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/sci/ - Science & Math


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9020402 No.9020402 [Reply] [Original]

Has anyone here actually turned a math degree into a good job?

not including acadamia

>> No.9020420

>>9020402
>here
If you're not counting stats, then maybe not.

Not going to roast some pure mathfags today.

>> No.9020427

>>9020402
>good math job
>not academia
as a mathematician going back to industry with the tail between your legs means you failed

>> No.9020440

300k
starting

>> No.9020441

>>9020420
since I am a stats major, I'll include stats

>> No.9020445

>>9020427

Tell that to Andrew Viterbi.

>> No.9020447

>>9020402
You can pretty safely adapt it to Stats, do a bit of work to get into CS, or some more to go Eng
Hit up Data Science my man

>> No.9020454

>>9020445

Or Steve Ballmer.

>> No.9020458
File: 143 KB, 392x445, Math PhD.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9020458

>>9020440
Indeed
>>9020441
Probably a fuckton of /sci/ anons do have a good job, but they aren't posting much.
Have met them when I ask about stats advice, but not outside of that because of the pure math autists.

But I could bet a 4chin pass that they're all at /biz/ fucking shit up with econs.

>> No.9020484

>>9020441
As a fellow stats major I'd rather not: there would be a high risk of the thread devolving into circlejerking over big data and/or AI, with repetition of the same two or three well-worn points and little original discussion.

That said, I'm currently doing microeconometric modelling and simulations at a government think-tank, and in the course of my work I've invoked surprisingly advanced math on occasion (if you consider RKHSes to be "advanced math"). Mainly because economists tend to be more accepting of model assumptions when you set them up in a fully formal system replete with mathematical jargon.

>> No.9020574

i am a pure math major with specialization in programming from a very prestigious school

am i gonna be ok for a good job

>> No.9020576

>>9020445
>>9020454
an electric engineer and a businessman? what the fuck is wrong with you? neither is math

>> No.9020592

>>9020427
Of course. That just means almost everyone who tries academia fails.

>> No.9020664

>>9020484
interesting thank you

Is programming essential to know? I am taking an intro to cs class but I really dislike it and just want to do math

>> No.9020676

Math majors usually end up going into shit programming jobs. No, you won't get paid more either. Enjoy.

>> No.9020770

>>9020664
>programming
Spoiler alert: Programs = proofs; whenever you write a program that produces your desired outcome, you're actually writing a proof that following your specified sequence of instructions results in the desired state.
This message is brought to you by the Church of Computational Trinitarianism.

I've never actually taken any courses on programming (learnt everything I needed online) but, given the current state of mathematical education, I can believe that they suffer from the same problems.
At the end of the day, learning to code is like learning a language; you need a certain minimal proficiency but nothing much beyond that (and if you decide to go deeper into CS, you'll essentially learn to become a polyglot anyway).
tl;dr the basics are essential; the rest isn't

>> No.9020872

If you want to make real money with a math degree and/or comp sci degree, work for a quant fund. Algorithmic trading funds are growing at a ridiculous rate and are the future of investing as we know it. The most successful hedge fund of all time, Renaissance Technologies, was founded by mathematician James Simons who is currently worth somewhere around $20 billion. Now obviously no one on this board will ever see that kind of success but if you are good with math and algos it's very easy for quants to make well over $500k after bonus and commission.


t. financial math and statistics major

>> No.9020947

>>9020872
"Quants" ok what the frick is this

>> No.9020971

>>9020445
>>9020454
???
Not mathematicians or mathematics. Didn't contribute anything academically or in general, useless cucks who did nothing but gain a tiny bit of money for selfish ends and then die. If they were mathematicians, they would be complete failures (but they're not even that, so why are you mentioning them).

>> No.9021833

>>9020402
Have a friend with maths degrees who nailed a job in air traffic control. Don't know how much he makes but it is a lot compared to what his friends earn.

>> No.9021837

>>9020574
>specialization in programming
LOL.... if you wanna do CS, study CS you dumb fuck!

>> No.9022011

>>9020574
Better than any CS major

>> No.9022023

>>9021833
You only need a highschool degree to become an air traffic controller..

>> No.9022044

Having a pure math degree alone isn't enough to get you a job anywhere that doesn't require higher than a high school education.

You may take a course in programming and a course in statistics but programming 101 isn't enough to get you to pass medium-hard leetcode problems in interviews. So if you just did pure math plus one CS course you aren't hireable as a programmer.

Just one stats class isnt good enough to make you a data scientist. A typical math degree focuses on algebra, analysis, geometry, topology etc. these are useless skills and they don't translate to industry applications for the most part.

A stats major is much more hireable than you are. So are CS majors and engineers. For 4 years they were studying industry relevant skills while you were proving stuff no one cares about that has 0 applications.

A math major makes you hireable about as much as a philosophy or physics major except math is harder and you get nothing to show for it unless you work at McDonald's or decide to go to graduate school.

Even if you got a PhD in math if you aren't top % then you don't even get hired as a prof. You'll have to do 2-3 years as a post doc doing more useless stuff wasting your time.

I say all that and study math anyways because it's fun and I enjoy it more than industry focused things that will change with fashion trends

>> No.9022054

>Bachelor's degree in Math

LOL. Equivalent to an English degree. Enjoy your job as a barista.

>> No.9022060

>>9022044
what's your degree?

>> No.9022095

>>9020574
>specialization in program

No u brainlet

>> No.9023113

>>9020971
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Harris_Simons
What about this guy?

>> No.9023360

>>9020947
people who use mathematical algorithms and models to predict market trends and make more money than any other STEM job could ever possibly provide.

>> No.9023473

>>9020402
Ted Kaczynski did. Not much pay in his line of work y but his current gig provides him with free room and board for life. Pretty sweet gig if you ask me.

>> No.9023584

>>9023360
>people who use mathematical algorithms and models to predict market trends and make more money than any other STEM job could ever possibly provide.
With a PhD

>>9022044
Pure math Bachelors can only get Jobs that only require High School.


If you have very high GPA then fine because you can get into Grad Schools.

A low GPA in Math Major means that you can't get into Grad Schools & It's harder to get Jobs in Industry.

A low GPA can Fuck & Ruin you for life/career.

A minor in Business, Finance, Accounting, Actuary Science, Statistics & Economics can led you to a some Financial Job outside Academy as Actuary. But your GPA must not be so low.

A minor in Computer Science or Computer Engineering allow you to work as Programmer, which can pay well enough to pay the student loans. You can work in this area even as Drop Out or with low GPA.

The other options down the list is High School Teacher to Mc Donalds tier.

>> No.9025194

>>9023584
Is applied math -> Masters in applied math a good choice? I was thinking about applying to med school after my undergrad, but if I don't get in I want to have a back up plan, so I would do my masters in either
> Stats/Mathematical Finance
> Machine Learning/AI
> Big Data
What other options are there for 300K starting?

>> No.9025214
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9025214

>>9020574
>>9022011
The highest paid mathematicians make less than the lowest paid computer scientists. I feel bad for those of you have decided to take Math courses, but at least you still have a future as cute girls (male).

>> No.9025215

>>9023473

Fucking LOL
This made my night, thanks anon

>> No.9025266

>>9025214
>He concludes:The highest paid mathematicians make less than the lowest paid computer scientists.

>The chart says: Dat is shown for the 25th and 75th percentile. Therefore the chart does not show neither the highest earners nor the lowest earners of the majors

So is this what an education in computer science gets you? Top kek.

>> No.9025312
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9025312

>>9025214
>implying salary matters
>not using Dollars per hour worked
I found the CS major

how's your 80hr work weeks?

>> No.9025328

>>9025312
Don't forget that the fucking retard interpret the entire graph wrong.

It shows only the earnings in the 25% - 75% range. Which means that if you extend the graph, the highest earners in mathematics actually earn much more than the lowest earners in CS, making his point completely fucking retarded. The literal mouth breathing retard can't even read a fucking graph correctly.

And true, dollars per hour worked would be a better statistic. Given that most math bachelors just start their PhDs and work part time teaching classes, if you just measure net gain this statistic undercuts the earnings of math majors.

That said, I am not under any delusion that mathematicians are rich either. The point is simply that the CS fag is a fucking retard.

>> No.9025341 [DELETED] 

>>9023473
>>9025215
He still does math too. Read some of his letters.

>> No.9025364

>>9025328
>impying I care what some delusional neckbeard CS wageslave thinks
I could never major in CS because I refuse to be a 80hr/wk code monkey.
>I am not under any delusion that mathematicians are rich either
if you actually look at the graph the high variability of the mathematics middle percentile shows that there's actually many high wage earners out there.

while yes, most mathematics majors are pressured to go to Grad school (unless they're retarded) but I really doubt they included people in Grad school with a stipend

>> No.9025520
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9025520

>>9025312
>>9025364
You're comparing the best Math jobs (if there even is such a thing) to the worst CS jobs (code monkeys). Yes, code monkeys have it bad. But the worst jobs in the field of CS are thousands of times better than the worst jobs in the field of Math. Tell me, would you rather be a codemonkey, or a 4th grade teacher of a public school in downtown Niggerpolis?

The best CS jobs are fairly the best jobs in the world. You're working for the world's largest companies - Apple, Google, Netflix etc -. You can choose to work from home and set your own work schedule as long as you get the job done. Or you can work in your own comfy office in California, with puffs, hammocks, table soccer and a personal vending machine, working 5 hours a day. Please tell me of one Math PhD who has ever afforded such conveniences.

>> No.9025604

>>9020445
>>9020454
>>9020576
tell that to james harris (albeit he got a phd in math first)

>> No.9025725
File: 1.93 MB, 460x259, think.gif [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9025725

>>9025604
This really...

>> No.9025733

>>9025725
*james simons

>> No.9025822

>>9025520
>Please tell me of one Math PhD who has ever afforded such conveniences

any quant and probably most actuaries live a good life.

>> No.9025825

>>9025520
>working 5 hours a day

bullshit

Do you know why google invests in luxuries like table tennis and comfy offices?

Because theyre employees live at work.

>> No.9025856

>>9025520
all the hammocks and games in the world will not be enough if you want to do interesting research instead
I had every chance to go to google specifically, but turned away to go for a math phd
if you're a brainlet with no aspirations or you want to do software then it's probably a dream job tho

>> No.9025889
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9025889

itt: insecurity and validation seeking

>> No.9025952

What can I do with a finance degree at a state school in California?

>> No.9026444
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9026444

>>9025520
>working 5 hours a day.
lmfao

Also math phds do work that much, math phds who are in a qualified position are basically paid to think.

>> No.9026447

Quants want Statisticians. If you did a PhD in Algebraic Geometry and fell for the Quant meme, then you're in for a rough time and will probably fail their interviews.

>> No.9026449

Yea, by getting a masters in engineering.