What Is the Best Way to Learn R Programming?

The best way to learn R programming depends on your professional goals, availability, learning preferences, and cost considerations. R was specially designed for statistical computing and graphical representation, meaning it can offer you a powerful way to handle complex data sets and uncover meaningful insights within your field.

Whether you’re an existing professional looking to enhance your toolkit or you’re interested in exploring a new field, learning, degree programs, short courses, or self-guided programs could help you build impressive skills that set you apart.

What is R programming?

R is an open-source programming language primarily designed for statistical analysis, data manipulation, and data visualization. Unlike more general-purpose languages, statisticians looking to simplify data cleaning and analysis created R. 

One of the great things about learning R is that the skills you learn can transfer with you across fields. You can also explore different packages as your professional goals and roles continue to evolve.

How long does it take to learn programming?

Generally speaking, people can usually learn the basics in as little as three to six months, while learning more advanced concepts can take closer to a year or more. However, because technology evolves at such a rapid pace, many programmers consider their craft a lifelong learning process. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the length of time it will take you to learn to program depends on how much time you can devote to it regularly. 

Two additional factors to consider are your starting point and end goal. If you’re starting from scratch and hoping to enter an advanced career in this area, you might pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree in computer science for a comprehensive foundation. This learning process takes several years. Degree programs are only one option, though. If you’re looking for more targeted skills with a faster timeline, boot camps, online courses, and self-guided learning options can provide you with faster pathways to learning programming basics. 

What is the best way to learn R programming?

The best method to learn R programming depends on your timeline and professional goals. It also depends on your personal learning style, which can affect the best time and format for your studies. When it comes to coding, learning by doing—a style known as kinesthetic—is often integrated into other elements to help you gain proficiency and fundamental knowledge as quickly as possible.

Self-guided learning, online courses, boot camps, and other training options often feature a similar basic framework. Generally, you’ll want to start with R foundations and packages, put your skills into practice, and use available resources to enhance your skills. You can do this through a number of avenues, such as the following.

Complete a degree

A degree is the most comprehensive option for learning R programming, as computer science or related degree programs typically teach both theoretical and practical applications and often provide many opportunities to practice what you learn. However, this option has a more lengthy admissions process and requires more financial resources and a longer time commitment. 

If you’re not sure exactly what you want your career to be, a degree can provide a space to explore different options and create a foundation that some employers prefer during the hiring process. Degrees can also offer networking opportunities and even job placement assistance, not to mention higher-paying positions. That being said, sometimes experience can replace education when it comes to job applications in this space.

Choose an R boot camp

While less comprehensive than a degree program, you can also effectively learn R through boot camps. Boot camps last several months, often have full-time and part-time options, and cost significantly less than a degree program. Boot camps are typically fast-paced, and they’re focused on delivering targeted, high-impact training in a specific area. If you’re interested in learning as much as possible in a short timeframe, or you have particular skills you want to learn for your current position, boot camps can provide a great pathway.

Take an online course

Another great option to learn R is an online course. Learning platforms like Coursera offer various program options to help you learn R, no matter what your skill level is. These courses are online, flexible, and affordable, making them a great choice if you want to see what you like without a huge commitment or learn a specific skill quickly. For example, the Data Analysis with R Programming by Google is a great beginner course to learn fundamentals in one to three months, or you can take the more extensive Data Science: Foundations using R Specialization from Johns Hopkins for a three to six-month learning option.

Work on personal projects

Once you’ve learned a few concepts, putting your skills into practice is an important part of learning R. You can find free resources online that provide source code and instructions. This helps you try out different applications and identify areas where you may want to learn more. 

Explore free resources online

By poking around online, you can find free resources and communities to help you build your R skills. Thanks to the open-source nature of R, a vast network of professionals continually adds to available resources, including new packages, documentation, and exercises. You can also join communities like those on daily.dev and GitHub to learn from other professionals and ask questions.

Career options for R

Learning R can set you up for a variety of careers that use statistical knowledge, such as those in data science, analytics, architecture, and administration. If you go deeper into more advanced skills, you can specialize in areas such as machine learning or software development. 

Jobs in these fields tend to earn well above the national average, with data scientists earning a median of $112,590 per year, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics [1]. Database administrators and architects aren’t far behind, earning an annual median salary of $123,100 [2]. As a specialist, you also bring in a nice salary. For example, software developers earn a median salary of $133,080 annually [3]. Your industry and experience will have a big impact on your opportunities and salary expectations, so taking the time to learn R in a way that makes sense for your career goals can set you up for long-term success.

Learn R programming with Coursera

The best way to learn R programming is the way that works best for your career goals, available time, resources, and learning style. To try out R programming and explore how it might fit into your professional goals, consider exciting options on Coursera. You can complete the IBM Data Analytics with Excel and R Professional Certificate to earn a job-ready credential. In this program, you can learn how to perform data analysis, including data preparation, statistical analysis, and predictive modeling using R, R Studio, and Jupyter.