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Survey: Jobs that use math rank highest in satisfaction By Monica Young
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Published: April 3, 2009
Crunch the numbers and math-based jobs are the top three overall when it comes to career satisfaction, according to the latest survey published by JobsRated.com.
JobsRated.com ranked 200 professions by analyzing stress, work environment, physical demands, income and outlook. The Web site explained that it assigned specific numerical data per job, per category to determine the most accurate results.
Professor Stephen Robinson, the chairman of the math department at Wake Forest University, said he was "surprised a bit" to see mathematician ranked as the top job.
Actuaries, listed second on the JobsRated list, use mathematical tools such as statistics to analyze, assess and measure risk. Typically associated with insurance companies, actuaries may be also used by various businesses and governmental agencies.
The third top job, according to the list, was statistician.
"I've seen actuaries at the top of similar lists for years, but this is the first time I've seen mathematicians. That's a broad job," Robinson said.
What makes mathematical-oriented fields so desirable is not adding, subtracting or even computing. Robinson, who claims that the only calculator he owns is at home for handling the bills and checkbook, said that math really isn't arithmetic.
"It's problem solving,'' he said. "People say ‘math whiz' like we have a third lobe to our brains. Instead, we are able to be creative thinkers. We like solving puzzles and find them intriguing. When you get to the core of people who choose math, there is a sense of having a puzzle to solve and the feeling of conquering those puzzles can be addictive."
He said he sees a common theme in the 30 to 50 math majors that Wake Forest graduates each year. Robinson said that they share a common tenacity and a willingness to overcome ambiguity while enjoying the problem-solving process. Many WFU math graduates pursue graduate degrees in business, law and medicine.
Unlocking processes defines the study of math more than computations, Robinson said.
Jim Toole is the managing director of the life and health division for the Winston-Salem office of the consulting firm MBA Actuaries. Toole said he first saw actuaries ranked high when he began in the field in 1987. Toole, with more than 20 years in the business, said he can see why math-related careers do so well.
His job entails analyzing the socioeconomic consequences of risk.
"I very much like my job. It has good stability, little stress and a good salary. I think I have it pretty good," Toole said. "My job has given me a huge launching pad to travel the world and rub shoulders with some pretty interesting people."
Toole's job as an actuary requires math and problem solving but also strong communication skills, a key difference with many other math-oriented jobs.
Robinson said he made sure that his students saw the survey done by JobsRated.com.
"It's common for people to refer to mathematicians in a well-worn stereotype. Actually, there really are all sorts of people who are in math. Math can provide a platform for so many careers," Robinson said.
• Monica Young can be reached at cyoung9@triad.rr.com.
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