In a world that is generating ever-increasing amounts of digital information, the data science minor is MSU’s latest effort to prepare a new generation of professionals who can use computers to solve problems, according to John Paxton, director of the Gianforte School of Computing in MSU’s Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering.

According to Paxton, data science is one of the hottest jobs in the computer science field, with thousands of job openings nationwide and starting salaries of around $100,000. He routinely sees job postings seeking data science professionals for hospitals, universities and high-tech companies.