Will AI replace statisticians?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 2h 34m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The other 5h 26m (68%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 11% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

AI shows up regularly in 5 of 19 tasks, about 2h 34m of a typical shift. The biggest ones:

• Report results of statistical analyses, including information in the form of graphs, charts, and tables. (47m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Identify relationships and trends in data, as well as any factors that could affect the results of research. (30m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Process large amounts of data for statistical modeling and graphic analysis, using computers. (30m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Develop and test experimental designs, sampling techniques, and analytical methods. (24m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Report results of statistical analyses in peer-reviewed papers and technical manuals. (24m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)

5h 26m of a typical shift, or 68%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Analyze and interpret statistical data to identify significant differences in relationships among sources of information. (1h 5m a shift)
• Prepare data for processing by organizing information, checking for inaccuracies, and adjusting and weighting the raw data. (53m a shift)
• Evaluate the statistical methods and procedures used to obtain data to ensure validity, applicability, efficiency, and accuracy. (30m a shift)
• Present statistical and nonstatistical results, using charts, bullets, and graphs, in meetings or conferences to audiences such as clients, peers, and students. (30m a shift)
• Determine whether statistical methods are appropriate, based on user needs or research questions of interest. (24m a shift)

We track 1 sourced company move that affects this job. Most recent:

• Jan 29, 2026: OpenAI's internal data agent runs analysis for over 3,500 staff (Rolling out)

For the 4 tasks in this job where AI shows up and timing data exists, a typical request takes about 10h 20m for a person alone and about 45m with AI. These are Claude's own estimates from real conversations in April and May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index). They describe single requests, not whole workdays, and time saved on a task doesn't mean jobs are cut. The biggest gaps:

• Develop and test experimental designs, sampling techniques, and analytical methods (about 12h 52m alone, 1h 28m with AI)
• Process large amounts of data for statistical modeling and graphic analysis, using computers (about 10h 33m alone, 50m with AI)
• Report results of statistical analyses, including information in the form of graphs, charts, and tables (about 10h 7m alone, 39m with AI)

On Indeed, job postings in the Data & Analytics sector are at 64% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 8.7% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 1,900 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $105,650 a year ($50.79 an hour), 107% above the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $64,000 and $174,050 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 11% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 35,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 1,900 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 29,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.02% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 483rd largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 35,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a master's degree: about 62% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 5 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: graduate degree. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Mathematics, Programming, Science, Complex Problem Solving
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 5h 26m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Tableau, Structured query language SQL, SAS, R, Python
• Learn to use AI well on the tasks where it already shows up in this job (listed above)

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Biostatisticians (1h 27m touched, $106k median pay)
• Actuaries (41m touched, $130k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 5 observed in real AI use, 14 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.