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
- Directors of Biostatistics
- Statisticians
- Biostatistics Managers
- Principal Biostatisticians
- Statistical Analysts
- Statisticians/Data Scientists
- Statistical Programming Managers
- Research Statisticians
- Mathematical Statisticians
- Statistical Data Analysts
- Biometricians
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
- Federal Government, Civilian: 18.9%
- Scientific Research and Development Services: 16.7%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 7.4%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 7.3%
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 6.2%
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 5.7%
- Other: 37.8%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of biostatisticians can be found working in the Federal Government, Civilian sector. In 2023, about 18.9% of all jobs for biostatisticians were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Scientific Research and Development Services (16.7%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (7.4%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (7.3%), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6.2%) and Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5.7%).
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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 12,615 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Biostatisticians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | 10,070 | 80% |
| SAS (Software) | 6,679 | 53% |
| Biostatistics | 6,621 | 52% |
| Statistical Analysis | 6,172 | 49% |
| R (Programming Language) | 5,312 | 42% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Biostatisticians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 6,682 | 53% |
| Communication | 4,758 | 38% |
| Management | 4,192 | 33% |
| Mathematics | 3,625 | 29% |
| Leadership | 3,566 | 28% |
Based on 12,615 job postings related to biostatisticians, statistics was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 80% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for sas (software), biostatistics, statistical analysis, r (programming language) and clinical trials were also highly sought.
As for common skills, research was the most desired skill found in job postings for biostatisticians, followed by communication, management, mathematics, leadership and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | 10,070 | 80% |
| SAS (Software) | 6,679 | 53% |
| Biostatistics | 6,621 | 52% |
| Statistical Analysis | 6,172 | 49% |
| R (Programming Language) | 5,312 | 42% |
| Clinical Trials | 5,116 | 41% |
| Data Analysis | 4,669 | 37% |
| Statistical Methods | 3,756 | 30% |
| Statistical Programming | 2,976 | 24% |
| Pharmaceuticals | 2,919 | 23% |
| Data Management | 2,671 | 21% |
| Clinical Study Design | 2,474 | 20% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 2,401 | 19% |
| Data Science | 2,388 | 19% |
| Statistical Software | 2,280 | 18% |
| Project Management | 2,202 | 17% |
| Pre-Clinical Development | 2,102 | 17% |
| Data Collection | 1,891 | 15% |
| Computer Science | 1,794 | 14% |
| Drug Development | 1,739 | 14% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 6,682 | 53% |
| Communication | 4,758 | 38% |
| Management | 4,192 | 33% |
| Mathematics | 3,625 | 29% |
| Leadership | 3,566 | 28% |
| Writing | 3,557 | 28% |
| Innovation | 2,891 | 23% |
| Presentations | 2,841 | 23% |
| Planning | 2,751 | 22% |
| Operations | 2,233 | 18% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,881 | 15% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,852 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 1,850 | 15% |
| Microsoft Excel | 1,546 | 12% |
| Detail Oriented | 1,524 | 12% |
| Mentorship | 1,480 | 12% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,428 | 11% |
| Timelines | 1,344 | 11% |
| Quality Control | 1,198 | 9% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 1,122 | 9% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Biostatisticians
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Biostatisticians | 5,456 | 29% |
| Directors of Biostatistics | 2,290 | 12.2% |
| Statisticians | 1,935 | 10.3% |
| Biostatistics Managers | 2,344 | 12.4% |
| Principal Biostatisticians | 1,063 | 5.6% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was biostatisticians, with 2,188 unique job postings. Directors of biostatistics were second, with 859 postings, followed by statisticians, biostatistics managers and principal biostatisticians.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to biostatisticians.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Biostatisticians | 5,456 | 29% |
| Directors of Biostatistics | 2,290 | 12.2% |
| Statisticians | 1,935 | 10.3% |
| Biostatistics Managers | 2,344 | 12.4% |
| Principal Biostatisticians | 1,063 | 5.6% |
| Statistical Analysts | 852 | 4.5% |
| Statisticians/Data Scientists | 610 | 3.2% |
| Statistical Programming Managers | 718 | 3.8% |
| Research Statisticians | 475 | 2.5% |
| Mathematical Statisticians | 427 | 2.3% |
| Statistical Data Analysts | 370 | 2% |
| Biometricians | 311 | 1.7% |
| Principals | 264 | 1.4% |
| Survey Statisticians | 272 | 1.4% |
| Statistical Research Analysts | 263 | 1.4% |
| Statistical Scientists | 221 | 1.2% |
| Research Biostatisticians | 259 | 1.4% |
| Statistical Programmers | 235 | 1.2% |
| Statistical Programming Analysts | 304 | 1.6% |
| Directors of Statistics | 171 | 0.9% |
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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