You could get hired as a consultant for a state-of-the-art zoo.
this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2025
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Spooks (governmental, NGO or the companies who have convenient offices nearby) are always interested in hiring mathematicians.
Something about these answers isn't quite adding up. Are the commenters just trying to divide us?
Some comments seem like the product of some kind of operator. It's as though they have a quotient they're trying to fill for number of posts.
As the number of comments multiplies, I have to wonder if they think they are making a difference.
From my, admittedly limited, interaction with mathematicians in my life and a bit of extrapolation:
- Academia: teach advanced mathematics and do research in mathematics for a university. There's still lots of unsolved problems in math and also plenty of overlap with computer science, which also has lots of research possibilities
- Public sector: governments of all levels need at least statisticians, if not more specific mathematics skills depending on what they're trying to do (e.g. research, engineering, economics, etc.)
- Private sector: lots of engineering companies employ a few mathematicians or at least physicists who are really good at math to make sure their next bridge/plane/ocean-boiler will actually work
There's a lot of overlap between all three but I roughly split them up based on where I'd expect the majority of jobs like that would be (e.g. I'm sure NASA employs a good deal of mathematicians, but so does Lockheed Martin and friends). Also a lot of people get a degree in mathematics and then specialize further with a masters and/or doctorate in computer science or physics, since both of those can be quite math-heavy and are better-funded fields.
does DSP count as maths, because there's plenty of that in radar design. or any other sensor with some double-use potential for that matter
I wouldn't count it as just math. Probably more science or engineering. I did some DSP stuff during my computer engineering degree. But then again, science is applied math and engineering is applied science.
CS and advanced statistics is what lots of applied math is anyway
In the very old times, you'd have to be born rich already to do maths. You then don't concern yourself with making a living, because your slaves do it for you.
In the old times, you'd live the same as artists: find a rich dude (exceptionally rarely: dudess) to pay your bills, and in exchange name shit you discover/invent after them.
Last few decades you also have a couple new options. You can work (teach) at a university for pennies, and typically have a second job/side hustle so that you can actually survive. And/or you can write books/make a YT channel, and if you're lucky and get popular enough, that can be your living then, but it's probably not going to be anything too advanced. And/or, if your area of expertise has some vaguely practical application (e.g. cryptography or statistics), you can actually find a job that pays you to do theoretical research in that area in hopes of finding practical application, but you'd have to be pretty lucky to get that.
Physicists get jobs everywhere. They require lots of math, but other info too.
Not really an answer as I don't know any specific math majors other than teaching?
I always thought of maths as a language, and physics as using that language to describe everything in the world. I often describe my physics degree as a degree in problem solving, so a maths degree would be similar but more abstract problem solving. So for jobs just about anything that is technical or requires abstract thought.
Watch a few fast.ai videos and boom, you're an AI researcher making millions.
By figuring it out.
I have a friend working on a Master's in math. Get back to me in a year or two, and I'll let you know what he's doing.