What Do Biostatisticians Do?
Biostatisticians are trained to use statistical methods to analyze health care data to help understand the causes of diseases. Biostatisticians are included in the broader category of statisticians and are also part of a broader set of public health professions. To view a description of the public health field and a list of other public health professionals, click here.
Biostatisticians also design surveys, questionnaires, and other data collection tools to collect data the data they need for their research or also analyze secondary data, which is data that someone else collected. For further information regarding biostatisticians go to https://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/mathematicians-and-statisticians.htm .
Where Do Biostatisticians Work?
Biostatisticians often work in teams of health professionals and are commonly employed by federal, state, and local governments. Biostatisticians may also be contracted or hired by pharmaceutical companies, research organizations, hospitals, or other health care institutions. They usually work in office settings, though they may go into the community to collect data.
What Do Biostatisticians Earn?
In 2022, the average annual income reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for statisticians in the United States was $105,510. The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) reports that, in 2023, statisticians in New York earned a median annual salary of $115,608 (statisticians in the 25th percentile made approximately $75,599 while those in the 75th percentile made approximately $176,902).
Supply and Demand
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of jobs for Mathematicians and Statisticians in the U.S. will increase by 31% between 2021 and 2031.
For more information on projections of statisticians by New York State labor regions, click here.
Educational Program Requirements
Most statisticians have a background in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) with about half earning a Master’s degree and about half earning a Doctoral degree. In addition to a statistics background, biostatisticians will also have course work related to health care.
New York Licensure Requirements
Licensure or certification is not necessary for biostatisticians. During the course of a biostatistician’s career, Institutional Board Certification (IRB) certification for research with human subjects and classified data may be necessary for job duties. Additionally, biostatisticians can be certified through the National Board of Public Health Examiners. For more information on a certification in public health, click on https://www.nbphe.org/.
Education Programs in New York (Subject to Change)
| University at Buffalo 704 Kimball Tower Buffalo, NY 14214 (716) 645-2000 |
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health 722 West 168th St New York, NY 10032 (212) 342-5127 |
| Mount Sinai School of Medicine 1 Gustave L. Levy Place New York, NY 10029 (212) 241-6500 |
New York Medical College 40 Sunshine Cottage Road Valhalla, NY 10595 (914) 594-4000 |
| New York University College of Global Public Health 665 Broadway, 11th Fl New York, NY 10012 (212) 992-6741 |
SUNY – Downstate Medical Center School of Public Health 450 Clarkson Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11203 (718) 270 1065 |
| University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry 601 Elmwood Ave Rochester, NY 14642 (585) 275-0016 |
University at Albany-SUNY 1 University Place Rensselaer, NY 12144 (518) 402- 0283 |
| NYU Langone Health Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences 550 First Ave New York, NY 10016 (212) 263-5648 |
CUNY Grad School of Public Health & Health Policy Epidemiology & Biostatistics 55 w 125th St New York, NY 10027 (646) 364-9600 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology One Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY 14623 (585) 475-2411 |
SUNY Binghamton 4400 Vestal Parkway East Binghamton, NY 13902 (607) 777-2151 |
| Syracuse University 900 South Crouse Ave Syracuse, NY 13244 (315) 443-1870 |
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai 1 Gustave L. Levy Place New York, NY 10029 (212) 241 6500 |