A BOOMING JOB MARKET

The explosion of data from devices such as sensors, cell phones, and medical instruments, as well as from business processes, surveys, and social media has created an accelerating demand for specialists who are trained in data collection and analysis.  As a result, the field of statistics will be increasingly more fundamental to academia, business, and government in order to accommodate the escalating dependence on data-driven decisions. 

Therefore, even in the current overall downturn in the job market, statisticians are highly sought-after. Consider the following:

• A 2011 report by a private consulting firm projected a necessary increase of nearly 200,000 professional statisticians (a 50% increase) by 2018.
• A recent salary survey found that the middle fifty percent of masters’ statisticians have annualized salaries between $95,000 and $155,000.
• IBM has created a Business Analytics and Optimization Services Group in order to capitalize on the need to analyze large quantities of data. There were 200 in this group in 2009, and reports are that IBM plans to “retrain or hire” 4,000 more such analysts.

A WIDE VARIETY OF CAREER OPTIONS

An attractive aspect of the statistics profession is the wide variety of problems that can be addressed.

• Statistical decisions are fundamental to current research in nearly all academic disciplines.
• Government agencies, such as the Census Bureau and Food and Drug Administration, recruit statisticians. 
• Banks and insurance companies hire statisticians to assist in modeling financial data.
• Biostatisticians are statistical specialists typically employed at medical schools or research hospitals who work with researchers in designing studies along with collecting and analyzing data related to biology- or health-related problems.

A statistician need never be bored! Every new problem provides a chance to work with and learn from people who are experts in their fields and to make important contributions to their work.

STATISTICAL SCIENCE AT SMU

The SMU Department of Statistical Science is a nationally recognized department with a history of producing outstanding, highly marketable graduates and being at the forefront of statistical research and innovation.  The faculty of the Department of Statistical Science consists of internationally renowned scholars who are also widely recognized for their expertise in applying statistical science in very diverse settings including clinical trials, air pollution, medical imagery, census adjustment, educational testing, and genetics.

STATISTICAL SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAMS

B.S. IN STATISTICAL SCIENCE
M.S. IN APPLIED STATISTICS AND DATA ANALYTICS (MASDA)
PH.D. IN STATISTICAL SCIENCE

INFORMATION ABOUT THESE DEGREES IS AVAILABLE ON THIS WEB SITE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

General Information:  Contact  Sheila Crain, stat@smu.edu, 214-768-2441

For Information about Applied Masters (MASDA) Program:  Contact  Dr. Steve Robertson, sdrobert@smu.edu, 214-768-3725

For Information about Ph.D. Program:  Contact  Dr. Jing Cao, jcao@smu.edu, 214-768-2451