Baseball stats sparked his path to data science

Baseball.

That’s what first sparked Collin Clark’s interest in applied statistics and data science.

“Baseball is the perfect sport for any stat head to get lost in,” he said. “I started as a kid playing sports video games, checking player stats and picking my team. That eventually developed into something I wanted to pursue.”

Clark found his perfect pathway at The University of Texas at Arlington. He’s among the early cohort of students pursuing a master’s degree in applied statistics and data science, a College of Science program launched in fall 2023. The job outlook for data scientists is strong, with a projected 34% growth rate from 2024-34—much faster than average—and a median salary of $112,590, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

After 18 months in the program, Clark will earn his degree and walk the graduation stage on Friday as one of 40 expected graduates in the program. He’ll also be a second-generation Maverick—his mother, Gretchen, earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2012.

“My mom did her undergrad when I was in fourth grade and my brother was in second grade,” Clark said. “I’m doing a full-time job and full-time school—I don’t get much sleep. I can’t imagine how she managed it. It must’ve been so much harder.”

UTA has consistently met its students’ needs, something the Clarks can testify to despite the 13-year gap between graduation dates. With commencement approaching, we sat down with Clark to talk about his experience in the program and what’s ahead.

What drew you to the applied statistics and data science program?

Clark: I earned my bachelor’s in mathematics from Texas Tech, and stats was my favorite class. That’s where I originally wanted to go and data science is trending right now, so it seemed fun to get on that train. It’s also a good way to get introduced to coding in a way that’s approachable and not intimidating—because coding was very intimidating to me. Not so much anymore, but it was.

How has your comfort with coding grown at UTA?

Clark: In my cohort, it was me and one other student with a math background. Most of my classmates came from computer science. For me, it’s been a good way to apply the math skills I’ve learned into coding skills for Python, R, SAS, SQL. For a lot of the computer science people in our program, they get to use their computer science skills and apply them to math they haven’t learned before. So, it’s good for both sides.

What would you tell prospective students about UTA and this program?

Clark: I’ve really enjoyed the people I’ve met here, especially in the Math Learning Resource Center. My old high school math teacher, Jeff Tschoepe, runs the math clinic as a learning resource coordinator. It’s super open and very inviting; there’s a lot of encouragement for student interaction. I’ve been able to make friendships and acquaintances easily here. I’d say it’s a very welcoming environment.

You grew up in nearby Azle. How was UTA viewed then, and what do you think now?

Clark: UTA was known as a commuter school, but it definitely doesn’t have a commuter school feel now. I also like that it's very walkable. I love the architecture here, too.

What’s next after graduation?

Clark: As far as work is concerned, I’d like to be doing something with machine learning. We’re learning about NLP (natural language processing) and programming right now, and it’s super interesting to me. I’d also love to get my Ph.D. someday.