Careers
Related Skills
Mathematicians are employed in a variety of industries. At Illinois State University, we will help you develop skills for a successful career.
Our program at Illinois State will give you the education and experience to develop these skills.
Strong Numerical Computational Ability
Professional mathematicians must be accurate with their calculations. Our courses will prepare you to apply your computational skills for kinds of technical occupations.
Ability to Analyze, Interpret Data
You will work closely with numbers and figures. To be successful in the workforce you will need to be able to examine numerical information and draw conclusions.
Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
Mathematicians will face complex challenges at their jobs. Being a strong logical thinker and effectively communicating solutions will make you a valued asset in any situation.
Being Successful in the Field
"We were the pioneers of the space era. You had to read Aviation Week to find out what you’d done." — Katherine Johnson, interview with The Daily Press of Newport News, VA, 1990.
“Everything was so new—the whole idea of going into space was new and daring. There were no textbooks, so we had to write them.” — Katherine Johnson, in Black Women Scientists in the United States by Wini Warren, 2000.
Johnson (1918 – 2020), who was depicted in the 2016 movie Hidden Figures, was an American mathematician who made orbital mechanics computations for NASA. Without her innovations, the first human space flight of Alan Shepard in 1961 might never have happened. Space is the limit for math majors in this century as well. Math majors find success in a wide range of work.
Related Fields
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated the 2021 mean annual wage of career mathematicians to be $112,430. General job titles for people with a degree in mathematics may include:
- Astronomer
- Data Scientist
- Math Teacher
- Software Developer
- Cryptographer
- Market Researcher
- Pilot
A degree in mathematics equips our graduates to compete for rewarding jobs in their areas of interest. They are all prepared for mathematics- and computing-related jobs but have the flexibility to specialize too. The following are common work areas that have a high demand for mathematicians:
Government
Federal and state governments employ large numbers of mathematicians. Example agencies are Defense, Labor, Justice, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Transportation, Commerce, and Treasury Departments, NASA, NSA, and the Library of Congress. The NSA particularly attracts the best students in annual joint meetings of mathematics societies.
Research and Development
There are many fields looking to hire mathematicians such as manufacturing, transportation, aerospace, machinery, pharmaceuticals, and more. Some of our students choose to add a minor or second major in another field (economics, computer science, social or natural sciences, languages, etc.,) adding many different directions to their career options.
Education
Students often choose this sequence because of their love of learning and teaching mathematics. Many Illinois high school math teachers are graduates from Illinois State University.
Colleges and universities hire mathematicians to be professors after obtaining their master’s or doctoral degrees. Our 5-year accelerated BS/MS program is designed as an extension of the mathematics sequence that would culminate in a master’s degree with only one additional year’s graduate studies.
Additional Career Resources
Faculty and Research
If you heard on national news that lost pages of Lincoln’s “ciphering book” had been discovered by two adventurers (Dr. Nerida Ellerton and Dr. Ken Clements) in 2016, why, they were professors of mathematics education in the Department of Mathematics. Among our current math professors, the undergraduate director (Dr. Sunil Chebolu) is also an astronomer who blogs to educate young people, and the interim chair (Dr. Gaywalee Yamskulna) oversees a research project that advances careers of young female mathematicians. For us, mathematics is never without joy, passion, or purpose!
Visit our Faculty Research Areas for more information.
Career Industry Liaison
| Name | Office | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debbie Ungson-Walbert | 208 Bone Student Center | dungson@ilstu.edu | (309) 438-2200 |
Internship Coordinator
| Name | Office | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunil Chebolu | Stevenson 303B | schebol@ilstu.edu | (309) 438-3893 |