How much does a statistician make?
a year · about $51 an hour
A typical statistician in the United States makes $105,650 a year, about $51 an hour, about 2.1× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
A statistician may plan a survey and decide whom to ask, then examine the results on a computer to find patterns. They turn the findings into charts and explain what the numbers show to coworkers or clients.
Did you know? In 1940, the U.S. Census asked about 5% of people extra questions; statisticians used that sample to estimate detailed facts for the whole country.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $64,000 and $174,050How do you become one?
In the U.S., study math or statistics in college; most statistician jobs call for a master’s degree, though some accept a bachelor’s. Related experience or job training is typically not required, and professional accreditation is optional.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like figuring things out and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, experience, useful skills, and taking on more complex or responsible work can raise a statistician’s pay. Pay also varies by industry and employer, location, and hours; statisticians work in specialties such as health, farming, business, and economics.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in District of Columbia ($140,670), lowest in Missouri ($66,330).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $64,000 | $105,650 | $174,050 | about 29,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $140,670 | about 550 |
| California | $135,960 | about 2,000 |
| Maryland | $132,620 | about 3,000 |
| New Jersey | $118,280 | about 880 |
| North Carolina | $115,690 | about 1,000 |
Official definition: Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians. Excludes “Survey Researchers” (19-3022).
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/details/15-2041.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.census.gov/about/history/bureau-history/census-innovations/data-collection/d
- www.amstat.org/your-career/accreditation
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY