It’s trendy right now to say that data science is over-hyped, or even a bad career choice altogether.
I transitioned into data science from a non-technical background after spending nearly a decade in other industries, and I’ve discovered firsthand that for the right person, data science actually does live up to the hype. Here’s why.
The most obvious thing: The pay and benefits are as good as advertised, with early-career salaries around $120k in the US, easily moving up to $300–400k for experienced employees. Pay is also good in other locations in the world: Around $84k in Germany vs. a median of around $54k, for example.
But it’s not just about the money — tech companies often provide a level of flexibility that is unmatched in most industries.
I work from home, have unlimited PTO (that I actually feel comfortable taking), have a good social dynamic on my team and with my manager, affordable and high quality healthcare, AND I get paid enough that I was able to buy a house.
Even with recent layoffs, the tech environment still feels like a pretty good deal when you consider the average conditions in other fields. When I think…