What kinds of jobs could i get with a BS in statistics?

[annoyinggirl]

With just a BS, what kind of jobs could I get with a BS in Statistics (with business emphasis)? With a BS in statistics (with business emphasis) or a BS in Business Administration (with concentration in decision science/operations research) be more employable?

 

[StatGuy2000]

With just a BS, what kind of jobs could I get with a BS in Statistics (with business emphasis)? With a BS in statistics (with business emphasis) or a BS in Business Administration (with concentration in decision science/operations research) be more employable?

Here is a link to an essay written by one of my former professors about career information for statistics.

http://www.utstat.utoronto.ca/~brunner/whattodo.html

I think the bottom line is that with a BS in statistics alone, you may not be hired as a statistician per se, but opportunities in data mining/data analysis in a business setting should open up, especially if you have developed strong programming skills. A statistics with a business emphasis is also a good stepping stone to pursuing a career in the actuarial field, especially if you pass at least a few of the actuarial exams (I would recommend you at least write a few of the exams while you are still a student, if you want to keep this option open). I would still recommend though that you pursue a MS in statistics, as that extra qualification will open many more doors for you.

As for whether BS in statistics or a BS in Business Administration is more employable -- that's hard to say without knowing more about the specifics of your programs. The key is more on what skills you acquire. My suggestions (which I wrote about earlier) include the following:

1. Get some decent programming skills. Learn how to program or use SAS, R, SQL. Knowing how to program in C or Java doesn't hurt either.

2. If at all possible, seek an internship related to statistics/data analysis while you are in school. This will provide you with job experience prior to graduation, contacts you can use for networking, and references. The best way to find out about internship opportunities is by checking into your department or your school. You can also check out opportunities on job boards (Indeed, Monster) or the American Statistical Association (ASA) website (http://www.amstat.org).

3. Seek some career counselling and tips through your school (e.g. tips on interviewing, resume writing).

4. Network! You can do this by talking to your professors or your TAs, attending workshops or job seminars, etc.