Overall employment of mathematicians and statisticians is projected to grow 8 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Mathematicians and Statisticians.
Statisticians' salaries can vary wildly. Knowing how much statisticians are paid can help you make informed decisions about your education and which jobs you apply for. Luckily, statisticians earn competitive salaries, though salaries can vary across sectors and by various factors. Let's explore your earning potential as a statistician.
Average Statistician Salaries by Industry
Statisticians work across a range of industries. There are pros and cons to each, with specific sectors offering more money for more complex analytical expertise. Certain industries rely on predictive modeling and advanced quantitative methods, which come with higher compensation. Others provide more stable long-term career paths with competitive pay.
for statisticians in the United States.
Finance and Banking
Finance is a high-paying sector for statisticians. This is due to the demand for risk analysis, forecasting, investment modeling, and quantitative decision-making. Statisticians in finance and banking will often work with financial analysts, portfolio managers, and risk teams. Since many employers use statistical modeling, this is one of the best-paid sectors in the field.
Statisticians in finance and banking commonly earn well above the median, with many roles falling between $120,000 and $160,000, depending on specialization and employer.
Statisticians evaluate investment performance, assess financial risks, model economic trends, and optimize trading or credit decisions across large datasets.
The financial impact of accurate predictions and risk reduction directly influences profitability, which increases salaries for statisticians with strong modeling expertise.
Statistician salaries vary significantly by industry, technical depth, and the financial impact of their work. Fields such as tech, finance, and pharmaceuticals reward highly specialized modeling and predictive analysis, which directly influence revenue and innovation. Meanwhile, public sector and research roles may offer lower pay but provide stability, meaningful societal impact, and strong long-term career progression.
Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare
The healthcare and pharmaceutical industries are also lucrative career options for statisticians. Statisticians can support clinical trials, patient outcome research, and medical decision-making. Due to the precise statistical analysis required by regulatory standards and the critical nature of safety evaluations, salaries are competitive. There's also a steady demand for statisticians in this sector.
Salaries typically range from $90,000 to $130,000, with pharmaceutical companies offering the highest compensation.
Professionals design studies, analyze treatment effects, support drug approval processes, and work with interdisciplinary clinical teams.
The accuracy of statistical findings directly affects public health outcomes and regulatory approvals, which increases the value of experienced statisticians.
Information Technology
Tech is another area where statisticians are needed. They have to analyze massive datasets, improve user experiences, build predictive algorithms, and optimize digital products. This is a sector where traditional statistical modeling meets data engineering and machine learning, making it a dynamic and fascinating career choice. It's also one of the best-paid roles in the profession.
IT statisticians earn some of the highest wages in the field, typically between $130,000 and $140,000, or more, depending on the role and company size.
They build statistical models, run experiments, analyze user data, and collaborate with engineering teams to evaluate product performance.
High competition for data talent and rapid technological development drive substantial salaries, especially for statisticians with programming expertise.
in computer systems design and related services
Government and Public Sector
Government agencies need statisticians for national surveys, economic reports, labor market insights, health statistics, and policy research. Since the work requires accuracy and transparency, these roles offer good benefits and job security. However, salaries can vary a lot depending on the agency and location.
Federal statisticians typically earn between $100,000 and $130,000. At the same time, state-level roles may fall slightly lower depending on budget and location.
Statisticians produce official datasets, analyze large-scale surveys, evaluate public programs, and contribute to long-term national data systems.
Federal roles often require advanced methodological knowledge and oversight of large datasets, which leads to higher compensation and long-term stability.
Research and Development
Academia, industry, and science all need research and development statisticians. Here, statisticians collaborate with researchers and technical experts. Given the high impact of many of the projects they work on, salaries here are competitive as well.
R&D roles commonly pay between $110,000 and $130,000, depending on the sector and specialization.
They design experiments, analyze scientific data, develop new statistical methods, and support research proposals or publications.
The technical nature of R&D requires statisticians to work on complex problems and advanced methodologies, thereby increasing the value of their skills.
per year.
Factors Influencing Statistician Salaries
While different sectors tend to pay different salaries, a number of other factors will affect how much statisticians are offered. Experience, education level, and location can all affect how much statisticians are typically paid. Though not the only factors affecting salaries, they're the key ones that you should know about.
Experience Level
Experience is one of the factors that most affect salaries. Understandably, entry-level statisticians earn the least while senior statisticians earn the most in their respective fields and industries. However, this is only true if said statisticians develop skills, move into more specialized and strategic roles, and earn promotions.
Entry-level statisticians usually fall on the lower end of the pay range while they refine their skills and learn to apply methods in real-world settings. They typically assist with data cleaning, basic modeling, and routine analysis under supervision.
Statisticians at this stage move into more independent roles, managing projects, performing advanced modeling, and often mentoring junior team members. Their increased responsibility and experience lead to higher salaries and stronger job security.
Senior statisticians often lead analytical teams, develop new methods, and take on highly technical or strategic responsibilities. Their advanced expertise and leadership usually place them in the highest salary brackets across most industries.
Education Level
A statistician's level of education will affect their salary, particularly when they first start their careers. It's common for employers to prefer a master's degree for roles that involve analysis, research, and technical work. Those with doctoral degrees can qualify for high-paying positions in research, academia, and advanced modeling.
A bachelor’s degree provides the foundation needed for junior roles in analytics or applied statistics. These positions often involve data preparation, basic modeling, and supporting larger projects.
A master’s degree is considered the primary qualification for most statistician roles across industry, government, and healthcare. Graduates at this level can access more advanced positions with higher salary potential and a wider range of specialization options.
A doctoral degree prepares statisticians for research-intensive or academic careers. PhD holders often take on roles involving methodology development, high-level consulting, or leadership within R&D teams.
Earnings for statisticians increase significantly with higher educational attainment and accumulated experience. A master's degree often opens access to more technical and better-paid positions. At the same time, a PhD enables work in advanced modeling, R&D, and academia. As statisticians gain experience, they typically take on greater responsibility, lead complex projects, and qualify for higher-tier salary ranges across most industries.
Geographic Location
Generally, if you live somewhere with a higher cost of living, employers have to offer salaries that reflect this. States with a higher cost of living and those with connections to tech, finance, or biomedical research often provide the highest salaries. You'll see that government salary structures are also greatly affected by state and region.
Regions such as California, New York, and the District of Columbia have historically offered some of the highest wages for statisticians, driven by demand from tech firms, financial institutions, and federal agencies.
High salaries in certain states often reflect increased living expenses, so professionals should consider both take-home pay and local costs when evaluating offers.
Urban areas often pay more due to higher industry concentration, while rural regions may offer greater job stability or lower living expenses.
working in the federal government
Career Advancement and Salary Growth
To maximize your earning potential, you need to consider potential career advancement in the role or sector you work in. Professional statisticians boost their earnings by gaining experience, expanding their technical skills, specializing in in-demand fields, and moving to leadership-focused positions. Earning power can increase significantly throughout a statistician's career with the right moves.
Statisticians who specialize in areas such as biostatistics, machine learning, finance, or survey methodology often qualify for higher-paying positions. Specialization demonstrates technical depth and allows professionals to work on complex, high-impact projects that require advanced knowledge.
Professionals who step into supervisory or managerial positions often see notable salary increases. These roles involve guiding analytical teams, overseeing research projects, approving methodologies, and coordinating cross-functional work with decision-makers.
Additional training, such as advanced degrees or certification in statistical programming and analytics tools, can lead to higher compensation. Lifelong learning ensures statisticians stay competitive in evolving fields and strengthens their ability to handle advanced modeling and data challenges.
Statisticians sometimes move into related fields such as data science, quantitative finance, or policy analysis. These transitions can open doors to significantly higher salaries, especially in industries that value predictive modeling and high-level analytics.
With data-driven decision-making central to almost every sector, statistician salaries are rising. Whether you choose to work in healthcare, tech, finance, research, or government, understanding how salaries vary by industry, education level, and experience can help you make informed decisions about your career path. Of course, if you need help with this, why not get help with a statistics tutor on Superprof? Start browsing tutor profiles on the website today!
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