What Statisticians Do

Statisticians use statistical methods to collect and analyze data and to help solve real-world problems in business, engineering, healthcare, or other fields.

Work Environment

About a third of statisticians work for the federal government or for scientific research and development companies. Although statisticians work mostly in offices, they may travel to collect data or to oversee a survey’s design or implementation.

How to Become a Statistician

Statisticians typically need at least a master’s degree in statistics, mathematics, or another quantitative field. However, a bachelor’s degree is sufficient for some entry-level jobs.

Job Outlook

Employment of statisticians is projected to grow 34 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth is expected to result from more widespread use of statistical analysis to make informed business and healthcare decisions.

Growth & Trends

This occupation supported 27,600 jobs in 2012 and 30,000 jobs in 2014, reflecting an increase of 8.7%. In 2012, this occupation was projected to increase by 26.4% in 2022 to 34,900 jobs. As of 2014, to keep pace with prediction, the expected number of jobs was 29,000, compared with an observed value of 30,000, 3.4% higher than expected. This indicates current employment trends are better than the 2012 trend within this occupation. In 2014, this occupation was projected to increase by 36.6% in 2024 to 40,100 jobs. Linear extrapolation of the 2012 projection for 2022 results in an expected number of 36,300 jobs for 2024, 9.5% lower than the 2014 projection for 2024. This indicates expectations for future employment trends are much better than the 2012 trend within this occupation.

Statisticians Employment and Labor Information 2023

Statisticians Employment Brief:

Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.

Statisticians Job Description

Here is a Job Description an employer might post for potential Statisticians.

Statisticians Responsibilities and Duties:

• Develop and test experimental designs, sampling techniques, and analytical methods.
• Evaluate the statistical methods and procedures used to obtain data to ensure validity, applicability, efficiency, and accuracy.
• Determine whether statistical methods are appropriate, based on user needs or research questions of interest.
• Develop software applications or programming for statistical modeling and graphic analysis.
• Report results of statistical analyses in peer-reviewed papers and technical manuals.
• Design research projects that apply valid scientific techniques, and use information obtained from baselines or historical data to structure uncompromised and efficient analyses.
• Prepare data for processing by organizing information, checking for inaccuracies, and adjusting and weighting the raw data.
• Apply sampling techniques, or use complete enumeration bases to determine and define groups to be surveyed.
• Process large amounts of data for statistical modeling and graphic analysis, using computers.
• Evaluate sources of information to determine any limitations, in terms of reliability or usability.

Typical Daily Tasks of Statisticians:

• Working with Computers: Implement security measures for computer or information systems. Install computer software. Prepare data for analysis. Write computer programming code.
• Analyzing Data or Information: Analyze data to identify trends or relationships among variables. Apply mathematical principles or statistical approaches to solve problems in scientific or applied fields. Evaluate technical data to determine effect on designs or plans.
• Getting Information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others.
• Processing Information: Evaluate data quality.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Determine appropriate methods for data analysis.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Update knowledge about emerging industry or technology trends.
• Providing Consultation and Advice to Others.
• Thinking Creatively: Design research studies to obtain scientific information. Design software applications. Prepare graphics or other visual representations of information.

Statisticians Skills and Requirements:

• Management of Material Resources Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
• Equipment Selection Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
• Programming Writing computer programs for various purposes.
• Service Orientation Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Management of Financial Resources Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
• Social Perceptiveness Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Speaking Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Systems Evaluation Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
• Science Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Instructing Teaching others how to do something.

Statisticians Education and Training:

Typical education for include: Master's degree.

Statisticians Salary, Wages, and Salary and Job Outlook

Statisticians average pay is: $98920 per year according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employees who work in Scientific Research and Development Services are the highest paid making $58.94, while NAmake the least at $32.40 per hour.Here are the top city/metro areas with the highest paying salaries for a Statisticians: