Math teachers are essential; they conduct academic lessons, support young learners, and help prepare students to attend post-secondary school and enter the job market with desirable skills. However, unexpected layoffs, stagnant salaries, and general curiosity about emerging jobs drive former math teachers to explore new career paths. There are numerous alternative jobs for math teachers, especially in the field of applied statistics.
Applied statistics is the basis of data analysis and involves analyzing data to help define and determine business needs. Various organizations spanning all industries use big data and look for statisticians, data analysts, data scientists, and other professionals with applied statistics knowledge and business acumen who can organize, analyze, and use data to solve real-world problems.
Learn more about the top five applied statistics jobs for former teachers and how a Master of Science in Applied Statistics Online can help you learn foundational skills and gain a competitive advantage in the current job market.
Why Are Math Teachers Looking For Alternative Jobs?
Math teachers are seeking career alternatives and discovering new career paths in surging areas like computer science and economics. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift as teachers grappled with increased exposure to illness while working in classrooms.
Carrie Presley is a former math teacher who worked for the Oklahoma and Texas school districts. During the pandemic, Presley learned that she must return to work and teach more than 30 students in person. So she decidedly resigned two weeks into the school year to mitigate risk for her and her family.
"I was really kind of stuck between the health guidelines and the environment I was in, and with high-risk family members, I had to choose between my health and teaching," Presley said.
Research shows teachers are leaving their jobs across the country due to high stress, low pay, and health concerns. According to the National Education Association (NEA), the following factors are causing teachers to rethink their career path:
- Teachers are paid approximately 20% less than other college-educated professionals with similar work experience
- 32% of respondents said the pandemic had led them to plan to leave the profession earlier than they anticipated
- 27% of teachers reported depressive symptoms, and 37% reported symptoms consistent with anxiety during the pandemic
Many college-educated teachers are investigating new career paths and returning to university to pursue advanced degrees to give them an edge in the highly competitive job market. Math teachers are well-positioned to break into big tech jobs, government agencies, business settings, and more.
5 Alternative Jobs For Math Teachers
Math teachers are passionate professionals who demonstrate communication skills, creative lesson planning, understanding of mathematical software, critical thinking, and unparalleled patience. These transferable skills serve former math teachers in other math education jobs and disparate career paths that demand problem-solving, mathematics, experimentation, and soft and hard skills.
In the United States, a typical high school math teacher earns $62,870 per year and has an 8% job outlook. Compare this outlook to the fastest growing alternative jobs for math teachers and discover salary outlooks, demand, and required skills to break into exciting new areas.
1. Research and Statistics
Professionals with math-based education and teaching experience have transferable skills needed to excel in research and statistics jobs. Many industries depend on researchers and statisticians to create surveys, conduct opinion polls, forecast population data, and report demographics. A few of the most common organizations that employ research professionals include government, businesses, hospitals, and educational institutions.
Research and statistics jobs for former math teachers include:
- Market Research Analyst
- Salary: $65,810 per year
- Job Outlook: 22% (Much faster than average)
- Operations Research Analyst
- Salary: $86,200 per year
- Job Outlook: 25% (Much faster than average)
- Statistician
- Salary: $93,290 per year
- Job Outlook: 33% (Much faster than average)
2. Financial Analysis and Consulting
Another popular career path for former math teachers is working in the financial analysis and consulting space. Jobs in the banking and financial industry often require analytical thinking, mathematics, and effective decision-making, similar to the skill set of a math teacher. The typical financial analyst is responsible for developing financial forecasts, analyzing financial data, visualizing data in models, and reporting performance insights.
Financial analysis and consulting jobs for former math teachers include:
- Accountant
- Salary: $73,560 per year
- Job Outlook: 7% (As fast as average)
- Budget Analysts
- Salary: $78,970 per year
- Job Outlook: 5% (Slower than average)
- Financial Analyst
- Salary: $83,660 per year
- Job Outlook: 6% (As fast as average)
- Personal Financial Advisor
- Salary: $89,330 per year
- Job Outlook: 5% (Slower than average)
3. Computer Science
Computer science is one of the fastest-growing fields in today’s data-driven job market. According to LinkedIn, Software Engineers, JavaScript Developers, Java Software Developers, DevOps Developers, and Full Stack Engineers are classified in the top ten most in-demand jobs in the United States. Students enrolled in an MS in Applied Statistics learn cutting-edge programming languages and build a resume designed for a digital-first future. In addition, former math teachers can pair their mathematical know-how with new skills to succeed in this industry.
Computer science jobs for former math teachers include:
- Computer and Information Research Scientists
- Salary: $126,830 per year
- Job Outlook: 22% (Much faster than average)
- Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers
- Salary: $110,140 per year
- Job Outlook: 22% (Much faster than average)
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Salary: $93,730 per year
- Job Outlook: 7% (As fast as average)
- Database Administrators and Architects
- Salary: $98,860 per year
- Job Outlook: 8% (As fast as average)
4. Economics
Math teachers find solutions to problems every day in mathematical equations. As an economist, former math teachers can apply their problem-solving abilities to advise administrators in making policies, setting consumer pricing, staff planning, and international trade. Economists commonly work for governments or large businesses regarding economic decisions. Experience from an MS in Applied Statistics may help future economists better understand how to conduct research, employ statistical techniques, and present findings in reports.
Economics jobs for former math teachers include:
- Economist
- Salary: $108,350 per year
- Job Outlook: 13% (Faster than average)
5. Actuarial Sciences
It’s essential that organizations analyze and mitigate risk to protect their assets and reputation. Actuaries use mathematics, statistics, and financial theory to investigate and report the economic costs of risk and uncertainty in a business setting. Many actuaries work in the insurance industry and have a strong mathematics and applied statistics background.
Professionals in this role are essential in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, investments, staff planning, and more. Former math teachers may enjoy working as actuary consultants because they can work flexible hours using their statistical skills to advise public and private companies.
Actuarial sciences jobs for former math teachers include:
- Actuary
- Salary: $111,030 per year
- Job Outlook: 24% (Much faster than average)
Earn Your Master’s in Applied Statistics at Michigan Technological University
The online Master of Science in Applied Statistics program at Michigan Technological University (MTU) prepares former math teachers to upskill and reskill to enter today’s competitive job market with confidence. The innovative program combines statistics theory and methodologies with emerging technologies and teaches students how to collect, analyze, and interpret data in a real-world business setting.
Coursework includes statistical theory and inference, probability theory, data mining and visualization, and programming languages. This 100% online, accelerated, and math-focused graduate statistics degree program gives students the flexibility to complete coursework within their schedules. The platform allows you to log in and complete coursework at any time, meaning you can continue to work as a teacher while advancing your career and transitioning into a new field.
Students must complete 30 credit hours (ten courses) of graduate-level statistics study. Michigan Tech offers three start dates per year to accommodate busy professional schedules, and our accelerated semesters are just seven weeks long.
The benefits of enrolling in an MS in Applied Statistics from MTU at a glance:
- 100% online format
- Flexible for the working professional with ten courses (7 weeks each) with three starts a year
- Learn in-demand programming languages like R, SAS, S-Plus, and Python
- Associated with the Top 35 Public Universities in America 2022 (Niche.com), Top 3 Best Colleges in Michigan 2022 (BestColleges), and ranked as the #81 Best Public University in the U.S. 2022 (Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education)
- National Graduate Service Reduced Tuition Rate available to Military, AmeriCorps, and PeaceCorps personnel
- No GMAT/GRE required, no application fee