Not Good at Math eh?
January 14, 2009An article in the Wall Street Journal shows the results of a study from CareerCast.com that tried to categorize the best and worst professions.
Much to my surprise Mathematician came out on top … with Lumberjack coming out on the bottom. Sorry Dad.
Firefighter
What they don’t tell you is how many lumberjacks worked their arses off their whole lives so that their sons could go become mathematicians. Thanks Dad! (and Mom too of course!).
Below is the partial results. Notice that heavily math based jobs come in at #1, #2, #3, #5, #6 and #10. Biologists at #4 use math modelling extensively and have to take Calculus in university.
The Best and Worst Jobs
Of 200 Jobs studied, these came out on top — and at the bottom:
| The Best | The Worst |
| 1. Mathematician | 200. Lumberjack |
| 2. Actuary | 199. Dairy Farmer |
| 3. Statistician | 198. Taxi Driver |
| 4. Biologist | 197. Seaman |
| 5. Software Engineer | 196. EMT |
| 6. Computer Systems Analyst | 195. Roofer |
| 7. Historian | 194. Garbage Collector |
| 8. Sociologist | 193. Welder |
| 9. Industrial Designer | 192. Roustabout |
| 10. Accountant | 191. Ironworker |
| 11. Economist | 190. Construction Worker |
| 12. Philosopher | 189. Mail Carrier |
| 13. Physicist | 188. Sheet Metal Worker |
| 14. Parole Officer | 187. Auto Mechanic |
| 15. Meteorologist | 186. Butcher |
| 16. Medical Laboratory Technician | 185. Nuclear Decontamination Tech |
| 17. Paralegal Assistant | 184. Nurse (LN) |
| 18. Computer Programmer | 183. Painter |
| 19. Motion Picture Editor | 182. Child Care Worker |
| 20. Astronomer | 181. Firefighter |
