undergradly.
Major · Mathematics & Statistics

The highest-earning bachelor's in mathematics and statistics

Statistics, General is one of the highest-earning undergraduate majors on the site, with a five-year bachelor's earnings median of $95,197 across 3,379 annual completions at 163 colleges. The career list is unusually strong: data scientists at $112,590 with 33.5% projected growth, actuaries at $125,770 with 21.8% growth, and natural sciences managers at $161,180 — all bachelor's-entry roles. The earnings reflect the data economy's demand for rigorous quantitative training, not a small or niche specialization.

Schools offering
163
Annual completions
3,379
Typical degree level
Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$95k

About this major

Statistics, General is the study of probability, inference, and experimental design — the mathematical machinery for extracting reliable conclusions from data. The CIP definition lists probability theory, binomial distribution, regression analysis, standard deviation, stochastic processes, Monte Carlo methods, Bayesian statistics, non-parametric statistics, and sampling theory. Coursework typically moves from probability and inferential statistics foundations through regression, experimental design, and computational methods into specialized electives in machine learning, Bayesian analysis, survival analysis, or statistical programming. Unlike many technical majors, Statistics is offered almost exclusively as a bachelor's degree — the data packet shows no associate's pathway — and the cross-references signal the program's reach into Biostatistics, Educational Statistics and Research Methods, and Business Analytics.

Program scale is substantial. About 3,379 degrees are awarded each year across 163 colleges, with the top ten unusually California-heavy: UC Santa Barbara (338), UCLA (207), UC Davis (187), followed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (168), the University of Virginia (108), Carnegie Mellon (106), the University of Florida (94), Emory (85), the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (84), and the University of Connecticut (83). The UC cluster reflects systematic investment in statistics as a response to Bay Area and Southern California tech employer demand. CMU's presence signals the strength of programs that blend statistics with computer science — a combination that feeds directly into industry data-science teams.

The earnings picture is among the strongest on the site. Bachelor's completers report a five-year median of $95,197 — high enough to compete with many engineering majors. The career list explains why. Three destinations are bachelor's-entry and pay above $100K: data scientists at $112,590 with 33.5% projected growth (one of the fastest in the economy), natural sciences managers at $161,180 (typically mid-career), and actuaries at $125,770 with 21.8% growth. Two master's-entry paths — statisticians at $103,300 with 8.5% growth and survey researchers at $63,380 with -5.2% decline — serve as graduate-school extensions of an already economically strong bachelor's, opening federal statistical agencies (BLS, Census, FDA), clinical-trial sponsors, and consulting roles. The single doctoral path, mathematical science teachers postsecondary at $79,350, represents the academic route.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Data scientists $113k +33.5% Bachelor's degree
Natural sciences managers $161k +3.7% Bachelor's degree
Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary $79k +2.3% Doctoral or professional degree
Actuaries $126k +21.8% Bachelor's degree
Statisticians $103k +8.5% Master's degree
Survey researchers $63k -5.2% Master's degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$95k

Who this major is for

Students comfortable with abstract mathematics who also enjoy wrestling with messy real-world data are the strongest fit. Comfort with probability and proof-based reasoning matters; patience for the gap between clean classroom problems and noisy real datasets matters more. Targeting one of the three bachelor's-entry high-earning roles — data scientist ($112,590, 33.5% growth), actuary ($125,770, 21.8% growth), or the analyst pipeline into natural sciences management ($161,180 mid-career) — gives the curriculum an obvious anchor. Students who plan to layer applied skills on top of the core curriculum (Python and R proficiency, Kaggle or capstone portfolios, internships at data-heavy employers) will compete successfully at the bachelor's level; students who treat statistics as a pure-math adjacent discipline typically end up needing a master's for the same roles.

Reconsider this major if quantitative work draws you more toward theoretical mathematics, scientific modeling, or financial engineering specifically. Mathematics, General is the broader, more theoretical path with 18,758 annual completions feeding many more career destinations. Applied Mathematics focuses on modeling in physics, engineering, and operations research. Financial Mathematics and Business Statistics exist as specialized alternatives for finance-bound students. Data Science, General in the Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies concentration is the newer, programming-forward credential built specifically around the data-scientist role — stronger in software engineering, often lighter on probability theory. Finally, be honest about the programming-fluency expectation. Statistics coursework alone does not teach production Python, version control, or machine-learning engineering practices at the level hiring managers expect; those skills have to be earned through electives, projects, and internships during the four-year window.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Statistics, General

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 0 338 338
University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 0 207 207
University of California-Davis Davis, CA 0 187 187
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 0 168 168
University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA 0 108 108
Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 0 106 106
University of Florida Gainesville, FL 0 94 94
Emory University Atlanta, GA 0 85 85
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 0 84 84
University of Connecticut Storrs, CT 0 83 83
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Mathematics, General

18,758 completions/yr

Econometrics and Quantitative Economics

15,101 completions/yr

Applied Mathematics, General

2,591 completions/yr

Data Science, General

2,068 completions/yr

Mathematics and Computer Science

1,125 completions/yr

Business Analytics

1,032 completions/yr

Business Statistics

843 completions/yr

Financial Mathematics

611 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

Why are earnings so much higher than for Mathematics, General?
The data packet shows Statistics, General at a $95,197 five-year median — unusually high for any bachelor's program — while Mathematics, General is a much larger program at 18,758 annual completions feeding many different careers, from teaching to finance to quant research, that average out lower. Statistics graduates cluster into a narrower and more commercially valuable pipeline. Three career destinations on the list are bachelor's-entry and pay above $100K: data scientists at $112,590, natural sciences managers at $161,180 (typically reached mid-career), and actuaries at $125,770. The data-science role in particular has 33.5% projected growth, one of the fastest in the economy, and hires aggressively from statistics programs. Pure mathematics graduates compete for many of the same jobs but often need to demonstrate applied data skills that stats programs teach by default.
Can a Statistics bachelor's really get someone into data science without a master's?
The career data says yes: the top listed destination, data scientists (SOC 15-2051), shows a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education, a median wage of $112,590, and 33.5% projected job growth. That is atypical — most quantitative career paths expect a master's — and it is why statistics has become one of the most economically coherent bachelor's-only decisions students can make. The practical caveats matter: hiring managers expect demonstrated programming fluency in Python and R, experience with real datasets (Kaggle, a capstone project, or an internship), and a working familiarity with machine learning beyond the introductory level. A statistics curriculum provides the probability, regression, and experimental-design foundations; the applied skills have to be layered on through electives, internships, and self-directed work. Students who do that consistently report entering the field at the bachelor's level; students who complete only the core requirements often end up taking a master's to compete.
Where do the largest programs sit, and what does the California concentration signal?
The top-ten is strikingly California-heavy: UC Santa Barbara leads all schools at 338 completions, followed by UCLA (207) and UC Davis (187) — three UC campuses in the top three. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (168), the University of Virginia (108), Carnegie Mellon (106), the University of Florida (94), Emory (85), the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (84), and the University of Connecticut (83) round out the top ten. The California cluster reflects the UC system's investment in statistics as a response to data-economy demand, and the proximity to Bay Area and Southern California tech employers matters materially for internship access. CMU's presence signals the strength of programs that blend statistics with computer science — a combination that feeds directly into industry data-science teams.
What role do the master's-entry careers on the list play?
Two careers on the list specifically require a master's. Statisticians (SOC 15-2041) sit at $103,300 median with 8.5% projected growth and are the traditional government and pharmaceutical-industry statistical-analyst path. Survey researchers (SOC 19-3022) sit at $63,380 but post a -5.2% projected decline, a caution flag worth noting. For bachelor's completers, these represent potential graduate-school extensions rather than blockers: the bachelor's is already economically strong, and a master's in statistics or biostatistics opens the federal statistical agencies (BLS, Census, FDA), pharmaceutical sponsors for clinical trials, and tenure-track consulting roles at the $100K+ level. The one doctoral career on the list, mathematical science teachers, postsecondary at $79,350 with 2.3% growth, is the academic path and represents a five-to-seven-year commitment beyond the bachelor's.
How does this program compare with Data Science, Applied Math, or Business Analytics?
The related-majors data shows four overlapping programs worth distinguishing. Mathematics, General (18,758 completions) is the parent field — broader, more theoretical, more flexible. Applied Mathematics, General (2,591 completions) sits alongside Statistics in the same concentration and covers mathematical modeling across physics, engineering, and operations research. Data Science, General (2,068 completions, in the Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies concentration) is the newer credential directly built around the data-scientist career path, often with more programming and less theoretical statistics. Business Analytics (1,032 completions, in Business) is the business-school version emphasizing analytics in enterprise settings. Statistics, General sits between pure math and applied data science — more rigorous in probability and inference than Business Analytics, broader in career reach than Financial Mathematics (611 completions), and more theoretically grounded than Data Science programs that are often still stabilizing their curricula.