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Studies & Degrees in Applied Statistics

Applied statistics is the use of statistical methods to answer practical questions with data. Statisticians decide what data are needed to answer a question, design the surveys or experiments that collect them, analyse the results with computational techniques and explain what the figures do and do not show. Where mathematical statistics concentrates on theory and proofs, applied statistics concentrates on methods, software and real data from fields such as health, economics, industry and the environment.

What students learn

Programmes build on mathematics, mainly calculus, linear algebra and probability, and add the methods of the discipline and the software used to apply them. The course list of the Máster Universitario en Estadística Aplicada at the Universidad de Granada for 2026/2027 gives an idea of the applied content:

  • Biostatistics
  • Time series analysis, with applications to financial risk
  • Sample surveys, with economic, social and environmental applications
  • Experimental design and quality control, with applications in biosciences and engineering
  • Statistical computing environments

Purdue University notes that all its applied statistics courses use and teach statistical software.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree. Applied statistics is often an option inside a statistics degree. At Purdue University the Statistics Major has two options, one in Applied Statistics and one in Mathematical Statistics. The Australian National University's Bachelor of Statistics lasts three years full time, requires 144 units and offers Applied Statistics as one of its majors. In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits: the Grado en Estadística at the Universidad de Granada takes four years and is taught in Spanish.
  • Master's degree. This is the usual professional level. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, statisticians typically need a master's degree, although some entry-level positions accept a bachelor's degree. Purdue offers an MS in Statistics in Applied Statistics, on campus and online. The Granada master's degree has 60 ECTS credits, 16 of them for the final project, and is planned for one academic year; it can include a company placement of 12 credits.
  • Graduate certificates. Shorter programmes serve graduates of other fields who need statistical skills. Purdue has a Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics.
  • Doctorate. A PhD prepares for research and university teaching. Purdue offers a Doctor of Philosophy degree in statistics, and at Granada the third cycle is the doctoral programme in Mathematics and Statistics.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 11 active schools for this subject. Five are in the United States and two in Spain; New Zealand, Australia, Bermuda and Zimbabwe have one each.

The schools in the United States are Purdue University, the University of Pittsburgh, Johns Hopkins University, Stetson University and the University of Northern Colorado. In Spain the list has the Universidad de Granada and the Universidad de Vic. Massey University in New Zealand offers statistics as a Bachelor of Science specialisation at its Manawatū campus in Palmerston North and by distance learning. The Australian National University in Canberra, the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo and the ASU Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences complete the list.

Teaching is in English at the schools outside Spain. Granada's bachelor's degree is taught in Spanish, and the optional courses of its master's degree are listed as online teaching (enseñanza virtual) for 2026/2027.

Careers

Statisticians work wherever decisions depend on data. The Universidad de Granada groups the career options of its master's degree into five profiles:

  • Public administration: official statistics institutes, demographic projections
  • Life sciences: health, public health, the pharmaceutical industry, clinical trials, environment
  • Economics and finance: actuarial science, risk assessment, market research
  • Industry and services: quality, process improvement, logistics
  • Teaching and research

The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes similar fields in the United States: government statisticians develop surveys and analyse data on topics such as employment, crop production and energy use, and biostatisticians work in pharmaceutical companies, public health agencies or hospitals.

There were 31,300 statistician jobs in the United States in 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which projects growth of 11 percent to 34,700 in 2035. For mathematicians and statisticians together it projects growth of 10 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 2,000 openings a year.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between applied and mathematical statistics?

Applied statistics focuses on using methods and software to analyse real data, while mathematical statistics focuses on the theory behind the methods. Some universities, such as Purdue, offer both as options within one statistics degree.

Do I need a master's degree to work as a statistician?

Often, yes. In the United States statisticians typically need a master's degree, although some entry-level positions accept a bachelor's degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How long does it take to study applied statistics?

A bachelor's degree takes three years at the Australian National University and four years (240 ECTS credits) in Spain. The master's degree at the Universidad de Granada adds 60 ECTS credits, planned for one academic year.

Can I study applied statistics online?

Some programmes can be followed at a distance. Purdue University has an online MS in Applied Statistics, and Massey University offers its statistics specialisation by distance learning.