Data science (US)
Can I get a data scientist job on OPT?
Short answer
Yes. OPT is work authorization of its own, so an employer does not have to sponsor you to hire you as a data scientist on it, as long as the role relates to your degree. 80 entry-level US data science roles are open on realanalystjobs.com on 7 November 2026; 71 of them do not rule out sponsorship and 9 say they will not sponsor. 62 are at employers with an H-1B record.
Optional practical training (OPT) is temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student's major area of study.
What the board shows today
Entry level means the posting states an entry level or uses junior or graduate title words, and never a senior title. 43 of the 71 roles that do not rule out sponsorship are at employers we matched by name to E-Verify's public employer list.
Most data science postings ask for a graduate degree or a few years of experience, so the entry-level list is short compared with the whole data science list.
STEM OPT
A STEM OPT extension needs an employer enrolled in E-Verify that signs a training plan with you (Form I-983). Employers choose which hiring sites use E-Verify, so confirm the site you would join and check the company's E-Verify number on your Form I-983. Whether your degree qualifies is for your school's DSO to confirm.
Where the numbers come from
Every number on this page is computed from the live analyst roles on realanalystjobs.com on 7 November 2026, read from the employers' own career pages and re-checked daily, and it updates as roles open and close. H-1B figures come from the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub (data as of 2026-06-30). Nothing is estimated or projected.
Sources
- Employers' own careers pages: Every live role and what its posting says about sponsorship, checked 7 November 2026. Each role links to its posting.
- USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub: Approved H-1B workers per employer, data as of 30 June 2026.
- USCIS, Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students: Quoted rule text, checked 7 November 2026.
Frequently asked
Can I get a data scientist job on OPT?
Yes. OPT is work authorization of its own, so an employer does not have to sponsor you to hire you as a data scientist on it, as long as the role relates to your degree. 80 entry-level US data science roles are open on realanalystjobs.com on 7 November 2026; 71 of them do not rule out sponsorship and 9 say they will not sponsor. 62 are at employers with an H-1B record.
Do I need sponsorship to start a data scientist job on OPT?
No. Sponsorship matters later, for an H-1B. Postings that say they will not sponsor can still hire you on OPT, but the job would likely end when your OPT does.
Where does the data come from?
Roles are read daily from employers' career pages; H-1B approvals from the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub and LCAs from DOL OFLC disclosure data, matched by company name.
See the roles
Browse every live analyst role.
Pulled from company career pages, re-checked daily. Free to browse.
