High school seniors and college freshmen unsure of their future majors but with a proficiency in math should choose to study it in college. According to Business Insider's "Top 10 Jobs of 2014," they'll be best prepared for future success.
The top 10:
1. Mathematician ($101,3602)
2.Tenured University Professor ($68,970)
3. Statistician ($75,560)
4. Actuary ($93,680)
5. Audiologist ($69,720)
6. Dental Hygienist ($70,210)
7. Software Engineer ($93,350)
8. Computer Systems Analyst ($79,680)
9. Occupational Therapist ($75,400)
10. Speech Pathologist ($69,870)
Of course, math is the most notorious weakness among today's students. Like writing in some ways, it seems one either has it or doesn't. Unlike writing (according to Business Insider's annual report), it's a skill almost always profitable and employable to have.
"Mathemetician," as Business Insider calls the position, is the top job to have in 2014 not just because of a median annual salary of just over $100,000, but because of the variety of careers to which it caters. Basically, math men and women are needed everywhere.
"Mathematicians are employed in every sector of the economy and have critical skills related to the success of many businesses, from Wall Street brokerages to energy exploration companies to IT R&D labs to university classrooms," CareerCast publisher Tony Lee told Business Insider. "Mathematician rose significantly in the rankings thanks to rising hiring demand and higher salaries, which help to boost much of the other criteria we measure."
Of the next nine careers on the list, four are closely related to math (statistician, actuary, software engineer, computer systems analyst), while several more have a loose affiliation (tenured university professor, audiologist). Thus, if you love math, keep it in your life.
Number two was tenured university professor. Not only do professors get to teach the subject they love (and the specific subtopics of their subject), but they also get to participate in it; many contribute to their field through research papers and other published works. The job's only drawback is how competitive it is to make tenure. Thus, professors without such status are forced to move from college to college.
The second highest average median salary was actuary at around $93,000. The requirements to become an actuary might be even steeper than a tenured professor, but at least they are more concretely laid out (in a seemingly never-ending string of tests).
