Data science courses in New Zealand
Square1 Ai is an online school, registered in Sri Lanka. It runs five live data science bootcamps (Data Science, Data Analyst with AI, Data Engineering with AI, Analytics Engineer and ML Engineer), each twelve weeks on Zoom with one instructor and 10 projects you keep, for NZ$249; self-paced courses start at NZ$49. New Zealand students join the Australian cohorts: weekday evenings from 8:30 PM New Zealand time (6:30 PM in Sydney), with full-day sessions at weekends.
Founding price, half the NZ$499 standard, until 1 December. Self-paced courses from NZ$49.
The Data Science Bootcamp handbook
The twelve weeks, the 10 projects and what the roles pay, in one PDF. Free: tell us where to send it.
What data roles pay in New Zealand
Annual base salary in New Zealand, from Payscale (read 29 October 2026). The range is the middle half of reported salaries, and each row shows how many salary profiles it rests on.
| Role | Median a year | Middle half | Train for it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business analystPayscale92 salary profiles | NZ$92,000 | NZ$80,100 to NZ$102,200 | Data Analyst with AI |
| BI analystPayscale21 salary profiles | NZ$83,600 | NZ$71,100 to NZ$97,500 | Analytics Engineer, Data Analyst with AI |
| Data engineerPayscale47 salary profiles | NZ$83,400 | NZ$70,500 to NZ$107,400 | Data Engineering with AI |
| Data scientistPayscale35 salary profiles | NZ$83,200 | NZ$67,200 to NZ$119,300 | Data Science |
| Data analystPayscale144 salary profiles | NZ$73,000 | NZ$65,800 to NZ$84,600 | Data Analyst with AI, Analytics Engineer |
Salaries are what employers in New Zealand report paying, not what Square1 Ai students earn: the first cohorts have not graduated.
Bootcamps that fit a working week in New Zealand.
Twelve weeks each, weekday evenings and weekend days, 25 spots a cohort. Reserving a seat holds the founding price.
Data science courses in New Zealand, side by side
Data science courses you can take in New Zealand in 2026, with their length, how they are taught and the fee each provider lists.
| Course | Length | How it is taught | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Science and AI ProgrammeInstitute of Data | 12 weeks full time or 24 part time | Live online or in person | $16,500 (currency not named) |
| Postgraduate Certificate in Data ScienceUniversity of Auckland Online | About 1 year part time | Online, part time | $5,773 incl. GST (2026 estimate) |
| Master of Applied Data ScienceUniversity of Canterbury | 1 to 1.5 years full time | Online, or on campus in Christchurch | $14,963 domestic tuition (2026 estimate) |
| Live data bootcamps (5 tracks)Square1 Ai | 12 weeks, about 15 hours a week | Live online, weekday evenings from 8:30 PM NZ time and weekend days | NZ$249 (founding price) |
Fees and lengths as each provider lists them on its own site, checked 29 October 2026. Ask the provider for the current intake before you pay.
Four ways into data science in New Zealand
Each fits a different person. The right one depends on whether you need a degree, a university name, a free start or a portfolio.
- Route 1
A degree or master's
Fits when You want a formal qualification in data science, or the theory in depth.
Watch for Years of study and a large fee; check how much of it uses the tools teams work with now.
- Route 2
A university or institute short course
Fits when You want a known name on a short data science course, online or on campus.
Watch for Most are a few weeks and teach concepts; ask whether you build and deploy something.
- Route 3
A free or funded programme
Fits when You want to try data science before paying for anything.
Watch for Good for basics; nobody reviews your work, so you still need projects to show.
- Route 4
A live online bootcamp
Fits when You are working and want a job-shaped portfolio in twelve weeks, taught live on New Zealand time.
Watch for Square1 Ai's bootcamps are new and not accredited: the first cohorts have not graduated, so there is no placement rate yet.
Questions people in New Zealand ask about data science
Which data science course is best in New Zealand?
It depends on what you need. Institute of Data's Data Science and AI Programme lists $16,500 (currency not named) and University of Auckland Online's Postgraduate Certificate in Data Science lists $5,773 incl. GST (2026 estimate); the table above lists each one's length and fee. If you are working and want a portfolio an employer can check, Square1 Ai's twelve-week live bootcamps are NZ$249 at the founding price.
How much does a data science course cost in New Zealand?
A Square1 Ai live data science bootcamp is NZ$249, the founding price until 1 December (the standard price is NZ$499), and a self-paced course is NZ$49. Other providers' fees are in the table above.
What does a data engineer earn in New Zealand?
Payscale puts the median base salary for a data engineer in New Zealand at NZ$83,400 a year, with the middle half between NZ$70,500 and NZ$107,400, from 47 salary profiles.
Data science or data analysis: which should I start with?
If you are new to code, start with data analysis: SQL, spreadsheets and dashboards that answer a manager's question. Data science adds Python, statistics and models on top. The free skill check places you in one or the other.
Do I need to know Python before I start?
Not for the Data Analyst bootcamp. The Data Science, Data Engineering and ML Engineer bootcamps expect some Python; the self-paced Python for AI course covers what you need first.
Can I learn data science online in New Zealand while working full time?
Yes. New Zealand students join the Australian cohorts: weekday evenings from 8:30 PM New Zealand time (6:30 PM in Sydney), with full-day sessions at weekends. The work between sessions is graded by Nova, Square1 Ai's AI tutor, whenever you submit it. Plan for about fifteen hours a week across the twelve weeks.
Is it NZQA approved, and do Fees Free or StudyLink cover it?
No. Square1 Ai is not an NZQA-registered provider and its bootcamps are not NZQA-approved qualifications, so Fees Free, StudyLink loans and allowances do not apply. You leave with 10 deployed projects and a recorded defence of your work.
Does the bootcamp guarantee a job?
No. No placement rate is published because the first cohorts have not graduated. You leave with 10 projects an employer can open and run, a recorded defence of your work, and a hiring plan worked through with your instructor.
How do I pay?
Reserving a seat is free and takes your name, email and country. Nothing is charged until the start date is confirmed and you say yes.
25 spots a cohort. Hold one on New Zealand time.
Pick a bootcamp, reserve with your name and email, and hear the start date first. Nothing is charged until you confirm.