How much should I pay a mathematicians in 2026?

A competitive 2026 offer for Mathematicians is $126,714 to $157,019 (market median to the 75th percentile). BLS ECI shows information & tech wages growing about 2.9% a year, so budget a similar annual increase to stay at market.

Is a salary competitive for a mathematicians?

Compare it to the BLS OEWS range: below $88,566 is below market, $126,714 to $157,019 is competitive, and above $157,019 is above market for Mathematicians.

How is mathematicians pay changing in 2026?

Median pay for this role rose 4.1% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 2.9% wage growth of the Information sector (BLS ECI). the Information sector is running a 3.1% job-openings rate with quits at 1.1% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 2.9% to 3.1% over the past quarter.

Mathematicians Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 15-2021 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary

$126,714

$60.92/hr

Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Mathematicians salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

Check a salary or offer:$Competitive · ~P50

P10$69K

P25$89K

P50$127K

P75$157K

P90$195K

Drag the dot or type an amount above.

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Demand: COOLING. Demand is cooling -- tech openings are at 3.1% and easing (JOLTS, June 2026). Employers have more leverage, so the median (or slightly below) is competitive; you do not need to stretch.

📈

Merit budget: Wages in information & tech are rising about 2.9% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.5-3.0% merit increase to hold this role at market.

Our read

For a competitive 2026 offer, target $126,714 to $157,019 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median is plenty in this softer market.

Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Mathematicians pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 4.1% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 2.9% wage growth of the Information sector (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · COOLING

the Information sector is running a 3.1% job-openings rate with quits at 1.1% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 2.9% to 3.1% over the past quarter.

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.8 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.

What changed recently

Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings rebounded to 3.1% (up 0.6pp) but remain the lowest of any major sector. Employers keep hiring leverage.
Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 2.9% per year, down from 3.5% the prior quarter.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026

Next refresh: May 2027

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The national median salary for Mathematicians is $126,714 per year ($60.92/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $88,566 and $157,019 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $195,187 per year. There are approximately 2,030 mathematicians employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques to science, management, and other fields. Solve problems in various fields using mathematical methods.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034

10-year growth

-0.7%

Little or no change

Annual openings

100

per year, on avg

Workforce today

as of 2024

Why those openings exist

0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role

Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.

Typical entry requirements

Education

Master's degree

Experience

None

On-the-job training

None

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific

Industry	Workforce	Median Pay
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100	1K	$136,990
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300	320	$73,590
Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700	200	$167,650
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336400	60	$185,520
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing NAICS 339900	60	$106,730

Wage range across top 5 industries: $73,590 to $185,520 (152% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)

Percentile	Hourly Rate	Annual Salary
P10	$33.29	$69,243
P25	$42.58	$88,566
P50MEDIAN	$60.92	$126,714
P75	$75.49	$157,019
P90	$93.84	$195,187

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · tech sector

Cooling

Openings Rate

3.1%

Quits Rate

1.1%

Information sector openings rebounded to 90K in June (+18K), rate 3.1% -- still the lowest of any major sector. Quits eased to 1.1%. Tech hiring demand stays soft and employers retain leverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average mathematicians salary?

The national median salary for Mathematicians is $126,714 per year ($60.92/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $88,566 and $157,019 annually.

How much do top-earning mathematicians make?

The 90th percentile salary for Mathematicians is $195,187 per year ($93.84/hr). The 75th percentile is $157,019 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for mathematicians?

Entry-level Mathematicians (10th percentile) earn approximately $69,243 per year ($33.29/hr). The 25th percentile is $88,566 per year.

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Mathematicians Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment

Virginia400 workers California250 workers Maryland160 workers New York150 workers Rhode Island100 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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