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Mathematics & Statistics

Types of Degrees Mathematics & Statistics Majors Are Earning

Those studying Mathematics & Statistics may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	10
Associate’s Degree	4,433
Bachelor’s Degree	27,586
Master’s Degree	13,174
Doctor’s Degree	2,054

What Mathematics & Statistics Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Mathematics & Statistics build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Mathematics & Statistics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Mathematics & Statistics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Mathematics & Statistics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Mathematics & Statistics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Mathematics & Statistics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Mathematics & Statistics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Structured query language SQL	Data base user interface and query software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
StataCorp Stata	Analytical or scientific software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Mathematics & Statistics graduates include:

• Data Analyst
• Clinical Data Coordinator
• Research Scientist
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Clinical Project Manager
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Research Analyst
• Clinical Trial Manager
• Clinical Study Manager
• Clinical Research Director
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Clinical Trial Coordinator
• Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
• Clinical Research Coordinator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Mathematics & Statistics graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	53.5%
Master’s degree	22.0%
Doctoral degree	6.5%
Post-doctoral training	3.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.7%
Postsecondary certificate	2.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.6%
Some college courses	2.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.6%
First professional degree	0.7%
Post-master’s certificate	0.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Mathematics & Statistics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 62.8% of Mathematics & Statistics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	17,590	37.2%
Men	29,680	62.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Mathematics & Statistics graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	17,791	37.6%
Asian	6,689	14.2%
Hispanic or Latino	5,230	11.1%
Black or African American	1,295	2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	81	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	34	0.1%
Two or More Races	1,622	3.4%
Race Unknown	1,212	2.6%
International Students	13,316	28.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Mathematics & Statistics Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Mathematics & Statistics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$58,194
4 years	$69,956
5 years	$81,225

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $81,225 — roughly 40% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Mathematics & Statistics Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Mathematics & Statistics. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	36	26
Bachelor’s	24	43
Master’s	46	54
Doctoral (Research)	1	4

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Mathematics & Statistics Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Mathematics & Statistics graduates earn a median of $69,956 four years after completion — roughly 84% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.