What Can I do with a Major in
Mathematics?
If you enjoy mathematics courses, consider these career options that are open to mathematics majors.
· Actuarial Science
Actuaries manage risk. This job is consistently rated as one of the top two careers—in terms of job satisfaction, opportunities for advancement, and pay. Most work in insurance or finance. You progress in the field by passing qualifying exams. Many companies pay you to study for the exams, but you should pass the first (and perhaps the second) exam before applying for jobs.
Actuarial Professional Society Page: http://www.beanactuary.org/
· Operations Research
Operations research (OR) is a
scientific approach to analyzing problems and making decisions. Much of this work is done using analytical
and numerical techniques to develop and manipulate mathematical and computer
models of organizational systems. To work in OR, you typically obtain a
bachelors degree in mathematics, followed by a Masters in OR. Operations Researchers obtain jobs working
for government and policy agencies, or industries such as airline,
pharmaceutical, logistics, and financial services. The OR professional organization sponsors a
modeling competition every February. The
2003 competition problems were “The Stunt Person,” “Gamma Knife Treatment
Planning,” and “Aviation Baggage Screening Strategies.”
Operations
Research Professional Society: http://www.informs.org/.
Modeling
Competition: http://www.comap.com/undergraduate/contests/mcm/
· Applied Mathematics
If you want to work in an industrial setting, you might consider a mathematics major followed by a Professional Science Masters. The PSM is a relatively new degree, funded by the Sloan Foundation, that partners coursework with industrial experience. In mathematics, there are PSM programs in the areas of Financial Mathematics, Industrial Mathematics, Mathematical Sciences, and Mathematics for Entrepreneurship.
There are lots of opportunities for applied mathematicians, not all requiring an advanced degree and not all in industry. The Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) is a good source of information.
·
Statistics
Statisticians provide crucial guidance in determining what information is reliable and which predictions can be trusted. They work in a variety of fields such as medicine, government, education, agriculture, business, and law. There are multiple job opportunities and a high demand for statisticians. Most jobs require an advanced degree in statistics.
Statistical Professional
Society: http://www.amstat.org/careers/index.html
· Mathematical Biology, Bioinformatics
Today’s fastest growing fields are where mathematics, computer science, and biology or medicine intersect. Mathematical biology uses mathematics to build models of biological systems. These models are then used to address questions that may be difficult or impossible to address otherwise. Many biology programs are targeting math majors who have the needed quantitative skills. Most jobs require an advanced degree.
·
Government
Jobs
The National Security Agency is the country's leading single employer of mathematicians, with positions at all degree levels: Bachelors, Masters, Ph.D. These mathematicians design and analyze complex algorithms and express difficult cryptographic problems in mathematical terms.
There are also jobs for math majors in a variety of other government agencies including defense, social security, internal revenue, and the census bureau.
·
Teaching
Middle school
and high school mathematics teachers are in high demand, and our graduates
continue to be successful in obtaining teaching positions. Achieving a Masters degree in mathematics or
mathematics education will enable you to teach at many community colleges,
while a Ph.D. will prepare you to teach at the college level.
National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics (K-12): http://www.nctm.org/.
American
Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges: http://www.amatyc.org/
·
Research
Mathematician
Research
Mathematicians obtain jobs in academics and are also employed by large
companies such as Microsoft and Bell Labs.
They work on independent research and those in academics typically also
teach.
Mathematical
Association of
American
Mathematics Society: http://www.ams.org/
A
short list of non-teaching jobs filled by Hope College mathematics alumni:
Senior
Systems Programmer Vice-President,
Financial Consultant
Steelcase Merrill Lynch & Company
Project
Manager Information
Scientist
Honeywell
International Pharmacia & Upjohn Foundation
Research
Vice President Mathematician
Research
Triangle Institute Naval Weapons Center
Director
of Supply Chain President
Eastman
Kodak Company Environmental Technology
Vice
President & Actuary Research
Specialist
State
Farm Insurance Exxon Education Foundation
Senior
Manager/International Systems Founder
& President
Amway
Corporation Brand Capital Management
Second
Vice-President Weapons
Program Manager
The
Chase Manhattan Bank Civil Service – Air Force
Superintendent Biostatistician
Kentwood
Public Schools Pharmacia & Upjohn Foundation