jobs for math majors

midmo
Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:11:43 +0000

Since you seem to have some interest in computer science, it might be a good idea to see if you can fill the requirements for a double major in math/CS without adding any extra semesters at the undergrad level. My son discovered early on that it was very easy to add a second major in math to his CS program since he started with a very good math background and was taking additional math as electives anyway. That doesn’t mean it would work out at your school, though; you need to talk to a counselor and read the requirements carefully. For the record, son had a very good job offer before he began his senior year, in the epicenter of the software world. I have read some of what he has written for his job, and for publications during undergrad years, and despite his title of 'software engineer", his work is heavy on statistics and math.

I have always thought economics was a good second major for talented math students. It is certainly possible to get a degree in econ without superior math talents, but students who combine math and econ command a lot of attention and have broader job prospects. (So say the many econ professors I know well.) Those who go on for a PhD in econ (either immediately or after a couple of years) have a lot of job options, spanning governments, think tanks, the Fed, World Bank/IMF, and even academia. Yes, universities are still hiring tenure track econ professors (with degrees from good programs).