More than half of new jobs in math occupations expected to be for data scientists

You don’t have to be a mathematician to work in a math occupation. In fact, of the roughly 102,000 new jobs projected in math occupations from 2022 to 2032, most are in occupations other than mathematicians. In celebration of Pi Day, let's take a look at some BLS data on these occupations.

Data scientists accounts for more than half the projected new jobs in math occupations over the 2022–32 decade. With demand increasing for data-driven decisions, more of these workers are expected to be needed to help mine and analyze data in computer systems design, insurance, consulting, and other industries.

Even though mathematicians is barely visible among the occupations in the chart, accounting for just 0.1 percent of all new jobs in math, it's still expected to have openings each year over the projections decade. Openings in all of these math occupations are expected to arise as workers retire or leave the occupation permanently for other reasons.

Median annual wages for data scientists and the other occupations in the chart—including statisticians, operations research analysts, and actuaries—were above the $46,310 median wage for all occupations in 2022. All of these occupations typically require at least a bachelor’s degree, and some need additional education or training.

These data are from the Employment Projections program. Learn about math occupations, as well as hundreds of other career options, in the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). The OOH has information about what workers do, their pay, their job outlook, and more.