Math majors are in demand today in industry, government, education, and the business world. The Wall Street Journal has reported that ``math adds up to lucrative careers for more college students.'' The headline of a feature article in Business Week was ``Industry's Hot New Find: the Mathematician.'' Employers value the math major's quantitative skills and background in problem-solving and logical reasoning, so you will find many different avenues open to you, both upon graduation and further in your career.
Many firms such as AT&T, Amoco, Andersen Consulting, Conoco, Electronic Data Systems, Halliburton, Hughes Aircraft, and Prudential Insurance, have recently interviewed math majors on campus at OSU for positions in such fields as component and software design, computer programming, systems development, management consulting, financial analysis, systems engineering, field engineering, program analysis, and sales management. Insurance companies also hire math majors for positions as actuarial trainees. In July 1991, the nationwide average starting salary of $28,000 for math majors was about 10 percent higher than starting salaries for business majors, and was increasing as fast as starting salaries for engineers.
In the field of education, the national need for math teachers is soaring and will continue to do so. Teaching is an exciting option for math majors who enjoy working with students and who obtain teaching certification.
Mathematics is also excellent preparation for professional schools in law, business, medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. In fact, math majors as a group earn the highest scores on the law school and business school admissions tests. Being a math major also prepares you for advanced study in mathematics, science, and engineering.
The Math Major's Monthly, the Department's newsletter, offers hints on applying for jobs in a range of fields. It lists many scholarships, fellowships, and summer research programs. See Chapter 7 also.