Your degree in Statistics

Skills you’ll develop

While studying statistics, you’re learning methods for organizing, analyzing, and interpreting data to identify patterns that will help solve real-world problems. You’ll develop important skills to apply your statistical knowledge to a diverse range of scenarios.

These skills may include:

Organization of data to facilitate interpretation and application
Complex pattern recognition
Data preparation (validation) and processing (modeling)
Probabilistic reasoning
Survey and experimental design
Statistical and data analysis
Logical and critical reasoning
Numerical computation
Technical skills in statistical concepts, logic, and specialized software (SQL, R)

Career possibilities

Career opportunities vary widely across a range of fields including biotechnology, data management, aerospace, telecommunications, human resources, financial services, software engineering, public policy, health and pharmaceuticals, and others.

There are many career paths that can combine your academic backgrounds, skills, and experience with your different interests. Read through the job titles below for ideas. Some career options may require further education or training. Visit the National Occupational Classification website to research basic requirements and responsibilities of jobs in your field.

Actuary
Algorithm designer
Big data analyst
Bioinformatics scientist
Biostatistician
Chartered financial analyst
Computer programmer
Cryptanalyst
Data/Information scientist
Data mining analyst
Demographer
Economist
Epidemiologist
Insurance underwriter

Investment manager
Marketing consultant
Market researcher
Operations researcher
Quantitative analyst
Software engineer
Sports statistician
Statistical consultant
Statistical engineer
Systems/Research analyst
Systems auditor
Teacher/Professor
Technical analyst - statistics

Make the most of your specialization

Your experiences will open doors to new opportunities and help clarify your values and interests.

UBC Science Co-op
Gain work experience in statistics between study terms.
Departmental research opportunities
Reach out directly to faculty members to ask about potential research positions.
UBC Department of Statistics events
Check out departmental events and network with students and faculty.
Mitacs funding
Apply for up to $15,000 to fund a 4-month internship in your specific area of study.
UBC Mathematics outreach initiatives
Interact with elementary and high school students through workshops and sessions.

Build your network

Employers often hire people they know, so help them get to know you. You can build your network through clubs, classes, informational interviews, and more. There are so many ways to make connections and find mentors.

The professional associations below are also great resources for meeting people, learning about specific industries, and finding job and volunteer opportunities. Most have reduced membership rates for students and new grads.

Connect with alumni on LinkedIn

Find UBC Statistics graduates on LinkedIn to learn about where they’re working, and their career and academic paths.

More information

From your Science degree, you’ll develop skills and experiences that can translate into many career paths. Check out other things you can do with your Science degree.