Careers
With some regularity, students ask us what kind a career one might pursue after earning a degree in mathematics. They wonder if one has to earn a Ph.D., or at least a Masters in mathematics in order to work with mathematics. We've compiled some links that can help answer these questions, and more. Take a little time and enjoy the journey.
The AWM (Association for Women in Mathematics) has put together a wonderful website called Careers that Count: Opportunities in the Mathematical Sciences. The website includes links to profiles of over a dozen female mathematicians in exciting (and different) careers in math.
The MAA (Mathematics Association of America)has a Career Profiles page, in which the authors describe a wide variety of careers for which a background in the mathematical sciences is useful. They try to provide practical answers to the question: Why should I study math?
The AMS (American Mathematical Society) sponsors several good websites that describe careers in mathematics. These include: Careers in Mathematics, which contains useful information for the college-bound high school student with an interest in mathematics and Mathematical Sciences Career Information.
SIAM (The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics) has several good websites, including: Mathematics in Industry, and Career Information: applied mathematicians and computational scientists, where do they work and what do they do?
Other web sites you might find informative: two websites describing the occupation of Operations Research: Career Booklet and Educational Programs
D.W. Simpson Actuarial Search maintains a list of open actuarial positions. This is a career that consistently ranks near the top in terms of overall desireability, and a bachelor's degree in mathematics is the typical entry ticket. Purdue University offers a good explanation of what actuaries do, and what sort of preparation is required.
Copyright © 2007 by Earlham College Mathematics Department. All rights reserved.
Last Updated: November 2007.