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What would be a great career for someone interested in statistics (and preferably with technology)?

I am a senior in high school right now and I am unsure if I want to do computer science so I have been looking at statistics (since I took it last year and loved it and love math in general). I have heard about and researched about a career as a statistician but I don't know what other options there are. #math #statistics #statisticians

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Mark’s Answer

Hi! Fair warning: I am a computer scientist by training, and a software engineer by career. So I am going to be biased. :)


Statistics is a fine area, and applicable in a lot of areas. If you love figuring out how to define the tests you need to get the data you want, or just love it in general... then it is probably the field for you.


Computer science is more general. It is like math in that it has a lot of approaches of how to solve problems. Unlike math, however, it is something that allows someone else to use your problem solving skills to solve their own problems. It also allows you to apply solutions in a lot of different areas. You can find opportunities to work in almost ANY area with a computer science degree... and move between domains if you like.


Statistics are intersecting with Computer Science in the "big data" and "machine learning" areas. Understanding that data point is unique generally means understanding that it is statistically different from other data points. How do you do that? How do you make it fast? All interesting questions.


It may be that computer science is "just not for you"... but a lot of people also "think they know computer science"... but really don't know what it DOES do. :) So give Computer Science another look.. especially through the lens of a having a skill that augments your statistics. :) But in any case, be honest with yourself about what you do and do not like. Not every class will be fun (nor every job), but you should normally enjoy what you are doing... statistics, math, computer science, or whatever you find.


Best of luck!

Thank you comment icon Thank you for your response! I am interested in computer science but like you said, I am in those people who don't know exactly what it is so I hope to take some classes in both studies to evaluate which one I could do for a living. I would like to know if I may ask what your background or experience is in statistics. Savanna
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Chris’s Answer

In complete honesty, I am a Materials engineer and I fell in love with statistics and Design of Experiments (DoE) 6 years ago.
The best quote I heard about Statistics and Data science is that it is the science that helps all the other sciences.
Given that in mind, many of the engineering disciplines, EE, CS, Materials Science, will all benefit from a combination of statistics with engineering.
The bio engineering field works in a worse signal to noise regime, so the bio field has been using statistics longer, but the other engineering fields improve with statistics as the problems get more complex and multiple parameter models have to be fit to the data. I consider statistics a differentiating skill we applied with engineering.

Thank you comment icon Thank you for taking the time to answer my question! I will definitely take this into consideration, especially since I want to minor in something (so maybe Computer Science or Material Science). Savanna
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Douglas’s Answer

I do not have a great answer, but I do know that the insurance industry is deeply involved with statistics.

Thank you comment icon Thank you for replying to my question! I will look more into the insurance industry. Savanna
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Robert’s Answer

What kind of questions do you like to investigate and answer? What mysteries get you really excited to solve? As you have learned about math and statistics what types of problems and example situations make you excited to apply what you've learned? If meeting someone for the first time who knows nothing about math or stats, what example would you use to explain to them why it's so interesting to you? Answer these questions about yourself, and then ask yourself what businesses need to answer those same types of questions, then you'll have a direction to pursue.


Data science, decision science as outlined in the answer above; every business uses decision science today, to make financial, marketing, product and other decisions.


In insurance, the actuarial pet of the business uses statistics to set rates and manage risk.


Quality management in all areas of business use statistical approaches to determine how to manage and improve the quality of products and effectiveness of production.

Thank you comment icon Thank you for answering my question! I really need to look more into my decision so I appreciate the questions to help me consider my options. Savanna
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