[pdpi]

A PhD in maths is _incredibly_ valuable. Anything abstract algebra related, and the likes of the NSA are all over you. Anything numerical analysis related will find plenty of opportunities in finance, and the industry just calls statistics specialists "Data Scientists".

[cercatrova]

The NSA doesn't pay that much compared to the opportunity cost of the wage lost getting that PhD. Their salaries are capped by government standards, they can't pay above that.

[auxym]

Yeah, to be fair, my perspective is from Canada, which I probably should have mentioned.

I mean, we do have the RCMP and Bay Street, but I don't think it's comparable (in number of positions, salaries offered, etc) to NSA and Wall Street.

[insightcheck]

I heard that if you studied math with applications to computer science, you can find great opportunities with technology too (if not moving to the US for places like Google, there are quantum computing startups like Xanadu in Canada, along with other technology startups in Canada’s big cities too).

In addition, outside of the RCMP, various ministries of the Canadian government could need the skillset too (Statistics Canada being the one that first comes to mind, though any teams that do economic analyses could benefit from someone with the background).

[4ad]

> NSA

> finance

You're not selling it.

[annyeonghada]

Yeah, I remember my Physics degree: "With a Physics degree you will have lots of employment opportunities... but not in Physics!"

[wbl]

GS pay isn't that competitive