What Do Biostatisticians Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for biostatisticians?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what biostatisticians do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Biostatisticians Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about biostatisticians by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Biostatisticians develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.
Popular Job Titles For Biostatisticians
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Biostatisticians
- Statistical Programmers
- Principal Biostatisticians
- Bioinformatics Scientists
- Statisticians
- Bioinformaticians
- Directors of Biostatistics
- Biostatistics Managers
- Statistical Analysts
- Data Engineers
- Oncology Physicians
- Directors of Statistics
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for biostatisticians can be found.
Best Industries for Biostatisticians
Biostatisticians Jobs By Industry
- Scientific Research and Development Services: 18%
- Federal Government, Civilian: 17.9%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 8.1%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 6.6%
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 6.3%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 4.8%
- Other: 38.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of biostatisticians can be found working in the Scientific Research and Development Services sector. In 2022, about 18% of all jobs for biostatisticians were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Federal Government, Civilian (17.9%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (8.1%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (6.6%), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (6.3%) and Management of Companies and Enterprises (4.8%).
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What Do Biostatisticians Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what biostatisticians do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work biostatisticians do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that biostatisticians tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for biostatisticians, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Biostatisticians
Based on 33,093 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Biostatisticians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| SAS (Software) | 17,009 | 51% |
| Clinical Trials | 12,868 | 39% |
| Data Analysis | 12,625 | 38% |
| Biostatistics | 12,133 | 37% |
| Statistical Analysis | 12,047 | 36% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Biostatisticians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 15,639 | 47% |
| Research | 12,090 | 37% |
| Management | 9,503 | 29% |
| Leadership | 8,848 | 27% |
| Mathematics | 7,694 | 23% |
Based on 33,093 job postings related to biostatisticians, sas (software) was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 51% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for clinical trials, data analysis, biostatistics, statistical analysis and r (programming language) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for biostatisticians, followed by research, management, leadership, mathematics and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| SAS (Software) | 17,009 | 51% |
| Clinical Trials | 12,868 | 39% |
| Data Analysis | 12,625 | 38% |
| Biostatistics | 12,133 | 37% |
| Statistical Analysis | 12,047 | 36% |
| R (Programming Language) | 10,477 | 32% |
| Statistics | 8,112 | 25% |
| Statistical Programming | 7,216 | 22% |
| Pharmaceuticals | 7,104 | 21% |
| Computer Science | 6,816 | 21% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 6,561 | 20% |
| Data Management | 5,599 | 17% |
| Statistical Methods | 5,491 | 17% |
| Project Management | 5,485 | 17% |
| Drug Development | 4,795 | 14% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 4,023 | 12% |
| Biology | 3,962 | 12% |
| Clinical Study Design | 3,805 | 11% |
| Biotechnology | 3,781 | 11% |
| Data Science | 3,760 | 11% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 15,639 | 47% |
| Research | 12,090 | 37% |
| Management | 9,503 | 29% |
| Leadership | 8,848 | 27% |
| Mathematics | 7,694 | 23% |
| Writing | 6,524 | 20% |
| Presentations | 6,150 | 19% |
| Quality Control | 6,111 | 18% |
| Timelines | 5,542 | 17% |
| Innovation | 4,947 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 4,793 | 14% |
| Detail Oriented | 4,779 | 14% |
| Planning | 4,175 | 13% |
| Operations | 4,153 | 13% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 3,742 | 11% |
| Teamwork | 3,097 | 9% |
| Time Management | 3,018 | 9% |
| Coordinating | 2,982 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 2,953 | 9% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 2,894 | 9% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Biostatisticians
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Biostatisticians | 13,374 | 26.2% |
| Statistical Programmers | 9,453 | 18.5% |
| Principal Biostatisticians | 4,016 | 7.9% |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | 4,935 | 9.7% |
| Statisticians | 3,250 | 6.4% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was biostatisticians, with 5,554 unique job postings. Statistical programmers were second, with 1,980 postings, followed by principal biostatisticians, bioinformatics scientists and statisticians.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to biostatisticians.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Biostatisticians | 13,374 | 26.2% |
| Statistical Programmers | 9,453 | 18.5% |
| Principal Biostatisticians | 4,016 | 7.9% |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | 4,935 | 9.7% |
| Statisticians | 3,250 | 6.4% |
| Bioinformaticians | 2,469 | 4.8% |
| Directors of Biostatistics | 2,484 | 4.9% |
| Biostatistics Managers | 1,873 | 3.7% |
| Statistical Analysts | 1,231 | 2.4% |
| Data Engineers | 986 | 1.9% |
| Oncology Physicians | 767 | 1.5% |
| Directors of Statistics | 832 | 1.6% |
| Statistical Data Analysts | 605 | 1.2% |
| Statistical Scientists | 601 | 1.2% |
| Principals | 458 | 0.9% |
| Associate Directors of Statistical Programming | 659 | 1.3% |
| Data Support Specialists | 511 | 1% |
| Data Science Specialists | 383 | 0.7% |
| Data Analyst Specialists | 719 | 1.4% |
| Data Scientists | 1,507 | 2.9% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for biostatisticians? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for biostatisticians.
How much do biostatisticians make?
Biostatisticians: How do you become one?
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