Data science graduates report on new jobs, promotions

Half of recent University of Michigan Master of Applied Data Science graduates based in the United States have accepted a new job. One out of every five is pursuing or has received a promotion; the rate is even higher among international graduates. 

In the 2022 MADS employment report, graduates of the online program were especially appreciative of the program’s team-based project courses. Students in those courses form groups around common interests to apply MADS training toward real-world challenges – all while developing portfolio projects.

MADS projects drive professional development

“Our applied approach to data science means we help students build up their data science portfolios in ways that support their personal career goals,” says MADS academic program director Kevyn Collins-Thompson. Collins-Thompson is also a lead MADS project mentor who regularly meets with student teams and provides comprehensive support spanning problem formulation, research, experimentation and presentation of actionable results. 

These projects often become a compelling point of discussion in job interviews, Collins-Thompson says. A recent example is ’22 graduate Yao Wei, who presented a MADS machine learning project for an interview at Ford. Now, Wei works remotely as a data scientist on Ford’s finance team.

Read full story: MADS portfolio project helps student launch data science career

How the MADS degree program enhances career prospects 

Graduates responding to the survey reported salary increases and skill development within their current jobs, as well as advancement into new roles. The 2021 MADS graduates who accepted a new job in the data science field reported an average salary of $101,000. 

Not all students in the program were looking to move into new jobs; some graduates were already established in roles where they are now using their enhanced data science skills.

“We have many people coming to the program looking to advance their careers,” says Katie Dunn, associate director of career development for the University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI). “We also have people early in their careers who want to build credentials, and people looking to make complete career shifts into data science. Based on these data, those goals are being met.” 

Discover more in the 2022 MADS Employment Report. 

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More about the MADS program and how to apply