How long does it take to become a statistician?

Typically about six years of study in total. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do statisticians make?

The US median is $105,650 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree to become a statistician?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train to become a statistician?

1,448 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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How to become a statistician

Computers & IT · SOC 15-2041

$105,650US median pay, 2025

+11%Projected growth, 2025–35

1,900Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Master's degree
Work as a statistician

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Mathematics, General	CIP 27.0101	1,306
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics	CIP 45.0603	275
Applied Mathematics, General	CIP 27.0301	216
Statistics, General	CIP 27.0501	194
Data Science, General	CIP 30.7001	164
Business Analytics	CIP 30.7102	121
Biostatistics	CIP 26.1102	91
Business Statistics	CIP 52.1302	89
Data Analytics, General	CIP 30.7101	78
Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods	CIP 45.0102	47
Mathematics and Statistics	CIP 27.0503	42
Computational and Applied Mathematics	CIP 27.0304	38
Educational Statistics and Research Methods	CIP 13.0603	35
Statistics, Other	CIP 27.0599	31
Applied Statistics, General	CIP 27.0601	28
Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement	CIP 13.0604	20
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research, Other	CIP 13.0699	20
Mathematical Statistics and Probability	CIP 27.0502	17
Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology	CIP 42.2708	12
Biometry/Biometrics	CIP 26.1101	9
Mathematical Economics	CIP 30.4901	8
Data Analytics, Other	CIP 30.7199	8
Epidemiology and Biostatistics	CIP 26.1311	7
Data Science, Other	CIP 30.7099	7
Institutional Research	CIP 13.0608	1

…and 1 more related programs.

See the 1,448 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does it take to become a statistician?: Typically about six years of study in total. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do statisticians make?: The US median is $105,650 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree to become a statistician?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train to become a statistician?: 1,448 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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