Data Science Bootcamps Houston, TX

Data science is a growing field because companies continue to collect large amounts of data that they need help gathering, cleaning, analyzing, and interpreting. A Data Scientist analyzes data, forms hypotheses, and creates models to help make sense of the data. Data science requires knowledge of mathematics, programming, and business best practices. For this reason, professionals in the field are in high demand and well-compensated. The field of data science continues to emerge as one of the most promising and in-demand career paths for talented professionals.

A data science bootcamp or certificate program can give students a foundation to start a career in data science, data analytics, or machine learning. Python bootcamps, for example, can prepare participants to start data science or analysis careers, though some have prerequisites. Because data science requires a mathematical understanding of machine learning and automation, employers often expect Data Scientists to have a degree in computer science or a related field. However, not every role requires a degree. Course providers typically design data science bootcamps for novices or career changers, but they are also an appropriate choice for someone who already works with data in their current career.

If you are new to data science or analytics and want to work in one of these fields, consider enrolling in an immersive bootcamp or certificate program. However, before you do, check out the information below about data science training and the industries and positions best suited to Houston-area tech professionals.

What is Data Science?

Data science is an exciting, complex field, combining disciplines like math, programming, and artificial intelligence (AI). Data Scientists use their analytical and statistical skills to sort, manage, and interpret large datasets to provide insights.

U.S. News & World Report listed Data Scientists in the top ten of their 100 Best Jobs of 2024 survey, and the field continues to show a dramatic growth rate for the foreseeable future. You'll need intensive training if you’re planning a data science career.

In this overview, you'll learn more about data science—what you can do with it, who uses it, and how to add data science tools to your professional toolbox.

What Can You Do with Data Science Training?

What you choose to do with data science training depends on factors like your career goals and existing knowledge base and skill set. Many students new to data science learn a few tools and skills applicable to the discipline, like data visualization with Tableau or Power BI. However, if you plan to start a career as a Data Scientist or Data Analyst, you need to master a range of programming languages, databases, and other relevant skills. Consider the following projects you can create using data science training.

• Create a Recommendation Tool—You might wonder how Amazon or Netflix creates their "You may also like" search tools. A recommendation tool analyzes user data, like your previous viewing or purchase history, types of programs or items, and standard market research data, like age and location. You can create a recommendation system with a programming language and a specific dataset.
• Make a Word Cloud—Word clouds are more common than ever, and you can make one using data visualization tools. The popular Python programming language is perfect for creating a word cloud visualization. Top Python libraries for data visualization include Matplotlib, Seaborn, and Plotly.
• Build a Chatbot—Another project you can do with Python is build a chatbot. The Python chatterbot library allows data science pros to use machine learning algorithms to build a chatbot that creates automatic responses to varying queries. It's an excellent beginner-level project for data science novices.

Houston Industries for Data Science Bootcamp Graduates

Because most large corporations make data-driven decisions, these companies will continue to hire data scientists to help them make sense of the large amounts of data they collect. Data science jobs in Houston include sectors like healthcare, research, marketing, and the energy industry.

Data Scientists are in high demand, and having a solid background in data science can lead to many fulfilling career opportunities, including Data Analyst and Machine Learning Engineer. The average Data Scientist makes over $100,000 annually, while a Machine Learning Engineer can make closer to $150,000. These salaries are particularly lucrative in a city such as Houston, which has a lower-than-average cost of living and is the most populous city in Texas.

While some industries pay better than others on average, finding data-centered work in top Houston sectors can be easier than you might think. Consider the following industries when looking for data science roles in the Houston area.

Aerospace & Aviation

Houston has a massive aerospace ecosystem. With NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Texas A&M Space Institute, and Houston Spaceport, the city is the international hub for space exploration. Houston boasts hundreds of aerospace-related organizations, and the area is home to over 20,000 aerospace and aviation professionals. If you want a data science or analytics job in this field, put Houston at the top of your list.

Energy

Long known as the Energy Capital of the World, Houston hosts over 4,000 energy-related organizations. From publicly traded oil and gas firms to renewables like wind, biomass, and solar, Houston leads the way in energy companies. This industry employs over a quarter of a million people in the Houston metro area, including Principal Business Analysts, Data Analysts, and Energy Risk Analysts. Top energy companies here include Capco, First Solar, and Enverus.

Life Sciences & Biotechnology

The Life Sciences & Biotech sector is another monster industry in the Houston metro area, employing nearly 400,000 people. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided almost a billion dollars in funding to Houston for 2023, including colleges, universities, and private companies.

Top Houston organizations in this category include the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the University of Houston, and Baylor College of Medicine. Private companies benefiting from NIH funding include Atrapos Therapeutics, 7 Hills Pharma, and Radiomedix, Inc. These and other life sciences and biotech centers can be perfect places to launch a data science or analysis career.

Manufacturing

Advanced Manufacturing might not be the first sector you consider for data science, but it is essential. The Houston metro area is an international manufacturing hub with a highly skilled workforce in chemical manufacturing, fabricated metals, and food/beverages. Top employers in this category include Toshiba International Corporation, Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America, and household-name food companies like Frito-Lay and Goya.

Technology

A different category from Biotechnology is Digital Technology & Innovation. This sector includes some of the best-known software and hardware companies. It also covers the broader category of tech, like sensors, batteries, and wireless connectivity, to name a few.

Houston has a massive digital technology and innovation infrastructure, a magnet for data science and analytics professionals. Companies with a meaningful presence here include Amazon, Microsoft, Dell, Intel, and the most obvious choice, Texas Instruments.

Data Science Job Titles and Salaries

Pay rates rose around five percent for Houston workers for the 12-month period that ended in June 2024, higher than the national average of four percent. As the area continues to grow, salaries keep pace with Houston’s relatively affordable cost of living. Consider the following roles and the average annual compensation in the Houston metro area.

Business Analyst

Many people do not realize that Business Analysts require extensive data science training. This role is technical and business-oriented, and the professionals who gain the title learn many of the same tools as Data Analysts or Data Scientists. Top skills for Business Analysts include Excel, SQL, and Tableau or Power BI.

In Houston, a Business Analyst can anticipate earning an average annual base salary of around $66,000, comparable to national averages. Depending on the type of company, it can run much higher, exceeding six figures in some instances. Total compensation for these skilled pros can include annual cash bonuses, 401(k) plans, and profit-sharing, among other benefits.

Data Analyst

The Data Analyst position is sometimes a destination, but just as often a stepping stone to becoming a Data Scientist. These valued pros work in virtually every industry and sector, analyzing and visualizing datasets to present them alongside their insights. Top industries in Houston for Data Analysts include Life Sciences and Retail, but they also find roles in Manufacturing and Technology.

Salaries here are commensurate with education and experience, although at an average of around $78,000, they are comparable to the national average. While the overall base pay is higher than the average for Business Analysts, the highest-paying Data Analyst positions around Houston tend to be slightly lower, just shy of six figures.

Financial Analyst

Like Business Analysts, Financial Analysts learn many data science skills that some people find surprising. Equally noteworthy is that they work in numerous industries besides BFSI (business, financial services, and insurance). Essential skills for Financial Analysts can include Python, SQL, Excel, and, in many cases, machine learning (ML). Unlike Data Analysts or Data Scientists, they typically master skills like financial modeling, risk management, or accounting.

Financial Analysts in Houston can expect to make an average annual salary of around $82,000. While this is comparable to national averages, it is also higher than the average area base pay for Business Analysts or Data Analysts. Top roles in the Houston metro area include positions in accounting, ecommerce, and staffing services, to name a few.

Data Scientist

Data Scientists are among the highest-paid and most respected professionals in their field. To qualify for a Data Scientist role, a professional must learn multiple tools and skills, including Python, SQL, Jupyter Notebook, and data visualization with Tableau or Microsoft Power BI. Although some Data Scientists are Data Analysts first, others start as Business Analysts, Python Programmers, or Software Developers.

Houston-area Data Scientists earn an average base salary exceeding six figures annually. While the average is around $125,000, senior roles can draw even more. Total annual compensation varies from industry to industry and company to company. Additional compensation can include yearly bonuses, profit sharing, 401(k) plans, or tuition reimbursement programs.

Machine Learning Engineer

One of the few data science roles that can exceed the salaries of even Data Scientists is that of Machine Learning Engineers. Machine learning is an essential branch of AI, requiring learning specialized algorithms to assess datasets. Still, Machine Learning Engineers in data science learn many of the same skills as their Data Scientist counterparts, like Python libraries and Tableau.

Machine Learning Engineers can anticipate earning an average annual base salary of $137,000 in Houston, comparable to the national average. Additional compensation can include cash bonuses, 401(k) plans, or profit-sharing, among other benefits.

In-Person Data Science Bootcamps in Houston

Data science bootcamps can be attended in-person or online. In-person classes are a good choice for learners who benefit from the structure of a live class and the benefit of a live instructor who can answer questions as they come up. Several schools in the Houston metro area offer in-person data science bootcamps, including Flatiron School, Byte Academy, and General Assembly.

Flatiron School gives students a comprehensive look at many essential data science tools and concepts, including working with SQL and Python, running regression analysis, A/B testing, machine learning, and natural language processing.

Byte Academy offers a 35-hour Intro to Data Science course over a four-week period that introduces students to data science basics. It covers Python, object-oriented programming, and data structures.

General Assembly offers three-month bootcamps that prepare students to begin careers in data science. Prerequisites can include a background in math and some familiarity with Python programming. Students learn Python programming fundamentals and programming tools such as GitHub and programming concepts like NumPy, utilizing Unix commands, using Pandas to clean and extract data, and web scraping tools.

Houston’s Rice University, nationally known as one of the best in the country, offers beginner-level Python training in-person at the Fondren Library. The one-day seminar is entitled Python for Everyone—An Introduction to Fundamentals. Attendees with little (or no) programming experience can learn the basics in this two-hour evening course.

Certstaffix Training provides instructor-led courses live online with the option to arrange group training at your company location. Their Basic and Advanced SQL Querying courses offer database concepts to new and intermediate students. Topics include expressions, functions, queries, and tables, to name a few.

Virtual Data Science Bootcamps

Virtual data science bootcamps are the perfect alternative for those who would like the flexibility of learning from home. Live online classes are similar to in-person classes in that they are interactive, hands-on, instructor-led classes in real-time. The instructor can answer questions as they come up, share their screen, and even, with permission, access attendees' screens. Participants get the added benefit of taking the class from anywhere with a reliable internet connection.

Many schools offer virtual data science bootcamps, including Coding Dojo, BrainStation, Data Science Dojo, and NYC Data Science Academy. Data science bootcamps can prepare participants to use scientific methods, math, algorithms, and systems to gather information from large quantities of data. Students use machine learning to apply regressions and other statistical analyses to create predictive models. Most data science bootcamps teach Python, automation techniques, Pandas, NumPy, and how to query databases with SQL.

Noble Desktop offers several live online options. In their Data Science & AI Certificate program, students learn Python programming fundamentals, how to analyze data, read and write complex queries, and use Python to aggregate, update, and format data in 114 hours. Students learn the necessary programming skills to manipulate databases and perform various levels of analysis on the data. The Data Science & AI Certificate prepares students for entry-level data science and Python engineering positions.

The Data Analytics Certificate program from Noble Desktop takes a slightly different approach. It includes the Data Science & AI Certificate program curriculum but adds Excel for Data Analytics, a 12-hour Data Analytics Foundations module, and a 12-hour Tableau Bootcamp. Applicants can also claim a free 30-hour bonus AI for Python module for a limited time after registration.

Noble Desktop also offers a 30-hour Python for Data Science Certificate that gives students practice with foundational programming concepts like loops, functions, and objects. Python for Data Science is a hands-on course where students clean and combine data, perform statistical analysis, and generate insightful visualizations. Students interested in specialization might also consider the Python Machine Learning Bootcamp or AI & Data Science Certificate program.

New Horizons is another course provider offering multiple data science training programs live online. Their Data Wrangling with Python course is a three-day immersive led by a virtual instructor. Topics include arrays, dataframes, and web scraping. They also offer multiple SQL-centered classes, including NoSQL and Microsoft Azure SQL.

Data Science Classes in Houston

Advanced-level bootcamps often require on-the-job computer science experience or intermediate knowledge of machine learning, data analytics, or automation. On the other hand, a shorter beginner-level data science class is an excellent choice for those interested in data science but not yet sure how far they want to go with it. Data science classes are also a good fit for those not quite ready to commit to an entire bootcamp but want to start learning about data science.

Noble Desktop offers students numerous choices for classes related to data science. Students can take the hands-on SQL Level 1, an eight-hour beginner-level class that gives participants foundational skills related to Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMSs), SQL code, and Microsoft SQL Server. Once students have mastered the Level 1 course, many will be interested in SQL Level 2, an intermediate-level course focusing on using SQL to analyze data.

Students new to data science may choose to start learning through the six-hour Python for Automation course. This class focuses on automating time-consuming tasks using Python such as gathering data from the internet. Applicants should have Python knowledge comparable to that gained in Noble’s Python for Data Science or Python Programming Bootcamp. You can also save by taking Python for Automation as part of the FinTech Bootcamp, Data Analytics Certificate, or Data Science & AI Certificate.

Choosing a Data Science Bootcamp

During your search for the perfect bootcamp, there are a few components that you’ll want to look for that will aid your decision-making process. Questions you might ask yourself include:

What do my schedule and budget allow for training time and expenses? How will I learn best? What long-term benefits does each program provide?

Determining how much time and money you can allocate for training and work outside the classroom requires calculating your availability and budget. Because a few weeks or months without working can be expensive, the length of the bootcamp is a monetary factor as well as the actual cost. As for your learning style, you’ll need to choose a bootcamp format that facilitates the best possible environment for comprehension and retention of the subject matter. Whether you learn best in an in-person group setting or live online by teleconferencing, remember that preference as you search for and evaluate potential courses.

The education bootcamps or certificate programs can provide is inherently valuable, but you should also consider what else you will gain from each course upon completion. Some bootcamps offer 1-on-1 mentor guidance, career advice, or guaranteed job placement. Any one of these add-ons will be beneficial long after you have finished your last class.

Data Science Corporate Training

Suppose you plan to instruct or upskill your current staff in data science or analytics. In that case, Noble Desktop has multiple corporate and onsite data-centered options, one of which is sure to suit your organization. Noble can send expert instructors to your location to take your team's data skills to the next level. They can also set up remote classes via teleconferencing.

Would you prefer that your employees have greater flexibility in when and where they get their data science education? Noble Desktop also offers discounted vouchers for its open-enrollment group classes. Employers get a discount when they purchase these vouchers in bulk. Featured courses include the Python for Data Science Bootcamp, Data Science Certificate, SQL Server Bootcamp, and Python Machine Learning Bootcamp. Noble can also customize a package to meet your needs.

If you want to learn about the different data science bootcamps and certificate programs Noble Desktop can provide for your staff, contact a corporate sales specialist for more information or schedule a free consultation.