Undecided between Pure and Applied track

AI Thread Summary
The discussion highlights the tension between pursuing a pure mathematics track versus an applied mathematics track. While pure mathematics attracts those interested in its history and theoretical concepts, it often requires advanced degrees (MSc/PhD) and experience to achieve financial stability, with earnings typically capped around $150,000 annually. In contrast, the applied mathematics track offers broader job prospects and potentially higher earnings, though it is more competitive due to the larger number of graduates entering the field. A double major in undergraduate studies is recommended to enhance career opportunities. Resources like the AMS early-career profiles provide valuable insights for those navigating these paths.
Pascal's Pal
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As someone who's interested in the history/ideas of mathematics I'm attracted towards the pure track but I'm also attracted to the job prospects of applied math.

Are my impressions wrong? Can one find employment with either concentration, or is the applied track superior in that regard?
 
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I think this is more "Academic and Career Guidance" than mathematics so I am moving it there.
 
You need a lot of backing(at least a MSc/PhD and experience) to get to a safe financial situation in the pure track, even then the ceiling of earning is something like US$150,000 per annum. Unless you want to teach or something, but that requires separate instruction and registry. Private schools don't have such strict requisites but the competition is fierce and experience valued.
With a degree in the applied track the possibilities are endless and there's no exact ceiling for earnings, but then understandably more people choose this path and the job market is congested with potential employees. A double major instead of electives at undergraduate level helps the career hunt immensely.
The AMS runs early-career profiles on their site and others you might want to browse around.
 
After a year of thought, I decided to adjust my ratio for applying the US/EU(+UK) schools. I mostly focused on the US schools before, but things are getting complex and I found out that Europe is also a good place to study. I found some institutes that have professors with similar interests. But gaining the information is much harder than US schools (like you have to contact professors in advance etc). For your information, I have B.S. in engineering (low GPA: 3.2/4.0) in Asia - one SCI...
I graduated with a BSc in Physics in 2020. Since there were limited opportunities in my country (mostly teaching), I decided to improve my programming skills and began working in IT, first as a software engineer and later as a quality assurance engineer, where I’ve now spent about 3 years. While this career path has provided financial stability, I’ve realized that my excitement and passion aren’t really there, unlike what I felt when studying or doing research in physics. Working in IT...
Hello, I’m an undergraduate student pursuing degrees in both computer science and physics. I was wondering if anyone here has graduated with these degrees and applied to a physics graduate program. I’m curious about how graduate programs evaluated your applications. In addition, if I’m interested in doing research in quantum fields related to materials or computational physics, what kinds of undergraduate research experiences would be most valuable?

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