Statistician

What is this job like?		Back to Top

Statisticians help to design surveys and experiments. They also collect, analyze, and interpret numerical data. Some work for businesses and some work in government.

To give an example, some statisticians may collect data to learn how safe new products are. This must be done before the product can be sold.

Statisticians often use samples to collect information. A sample provides information about a small group within a much larger group. Statisticians can then take what they learned about the small group and apply it to the larger group.

Statisticians decide where and how to gather the data. They choose the sample size. They decide on the type of survey. They tell workers who gather the data how to do their job. They process the collected data and reach conclusions about the data. They do this with the help of computer software.

Statisticians usually work regular hours in comfortable offices. Some have to travel to give advice to people. Some have to travel to set up surveys or gather data. Others have a lot of different duties. These include things such as setting up experiments and doing fieldwork. Some teach and do research.

How do you get ready?		Back to Top

Some people with only a bachelor's degree in statistics are able to get entry-level jobs as statisticians. However, a master's degree is needed for most of the jobs in this field. Research and teaching jobs usually require at least a master's degree in statistics, and generally a Ph.D. is needed. A master's degree and several years of experience are usually needed to get a job in industrial research.

In 2007, more than 200 universities had degree programs in statistics.

Statisticians use computers a lot. So, it is very important to have a good background in computers if you are interested in this field. Good speaking and writing skills are also needed. This is because statisticians must often explain their work to others who don't know that much about statistics.

How much does this job pay?		Back to Top

The middle half of all statisticians earned between $48,480 and $87,850 in 2006. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $37,010. The highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $108,630.

The average starting salary offer for graduates with a bachelor's degree in statistics was $46,547 in 2007.

How many jobs are there?		Back to Top

Statisticians held about 22,000 jobs in 2006. About twenty percent worked for the Federal Government. Another 10 percent were found in State and local governments, including those who worked for State colleges and universities. Most of the other jobs were in private industry.

What about the future?		Back to Top

Average growth is expected in the number of jobs in this field from 2006 to 2016. However, those with degrees in statistics should have a good chance of getting jobs in other fields, especially jobs that deal with analyzing data and forming an opinion about it.

Are there other jobs like this?		Back to Top

• Actuaries
• Civil engineers
• Computer programmers
• Computer scientists
• Computer software engineers
• Database administrators
• Economists
• Financial analysts
• Market and survey researchers
• Mathematicians
• Operations research analysts
• Personal financial advisors
• Systems analysts

Where can you find more information?		Back to Top

More BLS information about statisticians can be found in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Handbook also shows where to find out even more about this job.

Last Modified Date: April 29, 2008