There’s good reason why math is a core subject in schools all across the world and one that students have to take. Math isn’t just an essential tool for everyday life; it also presents a significant variety of job prospects to those who possess strong quantitative skills, far beyond merely teaching the subject at school or university. One of the most attractive things about the math majors you can pursue is that they all lead to industries that continue to grow. Statistics, data science, finance, economics, computer science, and actuarial science are all majors that you can study that have math at the very heart of them. Determining which major is best for you will depend on where your strengths lie, your understanding of math, as well as what direction you intend to steer your career after graduating.
Key Takeaways
- Explore your options: Math majors range from pure and applied mathematics to statistics, data science, and actuarial science.
- Consider your goals: Choose a major that matches your interests, strengths, and career ambitions.
- Look beyond the title: Compare course curricula to understand what you’ll actually study.
- Keep your options open: Math-related degrees can lead to careers across finance, technology, research, business, and more.
What Are the Main Types of Math Degrees?
➗ Pure Math Degrees
✍️ Applied Math Degrees
📈 Data-Focused Degrees
The expression “don’t judge a book by its cover” couldn’t be more true when it comes to the world of math majors. There are countless variations of course names that universities use for their majors. This helps differentiate the course from others, but a better way to know exactly what a course entails is to look at the specific classes that you’ll be taking over the years.
With that said, when it comes to the main types of math degrees that you’ll find, they generally fall broadly into three categories: pure mathematics, applied mathematics, and statistics or other data-focused disciplines. When you read through the classes you’ll be covering over the course of the major, you’ll find that these areas overlap considerably, but they place different emphasis on how mathematics is studied and used. If you opt for a straight-up mathematics major, you can expect to spend the majority of your time focusing on theoretical or practical applications. On the flip side, you’ve got specialized degrees, which will have you concentrating more heavily on a particular area like statistics or data science.
Pure Math Degrees
When you see majors titled pure mathematics, they’re generally referring to the courses’ focus on the concepts and theories that underpin the subject. So, unlike much of your high school learning experience, where you’ll have been applying math to the world around you, you’ll be exploring why mathematical principles work and how different ideas connect.
Pure mathematics focuses more on theories and abstract concepts, while applied mathematics emphasizes using mathematical tools to solve real-world problems.
Inside your classes, you can expect to cover some familiar topics like calculus, linear algebra, abstract algebra, as well as topology and discrete mathematics. It’s a great option for those looking to go further into graduate studies or research, but it also goes a long way when looking to transfer into other areas like computing, finance, education, and other quantitative fields. Luckily for you, if you are taking Honors Math or even AP math classes or thinking about taking these courses then you probably have those great math skills to find a job to offer you the big bucks.
Applied Math Degrees
The next major category of math that you’ll come across on your quest to find the right major is applied mathematics. This is the more familiar branch that makes up the bulk of your high school education experience here in the U.S.
Instead of the focus primarily being on mathematical theory, your learning objectives will be more centered on constructing models, analyzing systems, and using computational methods to find solutions.
You can expect your major’s topics to encompass differential equations, numerical analysis, optimization, linear algebra, mathematical modeling, and computational mathematics.
This is considered to be the more flexible of math degrees, seeing as graduates tend to go on to pursue all sorts of careers in fields such as technology, engineering, finance, scientific research, operations, or data analysis.
Statistics and Data-Focused Degrees
Statistics and data-focused degrees have been on the rise for some time now, as there is an increasing demand for professionals who can collect and subsequently interpret data in the professional sphere. When you look under the hood of any of these courses, you’ll find topics like probability, statistical modeling, regression, statistical computing, experimental design, and data analysis.
Statistics involves designing studies, interpreting data, identifying patterns, and communicating findings—not simply calculating averages and percentages.
Some of the programs that may have emerged more recently may also extend to include things like programming and machine learning techniques. This type of math degree is becoming increasingly important as organizations continue to rely on data to make decisions—a trend that shows no signs of slowing down! For targeted support, consider working with a math tutor near me.
Math College Majors
There are a bunch of majors that you can explore math through. You also don’t need to study a math course in order to develop your problem-solving skills. Several majors outside of this sphere use substantial amounts of quantitative reasoning and can lead to careers where strong mathematical skills are valuable.
Mathematics
Let’s start with the most obvious choice of major that you could opt for when looking to develop many of the competencies that companies are looking for: a dedicated mathematics major. Here, you can expect to acquire the broadest traditional foundation in the subject through calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, probability, statistics, geometry, analysis, and abstract mathematics. It’ll leave you with a great foundation for careers in education, finance, technology, government, research, and data analysis.
Applied Mathematics
Given that this major focuses solely on the category of math that we mentioned above, you can be sure that you’ll graduate being able to apply your learning to all sorts of real-life scenarios.
Your timetable will likely be filled with topics like mathematical modeling, computation, optimization, engineering, business, or technology.
Its versatility is one of the biggest pull factors bringing numerically inclined students in droves to the major.
Even if you don’t have it all mapped out just yet, this major ensures that you aren’t closing any doors on yourself!
Earning grades in Honors Math and AP classes will be really crucial to you as you will become increasingly attractive to colleges who are considering students for scholarships at their college or university.
Statistics
Statistics has long been a major that students have pursued within mathematics. But the past decade has seen a surge in the extent of the role it plays in the business world. This has caused a subsequent increase in the number of majors focusing on the topic and the number of students looking to develop their skills in this area. If you were to put the work in and graduate with a major in statistics, you’d be well prepared to design studies, evaluate data, build statistical models, and communicate quantitative findings.
Actuarial Science
One of the more niche majors that you might come across is actuarial science. It’s definitely considered to be a challenging course, but it’s often rewarding for graduates as it can lead to high-earning roles. This is because the major combines mathematics, statistics, economics, and finance to analyze financial risk, which can be of great value when informing the activities of a business.
Mathematicians had a median annual wage of $121,680 in May 2024.
The ideal major will likely look substantially different from one student to the next, and that’s because it depends on aptitude, interest, and the direction they intend to take their careers after graduating. But if the idea of using probability and statistical models to estimate the likelihood and financial consequences of future events is something that excites you, then that’s as good an indication that this is the right major for you as any!
Data Science / Analytics
Moving on to a not-so-distant major, we’ve got data science and analytics, which combines mathematics and statistics with programming and computing. If you were to go ahead and enroll in this sort of major, you can expect a lot of your time both inside and outside of the lecture halls to involve working with large datasets, identifying patterns, and building models to support decisions.
By making it out the other end of this major, you’d be well equipped to work as a data scientist, data analyst, business analyst, or machine learning specialist. During your sophomore, junior, and senior years you’ll be faced with many different life choices.
Economics
Economics is definitely a “sleeper course” when it comes to the extent of its involvement with mathematics. It’s a great deal more intensive than many might think, as students touch on a wide range of math through topics such as statistics, econometrics, calculus, mathematical modeling, and economic theory. While evidently being very numbers-heavy, there is also a broad range of applications it presents through markets, businesses, public policy, and human behavior. In terms of the careers that graduates tend to pursue, it can lead to careers in economic research, consulting, banking, government, finance, and business analysis.
Finance / Accounting
Finance and accounting are yet another example of degrees that aren’t specifically mathematics degrees, but both involve quantitative reasoning. For instance, finance students tend to work quite extensively with financial models, investment analysis, probability, statistics, and valuation, while accounting students work with financial records, reporting, auditing, and numerical analysis.
There are many majors out there that combine the two, but if you take accounting on its own, then you’d be looking more at financial records, reporting, auditing, and numerical analysis. If you ever need extra help, you might consider connecting with a math tutor near me.
Computer Science / Software-Related Majors
You’ve likely had teachers telling you to go into computer science since high school, and for good reason! It’s the natural choice for mathematically inclined students, with valuable learning across concepts such as logic, discrete mathematics, probability, algorithms, and linear algebra. Students who graduate with these majors are often in great demand, particularly when it comes to careers in software development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, systems engineering, and research.
What math major interests you most?
How to Choose the Right Math Major
The perfect major for you is going to be an entirely different answer from that of another student. That’s because it depends on what you personally enjoy, what you want to do after college, and what you want to spend the next few years of your life studying.
Choose Based on Your Interests
Choosing a major depends on what your interests and strengths are. If you are great at math but hate computers or developing software, then perhaps a major in computer science isn’t for you. If you’re more of a fan of graphing and analyzing data, perhaps a career as an auditor or statistician is a better choice. It is always a good idea to talk with your teachers and parents about what your interests are, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of one major versus another. So, start by thinking about which parts of mathematics you actually enjoy.
Choose Based on Career Goals
The end goal of the career path or role that you intend to have by the time all of the hard work is said and done is yet another consideration that’ll look entirely different from one student to the next. Luckily for you, mathematics graduates can work across a variety of occupations, including teaching, data science, management, actuarial work, and accounting. So, be sure to have a good look at the topics that are covered in your desired course and ensure that they are adequate for the career you intend to pursue. Consider enrolling in classes with a maths tutor to enhance your mathematical skills and knowledge.
Choose Based on the Curriculum
Finally, compare the actual courses offered by different colleges rather than relying only on the name of the major. Two universities may both offer a bachelor’s degree in mathematics while providing very different experiences. You can look at the classes you would need to take to earn enough credits to get your bachelor’s degree in your field of study. There may be a lot of classes you don’t wish to take, so consider the differences between one major and another. Majoring in one mathematical field of study while minoring in another is always an option as well. A strong quantitative foundation can provide opportunities across countless fields.
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