Who needs talent scouts when you have statistics?
That's the intriguing premise behind the hit movie Moneyball. Starring Brad Pitt as the general manager of the cash-strapped Oakland A's baseball team, the film highlights how player recruitment decisions were digitized. Rather than relying on reports from scouts, general manager Billy Beane turned to statistics in 2002 to assemble his team.
Beane and his assistant general manager Paul DePodesta (renamed Peter Brand in the film) used on-base percentages to identify players overlooked by the talent scouts. The result was an underwhelming start of the 2002 season, but the strategy eventually paid off as the team went on to set an American League record of 20 consecutive wins.
Using statistics for a winning edge
Although the Oakland A's weren't the first team to use some type of statistical analytics in their recruitment, observers say the team's heavy reliance on numbers revolutionized the way baseball talent is identified today. Still, DePodesta, who is now the Vice President of Player Development and Scouting for the New York Mets, says that it was only a matter of time before statistics took over scouts.
"It was probably inevitable," said DePodesta in an interview with Fox Sports. "Look at just about every industry over the past quarter-century, how that industry may have been impacted by data."
According to the American Statistical Association, DePodesta is on to something. The ASA says statisticians are needed across a diverse range of fields including health and medicine, business, technology and government. Earn a degree in statistics and here are three surprising fields where you might find a job.
1. Anthropology and archeology
"People think of field archaeology as Indiana Jones, but much of what you really do is data analysis," said Carrie Grimes in an interview with The New York Times.
Grimes earned a degree in anthropology and archeology from Harvard and went on to work in far-flung places documenting ancient civilizations. However, even while mapping Mayan artifacts in Honduras, Grimes discovered statistics was often front and center in her work.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes training in statistics and math can be essential for social scientists who increasingly use quantitative research methods in their work. In addition, the bureau expects demand for anthropologists and archaeologists to grow by 28 percent from 2008-2018. Job prospects are expected to be best for those with a master's or doctoral degree, and professionals in the field earned mean annual wages of $58,040 in 2010.
2. Agriculture
Creating a sustainable food supply is about more than simply putting some seeds in the ground and hoping for rain. Statisticians working in the agrarian sector conduct experiments and analyze data related to genetics, animal and plant growth, and the effect of chemicals and pesticides.
The ASA says a degree in biology is not necessary to work in this field, although a background in math and a willingness to work with others are important. The association indicates statisticians are often part of a larger research team that is committed to resolving problems related to natural resources and food production.
Statisticians should see 13 percent job growth from 2008-2018 according BLS figures. Of the jobs available, the bureau estimates 20 percent can be found in the Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies. In 2010, the mean annual wage for statisticians was $76,070.
3. Public health and medicine
It is not just doctors and nurses who keep us healthy. Biostatisticians are a crucial part of improving health and reducing the incidence of disease and illness. According to the ASA, biostatisticians play a role in diverse research efforts that study everything from the factors affecting heart and lung disease to the psychiatric symptoms of drug and alcohol use.
In addition, the ASA notes there is a shortage of biostatisticians, and job prospects for those with a master's degree or doctoral degree should be excellent. Pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and university research groups are just some of the employers of these specialized statisticians.
The ASA reports that typical entry level salaries for those with a master's degree are in the $35,000 to $65,000 range. Meanwhile, those with a doctoral degree can earn starting salaries of $55,000 to $85,000.
That's the intriguing premise behind the hit movie Moneyball. Starring Brad Pitt as the general manager of the cash-strapped Oakland A's baseball team, the film highlights how player recruitment decisions were digitized. Rather than relying on reports from scouts, general manager Billy Beane turned to statistics in 2002 to assemble his team.
Beane and his assistant general manager Paul DePodesta (renamed Peter Brand in the film) used on-base percentages to identify players overlooked by the talent scouts. The result was an underwhelming start of the 2002 season, but the strategy eventually paid off as the team went on to set an American League record of 20 consecutive wins.
Using statistics for a winning edge
Although the Oakland A's weren't the first team to use some type of statistical analytics in their recruitment, observers say the team's heavy reliance on numbers revolutionized the way baseball talent is identified today. Still, DePodesta, who is now the Vice President of Player Development and Scouting for the New York Mets, says that it was only a matter of time before statistics took over scouts.
"It was probably inevitable," said DePodesta in an interview with Fox Sports. "Look at just about every industry over the past quarter-century, how that industry may have been impacted by data."
According to the American Statistical Association, DePodesta is on to something. The ASA says statisticians are needed across a diverse range of fields including health and medicine, business, technology and government. Earn a degree in statistics and here are three surprising fields where you might find a job.
1. Anthropology and archeology
"People think of field archaeology as Indiana Jones, but much of what you really do is data analysis," said Carrie Grimes in an interview with The New York Times.
Grimes earned a degree in anthropology and archeology from Harvard and went on to work in far-flung places documenting ancient civilizations. However, even while mapping Mayan artifacts in Honduras, Grimes discovered statistics was often front and center in her work.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes training in statistics and math can be essential for social scientists who increasingly use quantitative research methods in their work. In addition, the bureau expects demand for anthropologists and archaeologists to grow by 28 percent from 2008-2018. Job prospects are expected to be best for those with a master's or doctoral degree, and professionals in the field earned mean annual wages of $58,040 in 2010.
2. Agriculture
Creating a sustainable food supply is about more than simply putting some seeds in the ground and hoping for rain. Statisticians working in the agrarian sector conduct experiments and analyze data related to genetics, animal and plant growth, and the effect of chemicals and pesticides.
The ASA says a degree in biology is not necessary to work in this field, although a background in math and a willingness to work with others are important. The association indicates statisticians are often part of a larger research team that is committed to resolving problems related to natural resources and food production.
Statisticians should see 13 percent job growth from 2008-2018 according BLS figures. Of the jobs available, the bureau estimates 20 percent can be found in the Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies. In 2010, the mean annual wage for statisticians was $76,070.
3. Public health and medicine
It is not just doctors and nurses who keep us healthy. Biostatisticians are a crucial part of improving health and reducing the incidence of disease and illness. According to the ASA, biostatisticians play a role in diverse research efforts that study everything from the factors affecting heart and lung disease to the psychiatric symptoms of drug and alcohol use.
In addition, the ASA notes there is a shortage of biostatisticians, and job prospects for those with a master's degree or doctoral degree should be excellent. Pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and university research groups are just some of the employers of these specialized statisticians.
The ASA reports that typical entry level salaries for those with a master's degree are in the $35,000 to $65,000 range. Meanwhile, those with a doctoral degree can earn starting salaries of $55,000 to $85,000.
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