A day in this work
You find patterns in data and build models that predict, recommend or automate. Much of the job is cleaning data and explaining results to people who decide.
Ways in
- B.Tech in computer science, AI or data science (4 years)
- BSc or B.Stat in statistics, maths or economics (3 years), then a master's in data science or statistics
- Any quantitative degree plus a strong project portfolio
After Class 10
Science with Maths (PCM) or Commerce
Entrance exams to know
- JEE Main
- JEE Advanced
- ISI Admission Test
- CUET-UG
- IIT JAM (for MSc)
Years, cost and pay
- Years of study
- 3 to 6
- Whole-course cost, government or aided
- ₹2 to 8 lakh
- Whole-course cost, private
- ₹8 to 25 lakh
- Typical starting pay
- ₹6 to 12 lakh a year
Indicative bands from the pilot dataset (0.1 (pilot), 19 September 2026). Real fees and pay vary a lot by college, city and year. Check the official sites below.
No college, coaching institute, lender or study-abroad agent pays to appear on these pages. Pathways takes no money from them.
Outlook, and how AI is changing this work
Outlook: Growing. AI is changing much of the daily work.
The tools change every year. Strong statistics, clean thinking and domain knowledge outlast any single tool.
Try this week
Take your last ten cricket or exam scores, plot them and write three things the chart tells you.
Check the facts yourself
These are official sites. Exam names, dates, fees and rules change every year, so confirm them there. Each link opens in a new tab.
Careers close to this one
See how well this fits you
Discovery in the app takes about eight minutes and gives each of these 52 careers a fit score from your own answers. It is free during the pilot, and nobody is asked for an email address or a phone number. Students under 18 need a parent or guardian to agree first, and children under 13 cannot join yet.