15 Best Data Science Courses for Beginners
We compared 15 Data Science courses currently listed on Coursera, Udemy and edX, priced from $24.99 to $299.00. 7 come from a named university or institution, including IBM, University of California, Irvine and Harvard University. They are ordered by our CourseAsk score, which is built from how thoroughly each course describes what it teaches, whether it comes from a named institution, and how it compares on price — not from star ratings, which our course data does not include.
- Courses compared
- 15
- Price range
- $24.99 – $299.00
- Providers
- Coursera, Udemy, edX
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
How these 15 courses were chosen
Every course below is a real, currently listed course from Coursera, Udemy, edX, matched to "data science" by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.
The grade on each entry scores how much the provider publishes about the course before you pay — the length and detail of the description, whether it lists learning outcomes and objectives — and whether a named university or institution stands behind it. A is fully documented and institution-backed; E is little more than a title and a price. Courses with almost nothing published are left ungraded rather than marked down, because an unknown course and a poor one are not the same thing.
There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $24.99 to $299.00, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Introduction to Data Science
Offered by IBM
Interested in learning more about data science, but don’t know where to start? This 4-course Specialization from IBM will provide you with the key foundational skills any data scientist needs to prepare you for a career...
$49.00listed price -
2
Data Science Fundamentals with Python and SQL
Offered by IBM
Data Science is one of the hottest professions of the decade, and the demand for data scientists who can analyze data and communicate results to inform data driven decisions has never been greater. This Specialization fr...
$49.00listed price -
3
Data Science Fundamentals
Offered by University of California, Irvine
This specialization demystifies data science and familiarizes learners with key data science skills, techniques, and concepts. The course begins with foundational concepts such as analytics taxonomy, the Cross-Industry S...
$49.00listed price -
4
Data Science & EDA: Global Conflict Project from Scratch
Welcome to "Data Science & EDA: Global Conflict Project from Scratch"Master Data Science Skills, Analyze Global Conflicts, cluster & visualize real-world crisis data with Python & ChatGPTThis course empowers...
$199.99listed price -
5
Introduction to Data Science Techniques
Offered by Illinois Tech
This specialization introduces learners to essential data science techniques, including time series analysis, statistical learning, and data preparation. Learners will develop foundational skills in data exploration, cle...
$49.00listed price -
6
Fundamentals of Data Science and Machine Learning
The course Fundamentals Data Science and Machine Learning is a meticulously designed program that provides a comprehensive understanding of the theory, techniques, and practical applications of data science and machine l...
$24.99listed price -
7
The Data Science Course: From Beginner to Advanced
Embark on a transformative journey into the world of Data Science with our comprehensive course, meticulously designed to take you from foundational concepts to advanced techniques, equipping you with the skills demanded...
$39.99listed price -
8
Mastering Data Science and Machine Learning Fundamentals
Embark on a Journey into the World of Data Science and Machine Learning!Welcome to the Mastering Data Science & Machine Learning Fundamentals for Beginners course, a comprehensive and illuminating exploration of the...
$199.99listed price -
9
Data Science Fundamentals, Part 1
Offered by Pearson
Designed for aspiring data scientists, engineers, and researchers, this hands-on program guides you through the entire data science process—from acquiring and transforming real-world data to building, validating, and dep...
$49.00listed price -
10
Introduction to Data Science with Python
Offered by Harvard University
Learn the concepts and techniques that make up the foundation of data science and machine learning.
$299.00listed price -
11
IBM Introduction to Machine Learning
Offered by IBM
Machine learning skills are becoming more and more essential in the modern job market. In 2019, Machine Learning Engineer was ranked as the #1 job in the United States, based on the incredible 344% growth of job openings...
$49.00listed price -
12
Classification - Fundamentals & Practical Applications
Offered by Corporate Finance Institute
Classification problems are one of the most common scenarios we face in data science. This course will help you understand and apply common algorithms to make predictions and drive decision-making in business. Whether yo...
$49.00listed price -
13
Introduction to Big Data
Offered by University of California San Diego
Interested in increasing your knowledge of the Big Data landscape? This course is for those new to data science and interested in understanding why the Big Data Era has come to be. It is for those who want to become conv...
$59.00listed price -
14
Introduction to Linear Algebra and Python
Offered by Howard University
This course is the first of a series that is designed for beginners who want to learn how to apply basic data science concepts to real-world problems. You might be a student who is considering pursuing a career in data s...
$49.00listed price -
15
Fundamentals of Data Visualization
Offered by University of Colorado Boulder
Data is everywhere. Charts, graphs, and other types of information visualizations help people to make sense of this data. This course explores the design, development, and evaluation of such information visualizations. B...
$99.00listed price
Best Data Science Courses for Beginners compared
Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.
What the prices here tell you
The 15 priced courses on this page run from $24.99 to $299.00, with the middle of the range around $49.00 — a spread of $274.01. That is a wide gap for one subject. A higher price on this page usually reflects who is behind the course rather than how much material it contains, so it is worth opening two or three at different price points and comparing their syllabus before deciding.
Who is behind these courses
These courses come from Coursera, Udemy and edX. The platforms differ in how they sell: some charge once per course, others expect a subscription, and the listed price is not always what you pay at checkout after a promotion. 7 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including IBM, University of California, Irvine and Harvard University — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.
Before you enrol
Open the provider’s own page and check three things this comparison cannot tell you: when the course was last updated, what the syllabus actually covers in its later sections, and what recent learners say. Prices shown here are the provider’s listed price when we last rebuilt this page on 18 September 2026 — they change often, and a promotion can move them substantially. We earn a commission if you enrol through our links, which costs you nothing and never affects the order courses appear in.