The 6 Best Jobs for Analytical Thinkers

By
portrait of Staff Writers
Staff Writers
Read Full Bio

Writer

The staff writers for BestColleges collaborate to deliver unique, student-driven content on topics such as career development, college life, and college planning....
Updated on March 21, 2023
Learn more about our editorial process

www.bestcolleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Turn Your Dreams Into Reality

Take our quiz and we'll do the homework for you! Compare your school matches and apply to your top choice today.


  • The best careers for analytical thinkers entail logic and constant problem-solving.
  • INTP personality types tend to be analytical, focused, and intellectually curious.
  • Ideal jobs for analytical thinkers include accounting and technical writing.

Analytical thinkers are always thinking. It's a constant battle of internal conversations, with the brain processing lots of information at once. These people spend much of their time focused on exploring concepts and trying to solve problems.

Many analytical thinkers fall under the INTP personality type, as described by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. INTP stands for introversion, intuition, thinking, and perceiving. People who score as INTP tend to be quiet, critical, and logical. Analytical personality types have also been described as being curious and intellectually sharp, with traits of perfectionism and skepticism.

Many analytical thinkers fall under the INTP personality type. People who score as INTP tend to be quiet, critical, and logical.

Quotation mark

These skilled problem-solvers are highly sought-after job candidates in many fields, such as law, finance, accounting, business management, science, and engineering. Organizations within these industries highly value analytical thinkers because of their exceptional knowledge and decision-making abilities.

If you consider yourself an analytical thinker, you're in good company. Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Marie Curie, Larry Page, Sigourney Weaver, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and many other business leaders, politicians, and celebrities are said to fall into this personality category.

Whether you're looking to establish a career or planning to go back to college to earn a second degree, you have a number of career options to choose from for which your analytical skills will be extremely useful, not to mention immensely appreciated.

Top 6 Careers for Analytical Thinkers

Actuary

If you love working with numbers, consider becoming an actuary. Actuaries help companies avoid, identify, and manage financial risks in their organizations. These well-paid financial experts mostly work in the insurance industry where financial risk is high with regard to issuing policies.

An actuary's duties vary by sector but typically include analyzing financial, budgetary, or insurance claim data through statistical analysis, financial forecasting, scenario modeling, risk assessment, regression analysis, and other statistical methods. Their overall goal is to identify key issues, analyze trends, and predict future financial events.

Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a strong 18% growth rate for actuaries between 2019 and 2029. This demand for actuaries is projected to stem from the growing volume of financial data available to businesses, as well as the continual changes in government regulations in sectors like business, healthcare, and insurance.

Actuaries make a median annual income of $108,350, with the highest 10% earning more than $193,600 per year.

Educational Requirements

A bachelor's degree in mathematics, statistics, actuarial science, economics, finance, or risk management is generally required to land a position as an actuary. Actuaries should have a solid background in calculus, statistics, economics, algebra, probability, finance, and computer programming.

Most employers require applicants to be certified or in the process of certification by either the Society of Actuaries or the Casualty Actuarial Society. Certification candidates must meet experience requirements and pass multiple exams to achieve associate and fellowship certification levels.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Economist

Economists have been around for centuries, but it wasn't until the Industrial Revolution and the publication of Scottish economist Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations" that people began to think of economics as we do today. In his iconic book, Smith proposed that a nation's wealth should be measured by the total of its production and commerce rather than by its stores of gold and silver.

An economist is a great career choice for analytical thinkers who like to crunch numbers and look at the big picture. Economists study and analyze economic processes, including the availability of and access to resources and the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. They collect and analyze data, research and monitor trends, and develop economic forecasts for industries like manufacturing, banking, international trade, insurance, education, and agriculture.

Economists can work in the public sector (where work mostly centers on government policy), the private sector (where work is done on behalf of a company), and academia (where work focuses on research and education). These professionals usually specialize in a particular field, such as finance, agriculture, health, labor, or international trade.

Job Outlook

Economists can expect high employment, with 14% job growth projected through 2029. This growth will most likely come from the continued expansion of the global economy. Independent research and consulting firms are expected to drive the bulk of the demand for this occupation.

The median annual wage for economists is $105,020.

Educational Requirements

A master's degree or Ph.D. in economics is required for most high-paying economist jobs. A bachelor's degree in economics, finance, statistics, or a related field is sufficient for some entry-level positions and for entrance into a master's in economics program.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Software Developer

Software is everywhere: It drives our smartphones, our cars, our computers, our homes, our dating apps, our banking transactions, and even our grocery store purchases. If we didn't have software developers to design and build software, the technical world as we know it wouldn't exist.

Skilled software developers are in high demand and will continue to be in demand due to the industry's emphasis on innovation. These coding wizards are the creators of operating systems, programs, applications, and other types of computer software that run our economy and make our lives both easier and more entertaining.

Software developers collaborate with programmers, software testers, and technical writers to analyze user needs, map out designs, build diagrams and models, and create flowcharts. They're also called upon to improve existing software with patches, upgrades, and updates, and to make sure everything is functioning as designed.

The software development space can be confusing, especially when it comes to specializations. Although the industry is constantly evolving — with new positions and specialty areas being introduced every few years — most developers concentrate on front-end development, back-end development, full-stack development, smartphones, gaming, or applications development.

Job Outlook

According to the BLS, jobs for software developers are projected to grow 22% between 2019 and 2029. There are currently about 1.5 million software developer jobs in the U.S. Society's increasing reliance on technology, especially within the mobile applications and electronics development spaces, is expected to contribute to this occupation's demand.

Software developers earn a median annual pay of $107,510, with 1 in 10 making over $164,590 per year.

Educational Requirements

Most software developer positions require a bachelor's degree in computer science or software engineering. Some companies and organizations may accept entry-level candidates with just an associate degree.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Accountant

Another top career choice for analytical minds is accounting. Accountants are highly regarded, well-paid financial professionals, utilized by nearly every business and taxpayer throughout the country. The two main types of accountants are public accountants and private accountants.

Public accountants work for a wide range of companies and individuals who need help with the planning and preparation of taxes and other financial documents. These accountants typically work independently or at an accounting firm, where they can eventually become a senior or managing partner. Public accountants are usually busiest around tax season.

By contrast, private, or corporate, accountants are employed by a single company where they analyze and prepare financial reports specifically for that business. These individuals can work their way up the corporate ladder to the position of chief financial officer.

Private accountants may specialize in a particular industry, such as e-commerce, sports, education, personal finance, international trade, or automotive. These accountants are busiest at the end of each fiscal quarter.

Job Outlook

The employment outlook for accountants is solid, with job growth projected at 4% through 2029, in line with the average for all jobs. Today, there are over 1.4 million accountants in the U.S.

Demand for accountants will remain steady as long as the U.S. Tax Code remains hazy. The growth of the global economy, along with the confusing individualized state and county sales tax laws for online retailers, will likely contribute to this job's growth. While automation has replaced certain jobs, it's opened up more roles for advisory services, including accounting.

Accountants earn a median annual income of $71,550.

Educational Requirements

Accountants must have a strong attention to detail, solid math and analytical skills, computer literacy, and business acumen. Employers normally require job candidates to have a bachelor's degree in accounting or finance. A master's degree in accounting or business administration with a concentration in accounting may be preferred.

Career advancement will likely depend on your education and professional certification status. To become a certified public accountant, you must pass an exam and meet state licensing requirements.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Chemical Engineer

Chemical engineering is an exciting field that deals with the production and manufacturing of products. In other words, these professionals help transform raw materials into useful products through chemical processing.

Chemical engineers work in a variety of industries — such as oil and gas, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, automotive, military, and electronics — to develop industrial and manufacturing processes, create new products, improve materials, and design new technologies.

Work is often conducted in laboratories or in the field. Chemical engineers' duties include designing processes and equipment, researching chemical properties, conducting experiments, establishing safety procedures, troubleshooting problems, ensuring compliance with safety regulations, running tests, and analyzing data.

Job Outlook

The BLS projects that jobs for chemical engineers will grow 4% — about as fast as average — through 2029. There are currently an estimated 32,600 chemical engineer jobs. Alternative fuel sourcing and advancements in biotechnology will contribute to this job's increased demand.

The median wage for chemical engineers is $108,770 per year.

Educational Requirements

A bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, materials science, chemistry, or a related STEM field is typically required by employers. Chemical engineers must have a solid understanding of math, chemistry, physics, and biology.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Technical Writer

Technical writers are responsible for writing and editing instructional or technical documents, such as programming manuals, user manuals, service manuals, operational specifications, and other materials that provide product details and instructions.

It's imperative that technical writers become experts on the product(s) they write about. This includes understanding the technical specifications, product functionality, and user interfaces. They must also be able to convey a significant amount of technical information in a way that's easy for all users to understand.

Technical writers typically write for a variety of audiences and work in cooperation with multiple departments, like engineering, product development, and product management. Oftentimes, the work of a technical writer can be done remotely.

In addition to being a skilled writer, technical writers should know the basics of graphic design, as the use of graphics is an essential part of creating technical documentation. They should also have superior communication, problem-solving, research, and time-management skills.

Job Outlook

Technical writers can look forward to 7% employment growth between 2019 and 2029, according to the BLS. Increased demand for technical writers is expected to come from technological advancements. As the products we make become more sophisticated, society will start to develop a greater reliance on technical manuals and the people who write them.

Technical writers make a median salary of $72,850, with 10% of these professionals bringing in more than $117,250 annually.

Educational Requirements

Employers usually prefer or require technical writing candidates to have a bachelor's degree in technical communication, journalism, English, or engineering. Job-seekers with a communication-related degree and a deep knowledge of a technical field often receive first consideration for entry-level positions. The degree type and level of education required for a technical writing position varies by industry.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Compare Your School Options

View the most relevant schools for your interests and compare them by tuition, programs, acceptance rate, and other factors important to finding your college home.