# What can you do with a Mathematics degree?

> Source: https://coursetojob.co.uk/courses/mathematics/ — updated 2026-09-25. Published by CourseToJob (independent; not affiliated with UCAS, HESA or GOV.UK).

**Quick answer:** A Mathematics degree commonly leads to roles such as data analyst, actuarial analyst (entry) and statistical officer. Five years after graduating, Mathematics graduates had median earnings of £43,600 (middle half: £32,900–£60,000), and 88.9% were in sustained work or further study (DfE LEO, 2023–24 tax year). The largest employer sector for Mathematical sciences graduates is finance and insurance (20.4% of those in work).

Mathematics degrees train proof, modelling, and quantitative argument. Graduates often start in data, actuarial, and analysis roles. Official figures appear when an extract is loaded.

## What jobs can you get with a Mathematics degree?

- **Data analyst**: Cleans data, checks definitions, and produces tables that a decision-maker can use. Skills often asked for: SQL, statistics, visualisation.
- **Actuarial analyst (entry)**. Skills often asked for: spreadsheet models, exam study, control checks.
- **Statistical officer**. Skills often asked for: surveys, quality notes, disclosure control awareness.
- **Research assistant**. Skills often asked for: proofs or simulations, LaTeX, literature.

## Where do Mathematics graduates work?

Mathematical sciences graduates in UK employment five years after graduating, by industry (DfE LEO industry data, tax year 2023–24; shares calculated by CourseToJob from DfE's rounded counts).

| Industry | Share of graduates in work | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | 20.4% | £60,400 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 19.6% | £48,700 |
| Education | 15.7% | £36,600 |
| Information and communication | 14.5% | £49,400 |
| Wholesale and retail | 5.5% | £35,500 |
| Administrative and support services | 4.6% | £44,700 |
| Public administration and defence | 4.5% | £38,800 |
| Manufacturing | 3.1% | £37,000 |

## How much do Mathematics graduates earn?

UK-domiciled first-degree graduates in Mathematics (CAH09-01-01). Source: DfE LEO CAH level 3 subject data, tax year 2023–24 (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/d8bc2906-419e-40ef-ad8e-9b2ccd3997dc). Each row is a different graduating cohort.

| Years after graduating | Graduated | Median earnings | Middle half | In work or further study | All-graduate median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021/2022 | £29,600 | £23,400–£37,000 | 88.9% | £26,400 |
| 3 | 2019/2020 | £36,200 | £28,900–£46,800 | 89.6% | £30,000 |
| 5 | 2017/2018 | £43,600 | £32,900–£60,000 | 88.9% | £33,700 |
| 10 | 2012/2013 | £53,100 | £38,400–£79,800 | 85.9% | — |

## Which universities have the highest-earning Mathematical sciences graduates?

Median earnings five years after graduating, universities with at least 50 graduates measured (DfE LEO provider-level data, 2023–24). Not a quality ranking.

| University | Median earnings | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| [Imperial College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/imperial-college-london/) | £74,700 | 70 |
| [University of Cambridge](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-cambridge/) | £71,200 | 135 |
| [University of Oxford](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-oxford/) | £66,100 | 115 |
| [London School of Economics](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/lse/) | £65,500 | 75 |
| [University College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/ucl/) | £64,800 | 105 |
| [University of Warwick](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-warwick/) | £60,000 | 335 |
| [King's College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/kings-college-london/) | £54,900 | 100 |
| [University of Bath](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-bath/) | £54,400 | 245 |
| [University of St Andrews](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-st-andrews/) | £53,100 | 85 |
| [University of Surrey](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-surrey/) | £51,400 | 110 |

## Is Mathematics the right degree for you?

You may enjoy it if:
- You like proving things and then using them.
- You are comfortable with abstraction as well as computation.
- You want a degree that travels across technical employers.

It may not suit you if:
- You wanted a computing course that is only coding bootcamps.
- You dislike problem sheets.
- You expected an automatic actuary qualification without further exams.

## Interview questions for Mathematics graduate roles

Data, actuarial and statistical-officer interviews usually test whether you can set up a problem and explain an assumption. These prompts are editorial illustrations.

- A stakeholder wants a forecast from 12 noisy points. What do you say? (What it tests: You state uncertainty; you do not invent a precise path.)
- Walk us through how you would check someone else’s spreadsheet. (What it tests: Units, filters, duplicates, and a reconcilable total.)
- When is a median a better headline than a mean? (What it tests: Skew and outliers, conceptually — not a recalled official earnings cell.)
- Explain a confidence interval without saying ‘we are 95% sure the true value is in here’ if that is the wrong reading. (What it tests: Whether you notice a common mis-statement.)
- You find an error in a published internal figure. What is your process? (What it tests: Correction culture: who to tell, what to document.)

## Frequently asked questions

### What jobs can you do with a Mathematics degree?

Common starting roles include data analyst, actuarial analyst (entry), statistical officer and research assistant. Five years after graduating, the most common sectors for Mathematical sciences graduates in work were finance and insurance (20.4%), professional, scientific and technical services (19.6%) and education (15.7%). These are examples, not guaranteed jobs: your experience, location and further training matter.

### How much do Mathematics graduates earn in the UK?

DfE Longitudinal Education Outcomes data for the 2023–24 tax year shows median earnings for UK-domiciled Mathematics graduates of £29,600 one year after graduating, £36,200 three years after graduating, £43,600 five years after graduating and £53,100 ten years after graduating. Each figure describes a different graduating cohort, not one person's pay rise, and it is gross pay for those in sustained employment, not a starting salary offer.

### Is a Mathematics degree worth it?

It depends on what you want to do. On the official data, 88.9% of Mathematics graduates were in sustained employment or further study five years after graduating, with median earnings of £43,600. For comparison, the median across all first-degree graduates of GB higher education institutions was £33,700 at the same point. That places Mathematics 18 of 146 subject groups by five-year median earnings. Earnings are only one factor: enjoyment of the subject, accreditation and the route into your target job matter too.

### Which universities have the highest-earning Mathematical sciences graduates?

Among universities in our index with at least 50 graduates measured, the highest five-year median earnings for Mathematical sciences were at Imperial College London (£74,700), University of Cambridge (£71,200) and University of Oxford (£66,100). These figures reflect entry grades, subject mix and where graduates work, so they are not a measure of teaching quality.

### Can international students study Mathematics in the UK?

Yes, most UK universities accept international applicants, but entry requirements, recognised qualifications, English-language evidence and overseas tuition fees depend on the university and programme. Check the university course page and international admissions team, then check visa requirements on GOV.UK.


Apply for undergraduate courses on UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/courses?query=Mathematics