5 STEM Careers in Math
- Statistician
- Mathematician
- Cartographer
- Actuary
- Accountant
There are numerous STEM careers in math for a variety of reasons. Math is an integral part of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Math is not only a big part of the STEM curriculum but is also a big part of our daily lives. Whether we are cooking, driving, balancing our checkbook or watching a movie, we’re going encounter math or numbers at some point. If you enjoy working with numbers you may easily find STEM job opportunities. Here are five great STEM careers in math.
1. Statistician
To say statisticians work with numbers all day long would be minimizing their jobs. Statisticians use data and statistics to help draw conclusions and make decisions based on their number-crunching. One example is the TV rankings. A group of statisticians collects data from different TV viewers. After analyzing all the data and numbers, they are able to determine what show gets viewed the most and by what type of audience. The more they analyze, the deeper they’re able to delve into this information. The
U.S. News & World Report ranked statisticians first among the best STEM jobs in 2017.
2. Mathematicians
Mathematicians are very similar to statisticians, but mathematicians work with numbers more than statistics to help solve problems. They also create algorithms and formulas and use their knowledge to help with engineering and computer science problems. The mathematician was ranked fourth among the best STEM jobs in 2017 by
U.S. News & World Report. The
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that both mathematicians and statisticians would see job growth of 33 percent between 2016 and 2026.
3. Cartographer
Despite the popularity and high use of GPS systems, we still have a need for maps, and cartographers fill that need. They collect, measure and interpret geographic data and information. These help them create and update charts and maps for:
- education
- regional planning
- similar purposes
To create their maps in graphic or digital form, they use:
- aerial photos
- ground surveys
- reports
- satellite images
- statistics and math
Cartographers are expected to see job growth of 19 percent during the 2016-2026 decade as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Cartographers were ranked 17th in the
U.S. News & World Report’s best STEM jobs in 2017 category.
4. Actuary
Actuaries are professionals who use:
- statistics
- mathematics
- financial theories
They use these to analyze the monetary costs of risk and uncertainty. While some actuaries work in offices as consultants, most of them work for insurance companies. They help insurance companies create policies that minimize the cost of the risk. For instance, they take a person’s driving record, the rate of accidents, safety records of a vehicle. They then determine what potential there is that this particular customer will cost the insurance company money. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that actuaries will see job growth of 22 percent between 2016 and 2026.
U.S. News & World Report ranked actuary as sixth among the best STEM jobs in 2017.
5. Accountant
Accountants work with money on a daily basis, whether they’re:
- poring over financial forms
- organizing financial records
- researching ways to improve profits and reduce expenses
Accountants must have at least a bachelor’s degree. To become a CPA, the accountant must take 30 credits of graduate courses in addition to the bachelor’s degree and pass a 4-part CPA examination. Accountants were ranked 14th among best STEM jobs in 2017 by
U.S. News & World Report. Accountants are expected to see a 10 percent increase in jobs by 2022 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Although, as kids, we may have said we’d never use math when we grew up, that’s hardly the case. This is especially true since the implementation of STEM curriculums and STEM-based jobs. Individuals who love working with math, and even those who don’t, may find many great STEM careers from which to choose.
Related Resources:
