CAREER GUIDE Bachelor of Science, Mathematics

Balancing your checkbook. Planning a monthly budget. Figuring out how much to tip at a restaurant. Think about the skills you use every day that started as nuggets of information learned from a teacher in grade school. Good math teachers have the skills and techniques to change a student's life forever, and if you have ever considered teaching mathematics, it can be a very rewarding career.

Mathematics teacher jobs require specialized knowledge and training that prepare you to help students become comfortable with, and even enjoy, solving problems. In earlier grades, you'll apply industry-current teaching strategies to help them solve basic math problems requiring simple addition and subtraction. As their confidence grows and their capacity to understand more complex theories expands, you'll help them make the transition to middle and high school math, where more complex geometric theorems and algebraic equations will be part of their curriculum. If you can learn how to engage young learners and help them feel confident in their mathematical abilities, you'll play a key role in helping them develop skills they will use for the rest of their lives.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for elementary, middle, and high school teachers is expected to grow about 8% from 2016 to 2026, which is above the average for all occupations. Employment growth in this field will be fueled by a growing number of retiring teachers, increased student enrollment, and decreased student-teacher ratios.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, preschool, secondary, and special-education teachers earned a median annual wage of $54,720 in May of 2016. High school teachers earned more, with an annual median wage of $58,030. Of course, salaries vary depending on degrees and credentials, years of experience, location, and other factors.