Activities	Engages in the development of mathematical theory or apply statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical biological data to provide usable information.
Outlook	Average job growth
Median Income	$65,720 in May 2006
Work Context & Conditions	Usually work regular hours in comfortable offices. Some statisticians travel to provide advice on research projects, supervise and set up surveys, or gather statistical data.
Minimum Education Requirements	Master's Degree
Skills	Programming, Critical Thinking, Instructing, Active Listening, Writing, Time Management, Mathematics, Systems Evaluation, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Science
Abilities	Speed of Closure, Number Facility, Category Flexibility, Deductive Reasoning, Written Comprehension, Near Vision, Mathematical Reasoning, Information Ordering, Inductive Reasoning, Written Expression
Interviews	Richard Simon

Job Category		Computer & Mathematical
Job Description		Statistics is the scientific application of mathematical principles to the collection, analysis, and presentation of numerical data. Biostatisticians contribute to scientific inquiry by applying their mathematical knowledge to the design of surveys and experiments; collection, processing, and analysis of data; and interpretation of the results. Many applications cannot occur without the use of statistical techniques, such as designing experiments to gain Federal approval of a newly manufactured drug. One technique that is especially useful to statisticians is sampling -- obtaining information about a population of people or group of things by surveying a small portion of the total. Statisticians decide where and how to gather the data, determine the type and size of the sample group, and develop the survey questionnaire or reporting form. They also prepare instructions for workers who will collect and tabulate the data. Statisticians analyze, interpret, and summarize the data using computer software. In business and industry, biostatisticians play an important role in quality control and product development and improvement. Working for a pharmaceutical company, statisticians might develop and evaluate the results of clinical trials to determine the safety and effectiveness of new medications. Numerous statisticians are employed by nearly every government agency. For example, they may work for scientific, environmental, and agricultural agencies and may help to determine the amount of pesticides in drinking water, the number of endangered species living in a particular area, or the number of people afflicted with a particular disease.
Working Conditions		Biostatisticians usually work regular hours in comfortable offices. Some statisticians travel to provide advice on research projects, supervise and set up surveys, or gather statistical data. Some may have duties that vary widely, such as designing experiments or performing fieldwork in various communities. Statisticians who work in academia generally have a mix of teaching and research responsibilities.
Salary Range		Median annual wage-and-salary earnings of statisticians were $65,720 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $48,480 and $87,850. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,010, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $108,630. The average annual salary for statisticians in the Federal Government was $85,690 in 2007, while mathematical statisticians averaged $96,121.

Education Required		A master’s degree in statistics or mathematics usually is the minimum educational requirement for most statistician jobs. Research and academic positions usually require a Ph.D. in statistics. Jobs with the Federal Government require at least a bachelor’s degree. The training required for employment as an entry-level statistician in the Federal Government is a bachelor’s degree, including at least 15 semester hours of statistics or a combination of 15 hours of mathematics and statistics, if at least 6 semester hours are in statistics. In 2007, more than 200 universities offered a degree program in statistics, biostatistics, or mathematics. Many other schools also offered graduate-level courses in applied statistics for students majoring in biology, business, economics, education, engineering, psychology, and other fields. Required subjects for statistics majors include differential and integral calculus, statistical methods, mathematical modeling, and probability theory. Additional courses that undergraduates should take include linear algebra, design and analysis of experiments, applied multivariate analysis, and mathematical statistics. Because computers are used extensively for statistical applications, a strong background in computer science is highly recommended. For positions involving quality and productivity improvement, training in engineering or physical science is useful. A background in biological, chemical, or health science is important for positions involving the preparation and testing of pharmaceutical or agricultural products. Good communication skills are important for prospective statisticians in industry, where they often need to explain technical matters to persons without statistical expertise. An understanding of business and the economy also is valuable for those who plan to work in private industry. Beginning statisticians generally are supervised by an experienced statistician. With experience, they may advance to positions with more technical responsibility and, in some cases, supervisory duties. However, opportunities for promotion increase with advanced degrees. Master's and Ph.D. degree holders usually enjoy independence in their work and become qualified to engage in research, develop statistical methods, or, after a number of years of experience in a particular area, become statistical consultants.
Recommended High School Courses		Computers and Electronics, Biology, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics
Postsecondary Instructional Programs		Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computers and Electronics
Certification and Licensing

Interest Area		Investigative Involves working with ideas and requires an extensive amount of thinking.
Work Values		Achievement Get a feeling of accomplishment. Independence Work alone.
Skills		Programming Write computer programs for various purposes. Critical Thinking Use logic and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches. Instructing Teach others how to do something. Active Listening Listen to what other people are saying and ask questions as appropriate. Writing Communicate effectively with others in writing as indicated by the needs of the audience. Time Management Manage one's own time and the time of others. Mathematics Use math to solve problems. Systems Evaluation Look at many indicators of system performance, taking into account their accuracy. Active Learning Work with new material or information to grasp its implications. Complex Problem Solving Solving novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings. Judgment and Decision Making Be able to weigh the relative costs and benefits of a potential action. Coordination Adjust actions in relation to others' actions. Reading Comprehension Understand written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. Speaking Talk to others to effectively convey information. Science Use scientific methods to solve problems.
Abilities		Speed of Closure Make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns. Number Facility Able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide quickly and correctly. Category Flexibility Generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. Deductive Reasoning Able to apply general rules to specific problems to come up with logical answers, including deciding whether an answer makes sense. Written Comprehension Able to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Near Vision Able to see details of objects at a close range (within a few feet of the observer). Mathematical Reasoning Able to understand and organize mathematical problems and to know which mathematical methods or formulas to use to solve them. Information Ordering Able to correctly follow rules for arranging things or actions in a certain order, including numbers, words, pictures, procedures, and logical operations. Inductive Reasoning Able to combine separate pieces of information, or specific answers to problems, to form general rules or conclusions. This includes coming up with a logical explanation for why seemingly unrelated events occur together. Written Expression Able to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Related Jobs		Biomedical Engineer, Engineer, Chemical, Administrator, Medical Database
Job Outlook		Average growth is expected in employment of statisticians over the 2006-16 period. Biostatisticians should experience employment growth, primarily because of the booming pharmaceuticals business. As pharmaceutical companies develop new treatments and medical technologies, biostatisticians will be needed to do research and clinical trials. Individuals with a degree in statistics should have opportunities in a variety of fields. For example, many jobs involve the analysis and interpretation of data from economics, biological science, psychology, computer software engineering, education, and other disciplines. Additional job openings will become available as statisticians transfer to other occupations, retire, or leave the workforce for other reasons. Among graduates with a master’s degree in statistics, those with a strong background in an allied field, such as finance, biology, engineering, or computer science, should have the best prospects of finding jobs related to their field of study. Because of the widespread use of computers in this field, statisticians in all industries should have good computer programming skills and knowledge of statistical software.
More Information		American Statistical Association
References		Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Statisticians, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos045.htm O*NET OnLine, on the Internet at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/15-2041.00