelligence in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
Rank | University | Country |
|---|---|---|
1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | United States |
2 | Stanford University | United States |
3 | National University of Singapore (NUS) | Singapore |
4 | Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) | Singapore |
5 | Carnegie Mellon University | United States |
=6 | University of California, Berkeley | United States |
=6 | University of Oxford | United Kingdom |
8 | Harvard University | United States |
Data science is often taught inside computer science, statistics or engineering, so look at those departments too when you compare courses. Rankings mostly reflect research reputation, so read them alongside the course details.
What data scientists earn
From official government wage statistics, converted to US dollars and rounded:
Country | Lower end | Upper end |
|---|---|---|
United States | $67,000 | $199,000 |
United Kingdom | $48,000 | $98,000 |
Canada | $44,000 | $102,000 |
The lower end is the 10th percentile of earners. The upper end is the 90th percentile in the US and Canada and the 75th in the UK, the highest UK figure available. No GCC government publishes pay by job title, so we don’t show regional figures.
Try it now
Try a virtual internship. A Learning Lab’s AI and Computer Science Virtual Internship covers Python, machine learning and real-world technology projects.
Do a research project. A Learning Lab’s Primary Research Track teaches research methods through your own academic project.
Analyse something you care about, such as football results, the weather or your own study habits, and write up what you found.
Enter a challenge. Data and technology competitions, including UniHawk’s competitions, give you something concrete to show.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a data scientist and a data analyst?
Data analysts mostly describe what has happened, using reports and dashboards. Data scientists go further, building models that predict what is likely to happen and testing how reliable those predictions are. Many data scientists start as analysts.
Do I need a master’s degree?
Not always. Most roles ask for at least a bachelor’s in a numerate subject, and some employers prefer a master’s for more advanced or research-heavy roles.
Is data science the same as AI?
They overlap. Data scientists often use machine learning, a branch of AI, to build predictive models. AI engineers focus more on building and deploying AI systems themselves.
Not sure if data is your thing? The HawkNest career assessment matches your interests and strengths to careers like this one.
More in this series
Sources: O*NET OnLine, Data Scientists; National Careers Service, Data scientist; pay from US BLS (May 2025), UK ONS ASHE (2025) and Canada Job Bank (2025), converted at ECB rates of 1 October 2026.
