WASHINGTON, D.C. — The demand for employees with data science skills will continue to grow, according to a recent survey of U.S. workplace managers. Nearly six in 10 managers in the U.S., 57%, say it is “very” (26%) or “somewhat” (31%) likely that they will need to hire more individuals with data science skills in the next five years.
These results are from the Gallup Math Matters Study and are based on separate web surveys of 5,136 U.S. adults and 2,831 workplace managers conducted in December 2024. Workplace managers are defined as employed adults who indicated they are senior leaders, managers, supervisors or project managers responsible for the work output of others.
Gallup conducted these two surveys via the Gallup Panel, with support from the Gates Foundation.
Data Science Among Top Math Skills Managers Want in Workers
The broad majority of managers (85%) say they wish the people who report directly to them had one or more additional math skills. This includes 37% who identified data science, specifically, as a desired skill. The 37% of managers wishing their direct reports had more data science skills nearly matches the 41% each who would like their employees to have more financial math or foundational math skills. About three in 10 managers also report a desire for other skills that are complementary to data fluency, including statistics, software skills and the ability to communicate mathematical ideas (such as making a chart to share data).
Financial Math, Data Science Top Americans’ Learning Regrets
When asked which math skills they wish they had learned more of in middle school or high school, U.S. adults select financial math (such as personal finances, budgeting and accounting) the most (29%), followed by data science (21%). Many of the other skills Americans wish they had learned also relate to data fluency — about one in five wish they had learned more about software (20%), programming (20%) or statistics (18%) in school.
In their wishes for more financial math and data science skills, Americans echo managers’ desires for more of these skills among their direct reports. Conversely, foundational math is also one of the top skills managers want to see more of in workers, yet only 7% of U.S. adults say they wish they had learned more foundational math skills in school.
Bottom Line
The role of data has become central to industries across workforces, and managers say they need more employees with strong data science skills, data fluency and communication skills, and math skills more broadly. While it is promising that U.S. adults and managers are aligned on the need and desire for analytical skills like data science and financial math, gaps remain — particularly for foundational math skills like arithmetic. This presents an opportunity for educators, workplace managers and policymakers to work together to ensure the U.S. education system prepares students with the skills employers seek for today’s jobs.
Learn more about the Gallup Math Matters Study.
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