Yeah don't sweat it. Math is sweet and it increases your analytical ability. A lot of math majors I assume would do some kind of minor in CS or stats to have more marketable skills as far as industry is concerned. I've also been told that physics is actually a more useless degree than math in terms of finding a job--when you think about it, you don't need a multi-million dollar grant to do math. I think the reason it seems like physics is easier jobwise is because a lot of them just naturally stray into engineering. I would have done math too if I wasn't so intent on working for the private sector, but I have more respect for math and physics majors than anyone else.
If you just do math though, you probably will end up teaching, but hey, on the bright side it leaves plenty of time for research. I know one person who is insane at math and he's a professor at a small (poor) college because it gives him a lot of free time to work on research.
If you just do math though, you probably will end up teaching, but hey, on the bright side it leaves plenty of time for research. I know one person who is insane at math and he's a professor at a small (poor) college because it gives him a lot of free time to work on research.
If I could clone myself, one of me would have gotten a math degree instead of CS, though probably emphasizing applied math rather than theoretical. I enjoyed the "proofs" classes, but numerical analysis was even more fun (as well as neural nets from AI, function optimization from Operations Research).
Oh well, I enjoy software development a bit more, and it pays pretty well to boot. woohoo!
Oh well, I enjoy software development a bit more, and it pays pretty well to boot. woohoo!
If you look at percentages, and come from a good school, I think physics majors have a little easier time with jobs then Math. Here at Purdue, they start with about 90-120 Physics Majors, and the graduiating class is usually around *15*. 15 people in a class == you get to know your professors really well == they hook you up for grad school. Finding a job with an MS in Physics is easier then with an MS in math for pure number reasons if the counsolers around here are to be believed.
If you are desparate for a job, then do teacher training and come to the UK.
Here, they are complaining because no one is doing maths anymore (Chemistry is heading the same way I think).
Here, they are complaining because no one is doing maths anymore (Chemistry is heading the same way I think).
From my experience a applied mathematics degree is best served in combination with another major (ie: computer science, physics, etc).
Speaking as an individual possessing a mathematics degree, I can honestly say it is one of the best decisions a person bound for the technical world can make. This is not biased opinion, but raw fact. A degree in mathematics - even pure mathematics - demonstrates to any potential technical employer a strong technically oriented educational background (no offense to other degree fields, but one seldom finds a surplus of idiots with mathematics degrees), the understanding of technical concepts, and the ability to apply technical knowledge - even sans an Applied Mathematics degree. Dependent upon which career arena mosts interests you, you might think of pairing the mathematics major with an appropriate minor - business/finance, risk management, computer science, etc.
Most employers (and later, colleagues) will never "look down on" a mathematics degree, or find it useless. One would be very hard pressed to find a job opportunity where one met all the qualifications and experience required, but was told a mathematics degree was the chief shortcoming. Do not allow the opinion of the inexperienced (assuming the opinions stated in the original post were from fellow students and/or persons with a non-technical background, yes?) waiver your desire to major in mathematics, and do not take my word on the matter. Consult your academic advisor regarding the employment opportunities with a mathematics degree. Research potential career paths you are interested in, and notice the core degrees sought - a surprising majority will include a mathematical degree. Not certain if your educational institution offers anything in the way of a "Career Day/Expo or the like, where prospective employers amass in booths and graduates/soon-to-be graduates are invited in a recruting effort. If so, definitely attend (even well before graduation), and speak to a number of represensatives regarding your choice of majors.
Do not get me wrong - there are a number of other important factors necessary in securing gainful employment after graduation including (but not limited to) job experience (preferably somewhat related to one's degree), community/campus involvement, etc. Employers typically look at the whole, rather than focusing on an individual part.
Regardless, good luck.
Most employers (and later, colleagues) will never "look down on" a mathematics degree, or find it useless. One would be very hard pressed to find a job opportunity where one met all the qualifications and experience required, but was told a mathematics degree was the chief shortcoming. Do not allow the opinion of the inexperienced (assuming the opinions stated in the original post were from fellow students and/or persons with a non-technical background, yes?) waiver your desire to major in mathematics, and do not take my word on the matter. Consult your academic advisor regarding the employment opportunities with a mathematics degree. Research potential career paths you are interested in, and notice the core degrees sought - a surprising majority will include a mathematical degree. Not certain if your educational institution offers anything in the way of a "Career Day/Expo or the like, where prospective employers amass in booths and graduates/soon-to-be graduates are invited in a recruting effort. If so, definitely attend (even well before graduation), and speak to a number of represensatives regarding your choice of majors.
Do not get me wrong - there are a number of other important factors necessary in securing gainful employment after graduation including (but not limited to) job experience (preferably somewhat related to one's degree), community/campus involvement, etc. Employers typically look at the whole, rather than focusing on an individual part.
Regardless, good luck.
There are lots of math majors on Wall Street. Quant guys are definitely looked highly upon here.
ArmchairAthlete
Diamond Member
- Dec 3, 2002
- 3,763
- 0
- 0
Teach? I just got back from hearing one teach.
EDIT: But doing what you enjoy is best... so go for it I suppose. If I was only concerned about $$$ and finding a job I sure wouldn't be doing CS.
The absolute most important thing is that you enjoy what you do, imo. Those who criticize you are probably working worthless jobs that only hold their attention long enough to get a paycheck.
out of all the majors, i respect math/physics majors the most. Why cause you can't bs your way through, but i as far as getting a job, thats all about marketing yourself then what major you are.
Math teachers in NJ make $65,000 a year. How many people make 70 grand a year and have summers off? That's after 12 years though.
However, in NJ to teach math you have to have a math degree AND a teaching degree - the usual course is to get the BS in math and the MS in Ed.
But once you do that . . . look, almost anyone qualified can get a teaching job in NJ. But there are jobs and there are GREAT jobs. In my local upper-class town there was an opening for elementary teacher - there were like 3000 applicants. And an opening for math teacher, there were TWO applicants.
(My daughter is getting her math BS and wants to teach - so I'm up on these things.)
dullard
Elite Member
- May 21, 2001
- 24,723
- 3,018
- 126
Many majors are difficult majors, you learn a lot, and yet when you graduate you have very little chance of getting a high paying job. Examples would be a BS in math, BS in chemistry, BS in biology, BS in physics, etc. None of these degrees alone will get you very far. In fields such as those, you MUST get a graduate degree to have a good chance at a good job. So unless you tell people that you are getting a BS in math AND going on to grad school, they will assume you are in the position of needing a job that is unrelated to your major or is low paying.
For the exact same amount of work as a math major, you could take almost the same courses and have an engineering major. Then you have tons of job possibilities and a good chance at a much higher and much more respected job.
For the best job possibilites, combine the two. Most large companies have tons of people good in math. Those same companies have tons of people good in engineering. Unfortunately for those companies, they have lots of trouble getting the two groups to work together. Heck I hear them complaining that they can't even get the two groups to understand each other. The engineers need an approximate answer NOW to a problem they cannot solve. The math people can solve it but feel they need a 100% accurate answer and need 1 month to solve it. Thus nothing gets done.
I know several people with the combination degree (BS in math and PhD in engineering or vise versa). All of them were the most sought after person in their graduating class, all were flooded with job offers, and all make about 50% more than their peers. Just food for thought.
For the exact same amount of work as a math major, you could take almost the same courses and have an engineering major. Then you have tons of job possibilities and a good chance at a much higher and much more respected job.
For the best job possibilites, combine the two. Most large companies have tons of people good in math. Those same companies have tons of people good in engineering. Unfortunately for those companies, they have lots of trouble getting the two groups to work together. Heck I hear them complaining that they can't even get the two groups to understand each other. The engineers need an approximate answer NOW to a problem they cannot solve. The math people can solve it but feel they need a 100% accurate answer and need 1 month to solve it. Thus nothing gets done.
I know several people with the combination degree (BS in math and PhD in engineering or vise versa). All of them were the most sought after person in their graduating class, all were flooded with job offers, and all make about 50% more than their peers. Just food for thought.
math is cool. people who are good at math in undergrad can do well in almost any science discipline in grad school - physics, chemistry, CS, engineering, finance, statistics, you name it.
Those are more Actuiarys then Pure Math. Actuiarys are ALWAYS in very high demand (a friend of mind who is an actuiary undergrad student got THREE offers for a summer internship, and the LOWEST was $20/hr). Actuiarial Science is extreemly specilized though, and a pure math degree doesn't help you much except in the fact you have some mathematical matuirty going in. Honestly, a CS degree with a good theoritical CS background probably helps more because most pure math courses offer almost no probability theory (actuially, none unless you take an information theory course) and considering the time you need to spend construting simulations . . .
Maybe but I know a lot of investment bankers and equity analysts that have math degrees. Quantitative hedge funds like DE Shaw tend to hire mathematicians too.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
Discussion Speculation: Zen 4 (EPYC 4 "Genoa", Ryzen 7000, etc.)- Started by Vattila
- Replies: 13K
-
-
Discussion Zen 5 Discussion (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 8000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 5K
-
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram