Career comparison
Mathematician vs. Statistician
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Mathematicians earn more at the median ($126,710 vs. $105,650), while statisticians usually get to work faster (2 years after a bachelor’s of training). Mathematicians develop math theories and models to solve problems in science, business and security. Statisticians design studies and analyze data to answer questions in health, business and science.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Mathematician | Statistician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $126,710 ($60.92/hr) | $105,650 ($50.79/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $69,240 – $195,190 | $64,000 – $174,050 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +0.6% (little or no change) | +11.0% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 100 | 1,900 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Master's degree |
| Training time | 2–6 years after a bachelor’s | 2 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in mathematics | PStat |
| Work setting | Mathematicians work in offices for government, research labs and companies.. | Statisticians work in offices for pharma, government, universities and companies; many work remotely.. |
What each job does
Mathematician
- Develop models
- Prove theories
- Design algorithms
- Analyze data
- Write papers
Statistician
- Design studies
- Choose methods
- Analyze data
- Build models
- Check assumptions
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information, high-pay, and problem-solving. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose mathematician if…
- I love math
- I’m persistent
- I like hard problems
Choose statistician if…
- I love data
- I’m skeptical of easy answers
- I can code
Still torn? Take the Mathematician fit quiz and the Statistician fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, mathematician or statistician?
Mathematicians earn more at the median: $126,710 versus $105,650 for statisticians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Statisticians typically train faster (2 years after a bachelor’s) than mathematicians (2–6 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects statisticians to grow +11.0% from 2025–35, compared with +0.6% for mathematicians.