Mathematical Statistician Job Description

by Shane Hall, Demand Media

Companies, government agencies and other organizations are awash in large amounts of data. Making sense of data and extracting information that will drive effective decisions are constant challenges. In a 2009 article in "The McKinsey Quarterly," Hal Varian, chief economist at Google, stresses the importance of statisticians in the coming decades, explaining that the ability to process, visualize and communicate data is going to be a valuable skill set in the workplace.


Statisticians apply mathematical and statistical techniques to analyze data. They then prepare reports that communicate the results of their analyses. Many corporate and government decisions rely on the results of statistical analyses, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Statisticians also collect data, design surveys and other instruments for collecting data, and manage computerized databases of information.


Mathematical statisticians begin their work by determining what problems or questions their analyses need to resolve. They then decide what data they need and the appropriate methods for data collection and analysis. Statisticians then collect the data, often training assistants for this task. Once the data is collected, statisticians analyze it, using statistical software programs that can rapidly process large volumes of quantitative information. Once the data is analyzed, statisticians interpret the results, draw conclusions, and prepare reports for use by decision-makers.


Statisticians are found in any field that requires the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, including marketing, manufacturing, education, healthcare and government. Government agencies employ about one-third of statisticians, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some statisticians specialize in a particular industry or sector. For example, biostatisticians specialize in public health and medicine; they often design studies that test the effectiveness of new medicines.


Becoming a statistician requires at least a bachelor's degree in statistics, mathematics or a related field. Because mathematical statisticians use computers for so much of their work, a degree in computer science may be helpful. Some statisticians who work with economic data have degrees in economics. The important factor is having a knowledge of statistical methods, mathematical modeling and probability theory, regardless of major field of study. Although a bachelor's degree is sufficient, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that many statisticians hold a master's or doctorate degree. Research and academic jobs generally require a doctorate.


Mathematical statisticians earned an average annual salary of $77,280 in 2011, the BLS reported. Average salaries ranged from a low of $39,840 per year for the lowest-paid 10 percent to more than $119,000 for the top 10 percent. By employment setting, statisticians in the federal government earned the most, with their salaries averaging $96,070 per year, according to the BLS.

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