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Applied Math Major

Applied Math

5,862 Master's Degrees Annually
315 Doctor's Degrees Annually
#35 in Popularity (Master's)

Types of Degrees Applied Math Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level Number of Grads
Master’s Degree 6,541
Doctor’s Degree 340
Graduate Certificate 97

What Applied Math Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to applied math and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Applied Math Majors

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

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  • 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 Applied Math Majors

applied math majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

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  • 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.
  • Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve 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.

Abilities for Applied Math Majors

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

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  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

What Can You Do With a Applied Math Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with applied math:

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
Economists 6.1% $104,340
Environmental Economists 6.1% $104,340
Financial Analysts 10.8% $85,660
Financial Quantitative Analysts 9.6% $70,280
Fraud Examiners, Investigators and 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
Molecular and Cellular Biologists 8.0% $79,590
Natural Sciences Managers 9.9% $123,860
Risk Management Specialists 9.6% $70,280
Statisticians 33.9% $87,780
Water Resource Specialists 9.9% $123,860

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Applied Math?

6,541 Master's Degrees Annually
37% Percent Women
14% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
Applied Mathematics runs middle of the road when it comes to popularity, ranking #35 out of all the graduate majors we track. In 2021, about 5,862 graduates completed their master’s degree in this field. This major tends to be male dominated. About 63% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 450
Black or African American 89
Hispanic or Latino 250
White 1,348
International Students 4,175
Other Races/Ethnicities 229

Geographic Diversity

Applied Math appeals to people across the globe. About 63.8% of those with this major are international students.

Some careers associated with applied math 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 applied math careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 0.2%
Some College Courses 0.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 0.4%
Bachelor’s Degree 35.2%
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. 5.5%
Master’s Degree 29.0%
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. 0.8%
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. 1.9%
Doctoral Degree 20.8%
Post-Doctoral Training 6.3%

Online 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) 2 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 3 1
Bachelor’s Degree 39 8
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 238 11
Post-Master’s 9 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 85 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

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

Major Number of Grads
Mathematics 27,179
Statistics 9,944
Other Statistics 671
Applied Statistics 541

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.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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