If you’re getting your degree in mathematics, you may be wondering what types of internships you can get as a math major. As it turns out. there are many! Math plays a central role across a wide variety of fields and industries, including accounting and data science.
Put simply, there are plenty of internship opportunities that will put your analytical and problem-solving skills to smart use. The key is to find a math internship that caters to your unique interests and talents. Not sure where to start? Here are seven types of internships for math majors that will help you take the next step in your career.
Recommended Reading: How to Get an Internship in College
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- Data Science Intern – Looking for an in-demand career that commands a big salary? Consider becoming a data science intern. Data scientists are one-part mathematician and one-part computer scientist. As a data scientist intern, you’ll mine large data sets and provide key insights that companies use to make strategic business decisions. In other words, it will be your job to turn big data into big bucks for the company.
- Quantitative Analyst Intern – Quantitative analysts and data scientists are similar in that both use data to improve a company’s overall business strategy. Indeed, some experts argue that the biggest difference between quantitative analysts and data scientists comes down to where they work—data scientists are found almost exclusively at tech firms, while quantitative analysts work in finance companies. As a quantitative intern, you’ll learn how to use quantitative methods to understand data and prepare reports that firms will use to inform decisions on pricing, investments, and trading management.
- Actuarial Intern – Actuaries use mathematics, statistics, and financial theory to measure and manage risk for insurance companies. If you love crunching numbers all day, you’ll love being an actuarial intern. Plus, you’ll eventually make bank doing it. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, actuaries commanded a median annual wage of $108,350 in 2019. However, some people tend to get bored fairly easily with this job. We recommend job shadowing an actuary so you can get a feel for what they do all day before you decide to pursue this career path.
- Accounting Intern – If you like working with numbers and want to get into the accounting side of things, an accounting internship will open up a wide array of career opportunities for you. Accounting offers a stable living, and with a median annual salary of $71,550, you could be making good money in the future. As an accounting intern, you’ll update paperwork, assist in data entry, maintain filing systems, and help accountants with other basic accounting functions.
- Market Research Analyst Intern – Before a business owner invests thousands or potentially millions of dollars into a product, they want to know who their audience is, what they want, and whether there’s a solid market for their product. That’s where you, a market research analyst intern, can be a major help. Market research analysts use their problem-solving skills and mathematical background to forecast trends, monitor the market, analyze data, and measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
- Financial Analyst Intern – Finance analysts use their mathematical skills to spot trends and make financial predictions to help their clients make better investing decisions. Some financial analysts work for large corporations, while others work for banks, brokerages, and money management firms. As a financial analyst intern, you’ll assist with data gathering and help create presentations that will be shared with the client or company. A math major can help you score a financial analyst position, but if you want to move up to the senior level, you may need certification and/or an MBA.
- Cryptographer Intern – How about getting a job in cybersecurity? Cryptologist is a subfield in cybersecurity that deals with online information security. As a cryptographer intern, you’ll use mathematical algorithms and coding skills to produce codes that are difficult to decipher. On the flip side, you might play defense by identifying potential hacking threats and using your knowledge to create better communication networks.
Shaping Your Future
Not only is there a diverse array of internships for math majors, many of them also happen to lead to high-paying careers. Of course, money isn’t everything. You should always try to find an internship that speaks to your interests and special talents. And once you score a math internship, be sure to give it all you’ve got (even if you’re saddled with a ton of grunt work). With a positive attitude and a hard work ethic, you can set yourself up for a successful career where you can actually use your mathematical skills on the daily.
