Statisticians
Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information.
Statisticians develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. The role reports a median annual salary of $103,300 in the US with the middle 80% earning between $57,000 and $168,920 and is projected to grow 8% over the next decade (faster than average). Entry typically requires a Master's degree, and shows high AI exposure (0.72 on a 0-1 scale) — significant portions of core tasks are already being automated. The most in-demand skills for the role include Mathematics, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £53,342 a year for Actuaries, economists and statisticians (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £41,906 to £74,372 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2433). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Statisticians, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Qualification Bachelor's degree with Statistics / Mathematical or Applied Statistics as a subject, or a Master's in Statistics[1]
- 2 · Entrance exam UPSC Indian Statistical Service (ISS) Examination[1]
- 3 · First role Officer in the Indian Statistical Service[1]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- UPSC — Indian Economic Service / Indian Statistical Service Examination 2026 notice (read on 2026-09-27)
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
A day in the life
You start the day cleaning and merging massive datasets in R or Python, hunting for missing values and outliers that could throw off your analysis. Mid-morning you meet with a research team to discuss study design—sample sizes, randomization plans, and which statistical tests will answer their questions. After lunch you run regression models, build visualizations, and write up findings in language that non-statisticians can actually understand. Your work might influence anything from a new drug approval to a tech company's A/B testing strategy, and the thrill is knowing the numbers you crunch drive real-world decisions.
Illustrative: one typical day. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Analyze and interpret statistical data to identify significant differences in relationships among sources of information.
- Evaluate the statistical methods and procedures used to obtain data to ensure validity, applicability, efficiency, and accuracy.
- Report results of statistical analyses, including information in the form of graphs, charts, and tables.
- Determine whether statistical methods are appropriate, based on user needs or research questions of interest.
- Prepare data for processing by organizing information, checking for inaccuracies, and adjusting and weighting the raw data.
- Develop and test experimental designs, sampling techniques, and analytical methods.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Statisticians do?
Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information.
What does a typical day look like in Statisticians?
You start the day cleaning and merging massive datasets in R or Python, hunting for missing values and outliers that could throw off your analysis. Mid-morning you meet with a research team to discuss study design—sample sizes, randomization plans, and which statistical tests will answer their questions. After lunch you run regression models, build visualizations, and write up findings in language that non-statisticians can actually understand.
How much does Statisticians earn?
The median annual salary for Statisticians in the US is $103,300. The middle 80% of workers earn between $57,000 and $168,920 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $76,850 and $133,720.
What is the job outlook for Statisticians?
The role is projected to grow 8% over the next decade (faster than average). Current US employment is approximately 32,200 workers.
How do I become a statisticians?
The typical entry education is a Master's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Statisticians need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Mathematics, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension, Writing. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Statisticians?
Our AI-durability model gives Statisticians a score of 0.72 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at high AI risk — many core tasks are already being automated by generative AI and workflow tools. Focus on AI-adjacent skills or plan a pivot to an AI-durable adjacent role.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Statisticians has high barrier to entry — highly gated — a graduate degree or extended training/apprenticeship is typically required.