Data Scientist Report 2017

As AI and machine learning become hot topics beyond tech circles, the role of the data scientist is more crucial than ever. For our 2017 Data Scientist Report, we polled nearly 200 data scientists across a variety of industries to learn how they spend their time, gauge job satisfaction levels, and identify obstacles to success.

This year, we've included data on data itself: what kinds of sources data scientists work with, how much, and where it comes from. We also dive into the relationship between data and algorithms. And, as AI becomes a part of the larger cultural conversation, we ask data scientists to comment on some of the biggest trends in AI.

Report Insights

• Data scientists continue to spend the most amount of their time on the work they like the least -- namely collecting, labeling, cleaning, and organizing data.
• Data scientists are happier than ever. 88% report being happy or very happy in their roles (although 3% would rather be rockstars).
• The market for data scientists is red hot. 89% of data scientists are contacted for new job opportunities at least once a month.
• If 2016 was the year of the algorithm, 2017 is the time for training data’s turn in the spotlight. 28% of data scientists would rather break a leg than accidentally delete their training data.