In a programmer and a data scientist career, there are specific duties and responsibilities. In general, data science is more of a creative profession that demands analytical thinking, while programming entails generating and testing code and scripts for software to work. One may characterize data scientists as right-brained, whereas computer programmers as left-brained.
Which of these jobs, however, is the best? Find out how data science skills compare to programming skills in this blog and make an informed career decision.
Understanding the Role of Data Scientists
Expert data scientists can help any business with its data difficulties. They utilize their vast wit and intelligence to sort through mountains of data in search of meaningful patterns. The field of data science may be stressful at times. They say that data science is 80% data preparation and 20% fussing about data preparation.
Data science is an interesting and well-paid field, with the average data scientist in the United States earning $100,274 per year (according to Indeed). The shortage of qualified workers has resulted in soaring demand for data scientists. This indicates that many skilled and experienced scientists won’t have trouble finding a job that matches their needs.
According to U.S. News & World Report, which listed “data scientist” as the third-best tech job and the sixth-best overall job in America, more and more businesses are beginning to see the benefit of hiring people with knowledge in data science.
From startups to government agencies to multinational corporations to academic institutions, there is an unending need for data scientists everywhere.
Understanding the Role of a Programmer
A computer programmer, often known as a software engineer, creates and changes computer programs. While programming is necessary for data science, software engineers spend most of their time writing code to guarantee applications are secure and fast.
Programmers have a lot of code to deal with on a daily basis. A well-known saying among those who work in the field of software development goes: There must be a good reason for the mandatory use of sunglasses by all Java programmers. If you get what it implies, you may want to choose a career in computer programming.
When compared to data science, programming might be a more limiting field. This is due to the fact that data scientists are tasked with a wider variety of tasks than software programmers do:
- Source data collection
- Sorting out data
- Authenticating Data
- Utilizing Algorithms and Models
- Finding regularities and tendencies in data.
The average salary of that of a programmer is just $65,780. It’s still better than the median earnings in the country, but $30,882 is behind the median compensation for a data scientist. Although it isn’t ideal, many programmers aren’t motivated by financial gain. They get a kick out of making something from scratch that helps others.
Which Is More Valuable: Data Science or Programming?
Your career objectives will determine the best course of action for you; thus, there is no straightforward solution to this issue. However, data scientists often have a more varied function and earn more money than software engineers. Someone who opts for a data science career may join this industry with relative ease and earn a high-paying entry-level job that will kick-start their career with the right education and training.
Consider this while making a decision between data science and programming: Do you tend to think things out logically and analytically?
If you thrive on the challenge of coming up with novel approaches to difficult issues, a career as a data scientist may be just up your alley. This role requires the ability to analyze massive data sets in order to get to the bottom of problems impacting businesses. This might necessitate taking some chances, but the potential rewards are high.
A career in programming might be a good fit if you are methodical and prefer working through difficulties in a linear fashion. In this position, you will largely use sequential programming languages like Python and R. While data science carries more uncertainty than programming, both fields may be rewarding.
Final Thoughts
You may pursue careers in data science or computer programming, weighing the pros and cons of both fields. Your individual job objectives and personality traits will determine whether you should become a data scientist or a programmer, however. Investing in a credible certification program in data science or a certification program in programming today can set you on the path to a lucrative and satisfying career tomorrow.
The United States Data Science Institute (USDSI®) is dedicated to fostering the growth of competent data scientists in the United States. Before awarding a person with a data science certification, USDSI® conducts a thorough examination of their skills and knowledge. Each of USDSI®’s certification programs online is important in its own right and may help you in some little way on your path to a successful career.
If you decide to pursue a data science career, USDSI® can assist you in reaching your objectives in a convenient way through AI-based, self-paced certification programs online.
