by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 38 U.S. colleges awarded 574 degrees and certificates in Applied Statistics. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 75% of graduates. College Factual ranks 15 schools in its 2027 Best Applied Statistics Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Its 12 related occupations pay an average median salary of $107,805 a year.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, applied statistics is a popular field of study, with 574 degrees awarded annually. 38 colleges award applied statistics degrees, an average of 15 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 63.
By level, the 574 awards include 2 associate degrees, 123 bachelor’s degrees, 432 master’s degrees and 17 doctorates.
Women earned 47% of applied statistics degrees and certificates in the latest year (272 of 574). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (288) and Asian (55), and international students earned 135.
College Factual ranks 15 schools in its 2027 Best Applied Statistics Schools ranking, including 5 for bachelor’s degrees and 11 for master’s degrees. It also ranks applied statistics schools within 11 states. In all, 38 colleges offer applied statistics programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Applied Statistics Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common applied statistics credential is the master’s degree: 432 of the 574 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to applied statistics call most for Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking and Active Listening, and for knowledge of English Language, Mathematics and Computers and Electronics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an applied statistics degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 123 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 432 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 17 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to applied statistics, at 56.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 56.0% |
| Master’s degree | 22.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 4.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.0% |
| Some college courses | 3.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.5% |
| Post-doctoral training | 2.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
12 occupations are related to Applied Statistics, with an average median salary of $107,805; the strongest outlook belongs to Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary, at 14.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Data Analyst, Business Analyst, Business Process Analyst and Business Systems Analyst.
The occupation related to applied statistics with the most projected jobs is Business Intelligence Analysts, at 585,851.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Business Intelligence Analysts | 585,851 | 1.3% |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Data Scientists | 507,848 | 8.1% |
| Management Analysts | 484,759 | 12.6% |
| Statisticians | 307,132 | 6.6% |
| Clinical Data Managers | 300,656 | -0.9% |
| Actuaries | 216,689 | -3.6% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 179,495 | 8.7% |
The highest-paying occupation related to applied statistics is Water Resource Specialists, with a median salary of $179,716.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | $143,840 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Statisticians | $130,349 |
| Biostatisticians | $121,594 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Survey Researchers | $108,538 |
| Data Scientists | $106,295 |
Applied Statistics includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Applied Statistics, General (574). It has 4 similar majors in the Mathematics & Statistics field, which together award 49,403 degrees a year; the largest are Mathematics (26,979), Applied Mathematics (11,612) and Statistics (10,174). Browse all Mathematics & Statistics majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Applied Statistics, General | 574 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | 26,979 |
| Applied Mathematics | 11,612 |
| Statistics | 10,174 |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other | 638 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
