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Statistics & Probability

Types of Degrees Statistics & Probability Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Statistics & Probability have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	261
Master’s Degree	171
Doctor’s Degree	26

What Statistics & Probability Majors Need to Know

Studies in Statistics & Probability emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Statistics & Probability graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Statistics & Probability emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set developed in a Statistics & Probability program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Mathematics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Statistics & Probability careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematical Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.7 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.6 / 7
Processing Information	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

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

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Structured query language SQL	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft SQL Server	Data base user interface and query software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Statistics & Probability graduates include:

• Data Analyst
• Quantitative Methodologist
• Psychometric Consultant
• Statistical Analyst
• Data Specialist
• Data Modeler
• Statistical Consultant
• Data Analytics Specialist
• Data Engineer
• Applied Scientist
• Research Scientist
• Data Coordinator
• Business Technology Consultant
• Business Intelligence Coordinator (BI Coordinator)
• Business Data Analyst

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	54.3%
Master’s degree	25.9%
Doctoral degree	7.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	4.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.3%
Post-doctoral training	2.0%
First professional degree	1.8%
Some college courses	0.8%
Post-master’s certificate	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Statistics & Probability?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 62.4% of Statistics & Probability degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	172	37.6%
Men	286	62.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	140	30.6%
Asian	59	12.9%
Hispanic or Latino	20	4.4%
Black or African American	7	1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	9	2.0%
Race Unknown	9	2.0%
International Students	213	46.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Statistics & Probability Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Statistics & Probability graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$70,565
4 years	$87,729
5 years	$105,293

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $105,293 — roughly 49% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Statistics & Probability Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Statistics & Probability graduates earn a median of $87,729 four years after completion — roughly 131% 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.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Statistics	27.05
Mathematics and Statistics	27.0503
Statistics, General	27.0501
Statistics, Other	27.0599
Applied Mathematics, General	27.0301
Computational and Applied Mathematics	27.0304
Applied Statistics, General	27.0601
Mathematics, General	27.0101
Applied Mathematics, Other	27.0399
Financial Mathematics	27.0305
Mathematical Biology	27.0306
Mathematics and Statistics, Other	27.9999

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.