What type of careers can you go into if you major in mathematics?

The benefits of possessing good math skills can really add up. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted, “Learning math helps workers analyze and solve problems — abilities that most employers value.” In addition, the BLS stated that mastering mathematics is helpful in nearly any career. Another benefit is the potential earnings, as the salary for most careers in math could be substantial. For example, professional mathematicians reportedly earned a median salary of $99,380 in 2010, according to the BLS.

Current mathematics majors can look forward to average job growth until 2020 according to research conducted by the BLS. A math degree readies graduates for careers as actuaries, financial, budget, and operation research analysts, and economists, where they will use applied or theoretical mathematics to answer questions and solve problems. Of these professions, financial analysts are expected to see the most job openings, predicted by the BLS to increase by 54,200 between 2010 and 2020. While economists reportedly earned a higher salary than financial analysts, with a 2010 median income of $89,450 per year, the growth rate for this profession is much lower and is predicted to only yield 900 more jobs over the decade. Actuary positions yield a high median salary, reported at $87,650 per year by the BLS, and are predicted to grow faster than average, at 27% by 2020.