What can I do with a maths degree?

Lots of employers want to hire those with maths degrees. If you’ve studied maths, you’ll have a great grasp of complex data and models – which is super useful for the finance and insurance industries. Like the sound of those sectors? Great – you’re in demand! Looking for something different? Good news, there are other exciting jobs for maths graduates.

We’ll run through opportunities for maths grads by exploring roles in:

• Insurance and risk management
• Accountancy
• Data analysis
• Investment banking
• Meteorology
• Teaching
• Surprising industries

Risk management careers mix mathematics with creative problem-solving. It’s your job to analyse risks to companies and find ways to mitigate them – such as taking out an insurance policy or installing a security system.

There’s also the option to work within the insurance sector, deciding the types of policies to offer or which claims to pay out.

Different roles in the industry need different skills. For example:

Actuaries assess risks using mathematical models. They then give this information to underwriters who use it to decide whether to insure a person or company.

Actuaries need an excellent grasp of statistics, so a maths degree is a huge advantage.

Insurance brokers search for the best policies for their clients. Analytical skills are vital. Unlike some maths-based roles, there’s a lot of client interaction. If you want to combine your maths skills with customer service and communication, it’s a great option.

Working in financial risk is about more than identifying and managing risks. It also involves communicating solutions to management teams and making sure that everyone follows policies. In this sector, communication and diplomacy are just as important as problem-solving. Having a maths degree will give you a competitive edge.

Dream of spending your days crunching numbers? You need to look into accountancy.

You’ll need to put in some time to get the necessary qualifications. It takes three to five years to qualify. But as it’s usually done on the job as part of a grad scheme, you’ll earn while you learn. Once you qualify, you’ll be even more employable. And you’ll put your maths degree to good use every day.

There are lots of different routes and roles within accountancy. Career paths in this sector include:

• Working towards leading a team at a large audit company
• Climbing the ladder at a specialist firm of tax advisors
• Gaining the experience to go freelance and provide services to small businesses

Work in private practices tends to involve audit accounting. That’s where you visit clients and review their business operations and financial records to verify their accounts.

The best way to know if accountancy will suit you is to try it. Lots of accountancy firms offer internships. Check those out and gain experience. Give yourself the best chance of getting a role like that by reading our guide to common accountancy interview questions.

Data analysts turn data into insight. It’s not down to magic – it’s mathematical skills, like those you learn in a maths degree.

All kinds of companies – from banks to toy manufacturers – employ analysts. Wherever there’s data, there’s a need for an analyst.

Data analysis roles include monitoring company performance, keeping an eye on competitors and investigating customer behaviours to increase conversion rates. While lots of analysts work in-house for businesses, there are also data analysis companies. These firms provide insight to other businesses. For example, they’ll monitor a sector and provide analysis to investment managers to help them make smarter decisions.

A degree in maths or statistics is a great help in a data analysis career, especially if you’ve gained experience working with large data sets. Employers will love that.

It’s worth knowing that a data analyst role will also test your softer skills. You’ll deal with qualitative and quantitative data, so you need to be flexible and a creative thinker. You’ll also write reports and give presentations, so good communication skills are vital.

Investment banking is banking for big business – managing deals, mergers and acquisitions. It’s one of the most competitive careers, but as a maths graduate, you’re already one step ahead.

While investment banks employ humanities graduates for their broad outlook, most bankers have an economics, maths or finance background.

Do you read the business pages for fun? If so, you’ve got the right enthusiasm. That’s a great start. Your next step is to gather as much experience and as many contacts as possible. Start by going to careers events and applying to spring weeks. The more you do in your early uni days, the easier it’ll be to get an internship later in your course – which, in turn, will help you get on a grad scheme.

If you’re interested in predictive modelling and forecasting, you’re well-suited to a career in meteorology. No, that doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be on the telly. There are loads more meteorology roles than a TV weather forecaster. Lots of positions involve collecting weather data, analysing satellite images and applying mathematical models – off-camera.

The biggest employer of meteorologists in the UK is the Met Office. As well as grad schemes, they offer work experience and summer placements to help would-be meteorologists get a feel for the work and develop their skills. There are also meteorology opportunities in industries like oil and gas or insurance. Plus, there are research posts available that focus on climate change or agriculture.

Your maths degree will qualify you to get into a graduate role or a postgraduate course in meteorology. In addition to knowing your numbers, meteorologists need to be team players and problem-solvers.

If you want to help others get maths like you do, a teaching career is one of the most rewarding paths to take. Your enthusiasm for maths will have a positive influence on the lives of young people. You’ll be able to communicate underlying mathematical concepts in creative ways.

To become a qualified teacher, you’ll need to either do a one-year PGCE course (PGDE in Scotland) or take a school-based training route.

Maths teachers are in demand, so there are strong financial incentives to train.

While some sectors value maths grads more than others, don’t think that traditional roles are your only options.

Are you interested in management consultancy, public policy, marketing or HR? Being a maths grad here won’t always be an advantage, but it doesn’t have to hold you back. If you’re attracted to these sectors, there’s no reason why you can’t pursue a career. Employers value the transferable skills you learn at uni – whatever your degree.

All university degrees develop a wide range of soft skills like problem-solving, teamwork and communication – and maths is no exception. You just have to prove it. Whatever type of role you apply for, make sure you’ve got concrete examples showing the skills you’ve developed – both from your degree and your extracurricular activities. If you’re going for a job where the employer prefers a different degree subject, be prepared to do extra work to convince your interviewers you’re the right person for the job. Sometimes that’ll mean gaining relevant experience. Other times, smashing your interview will be enough.

If you’ve got a maths degree but don’t want a maths-based career, it’s OK. Lots of maths grads go on to work in a huge range of sectors. It’s not one-size-fits-all.

Working out what to do with a maths degree is your first step to starting your career. Certain sectors are looking for maths grads so you’ll have an advantage if you apply for roles in insurance and risk management, accountancy, data analysis, investment banking, meteorology or teaching. But don’t let our list hold you back. If you want to work in another sector, it’s perfectly possible.

A maths degree equips you with tons of transferable skills and it’ll take you wherever you want to go. So, whether you want to follow a conventional path in finance or bring a unique perspective to a creative role, we’ve got faith in you. By gaining relevant experience alongside your degree, you’ll be ready for the world of work – whatever sector.