Stata vs SPSS

The academic's statistical Swiss Army knife meets the statistical swiss army knife for people who think coding is scary, but still want to sound smart at conferences. 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

SPSS

The statistical Swiss Army knife for people who think coding is scary, but still want to sound smart at conferences.

Pros

• Point-and-click interface makes complex stats accessible to non-programmers
• Robust data management and visualization tools built-in
• Widely used in academia and industry, so support and tutorials are plentiful

Cons

• Expensive licensing can be a barrier for individuals or small teams
• Syntax language feels clunky compared to modern 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 SPSS if: You prioritize point-and-click interface makes complex stats accessible to non-programmers 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.