Career Path Forecast
 According
to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
employment of mathematicians is expected to grow as fast as the average.
However, keen competition for jobs is expected. Employment of
mathematicians is expected to increase by 10 percent during the 2006-16
decade, as fast as the average for all occupations.
Advancements in technology
usually lead to expanding applications of mathematics, and more workers
with knowledge of mathematics will be required in the future. However,
jobs in industry and government often require advanced knowledge of
related scientific disciplines in addition to mathematics. The most
common fields in which mathematicians study and find work are computer
science and software development, physics, engineering, and operations
research. More mathematicians also are becoming involved in financial
analysis.
 Job
competition will remain keen because employment in this occupation is
relatively small and few new jobs are expected. Master's degree and
Ph.D. holders with a strong background in mathematics and a related
discipline, such as engineering or computer science, and who apply
mathematical theory to real-world problems will have the best job
prospects in related occupations.
Holders of a master's
degree in mathematics will face very strong competition for jobs in
theoretical research. Because the number of Ph.D. degrees awarded in
mathematics continues to exceed the number of available university
positions -- especially those that are tenure tracked -- many graduates
will need to find employment in industry and government.
Additionally,
employment in theoretical mathematical research is sensitive to general
economic fluctuations and to changes in government spending. Job
prospects will be greatly influenced by changes in public and private
funding for research and development.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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