Math: Now What?
What Do Mathematicians Do?
Many mathematicians work in academia, earning a Master’s degree and teaching at the elementary or high school level, or earning a PhD in their field and teaching at a college or university. But mathematicians work in many other fields, including astronomy and space exploration, climate research, medicine, national security, robotics, animated film, and in a wide range of businesses.
Check out the American Mathematical Society’s undergraduate resources and employment resources for more information on careers in math.
Quick Facts: Mathematicians and Statisticians
Found on the Occupational Outlook Handbook
- 2021 Median Pay: $96,280 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Master’s degree
- Work Experience in a Related Occupation: None
- On-the-job Training: None
- Number of Jobs, 2020: 44,800
- Job Outlook, 2020-30: 33% (Much faster than average)
- Employment Change, 2020-30: 15,000
What Else Can You Do With a Math Degree?
- Actuarial and Insurance
- Actuary
- Benefits Specialist
- Financial Analyst
- Investment Analyst
- Computer and Information Sciences
- Applications Programmer
- Computational Scientist
- Computer Applications Software Engineer
- Computer Programmer
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Cryptanalyst
- Database Administrator
- Teaching/Academic Research
- College or University Professor
- Community College Instructor
- Teacher
- Operations Research
- Operations Research Analyst
- Systems Engineer
- Statistics
- Biometrician
- Demographer
- Econometrician
- Psychometrician
- Quality Control Analyst
- Statistician
- Business/Industry
- Applied Mathematician
- Business Analyst
- Communications Engineer
- Market Researcher
- Product Developer
- Health
- Biomathematician
- Biomedical Engineer
- Ecologist
Sample Job Titles for Math Graduates
- Defense analyst
- Medical statistician
- Computer software developer
- Statistical consultant
- Mathematical books editor
- Aerodynamicist
- Systems administrator
- Actuary
- Consultant
- Secondary math teacher
- Sales forecaster
- Financial modeler
- University researcher
- Computer games developer
- Electronic engineer
- Meteorologist
- Accountant
- Financial Analyst
Some of the Largest Industries and Companies Hiring Math Majors
Check out their employment pages for internship or job opportunities.
- Government
- Banks and the finance/insurance industry
- National Security Agency
- US Census Bureau
- General Motors
- Boeing
Sample Internships and Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- National Institute of Standards and Technology
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
- Department of Energy
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Sandia National Laboratory
- Wolfram Research
Actuarial Careers
Here are some of the actuarial companies that have recently recruited UMass Amherst students on campus:
- Aetna
- Anthem
- Aon
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Cigna
- Fidelity Investments
- Guardian Life Insurance
- MassMutual
- Nassau Financial Group
- Oliver Wyman
- Sun Life
- The Hanover
- Travelers
- Tufts Health Plan
- Voya Financial
- Willis Towers Watson
Important Transferable Qualities to Include on Your Resume for Math-Based Positions
- Critical-thinking skills. Statisticians use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Problem-solving skills. Statisticians must develop techniques to overcome problems in data collection and analysis, such as high nonresponse rates, so that they can draw meaningful conclusions.
- Speaking skills. Because statisticians often work in teams, they must be able to orally communicate statistical information and ideas so that others will understand.
- Writing skills. Good writing skills are important for statisticians because they need to explain technical matters to persons without their level of statistical expertise.
What Do Employers Look For?
(Source: NACE Job Outlook 2022, Courtesy of the National Association of College and Employers | www.naceweb.org)
Top 10 Things Employers Look for on Your Resume
- Problem-solving skills
- Analytical/quantitative skills
- Ability to work in a team
- Communication skills (written)
- Initiative
- Strong work ethic
- Technical skills
- Flexibility/adaptability
- Detail-oriented
- Leadership
7 Things That Give You an Advantage in the Job Market
- Internship with the organization
- Internship within the industry
- Major
- Leadership position
- General work experience
- Extracurricular activities
- High GPA (3.0 or above)