Careers in Statistics

STATISTICIANS USE MATHEMATICAL TECHNIQUES to collect and interpret information. The work is based on numbers, but unlike mathematicians who work on theoretical problems, statisticians use the numbers to solve real-life problems. Statisticians contribute to society in many ways. Some do serious work like finding ways to reduce hunger and disease, or studying the effects of global climate change on food supplies. Others help professional athletes up their game or help political candidates get elected. The biggest employer of statisticians is the federal government. Government statisticians work in just about every agency. For example, the Department of Labor has a large staff of statisticians studying things like employment rates, wage changes, growing and shrinking job sectors, and the demographic makeup of the workforce. The Department of Agriculture needs to know about crop conditions, livestock inventories, and how crops can be used for new products, and no mission at NASA proceeds without the thumbs up from their staff of statisticians. There is an obvious need for statisticians across all levels of government, but the demand is even greater outside the public sector. Statistical skills can be used to draw valuable insights from data in just about any industry. In fact, roughly 90 percent of America's industries use statistics in their daily operations. Since the advent of the computer, organizations of all kinds have been collecting and handling huge amounts of data. Computers can crunch the numbers, but statisticians are needed to analyze and interpret the data. They turn data into usable information that non-statisticians can understand and use to make good decisions. Statistics is the basis of one of the oldest professions in the world. Statistics were used to curb the spread of epidemics in the Middle Ages, and even ancient empires used them to track things like their populations, taxes, and important commodities like cattle. Yet the time has never been better to be a statistician. The career opportunities are so diverse, that statisticians can apply their knowledge to nearly any area they are passionate about. The demand for statisticians is at an all-time high. Employment for statisticians is growing fast, and so are their salaries. The median salary for those with less than three years of experience is $80,000, and that amount can double after being in the profession for at least nine years.