Affordable Online Master's in Data Science Programs
Looking for the cheapest online master's in data science? Published prices are not directly comparable — one university charges per credit, another per term, a third publishes a whole-program price, and residents and nonresidents often pay different rates. Below, 34 of the 41 verified online master's programs in our directory are compared on one consistent basis. We do not claim this is the cheapest program in the country: it is the lowest estimated tuition among the programs we have verified.
How the estimate is calculated
Estimated total tuition = published per-credit tuition × required credits
- When the university publishes a whole-program tuition figure, that figure is used as published.
- Residency category: the rate for all students (or the online rate), or — when rates differ by residency — the nonresident (out-of-state) rate, the rate an applicant from another state pays. A resident-only rate is never used.
- Credits: the required credits the program publishes. Where a range is published (for example with waivable prerequisite courses), the published figure recorded on the program page is used and the range is noted there.
- Academic year: each rate's year is shown (2025-2026, 2026-2027, not stated). Rates usually rise each year, so a multi-year program costs more than this estimate.
- Excluded: mandatory and technology fees, application fees, books, travel to any required in-person sessions, transfer-credit reductions and future rate changes.
Missing data never counts as cheap. Programs that publish tuition on a basis we cannot convert — per term without a published number of terms, or no tuition at all — are listed separately below, not ranked.
Total vs annual tuition
Annual (per academic year) tuition is what one year costs a full-time student; total tuition is what the whole degree costs. A one-year program with high annual tuition can cost less in total than a two-year program with lower annual tuition — compare totals.
Online master's in data science by estimated total tuition
| School and program | Format | Published rate used | Credits | Estimated total tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern UniversityMS in Data Science (Online) | Fully online | $9,900 entire programAll students · 2026-2027 | 30 | $9,900published total |
| The University of Texas at AustinOnline Master of Science in Data Science | Fully online | $10,000 entire programAll students · year not stated | 30 | $10,000published total |
| University of PittsburghMaster of Data Science (MDS) | Fully online | $15,300 entire programAll students — Approximate total tuition, regardless of residency · year not stated | 30 | $15,300published total |
| University of Colorado BoulderMaster of Science in Data Science Online on the Coursera platform (MS-DS on Coursera) | Fully online | $15,750 entire programAll students · year not stated | 30 | $15,750published total |
| Arizona State UniversityOnline Master of Arts in Social Data Science | Fully online | $605 per creditOnline students — ASU Online graduate tuition for most programs, 2026-27, plus program fees (program rate may differ) · 2026-2027 | 30 | $18,150rate × credits |
| Arizona State UniversityOnline Master of Science in Applied Statistics and Data Science | Fully online | $605 per creditOnline students — ASU Online graduate tuition for most programs, 2026-27, plus program fees (program rate may differ) · 2026-2027 | 30 | $18,150rate × credits |
| University of ArizonaData Science Master of Science (Arizona Online) | Fully online | $650 per creditOnline students — Online campus tuition per unit · year not stated | 30 | $19,500rate × credits |
| Old Dominion UniversityData Science and Analytics Online Master's Program (ODUGlobal) | Fully online | $662 per creditNonresident (out-of-state) — Out-of-state Students · year not stated | 30 | $19,860rate × credits |
| Arizona State UniversityOnline Master of Science in Biological Data Science | Fully online | $605 per creditOnline students — ASU Online graduate tuition for most programs, 2026-27, plus program fees (program rate may differ) · 2026-2027 | 33 | $19,965rate × credits |
| Bellevue UniversityOnline Master's Degree in Data Science | Fully online | $680 per creditAll students — Graduate Online & On Campus · 2026-2027 | 30 | $20,400rate × credits |
| Boston UniversityOnline Master of Science in Data Science (Online MSDS) | Fully online | $25,000 entire programOnline students — Total Cost of OMDS Program (10 modules at $2,500 each) · year not stated | 30 | $25,000published total |
| University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignCyberGIS and Geospatial Data Science, MS (online) | Fully online | $798 per creditAll students · 2026-2027 | 32 | $25,536rate × credits |
| University of Rhode IslandMaster of Science in Data Science (Fully Online) | Fully online | $875 per creditOnline students — Master of Science in Data Science, tuition per credit (online programs table) · year not stated | 30 | $26,250rate × credits |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireData Science - Master of Science Online | Fully online | $875 per creditAll students — Master’s of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program rate · year not stated | 30 | $26,250rate × credits |
| Purdue UniversityMaster of Science in Data Science (Online) | Fully online | $933.33 per creditAll students — Indiana resident and non-resident/international per credit hour · year not stated | 30 | $27,999.90rate × credits |
| American UniversityMaster of Science in Data Science Online | Fully online | $28,000 entire programOnline students — Flat rate for the program, exclusive of fees · 2026-2027 | 30 | $28,000published total |
| Maryville University of Saint LouisOnline Master’s in Data Science | Fully online | $875 per creditOnline students — MS in Data Science (online) · 2025-2026 | 36 | $31,500rate × credits |
| University of California San DiegoMaster of Data Science Online (MDS) | Fully online | $815 per creditAll students — Self-supporting programs: Master of Data Science Online (MDSO), per unit · 2026-2027 | 40 | $32,600rate × credits |
| Florida Atlantic UniversityMaster of Science with Major in Data Science and Analytics - Data Science and Engineering Concentration (online) | Fully online | $1,125.06 per creditNonresident (out-of-state) — Grad - Non Resident, total per credit hour (tuition and fees) · 2026-2027 | 30 | $33,751.80rate × credits |
| Pennsylvania State UniversityMaster of Science in Spatial Data Science | Fully online | $1,048 per creditOnline students — 11 or fewer credits per semester · 2026-2027 | 33 | $34,584rate × credits |
| University of San DiegoMaster of Science in Applied Data Science (online) | Fully online | $35,820 entire programOnline students — 36 credits including two prerequisite courses · year not stated | 30 | $35,820published total |
| Clarkson UniversityMaster of Science in Applied Data Science (Online) | Fully online | $1,046 per creditAll students — Interdisciplinary: Applied Data Science (MS) · 2026-2027 | 36 | $37,656rate × credits |
| Southern Methodist UniversityOnline Master of Science in Data Science (DataScience@SMU) | Online + required attendance | $37,855 entire programAll students — Estimated program tuition without fees · 2026-2027 | 33.5 | $37,855published total |
| New Jersey Institute of TechnologyOnline M.S. in Data Science | Fully online | $1,284 per creditOnline students — Fully Online Graduate Programs (in-state and out-of-state, no flat rate) · 2026-2027 | 30 | $38,520rate × credits |
| University of PennsylvaniaMaster of Science in Engineering in Data Science (MSE-DS) Online | Fully online | $3,859 per creditOnline students — Penn Engineering Online tuition per course unit · 2026-2027 | 10 | $38,590rate × credits |
| University of VirginiaM.S. in Data Science, Online | Online + required attendance | $50,259 entire programAll students — Total program tuition and fees · year not stated | 33 | $50,259published total |
| Rice UniversityMaster of Data Science (MDS) Degree, Online Program | Fully online | $1,700 per creditAll students · year not stated | 31 | $52,700rate × credits |
| Brown UniversityOnline Master's in Data Science: Policy, Governance & Society | Fully online | $60,000 entire programOnline students — Estimated total program tuition (8 courses) · 2026-2027 | 8 | $60,000published total |
| University of Notre DameOnline Master's in Data Science | Online + required attendance | $61,000 entire programAll students — Class of 2029, pending approval from the Board of Trustees · year not stated | 30 | $61,000published total |
| University of MichiganMaster of Applied Data Science | Fully online | $1,624 per creditNonresident (out-of-state) · 2026-2027 | 38 | $61,712rate × credits |
| Northwestern UniversityOnline Master's in Data Science (MSDS), part-time | Fully online | $62,796 entire programAll students — Estimated tuition and technology fees for entire program (12 courses) · 2026-2027 | 12 | $62,796published total |
| Drexel UniversityOnline Master’s Degree in Data Science | Fully online | $1,400 per creditOnline students · 2026-2027 | 45 | $63,000rate × credits |
| Syracuse UniversityOnline MS in Applied Data Science | Fully online | $64,666 entire programOnline students — Total base program cost (31 credits) · 2026-2027 | 31 | $64,666published total |
| University of California, BerkeleyOnline Master of Information and Data Science | Online + required attendance | $82,226 entire programAll students — Estimated total tuition and fees for a new student starting Fall 2026, not including health insurance · 2026-2027 | 27 | $82,226published total |
Online programs without a comparable published cost (7)
- DePaul University — Data Science (MS) Online (tuition not published)
- Illinois Institute of Technology — Master of Data Science (Coursera) (tuition not published)
- Indiana University Bloomington — Master of Science in Data Science - Online (tuition not published)
- Lewis University — Data Science, M.S. (tuition not published)
- Texas A&M University — Master of Science in Statistical Data Science (Online / Distance) (tuition published on another basis)
- Texas Tech University — Master of Science in Data Science (online) (tuition not published)
- University of Rochester — MS in Healthcare Data Science and AI (tuition not published)
Questions about cost
What is the cheapest online master's in data science?
Among the programs we have verified, the table above starts with the lowest estimated total tuition on one comparable basis. Programs we have not yet verified, and fees, can change the picture — always check the current rate and fee schedule on the university's page.
Do online students pay in-state tuition?
It depends on the university. Some charge one online rate to everyone; others charge resident and nonresident rates. Each program page lists every published rate with its category.
Are fees included?
No. Mandatory, technology and online fees are listed on each program page when published, and are excluded from the estimate so that programs are compared on tuition alone.
Is financial aid available?
Eligibility for federal aid and scholarships depends on the student and the program. Program pages list scholarships the university publishes; see also our scholarships page.
Related: How much does a data science degree cost? · Best online master's in data science · All online master's programs