An Analysis of Data Science Occupations, Skills Demand, and Graduate Outcomes in Virginia 

The Virginia Office of Education Economics (VOEE) is conducting a multi-year, multistage project to evaluate how the education and skills of Virginia college graduates influence their career outcomes over time. As part of the Virginia Skills Initiative (VSI), this effort involves collecting data and performing analyses to explore key questions about graduates’ entry into the labor market and their career progression. 

This report focuses on the career pathways of two overlapping but distinct groups: graduates of data science-related programs (data science graduates) and graduates employed in data science occupations (data science professionals). While many data science graduates pursue careers in computer and mathematical operations, others transition into fields such as management, business and financial operations, and engineering. Similarly, while most data science professionals hold degrees in computer science, business, or engineering, a significant portion studied social sciences, liberal arts, or mathematics before moving into data science-related roles. 

Using VOEE’s Career and College Outcomes dataset alongside additional data sources, this analysis addresses critical questions about the educational 

Read and download the report here