I am currently a freshman who is a accounting major and I have recently wanted to change to statistics. I’ve always loved math and AP Stattisics. My question is what jobs can I get with a degree in stats and if I decide to go for a P.h.d how hard would it be to get into graduate school? I am a decent student but i wouldn’t say I am really smart.
Typical target jobs for statistics majors are actuarial (see http://www.beanactuary.com ) and finance.
Pre-PhD study in statistics likely means taking advanced math courses (e.g. real analysis) as well as advanced statistics courses.
My husband has a phd in Statistics and works for a major pharma company. It’s a great career… good salary, interesting work, good people to work with. There are many statisticians in his company… they design and analyze all of the clinical trials of various drugs and help put together applications for new drugs for the FDA and foreign regulatory boards.
A Statistics major who knew how to program would be very employable.
Thanks for the reply. Do you know how hard it was for him to get into grad school to get a phd?
The daughter of my former boss graduated with a BS in Applied Statistics from RIT and is now employed by the US Government.
Any Math, Applied Math or Statistics major should NOT EVEN ATTEMPT to leave their college campus without AT LEAST and minor in Computer Science.
Programming I (C++ or Java or Python)
Programming II (C++ or Java or Python)
Discrete Math/Discrete Structures
Data Structures
Database Systems
If the CS department is restrictive to non-CS majors as far a course enrollment, bribe the Dean of CS, bring them cookies, rub elbows with CS professors but do NOT leave that campus without a minor in CS.
I second @GLOBALTRAVELER 's suggestion.
Java is a pretty portable language. I am actually going to pick that language up this summer because I wish to move from my current development team to the mobile development team.
I had one C class for programming and used a small bit of EXCEL. It was really the help of my girlfriend’s family that helped me land my first job with no real prior programming skills that I could use/still remembered. I definitely know how to program now and wish I had taken computer science classes while in college.
“Data scientist” is a good fit for someone with good programming skills and statistics background.
I have same concern as op. Is there any other good combination for Statistics major except Computer Science? I’m thinking about doubling in physics or some engineering majors but don’t quite sure what career field I can enter with my degrees. I’m really interested in using statistics application on business models or supply/manufacturing chain.
Can you advice me what pathway I need to follow?
@bizmlover, Have you looked at Industrial Engineering?
This looks like you really want to major in industrial engineering. If that is not available, but your statistics or math department has operations research electives, those may be of interest to you.
The bureau of labor statistics says you need a masters to become a statistician. How true is that? Can I get a job easily without doing a masters?
@GLOBALTRAVELER
why do you make that recommendation? It goes along well with what I was planning to do. I might become a data scientist if I major in stats and minor in compsci.
I plan on majoring in statistics but I’m not sure about my minor. I do want to learn some computer science, but taking financial courses would mesh in better with a career as an actuary. I don’t find being an actuary appealing, but what other kind of work could I get with only a bachelors in statistics.