What can you do with a maths degree?

Almost anything that involves solving problems with numbers, logic or data. Maths is one of the degrees employers respect most, because it shows you can think clearly and stick with hard problems.

Common paths

Data science and AI

Building models that find patterns in data, from shopping habits to medical scans. Statistics, linear algebra and programming are the key skills.

Actuarial work and insurance

Working out risk and pricing insurance and pensions. Actuaries take professional exams while they work, and maths graduates get a head start.

Finance

Investment banks, trading firms and fintech companies hire maths graduates for modelling, risk and quantitative trading roles.

Engineering, climate and weather

Modelling how air flows over a wing, how the climate changes or how tomorrow's weather will look. This is applied maths in action.

Medicine and public health

Epidemiologists and medical statisticians use maths to track diseases and test whether new treatments work.

Software and technology

Many maths graduates become software developers, especially in areas like graphics, security and algorithms.

Teaching

The UK is always short of maths teachers, and there are often bursaries or scholarships for maths teacher training. Check the latest on the Get Into Teaching site.

Research

Some graduates go on to a PhD and work on open problems at a university or in industry research labs.

See real examples

The Maths Careers site has case studies of people using maths in their jobs, and Plus magazine regularly interviews working mathematicians.

Last updated October 2026.