Mathematician and Statistician Salaries

The median annual wage for mathematicians is $105,810. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $54,890, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $160,310.

The median annual wage for statisticians is $80,500. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $46,500, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $130,090.

The median annual wages for mathematicians in the top industries in which they work are as follows:

The median annual wages for statisticians in the top industries in which they work are as follows:

Most mathematicians and statisticians work full time. Deadlines and last-minute requests for data or analysis may require overtime. In addition, these workers may travel to attend seminars and conferences.

Job Outlook for Mathematicians and Statisticians

Overall employment of mathematicians and statisticians is projected to grow 33 percent over the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will vary by occupation.

Employment of statisticians is projected to grow 33 percent over the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth is expected to result from more widespread use of statistical analysis to make informed business, healthcare, and policy decisions. In addition, the large increase in available data from the Internet will open up new areas for analysis.

Employment of mathematicians is projected to grow 29 percent over the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations. However, because it is a small occupation, the fast growth will result in only about 900 new jobs over the 10-year period. The amount of digitally stored data will increase over the next decade as more people and companies conduct business online and use social media, smartphones, and other mobile devices. As a result, businesses will increasingly need mathematicians to analyze the large amount of information and data collected. Analyses will help companies improve their business processes, design and develop new products, and even advertise products to potential customers.

In addition, mathematicians and statisticians will be needed in the scientific research and development services and pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industries. The aging of the U.S. population is expected to prompt pharmaceutical companies to develop new treatments and medical technologies. Biostatisticians will be needed to conduct the research and clinical trials necessary for companies to obtain approval for their products from the Food and Drug Administration.

Job Prospects for Mathematicians and Statisticians

Job prospects for mathematicians and statisticians are projected to be very good. An increasing number of jobs over the next decade will require high levels of mathematical and statistical knowledge. Job opportunities are expected to be favorable for those with very strong quantitative and data analysis skills. Computer programming skills will remain important to many employers, as will be keeping up with new statistical methods and programming languages.

Many candidates with a background in advanced mathematical techniques and modeling also may find good job opportunities in other, closely related fields.

In addition to technical skills, applicants with strong communication skills and the ability to interpret and present their data and findings will have stronger job prospects.