Statisticians design surveys, experiments, and opinion polls to collect data. They also determine the type and size of the sample to be surveyed or polled.
Some surveys, such as the national census, include data from nearly everyone. For most surveys and opinion polls, however, statisticians use sampling to collect data from some people in a particular group.
Statisticians typically do the following:
Statisticians develop survey questionnaires or reporting forms for collecting the data they need. They often write instructions for workers who collect and tabulate the data. Surveys may be mailed, conducted over the phone, or collected online or through some other means.
Statisticians analyze the data that is collected. In their analyses, they calculate averages, reliability, and other specifics. They also choose and conduct tests to find out the data’s reliability and validity. They explain the limitations of the data to prevent inaccurate conclusions from being drawn, and they identify trends and relationships.
Statisticians use computers with specialized statistical software to analyze data. Some help to create new statistical software packages to analyze data more accurately and efficiently. They write reports to explain their findings and the data’s limitations. They may present their reports to other team members and to clients with tables, charts, and graphs. They also recommend how to improve the design of future surveys or experiments.
Statisticians work for the government (mostly at the federal level) and private businesses (such as pharmaceutical and insurance companies). They also work in teams with other professionals.
For example, in pharmaceutical companies, statisticians may work with scientists to test drugs for government approval. In insurance companies, they may work with actuaries to calculate the risks of insuring different situations.
Because statisticians in business provide advice on research projects or oversee the gathering of data, they travel occasionally for face-to-face meetings with team members.
Growth is expected to result from more widespread use of statistical analysis to inform business, healthcare, and policy decisions.
A person working as a Statistician in Kenya typically earns around KSH229,000 per month. Salaries range from KSH106,000 (lowest) to KSH365,000 (highest). Note that salaries vary, these are just estimations.
While a few entry-level positions will accept candidates with a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree or Ph.D. in statistics and mathematics is usually the minimum education level required for the majority of statistician career positions. Statistician jobs in academia and higher education typically require a Ph.D. degree.
That are roughly 230 colleges and universities in the United States that offer degrees in statistics or a closely related discipline. Several other universities offer graduate degrees in applied statistics for students who’ve earned a bachelor’s degree in business, economics, biology, psychology, education and engineering. While a bachelor’s degree in statistics or mathematics is useful for pursuing a graduate degree in statistics, it’s not required. However, a strong competency in mathematics is required.
Since much of the statistics analysis that take place today relies on computer technology, a strong background in computer science is very useful for becoming a successful statistician. Depending on the desired career field, earning a degree outside of statistics, such as engineering, economics, biology, or health sciences, may be very helpful.
