Technology
Mathematicians
Conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques to science, management, and other fields. Solve problems in various fields using mathematical methods.
Median salary (BLS)
$126,710
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$69k – $195k
Job outlook
No separate BLS projection for this specific role
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $109,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Mathematicians
Education
Typical entry: Master's degree
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
EstimateCost to qualify
$64,300–$232,000
Time to qualify
6.3 yr
Renewal
—
- 1
Bachelor's degree
DegreeFour years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.
$40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source
- 2
Master's degree
DegreeTypically two years; average graduate tuition ≈ $20,000/yr at public universities (NCES).
$24,000–$80,000 · 2 years source
- 3
Industry certification (optional)
CertificationVendor certifications (AWS, CompTIA, Google, Microsoft…) are a common entry booster, rarely a hard requirement.
$300–$2,000 · 3 months source
Estimated typical U.S. route for "Mathematicians" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.
Typical progression
Mathematicians Intern
Internship
$36,000
~4 mos to advance
Junior Mathematicians
Entry / Junior
$69,240
~2 yrs to advance
Mathematicians
Established
$126,710
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Mathematicians
Senior
$160,950
Internships are a common on-ramp here — they speed up landing that first role and improve your odds, which is why the Safe and High-ceiling plans build one in.
Key skills
A typical day
- •Mentor others on mathematical techniques.
- •Maintain knowledge in the field by reading professional journals, talking with other mathematicians, and attending professional conferences.
- •Develop new principles and new relationships between existing mathematical principles to advance mathematical science.
- •Disseminate research by writing reports, publishing papers, or presenting at professional conferences.
- •Assemble sets of assumptions, and explore the consequences of each set.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Technology
Explore all- Massachusetts Institute of Technology4% admit · $124,000 grad pay
- Stanford University4% admit · $122,000 grad pay
- Carnegie Mellon University11% admit · $109,000 grad pay
- University of California, Berkeley11% admit · $97,000 grad pay
- Georgia Institute of Technology16% admit · $99,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.