Charted.

Technology

How to become a Data Scientist

Becoming a Data Scientist isn't one leap — it's a ladder. You can start as a Data Entry Specialist and climb from there, with each rung showing the real time it takes and what it pays. Here's the honest path, and what a technology route actually costs along the way.

The path, rung by rung

Each step is a real role you can hold. The time is how long to reach it; the pay is a national figure for that rung.

  1. Data Entry Specialist
    Excel skills, attention to detail
    $35,000
    Start immediately
  2. Data Analyst
    SQL, basic statistics, visualization
    $60,000
    6-12 months
  3. Business Intelligence Analyst
    BI tools, advanced SQL
    $75,000
    1-2 years
  4. Data Scientist
    Python/R, ML algorithms, statistics
    $120,000
    2-4 years
  5. Senior Data Scientist
    Deep ML expertise, business acumen
    $160,000
    5+ years

Start this week

You don't need to commit to the whole climb today. Here's one small, real thing you can do this week.

Spend 20 minutes on the first free lesson of freeCodeCamp. Set a timer if you need to.

If it's boring, you've learned something real. If the 20 minutes vanish, you've learned more. Either way you moved.

freeCodeCamp →

The honest reality

What this path actually asks of you — in time, money, and effort.

  • The first rung, Data Entry Specialist, typically asks for excel skills, attention to detail and pays around $35,000.
  • Reaching Senior Data Scientist usually takes 5+ years and pays around $160,000 — and getting there means deep ML expertise, business acumen.
  • You don't need a college degree to take the first step.
  • These are national figures. What you'll actually earn and what training costs shift with your city and the current market.

Common questions

How long does it take to become a Data Scientist?

Charted lays it out as a 5-step path. You can start as a Data Entry Specialist right away; reaching Senior Data Scientist typically takes 5+ years. You don't have to climb every rung — many people stop at a step that already fits their life.

What does it cost to get started as a Data Scientist?

Getting started costs less than the destination. The entry role, Data Entry Specialist, asks for excel skills, attention to detail — not an expensive degree. The bigger costs come with the later rungs.

Can you become a Data Scientist without a degree?

You can start without one. The first rung, Data Entry Specialist, needs excel skills, attention to detail — no college degree to begin. Degrees and licenses come later, as you climb toward Senior Data Scientist.

Not sure this is your path?

Take the assessment. Fifteen minutes, and it points you to the fit.

Take the assessment