Math

Are you a whiz with numbers? Are your favorite subjects algebra and geometry? Jobs that use math can involve measurement, experimentation and prediction. You might design and build electronic equipment, collect and use data on the natural world or calculate risks. But believe it or not, no matter what you decide to do, you'll probably need math skills! Math has all sorts of day-to-day uses, such as balancing your checkbook, figuring out how many miles per gallon your car gets, making sure the picture you want to hang is evenly centered or counting the number of beats per measure in a song. Math truly is a skill you will use for the rest of your life!

STATISTICIAN

In a Nutshell

Statisticians help design surveys and experiments. They collect information from a small group to help predict what will happen in big groups. For example, some statisticians may collect data to learn how safe new products are before they're sold. Statisticians work in a variety of environments.

Get Ahead

Statisticians use computers a lot, so it's very important to have a good background in computers.
Good speaking and writing skills are needed.
You should earn a bachelor's degree in statistics or a master's degree.
Research and teaching jobs usually require at least a master's degree in statistics.
You'll probably need a master's degree and several years of experience to get a job in industrial research.

Earning Power (2008)

Nationally, the middle half of statisticians earned $50,520 to $91,840 a year.
In Texas, they earned between $50,810 and $85,670.

They Did It

Sir Ronald Aylmer Fisher — introduced the concept of likelihood
William Sealey Gosset — inventor of the t-test to handle small samples for quality control
Gertrude Mary Cox — author of Experimental Design

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

In a Nutshell

Electrical engineers design electronics and test equipment. An electrical engineer will take an idea and design the circuits and other parts of the product. Engineers test their designs, and if they don't work at first, they have to figure out why. Electrical engineers designed items such as your MP3 player, video game console and your calculator.

Get Ahead

Getting into engineering school takes good grades in math and science. Study these subjects hard.
Take courses in English, social studies and computers.

Earning Power (2008)

Nationally, the middle half of electrical engineers earned between $62,900 and $98,530.
In Texas, they earned between $67,460 and $107,520.

They Did It

Jack Kilby — inventor of the integrated circuit and handheld calculator
Marcian Hoff — invented the microprocessor
John Bardeen — co-inventor of the transistor

SURVEYOR

In a Nutshell

Surveyors measure and draw the earth's surface. They measure areas of land, air, space and water. Surveyors describe where a certain area of land is, what it looks like and how much is there. These are a few of the types of surveying jobs out there:

Geodetic Surveyors - measure large areas of the earth's surface.
Survey Technicians - help land surveyors by holding measuring tapes and chains and writing notes. Survey technicians also make sketches and enter the facts into computers.
Cartographers - collect facts about the earth's surface and prepare maps of large areas.
Geographic Information Specialists - work with satellites and computers to collect geographic information, often combining the jobs of mapping scientists and surveyors.

Get Ahead

Students interested in surveying should study algebra, geometry, drafting, mechanical drawing and computer science.

Earning Power (2008)

The middle half of all surveyors nationally earned between $37,930 and $68,340.
In Texas, they earned between $38,110 and $73,410.

They Did It

Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln were land surveyors prior to their political careers.

PHYSICIST

In a Nutshell

Physicists study the natural world. They examine everything from subatomic particles to the large galaxies. Physicists do experiments to discover laws of nature and study what items are made of and how they behave.

Get Ahead

If you want to be a physicist, you should study math and science and be good at problem solving.
You usually need a doctoral degree to work as a physicist, but people with a master's degree often get jobs in manufacturing and applied research and development.
You should take courses in writing and speaking. Physicists often are required to write and present research papers.

Earning Power (2008)

The middle half of all physicists nationally earned between $73,730 and $123,610.
In Texas, they earned between $50,050 and $121,110.

COST ESTIMATOR

In a Nutshell

Cost estimators figure out how much projects or products will cost, which helps business owners and managers make decisions. If a business owner thinks he or she can't make enough money, the project will not move forward.

Get Ahead

Students who wish to become cost estimators should study math and computer skills.
Strong communication and analytical skills are also important, as cost estimators often have to present ideas and research.

Earning Power (2008)

Nationally, the middle half of cost estimators earned between $41,610 and $72,020.
In Texas, they earned between $39,180 and $69,070.

ACTUARY

In a Nutshell

Actuaries deal with risk and decide how likely events such as death, sickness, injury, disability and property loss are to occur. They consider the financial costs associated with these events. They may decide how much money it will take to get a certain amount of retirement income and help design insurance policies and pension plans.

Get Ahead

Actuaries are required to know a lot about math and business. Most employers require degrees in math, statistics, economics or finance.
It's also important to be able to communicate well. Computer skills are becoming more important.

Earning Power (2008)

Nationally, the middle half of all actuaries earned between $61,980 and $119,820.
In Texas, they earned $63,780-$132,170

They Did It

James Dobson — former head of the Royal Mathematical School, built on the statistical mortality tables developed by Edmund Halley

Based on material developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.