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Dear Prospective Math Major,


We are excited that you are considering studying mathematics at Tarleton State University. Here you will become one of the very best and brightest Tarleton has to offer and open the door to best jobs in the United States. In addition to earning a top degree, you can also learn cutting edge technologies such as Super Computing and 3-D printing or compete against MIT, Penn State, and Cal Tech in NASA research competitions. Learning opportunities abound within the Mathematics Department. Come learn with the best and the brightest! More information about the degree can be found on our website. We look forward to seeing you on campus!

Sincerely,

Kathy Smith

Dr. Kathy Smith, Head of the Mathematics Department, [email protected]
Dr. Beth Riggs, Associate Department Head, [email protected]

“Mathematicians Land Top Spot in New Ranking of Best and Worst Occupations in the U.S.”

– The Wall Street Journal

“Nine out of 10 of the best jobs fell into the STEM career category, with the ‘numbers guys,’ in particular, locking in three of the top four spots.”

– USA Today

Listed below are several concentrations you can choose to focus on as a math major at Tarleton. Each is designed to make you highly marketable upon graduation. A study published by CareerCast, highlighting the best jobs of 2018, shows 6 of the top 10 jobs to be careers available through our mathematics degree concentrations.

  • Financial Analysis: Financial analysts evaluate investment opportunities. They work in banks, pension funds, mutual funds, securities firms, insurance companies, and other businesses. They are also called securities analysts, risk analysts, portfolio managers, and investment analysts. The May 2017 median annual wage was $84,000, and the top 10 percent earned more than $166,000. This track also provides the background to pursue a career as a Business Analysts (BA). The median annual wage of a BA was $81,320 (2015).
  • Pre-Actuarial: Actuarial science is the discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in the insurance and finance industries. In 2018, a study published by CareerCast ranked actuary as the #10 job in the United States. For a list of best jobs for 2018, Google “The Wall Street Journal Best Jobs- Worst Jobs”.
  • Systems Analysis: Designed to create lead software engineers and computer system analysts. These two jobs are consistently listed among the top 10 best jobs in the nation according to the WSJ.
  • Environmental Mathematics: A bio-mathematician works with a team analyzing problems in many diverse fields of study; such as, the spread and control of infectious diseases where you may work for organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC); endangered species/ecology modeling where you might work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In this concentration you will be trained in population dynamics modeling. Population studies might include crops/grasses, insects, virus, bacteria, animals, humans, etc.
  • Technical Writing: It is rare to find someone who can understand science and communicate it into laymen’s terms. Hence, the great demand for technical writers. Here you will have a degree in mathematics, the mother of the sciences, a broad selection of science courses, and a strong background in technical writing. This concentration will open the door to being a grant writer or a documentation lead on projects for academia or private industry. Government agencies are in dire need for professional technical writers with a background in mathematics.
  • Pre-Med/ Pre-Dental: Historically, mathematicians score much higher than most majors on the MCAT. Since getting into medical and dental school is highly competitive and everyone applying will have taken the same set of prescribed courses, this concentration is designed to set your application above the myriad of applications received by medical/dental schools each year.
  • Pre-Law: The study of mathematics produces outstanding logic skills, a crucial skill for the law profession. The Pre-Law concentration in mathematics is designed to produce students who are especially well prepared for entrance into law school. Law schools in the State of Texas do not require a specific degree or major for admission. “Mathematics as a major is a good preparation for many types of careers. It is splendid for medical and law school.” –New York Times
  • Mathematics Education: Currently we have the highest pass rate on the Mathematics Teacher Certification test in the state. Tarleton teachers are highly sought after by schools in the region. Our starting math graduates employed in DFW area school districts earn higher monthly salaries than beginning engineers plus they get their summers off. (If your desire is to coach, maximize your marketability by getting a math degree and becoming certified in mathematics.) Schools desperately need great math teachers and are willing to pay above base salary to get them.