Mathematics is applied to almost every discipline of science, technology, and industry. New areas of application are discovered constantly, and older techniques applied to new and emerging fields. Industry relies on the application of mathematics and computation for the design and optimization of everything from aircraft and automobiles to communication systems and supply chains.
Innovations in applied mathematics have become essential tools in the biological sciences, information technology, finance and investment, and computer-generated special effects. Because of that, employees with statistical and applied mathematics training are highly sought after by state and federal government, the military, financial services, software publishers, and insurance companies. Academic fields as diverse as ecology and evolutionary biology, financial management, neuroscience, astronomy and computer animation also rely on statistics and applied mathematical and computational modeling techniques.
Courses in the Statistics and Data Science major are designed to provide students with skills in traditional statistical methods, cutting edge data analysis and statistical learning techniques and essential professional skills. These skills are in high demand in the job market and prepare students for desirable careers in statistics and data science. Since statisticians and data scientists are often involved in interdisciplinary work, the BA degree requires in-depth knowledge of an area of science, engineering, social science or humanities that uses statistics to solve important problems.
Career Services offers free services for all CU Boulder degree-seeking students, and alumni up to one year after graduation, to help students discover who they are, what they want to do, and how to get there. They are the bridge between academics and the world of work by discussing major and career exploration, internship or job searching, and graduate school preparation.
According to Payscale Human Capital:
- The median salary for someone with a bachelor’s degree in statistics and 0 to 4 years of experience is $70,000.
- The median salary for someone with a bachelor’s degree in statistics and 10-plus years is $126,000.
- The median salary for someone with a bachelor’s degree in big data analytics is $84,440.

The estimated median salaries,
as reported on Tableau, for Applied Mathematics graduates for 1 to 5, 6 to 10, and over 11 years out from school.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for statisticians is forecasted to raise by 33% over the next ten years, which is much faster than average. Likewise, the demand for database administrators is forecasted to increase by 11%—also faster than average.