Statistics

Types of Degrees Statistics Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many statistics graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	3,901
Doctor’s Degree	456
Graduate Certificate	237

What Statistics Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, stats 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 Stats Majors

Stats majors often go into careers in which the following 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Skills for Stats Majors

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

• 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.
• 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 Stats Majors

Stats majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• 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).
• 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 Statistics Major?

People with a stats degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Actuaries	22.5%	$102,880
Clinical Data Managers	33.9%	$87,780
Clinical Research Coordinators	9.9%	$123,860
Mathematical Science Professors	9.4%	$73,230
Mathematicians	29.0%	$101,900
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Statisticians	33.9%	$87,780
Survey Researchers	2.1%	$57,700

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Statistics?

Statistics runs middle of the road when it comes to popularity, ranking #48 out of all the graduate majors we track. In 2021, about 3,901 graduates completed their master’s degree in this field. According to recent stats this major attracts about equal numbers of men and women. Roughly 46% of the graduates are women, and 54% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	420
Black or African American	60
Hispanic or Latino	146
White	817
International Students	2,329
Other Races/Ethnicities	129

Geographic Diversity

Stats appeals to people across the globe. About 59.7% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• South Korea
• India
• Taiwan
• Saudi Arabia

How Much Do Statistics Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The median starting salary of students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in stats was $85,100 per year. These stats come from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $76,872 (25th percentile) and $96,799 (75th percentile).

One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to stats.

Salaries According to BLS

Stats majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $87,140 to $116,250 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Statistics

Some careers associated with stats require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for stats careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	1.1%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	1.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	1.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	40.4%
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	26.7%
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.	0.5%
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.	2.7%
Doctoral Degree	16.1%
Post-Doctoral Training	4.4%

Online Statistics Programs

In 2020-2021, 268 schools offered a stats program of some type. 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	3	0
Bachelor’s Degree	56	10
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	175	9
Post-Master’s	8	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	88	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Statistics Worth It?

The median salary for a stats grad is $92,600 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 132% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,054,000 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Statistics

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

Major	Number of Grads
Applied Mathematics	6,283
Mathematics	3,764
Applied Statistics	388
Other Statistics	98

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 QWFP under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.