Biostatisticians

Develop and apply biostatistical theory and methods to the study of life sciences.

Most important skills

Mathematics
Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Science
Critical Thinking
Active Learning
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making

Key knowledge

Mathematics
English Language
Computers and Electronics
Medicine and Dentistry
Biology
Education and Training
Customer and Personal Service
Administration and Management

What the work involves

Write research proposals or grant applications for submission to external bodies.
Teach graduate or continuing education courses or seminars in biostatistics.
Read current literature, attend meetings or conferences, and talk with colleagues to keep abreast of methodological or conceptual developments in fields such as biostatistics, pharmacology, life sciences, and social sciences.
Prepare statistical data for inclusion in reports to data monitoring committees, federal regulatory agencies, managers, or clients.
Prepare articles for publication or presentation at professional conferences.
Calculate sample size requirements for clinical studies.
Determine project plans, timelines, or technical objectives for statistical aspects of biological research studies.
Assign work to biostatistical assistants or programmers.

Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Investigative, Conventional, Social.

Qualifications and licensing

Most common education: Master's Degree (58.3% of respondents)
Related experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (20.8%)
On-the-job training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (33.3%)
Preparation level: O*NET job zone 5: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Licensing: Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.

Check before planning

Licensing for Biostatisticians is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Projection education uses SOC 15-2041 (detailed_parent); it may describe a broader group.

Limits

Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0

Work environment

How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).

Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.

Rankings compare typical U.S. occupation-level work conditions; individual jobs and employers vary. Data: O*NET 31.0 Work Context and BLS wages (May 2025).
Condition	Level	Compared with other occupations	Most common answer (O*NET survey)
Contact with others	Very low	Lower on contact with others than 88% of occupations compared	46% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others about half the time”
Dealing with the public	Low	Lower on dealing with the public than 75% of occupations compared	29% of surveyed respondents chose “Important”
Teamwork	Moderate	Higher on teamwork than 59% of occupations compared	54% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important”
Freedom to make decisions	High	Higher on freedom to make decisions than 63% of occupations compared	57% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom”
Time pressure	Very low	Lower on time pressure than 83% of occupations compared	50% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day”
Conflict situations	Low	Lower on conflict situations than 75% of occupations compared	54% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people	Very low	Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 89% of occupations compared	71% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Consequence of error	Low	Lower on consequence of error than 79% of occupations compared	43% of surveyed respondents chose “Not serious at all”

Work-pressure profile

Time pressure: very low
Conflict situations: low
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
Consequence of error: low

Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.

Full answer distributions