General Applied Math

Types of Degrees General Applied Math Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	3,265
Master’s Degree	997
Doctor’s Degree	266
Graduate Certificate	30
Basic Certificate	19
Undergraduate Certificate	4
Associate Degree	1

What General Applied Math Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, general applied math majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for General Applied Math Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• 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 General Applied Math Majors

A major in general applied math prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• 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.

Abilities for General Applied Math Majors

A major in general applied math will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
• 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).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

What Can You Do With a General Applied Math Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with general applied math:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Actuaries	22.5%	$102,880
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
Statisticians	33.9%	$87,780

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in General Applied Math?

This major attracts more men than women. About 63% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of general applied math majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	650
Black or African American	72
Hispanic or Latino	308
White	1,122
International Students	896
Other Races/Ethnicities	217

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in General Applied Math. About 27.4% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to General Applied Math

Some degrees associated with general applied math may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to general applied math have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree	29.7%
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.	7.1%
Master’s Degree	31.0%
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.	4.1%
Doctoral Degree	23.9%
Post-Doctoral Training	4.3%

Online General Applied Math 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)	1	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	1	0
Bachelor’s Degree	19	4
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	100	1
Post-Master’s	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	53	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to General Applied Math

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to general applied math.

Major	Number of Grads
Financial Mathematics	5,552
Computational & Applied Mathematics	786
Computational Mathematics	399
Other Applied Mathematics	280
Mathematical Biology	36

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 Steven G. Johnson under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.