How to hire statisticians
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Analyze and interpret statistical data to identify significant differences in relationships among sources of information. • Determine whether statistical methods are appropriate, based on user needs or research questions of interest. • Develop and test experimental designs, sampling techniques, and analytical methods. • Evaluate the statistical methods and procedures used to obtain data to ensure validity, applicability, efficiency, and accuracy. • Identify relationships and trends in data, as well as any factors that could affect the results of research. • Prepare data for processing by organizing information, checking for inaccuracies, and adjusting and weighting the raw data. • Present statistical and nonstatistical results, using charts, bullets, and graphs, in meetings or conferences to audiences such as clients, peers, and students. • Report results of statistical analyses, including information in the form of graphs, charts, and tables. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Master's degree] • Strong mathematics, active learning, critical thinking, reading comprehension, science and speaking skills • Working knowledge of mathematics, computers and electronics and English Language • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $50.79 an hour ($105,650 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for statisticians
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to analyze and interpret statistical data to identify significant differences in relationships among sources of information. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to determine whether statistical methods are appropriate, based on user needs or research questions of interest. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to develop and test experimental designs, sampling techniques, and analytical methods. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to evaluate the statistical methods and procedures used to obtain data to ensure validity, applicability, efficiency, and accuracy. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Walk me through a calculation you do regularly at work and how you check it.
- Tell me about something new you had to learn quickly for work. How did you learn it?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What statisticians do
- Analyze and interpret statistical data to identify significant differences in relationships among sources of information.
- Determine whether statistical methods are appropriate, based on user needs or research questions of interest.
- Develop and test experimental designs, sampling techniques, and analytical methods.
- Evaluate the statistical methods and procedures used to obtain data to ensure validity, applicability, efficiency, and accuracy.
- Identify relationships and trends in data, as well as any factors that could affect the results of research.
- Prepare data for processing by organizing information, checking for inaccuracies, and adjusting and weighting the raw data.
- Present statistical and nonstatistical results, using charts, bullets, and graphs, in meetings or conferences to audiences such as clients, peers, and students.
- Report results of statistical analyses, including information in the form of graphs, charts, and tables.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for statisticians
- Typical education to start: Master's degree (BLS)
- Job outlook: +11% over ten years, much faster than average · about 1,900 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay statisticians
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $140,670 |
| New York | $136,020 |
| California | $135,960 |
| Maryland | $132,620 |
| New Jersey | $118,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,830 |
| Oregon | $93,620 |
| Missouri | $66,330 |
See statisticians pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Actuaries
- Mathematicians
- Operations Research Analysts
- Data Scientists
- Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.