Top 20 Data Science Universities in UK 2025
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In today’s digital era, we all know the value of data. The study of gathering data and analysing it to extract relevant and useful information is known as Data Science. This will help organisations make appropriate decisions for their future businesses. The Information & Technology giants of the 22nd century, such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, etc., are thriving owing to the efficient application of this digital era. Their stronghold in the market results from the revenue generated from digital advertising through the efficient usage of data analytics. This article highlights the top 20 colleges for master's in data science in the UK.
At present, the data industry is thriving with an estimated worth of $40m. The direct impact of growth means an increase in demand for data analysts across the world. Owing to this, the study of Data Science or Data Analytics is booming in the world and especially gaining popularity at UK universities. UK Universities are catering to this demand by providing a wide variety of courses at the postgraduate level for students to study and specialise in Data Analytics.
Also Check: MS in Data Analytics in Abroad
- MS in Data Science in the UK
- Top 20 Data Science Colleges in the UK in 2025
- University of Oxford
- University of Edinburgh
- Imperial College London
- University College London (UCL)
- Data Science Salaries Based on Job Profiles
- Top 10 MS in Data Science Colleges in UK FAQs
MS in Data Science in the UK
According to the report ‘Dynamics of Data Science Skills’, there is a huge demand for data science skills in the job market. In the last five years, there has been an increase of over 230% for workers with specialist data skills like data scientists and data engineers. Demand for all types of workers grew by 36% over the same period. Skills like data science, machine learning, and big data are some of the most frequently needed by employers. The United Kingdom is home to some popular institutions offering an MS in Data Science programme as a postgraduate degree. The duration of the full-time MS in Data Science program in the UK is one year, and a few universities offer this program as a part-time program with a duration of up to 2 years.
Top 20 Data Science Colleges in the UK in 2025
Below is the list of the top data science colleges and universities in the UK and their rankings as per the QS World University Rankings 2025 for the subject Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, and the Complete University Guide - Undergraduate Data Science Courses starting in 2025.
| Top MS in Data Science Colleges in the UK 2025-26 | ||
|---|---|---|
| University | Complete University Guide - Subject League Table for Master's in Data Science Courses Starting 2025
|
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Data Science and Artificial Intelligence |
| University of Cambridge | 1 | - |
| University of Oxford | 2 | 3 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science | 3 | 51-100 |
| University of St Andrews | 4 | - |
| Durham University | 5 | - |
| Imperial College London | 6 | 12 |
| Loughborough University | 7 | - |
| University of Bath | 8 | - |
| University of Warwick | 9 | 51-100 |
| Lancaster University | 10 | 51-100 |
| University of Exeter | 11 | - |
| University of York | 12 | - |
| University College London (UCL) | 13 | =21 |
| University of Birmingham | 14 | - |
| University of Bristol | 15 | 51-100 |
| University of Sheffield | 16 | - |
| University of Southampton | 17 | - |
| University of Edinburgh | 18 | 24 |
| King's College London | 19 | 46 |
| University of Surrey | 20 | - |
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English nations and has a total of four academic units. From the year 2017-2023, it has been ranked the best in the world by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. As per the latest data available over 25,000 students are pursuing studies at Oxford, out of which 12,683 are undergraduates and 13,324 are postgraduates. Also, 46% of the students are from overseas. As of December 2022, students from over 160 nations including India, Australia, USA, China, Italy, France, Singapore, etc., make up the university's student population.
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Course Offered: MSc in Social Data Science
Duration: 10 months
Offered by the Oxford Internet Institute, this course will help students gain technical as well as social expertise which is required for evaluating unstructured heterogeneous data about the behaviour of humans.
University of Edinburgh
Established in 1583, the University of Edinburgh has a total of three colleges - College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, and College of Science and Engineering, and 21 schools.
Course Offered: MSc Data Science (full-time and part-time)
Students who wish to study in this programme need to hold 60% and above or a GPA of 8/10 in their Bachelor's degree. Applicants may be required to have a distinction in their degree as the competition is quite high.
Imperial College London
The institute 'Imperial College of London' was incepted in 1907 when the Royal School of Mines, the City & Guilds College and the Royal College of Science got together. Around 17,000 students are studying different courses in the college. Over 8,000 staff members exist in the college which has engineering, medicine, science and business as its four major disciplines. Each year, more than 6,700 degrees are awarded by the institute.
Course Offered: MSc Statistics (Data Science)
Duration: 1-year
Students opting for this programme will learn both the theoretical aspects of Data Science as well as applied statistics. They will learn about using analytic software, machine learning theory, scientific handling of data at scale, data transformation and representation, and data visualisation.
University College London (UCL)
Incepted in 1826, the University College London is a multidisciplinary institute and the first England which welcomed students irrespective of their social status and religion. It is also the first in England to welcome females to university education. Students from over 150 nations are studying in the university which offers 430 undergraduate and 720 postgraduate programmes. 34% of its staff are from around the world. The university has 350,000 alumni residing in 190 nations
Course Offered: MSc Data Science
Duration: 1-year
Data Science Salaries Based on Job Profiles
The average base salary of a Data Scientist in the UK, as of 2023, is £41,154. Bonus ranged between £973 - £10K.
Data Scientist Salaries based on experiences
Entry-level (experience below 1 year): Average total salary £34,625.
Early-career (experience 1-4 years): Average total salary £41,122.
Mid-career (experience 5-9 years): Average total salary £51,028.
Experienced (experience 10-19 years): Average total salary £50,625.
Late-career (experience 20 ): Average total salary £50,868.
Note: Data based on input from payscale
| Job Profiles |
Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Data Analyst |
£21k-£42k |
| Software Engineer |
£26k-£63k |
| Data Engineer |
£27k-£66k |
| Senior Data Analyst |
£30k-£61k |
| Web Developer |
£19k-£39k |
| Software Developer |
£23k-£50k |
Source: Payscale
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Top 10 MS in Data Science Colleges in UK FAQs
Q. Which country is best for MS in data science?
A. The UK offers the best education in MS in Data Science making it the perfect destination to study a Master's in Data Science. Some other countries like the US, Australia, Canada, etc. offer a master's in Data Science and provide high-quality education to students too. However, each one of them differs in the delivery of lectures, student environment, community and exposure to industry.
Q. Is Data Science in demand in the UK?
A. Demand for Data Scientists and Data Engineers in the UK has tripled from 2019 to 2022 and risen to 231%. The entry-level data scientist positions start at about £40,000, while experienced professionals can earn over £100,000. Moreover, London accounts for about 40% of all data science job postings in the UK and the other big hotspots for data science jobs in the UK are Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh.
Q. What is the cost of studying for an MS in Data Science in the UK?
A. The average cost of pursuing an MS in Data Science in the UK is 21.88 L for the first year and the average living expenses range from £12,000 - £15,600 per year. Students can apply for scholarships in the UK to get some help with their budget. Based on their qualifications, they can either get a partially-funded or a fully-funded scholarship to study in the UK.
Q. Which popular institute is best for data science?
A. Imperial College London, University of Edinburgh, University College London, and London School of Economics and Political Science are some of the popular universities offering MS in Data Science in the UK.
Q. Is studying MS in the UK a good option?
A. Studying MS in the UK offers a highly regarded degree to international students. After recent changes in the new UK post-study visa policy, the UK has become a promising study destination among international students.
Q. What is the average salary a data science graduates get in the UK?
A. Data Science graduates on average can earn somewhere between £40,831 and £60,000 per year.
Q. Which Masters degree is most in demand in UK?
A. It's tricky to give a single "most in-demand" Masters degree, as the job market is complex. However, here are some consistently chosen degrees in the UK:
-
STEM fields:
- Computer Science: With technology booming, specializations like AI, cybersecurity, and data science are highly sought after.
- Engineering: Various branches (mechanical, civil, electrical) are needed for infrastructure and innovation.
- Healthcare: Nursing, medicine, and allied health professions are in constant demand due to an ageing population.
-
Business & Finance:
- MBA: Especially from top-tier schools, it opens doors to leadership and management roles.
At the University of Lancashire, international students can choose between over 350 undergraduate and around 200 postgraduate programs offered in leading fields of study. According to the historical data of the university's alumni, some of the most popular Lancashire University courses are:
Note: In the above pie chart, Others include Mathematics, Criminal Justice/Safety Studies, American/US Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence, Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, and Organizational Leadership.
If you are an international students applying for an UG or PG program available at the University of Lancashire, you can go through the various type of scholarships teh university provides and check their eligibility whichever suits you best. For example, the Ashwin Kagadia Scholarship helps high achieving studets from low income households and offers need based scholarships. Other example includes, the Care Leaver Bursary which supoorts students who have been estanged from their parents. Check out below UCLan Scholarships for international students:
Undergraduate Scholarships:
Scholarships | Eligibility |
|---|---|
Ashwin Kagdadia Scholarship | Supports high-achieving students from a low household income. |
Care Leaver Bursary | Students who need extra support because they have been in care or are estranged from their parents. |
Care-experienced and Estranged Student Graduation Bursary | Support students who are care-leavers or estranged from their family, to transition to employment of postgraduate study |
Carers Bursary | Provides extra support because you have unpaid caring responsibilities alongside your studies. |
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University of Lancashire accepts country-specific qualifications from overseas applicants. Indian candidates who wish to pursue their higher studies from the university, must meet the University of Lancashire admission requirements for Indian students listed below:
Undergraduate Requirements:
Graduate Requirements: