Data and Information Science Careers Rank Among Nation’s Fastest Growing
New federal projections point to strong growth for data scientists and computer and information research scientists—fields at the heart of several College of Information Science programs.
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The future of work may be difficult to predict. But one thing in the latest federal projections is increasingly clear: knowing how to work with data, information and emerging technologies will matter.
A new NewsNation report on the 10 fastest-growing jobs over the next decade highlights two careers with particularly strong connections to the University of Arizona College of Information Science: data scientists, ranked No. 3, and computer and information research scientists, ranked No. 8.
The rankings are based on new 2025-2035 employment projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data scientist employment is projected to grow 34.6% over the decade, adding approximately 95,400 jobs. Computer and information research scientist employment is expected to grow 21.8%, adding another 8,400 jobs.
Both far outpace the 3.5% growth projected for employment overall.
The reason behind that growth should sound familiar to anyone following the rapid evolution of technology: the continued expansion of digital tools and artificial intelligence across the economy is a major driver of demand for computer and mathematical occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Preparing for an Information-Driven Future
At the College of Information Science, those trends intersect with a broader question: How do we prepare people not simply to use emerging technologies, but to understand the data and information behind them, as well as their impact on individuals and society more broadly?
The answer lies in preparing students to approach information from multiple perspectives. In the top 25-ranked Bachelor of Science in Information Science, students build skills in data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence and computational methods, while the Bachelor of Arts in Information Science and Arts connects computation with design, digital expression and creative practice. The Bachelor of Arts in Emerging Technologies in Society adds another dimension, examining AI and other emerging technologies through a human-centered lens and exploring how they shape—and are shaped by—people, organizations and society.
Those pathways continue at the graduate level, where the top-ranked Master of Science in Data Science develops advanced expertise in collecting and analyzing complex datasets, then transforming and communicating those analyses into meaningful insights. Students in the Master of Science in Information Science can pursue machine learning or human-centered computing subplans, with opportunities to explore everything from AI and data to user experience, virtual reality and human interaction with technology.
Together, the programs reflect the breadth behind those Bureau of Labor Statistics job titles. The growing demand isn’t simply for people who can build new technologies or analyze increasingly large amounts of data. It is also for people who can understand what information means, how it can be used and how technology can better serve the people and communities that rely on it.
Creating Flexible Pathways for Students
“At InfoSci, we create pathways that provide a greater context for the skills students learn in the classroom,” says Liz Marsalla, career and engagement strategist and the college’s Student Career Center lead. “Students must be able to understand the foundations and have relevant technical skills, of course, but perhaps more importantly, our students graduate with an understanding of how their knowledge can be applied across multiple contexts. Implementation of new, critical technology happens rapidly and one of the best skills we can equip students with is the ability to pivot and use foundational knowledge and problem-solving in a variety of environments.”
The latest employment projections can’t say exactly what the technology landscape will look like in 2035. If the past few years have demonstrated anything, however, it is how quickly that landscape can change.
And the direction is becoming clearer.
As organizations generate more data, integrate AI into their work and confront increasingly complex information challenges, they will need professionals who can make sense of it all—who understand not only technology and information, but the human needs and experiences that shape how both are used. That intersection is where the College of Information Science is preparing students to work: across disciplines and technologies, with the skills to navigate an information landscape that continues to change.