Computer and Mathematical Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Wide pay band SOC 15-2021

Mathematicians

The published band from $69,240 to $195,190 is the distinctive signal for this role, not a twin of Computer and Information Research Scientists.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Mathematicians: Computer and Information Research Scientists ($140K) , Web and Digital Interface Designers ($104K) , Software Developers ($136K) , Database Architects ($140K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Mathematicians publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 15-2021 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Mentor others on mathematical techniques
  2. 2. Maintain knowledge in the field by reading professional journals, talking with other mathematicians, and attending professional conferences
  3. 3. Develop new principles and new relationships between existing mathematical principles to advance mathematical science
  4. 4. Disseminate research by writing reports, publishing papers, or presenting at professional conferences
  5. 5. Assemble sets of assumptions, and explore the consequences of each set
  6. 6. Perform computations and apply methods of numerical analysis to data
  7. 7. Address the relationships of quantities, magnitudes, and forms through the use of numbers and symbols
  8. 8. Conduct research to extend mathematical knowledge in traditional areas, such as algebra, geometry, probability, and logic
  9. 9. Develop mathematical or statistical models of phenomena to be used for analysis or for computational simulation
  10. 10. Apply mathematical theories and techniques to the solution of practical problems in business, engineering, the sciences, or other fields
  11. 11. Develop computational methods for solving problems that occur in areas of science and engineering or that come from applications in busin…
  12. 12. Design, analyze, and decipher encryption systems designed to transmit military, political, financial, or law-enforcement-related informat…

Mathematicians: O*NET ranks Mathematics first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 15-2021 - lead skill Mathematics at 5.0 ; lead knowledge Mathematics. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Mathematics 5.0
  2. 2. Critical Thinking 4.1
  3. 3. Reading Comprehension 4.0
  4. 4. Active Learning 4.0
  5. 5. Complex Problem Solving 4.0
  6. 6. Judgment and Decision Making 3.8
  7. 7. Writing 3.6
  8. 8. Science 3.6

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mathematics 4.8
  2. 2. Education and Training 3.7
  3. 3. Computers and Electronics 3.5
  4. 4. English Language 3.3
  5. 5. Physics 3.0
  6. 6. Engineering and Technology 2.9
Published pay band (10th to 90th)
$69,240 to $195,190
median $126,710 · ~2.8× spread
$127K
National median
↓ -1%
Growth 2024-2034
100
Annual openings
2,030
Estimated US jobs
Computer and Information Research Scientists
Highest-pay peer · $140K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Master's degree

Top Paying States for Mathematicians

1. Maryland $131,810
2. Illinois $130,970
3. Massachusetts $104,190
4. Indiana $88,050
5. Rhode Island $109,260
6. Virginia $148,030
7. California $126,710
8. New York $126,950
9. Nevada $102,890
10. Washington $162,280

Other Computer and Mathematical Occupations titles

  1. 1. Software Developers $135,980
  2. 2. Database Architects $139,500
  3. 3. Information Security Analysts $129,180
  4. 4. Web and Digital Interface Designers $104,000
  5. 5. Computer and Information Research Scientists $140,300
  6. 6. Statisticians $105,650

The OEWS band for Mathematicians runs from $69,240 (10th) to $195,190 (90th), about 2.8× wide, with median $126,710. That spread, not the midpoint alone, is the distinctive published fact.

Employment Projections expect -1% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 100 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Master's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Maryland at $131,810. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Computer and Information Research Scientists at $140,300. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Mathematicians pay-rank #7 in Computer and Mathematical Occupations

Among 21 detailed Computer and Mathematical Occupations with a published OEWS median, Mathematicians is pay-rank #7, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Mathematicians is unusually wide, so the state map and peer comparison carry more signal than the median alone.

Mathematicians salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 15-2021

Maryland · top state for Mathematicians

$132K published median

Illinois · #2 state pay

$131K · behind Maryland

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Highest-pay peer vs Mathematicians · $140K

Web and Digital Interface Designers

Lower-pay peer beside Mathematicians · $104K

Compare Mathematicians

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Mathematicians with another occupation →

Pay-band next reads

Entry-Level vs Experienced Pay

What percentile bands reveal

Using Salary Data for Negotiation

Leverage BLS percentiles

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Computer and Mathematical Occupations titles sit near Mathematicians at the top of the pay table? ▼
Mathematicians is pay-rank #7 of 21 detailed Computer and Mathematical Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Information Security Analysts ($129K), Actuaries ($130K), Computer Network Architects ($134K), Software Developers ($136K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do mathematicians do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Mathematicians. Leading ones include: Mentor others on mathematical techniques; Maintain knowledge in the field by reading professional journals, talking with other mathematicians, and attending professional conferences; Develop new principles and new relationships between existing mathematical principles to advance mathematical science; Disseminate research by writing reports, publishing papers, or presenting at professional conferences. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for mathematicians? ▼
For SOC 15-2021, O*NET importance scores lead with Mathematics (5.0), Critical Thinking (4.1), Reading Comprehension (4.0), Active Learning (4.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Mathematics, Education and Training, Computers and Electronics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How wide is the published pay band for Mathematicians? ▼
OEWS places the 10th percentile at $69,240 and the 90th at $195,190 for Mathematicians (2.8× spread). The national median is $126,710. OEWS does not isolate experience, employer, or geography as the cause of that spread.
What employment change does BLS publish for Mathematicians? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Mathematicians is -1%. Projected annual openings: about 100. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Mathematicians? ▼
BLS assigns Master's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Mathematicians. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Mathematicians? ▼
Maryland ($131,810), Illinois ($130,970), Massachusetts ($104,190) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Mathematicians card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 15-2021. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Mathematicians. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics