How To Become A Mathematics Department Chairperson: What It Is and Career Path

What is a mathematics department chairperson and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Coskun Cetin

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a mathematics department chairperson. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.3 an hour? That's $54,702 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 12% and produce 159,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a mathematics department chairperson?

Coskun Cetin

Professor, California State University

It is essential for graduating students to explore the job market and get some connections/experience before graduation. Unfortunately, internship and hands-on training opportunities have been impacted significantly due to the pandemic, but online training and certification opportunities are still there.

Getting in touch with a faculty member in a particular area of interest (with connections in industry and state/government agencies), working on a research project, and seeking advice on professional opportunities (e.g., online forums/workshops/conferences) would give an advantage in establishing contacts and experience.

Many of our math majors who had actively participated in summer research projects and presented their results in conferences (or published them in academic journals) were either hired by leading tech companies or accepted to top graduate programs in mathematics, statistics, computer science, or related areas.

ScoreMathematics Department ChairpersonUS Average

Salary

4.3

Avg. Salary $54,702

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.8

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 11.28%

Black or African American 7.14%

Hispanic or Latino 10.17%

Unknown 4.93%

White 66.20%

Gender

female 59.82%

male 40.18%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

5.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.9

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a mathematics department chairperson

Explore mathematics department chairperson education requirements

Most common mathematics department chairperson degrees

Bachelor's

62.6 %

Master's

30.4 %

Associate

3.7 %

Start to develop specific mathematics department chairperson skills

Skills	Percentages
Math	18.79%
Geometry	14.07%
Classroom Management	11.00%
Mathematics Curriculum	10.64%
Instructional Strategies	6.42%

Research mathematics department chairperson duties and responsibilities

Manage a university mathematics laboratory.
Teach: calculus, pre-calculus, advance algebra with trigonometry, geometry and algebra.
Motivate students to appreciate math with a tactile method, confronting abstract problems with a concrete approach.
Head secondary school mathematics department where duties include, training and supervising a team of 8 math teachers.

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