Mathematics and statistics careers

What can I do with a mathematics degree?

Employers seek out our graduates because of their ability to solve problems. As a University of Sheffield maths student you’ll be trained to break a problem down, analyse the component parts, work out the best approach, and reach a solution in a clear, precise and logical way – all while accounting for any assumptions or estimates made along the way. This is great preparation for all kinds of careers, whether you want a job that involves doing lots of complex calculations, or one where you can help businesses, charities and policymakers find the best solutions to real-world problems.

Applying mathematics

There will always be a place for maths graduates in banking, insurance, pensions, and financial districts from the City of London to Wall Street. Big engineering companies need people who can crunch the numbers to keep planes in the sky and trains running on time. Healthcare providers rely on mathematicians to map the spread of disease and predict demand for services.

My degree has given me an excellent grounding in mathematical concepts I use every day

Sonia Nayyar Mathematics BSc

After graduating from Sheffield with a BSc in Mathematics, Sonia went on to work for a financial, actuarial and business consultancy, putting the analytic and logical thinking skills she learned during her degree to daily use.

The 21st century has also created new career paths for our students. Smartphones, tablets, social networks and streaming services all use software and algorithms that need mathematical brains behind them. In the age of ‘big data’, everyone from rideshare apps to high street shops is gathering information that maths graduates can organise, analyse and interpret. The same technological advances have created new challenges and opportunities for mathematicians in cybersecurity and cryptography.

Further study and research

If the maths itself is what interests you, a PhD can lead to a career in research. Mathematicians working in universities and research institutes are trying to find rigorous proofs for conjectures that have challenged pure mathematicians for decades, or are doing the calculations behind major experiments, like those running on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.

Beyond mathematics

A good degree from a great university can also take you far beyond the subject you’ve specialised in. We have graduates working in fields including teaching, management, advertising and publishing.

Opportunities to enhance your CV

Placement year

A placement is a great opportunity to try out a career path that you're considering, whether you want to put your maths skills to the test in the real world or explore a different field entirely. It’ll give you experience of applying for jobs as well as interview practice, and will make you stand out once you graduate. You can do this as a recognised part of your degree with our placement year courses.

Our students have previously completed their placements with organisations including Goldman Sachs, Unilever, Lloyds Banking Group and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Working as a NHS student statistician on my maths placement

Suzannah Phillips Mathematics with a Placement Year BSc

Suzannah completed a year-long placement with the NHS as part of her maths degree.