17 BEST Data Science Books

Data Science is the area where insightful data is extracted with the use of algorithms, various scientific methods and processes. To pursue this field, one needs to have in-depth knowledge of data science and data structure as one has to discover hidden patterns in the raw data. Today, data science has become a highly paid domain in the industry, and there are many skilled data scientists that the market needs. If you want to enter this field, you can do it by pursuing a BCA degree with a specialisation in Data Science. 

Apart from the BCA course, you may d also gain knowledge from different data science books. Hence, we have covered 17 best data science books to read that enhance your skills needed in this domain.

BCA Degree in Data Science

To become a data scientist, enrolling in the BCA program would be a better choice. Bachelor in Computer Application or BCA course in Data Science is a 3 years undergraduate program in mathematical sciences and computers. The eligibility to get admission in the BCA course is the candidate should have completed high school, that is, 10+2 with a minimum of 50%. Apart from that, one should be able to clear the college entrance test to get admission to a BCA degree program in Data Science. 

The subjects covered in this course are 

• Computer networks: It deals with various computer networks, their architecture and network security.
• Big data analytics: This is an advanced analytical technique of bifurcating different kinds of data from various sources.
• Discrete mathematics: Under this subject, candidates are taught to deal with objects that can assume only distinct and separated values.
• Introduction to data mining: Candidates learn to extract patterns and other useful information from large data files.
• Python programming: It is an object-oriented, interpreted and high-level programming language that is taught under a BCA degree.
• Machine learning: Under this subject, students are taught to work and handle the AI models so that the computer can work without giving any instruction by using algorithms.
• Database management: It teaches the manipulation of data in such a way that the organisations' conditions are met during the lifecycle of data. 
• Data modelling and visualisation:  It is the subject that teaches to map and visualise all the places in the software the data is stored so that they can bring them together.
• Statistics and probability: It is the crucial concept of Maths that is taught to handle major data in this degree course.

Once you have completed your BCA course in Data Science, you can easily apply for the Business analyst, Data scientist, Statistician and Software engineer job profile. The average data scientist salary in India that you can expect after completing this course is INR 6,00,000.

As you look keen to pursue a BCA course in Data Science, we have curated the list of top colleges in India to enrol in.

College Name	Eligibility	Average Fees (INR)
Apex University	Passed in Class 12 with Mathematics/ Business Mathematics as one of the main subjects	1-3.20 lakh
Poornima University	Passed 10+2 from a recognised board	3-4 lakh
KL University	10+2 with minimum 50% of marks	1-2 lakh
SAGE University	Passed 10+2 with Mathematics as a compulsory subject	3-4 lakh
VELS Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies	Passed 10+2 from a recognised board with min. 50% marks	3,00,000
Vivekanand Global University	Candidates must have passed 10+2 with Mathematics as one of the subjects from the recognised board	3,22,000
BS Abdur Rahman Institute of Science Technology	Passed 10+2 from a recognised board	2,55,000
Teerthanker Mahaveer College of Computing Sciences and Information Technology	Candidate must have passed 10+2 examination in any discipline with 50% marks from a recognised board	1,38,000

Difference Between Data Science and Data Analytics

Often people confuse themself with Data Science and Data Analytics, though these terms have a significant difference.

• They might be used interchangeably but the work of a data analyst is to combine the insightful findings that can help the organisation. 
• Whereas data scientists connect the data points and information that can be used by the organisation. 
• They are good at capturing the data, but a data analyst has to bring something useful to the table through the captured data.

Best Data Science Books To Read

As you seem interested in learning a Data Science course, here is a list of knowledgeable data science books that will skyrocket your expertise in this area. Read this curated table of 17 top books for data science and build your career in the field of Data Science.

Book Title	Author Name	Latest Edition	Publisher	Cost (INR) (Paperback)	Description
Data Science from Scratch	Joel Grus	2nd	O’Reilly	3,468	It helps you learn maths and statistics which are crucial to know while you pursue data science.
Data Science for Dummies	Lillian Pierson	-	John Wiley & Sons	2,979	This referred book covers all the areas of expansive data science space.
Designing Data-Intensive Applications	Martin Kleppmann	1st	O’Reilly Media	1,750	Learn about the drawbacks and benefits of various technologies for processing and storing data.
Big Data	Viktor Mayer- Schonberger	Reprint	Harper Business	1,085	It explains the practical and optimistic look of the Big Data revolution.
Storytelling with Data	Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic	1st	Wiley	3,590	It explains how effectively you can communicate with data and the fundamentals of data visualisation.
Practical Statistics for Data Scientists	Peter Bruce	1st	O’Reilly	5,176	It helps you in applying various statistical methods in data science and explains what’s important and what’s not.
Data Science and Big Data Analytics	EMC Education Services	1st	Wiley	2,098	It covers the activities, methods and tools used by data scientists.
Data Science for Business	Foster Provost	1st	O’Reilly	2,967	Explains the fundamental principles of data science and helps in improving the communication between data scientists and business stakeholders.
Head First Statistics	Dawn Griffiths	1st	O’Reilly	2,497	This book helps you understand statistics with the help of puzzles, real-world examples, stories and quizzes.
R for Data Science	Hadley Wickham	1st	O’Reilly	3,238	It helps you to understand the steps of exploring, importing, and modelling data along with communicating the results.
Hands-on Machine Learning	Aurelien Geron	2nd	Shroff/O’Reilly	3,000	It clarifies the concepts and tools for building an intelligent system.
Python for Data Analysis	Wes Mckinney	2nd	O’Reilly	8,517	In this book, you learn the latest version of pandas, Jupyter, IPython and NumbPy. Also, it consists of case studies explaining how to solve common data analysis problems.
Introduction to Machine Learning with Python	Andreas C. Mueller	1st	O’Reilly	3,472	It teaches the necessary steps to create successful machine learning applications with Python.
Practical Data Science with R	Nina Zumel	1st	Manning Publications	6,399	It explains basic principles by using real use cases and you can apply R programming language and statistical analysis techniques.
Thinking with Data	Max Shron	1st	O’Reilly	2,083	One can learn to build more useful arguments and can explore data-specific patterns of reasoning.
The Data Science Handbook	Field Cady	1st	Wiley	3,553	Good for entry-level students as they can learn big data software tools and data analysis methodology.
An Introduction to Statistical Learning	Gareth James	7th	Springer	1,494	Along with relevant applications, this book consists of modelling, colour graphics, prediction techniques and real-world examples.

Explore these recommended books for data science and take your data science knowledge to the next level.

Conclusion

As you enter the year 2023, we hope that these data science books help you to understand the basics and venture into the world of data science. Each data science book mentioned above can help you sharpen your skills and get acquainted with this subject. While self-learning is always appreciated, a full-time course will help you to become a better data scientist and for that, you need a roadmap for data science course. Enrol in the BCA course through Sunstone and get guidance from industry experts and top recruiters.

Choose Sunstone to make your professional portfolio that increases your chances of getting placed in a brand by 200%.

FAQ - Data Science Books

Can I learn Data Science from books?

You can understand a little theoretical part of Data Science, but no, you cannot learn Data Science from books. You’ll have to opt for a full-fledged course like BCA in Data Science or BTech to become a data scientist.