Mathematics & Statistics

Types of Degrees Mathematics & Statistics Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many mathematics & statistics graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	29,912
Master’s Degree	13,187
Associate Degree	3,874
Doctor’s Degree	2,106
Basic Certificate	458
Graduate Certificate	419
Undergraduate Certificate	14

What Mathematics & Statistics Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to mathematics & statistics were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Mathematics & Statistics Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in mathematics & statistics should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Skills for Mathematics & Statistics Majors

When studying mathematics & statistics, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Mathematics & Statistics Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a mathematics & statistics student include the following:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Mathematics & Statistics Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with mathematics & statistics:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Actuaries	22.5%	$102,880
Bioinformatics Scientists	8.0%	$79,590
Biostatisticians	33.9%	$87,780
Clinical Data Managers	33.9%	$87,780
Clinical Research Coordinators	9.9%	$123,860
Environmental Economists	6.1%	$104,340
Financial Quantitative Analysts	9.6%	$70,280
Investment Underwriters	9.6%	$70,280
Mathematical Science Occupations	9.1%	NA
Mathematical Science Professors	9.4%	$73,230
Mathematicians	29.0%	$101,900
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Risk Management Specialists	9.6%	$70,280
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	7.5%	$60,320
Statisticians	33.9%	$87,780
Survey Researchers	2.1%	$57,700
Water Resource Specialists	9.9%	$123,860

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics & Statistics?

This major attracts more men than women. About 61% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of mathematics & statistics majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	4,441
Black or African American	942
Hispanic or Latino	3,035
White	13,234
International Students	6,288
Other Races/Ethnicities	1,972

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Mathematics & Statistics, too. About 21.0% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Mathematics & Statistics

Some careers associated with mathematics & statistics require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for mathematics & statistics careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.2%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	0.5%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	0.5%
Some College Courses	0.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	38.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	5.8%
Master’s Degree	28.0%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	1.1%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	1.6%
Doctoral Degree	17.4%
Post-Doctoral Training	5.8%

Online Mathematics & Statistics Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	36	4
Certificate (2-4 Years)	4	0
Associate’s Degree	602	60
Bachelor’s Degree	308	70
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	1,564	86
Post-Master’s	52	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	688	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	2	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Mathematics & Statistics

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to mathematics & statistics.

Major	Number of Grads
Engineering	198,720
Biological & Biomedical Sciences	180,784
Engineering Technologies	86,188
Agriculture & Agriculture Operations	51,081
Physical Sciences	47,709
Natural Resources & Conservation	32,106
Architecture & Related Services	19,716
Science Technologies / Technicians	6,771
Military Technologies & Applied Sciences	4,568

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By brewbooks under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.