Careers with a Mathematics Degree?

[Pindar]

What are the various careers that accept a Degree in Mathematics, save a teaching job? Also what are the chances of landing an occupation as an Actuary?

 

[pazuzu]

Software development companies will usually consider someone with a mathematics degree, provided they can get past the technical interviews and demonstrate proficiency in data structures, common algorithms, and at least one mainstream language.

 

[Louis CK]

A lot of options in accounting, software, engineering, or communications.

My previous math profs used to work at places like Lucent Alcatel, Bell Labs, Cisco

Do you have any minor or specialty you're interested in? Might have to put in some intern time.

 

[double ewe]

i'm currently working on a master's in applied math, with the goal of working in finance/insurance.

actuarial jobs require at least one exam passed, and unless you've got a really strong math degree, you'll likely need two or three.

 

[hlin818]

The actuarial field is probably the smoothest transition for someone who only has a background in mathematics alone and no other subject. However this is really more due to the nature of actuarial work being somewhat far removed from any material taught in university cirriculum rather than the mathematics degree giving you a skillset you'll actually need. Probability and stats will be heavily used in exam 1, and basic calculus throughout, but that is about all the pure mathematics you will use in the exam process, and even less in the actual field. Anyone with a technical background (engineering, computer science, even econ) wll be just as well suited to actuarial work as a math grad. It just so happens that the actuarial field is saturated with math grads because of their limited career options in comparison to their peers in these other majors, as you are undoubtedly finding out. It is a small profession, but a fast growing one, and at the same time a very competitive one to get into.

Software and computer related jobs are a strong possibility but you'll likely need at least a minor in computer science, or a lot of self taught knowledge. Same with finance and such.

I'm sure college counselors and searches for jobs available for math majors will show you that there are mathematicians working at the best companies in the world in many industries. But this is somewhat deceptive - a mathematician working at google or boeing or intel typically works in industrial RESEARCH for these companies, and will probably have at the very least a masters degree and usually a doctorate, and typically from a very good school. For a graduate with only a bachelors degree options exist but are limited, and truth be told a math degree does not qualify you to work in any industry that another technical bachelors degree wouldn't be more suited to. Especially with this rough job climate its not uncommon for math majors to be overlooked for candidates with more practical skills.

-EE grad who was a former math major

 

[Pindar]

Everyone thanks for your input.

 

[rangrz]

Do an M.Sc/Ph.D in Physics then become a physics teacher or work for an engineering firm.
Do another degree in a math heavy subset of enginerding
computer-all of it, from programming, hardware level layout/rectangle slinging, programming HPSC applications, writing languages and compilers.
Teaching math.
Doing Math for some other field...
The Armed Forces/Government/related tend to have a lot of mathimagicans for crptyo work....this includeds private co.s I Bet you ANY money that IBM and Oracle have legions of mathematicians. (As do companies like babbock-willcox and GE that make Reactors, as they are heavy on the math too)
One of buddies has a B.sc in Math and M.Sc in Physics and he works for the Forces (But as a spook nothing to do with math lol)

 

[addictivepersona]

BA in mathematics - What to do now?

 

[captainballs]

A winning formula might be to enroll part time in a CPA program and use that as leverage to get a job at an accounting firm. It's really easy to land a job at an accounting firm as an entry-level worker if you are pursuing CPA hours. I would imagine that the executives at many small accounting firms would consider a math major a breath of fresh air.

 

[double ewe]

Software and computer related jobs are a strong possibility but you'll likely need at least a minor in computer science, or a lot of self taught knowledge. Same with finance and such.

I'm sure college counselors and searches for jobs available for math majors will show you that there are mathematicians working at the best companies in the world in many industries. But this is somewhat deceptive - a mathematician working at google or boeing or intel typically works in industrial RESEARCH for these companies, and will probably have at the very least a masters degree and usually a doctorate, and typically from a very good school. For a graduate with only a bachelors degree options exist but are limited, and truth be told a math degree does not qualify you to work in any industry that another technical bachelors degree wouldn't be more suited to. Especially with this rough job climate its not uncommon for math majors to be overlooked for candidates with more practical skills.

yeah i think to really be competitive outside of academic jobs, you need to have math and some other skill(s). if you're still in school, picking up some experience/course-work with statistics, programming or finance would serve you very well in the job market. nearly every job posting i see mentions a desire for experience with statistical/data-oriented computing packages (Excel, Access, SAS, MySQL, etc.) and/or programming experience (C++, VB, MATLAB).

 

[andyclark1225]

I'm studying actuarial mathematics and we have almost the exact same modules as the maths degree. All actuarial employers ask for either an actuarial or a math degree, you're more likely to get the job than someone who studied economics! Good luck!