How much does a mathematician make?
Answer: A typical mathematician in the United States makes $126,710 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 2,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Mathematician pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $69,240 | $126,710 | $195,190 | about 2,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the US, more experience, an advanced degree, or a useful specialty can help mathematicians earn more. Pay also varies by employer and location; most work full time, but deadlines can bring overtime.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a mathematician do?
Conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques to science, management, and other fields. Solve problems in various fields using mathematical methods.
What's a typical day like?
They may use a computer to build and test a model for a science or business problem, then check whether the results make sense. They talk with scientists or engineers and explain their findings in reports or presentations.
How to get this job
In the US, earn a bachelor's in math, then usually a master's in math or statistics; some jobs accept a bachelor's alone. A Ph.D. can lead to university research, so many start work after years of college.
Graduate degree or long training (preparation level 5 of 5)
Good for people who like figuring things out and keeping things organized.
Did you know?
Three of four encryption methods chosen by the U.S. government for the quantum-computing era were based on research by a Brown University math team.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Computer and Mathematical jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/math/mathematicians-and-statisticians.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-2021.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.brown.edu/news/2022-09-21/cryptography
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY