Stata vs SAS

The academic's statistical Swiss Army knife meets the enterprise behemoth of stats. Here's our take.

Stata

Nice Pick

The academic's statistical Swiss Army knife. Powerful, but with a syntax that feels like it's from the '90s.

Pros

• Excellent for econometrics and panel data analysis
• Strong data management capabilities with built-in commands
• Widely used in academia, ensuring good community support

Cons

• Proprietary and expensive, especially for commercial use
• Syntax can be clunky and less intuitive compared to modern alternatives

SAS

The enterprise behemoth of stats. Powerful, expensive, and about as agile as a glacier.

Pros

• Rock-solid for handling massive datasets with complex statistical models
• Extensive library of pre-built procedures for advanced analytics
• Strong support and documentation for enterprise environments

Cons

• Proprietary licensing costs an arm and a leg
• SAS language feels archaic compared to modern open-source alternatives like R or Python

The Verdict

Use Stata if: You want excellent for econometrics and panel data analysis and can live with proprietary and expensive, especially for commercial use.

Use SAS if: You prioritize rock-solid for handling massive datasets with complex statistical models over what Stata offers.

The Bottom Line

Stata wins

The academic's statistical Swiss Army knife. Powerful, but with a syntax that feels like it's from the '90s.