The Department of Statistics at NC State remains the nation’s top producer of Ph.D. graduates, according to recently released data from the American Statistical Association (ASA).

The department graduated 20 statistics Ph.D. students in 2025 – the most of any university in the country. More broadly, from 2003 to 2025, 444 students graduated with a doctoral degree in statistics from NC State – 120 more than the second-highest producer, Iowa State University.

During the same 22-year period ending in 2025, NC State ranked 11th for master’s degree graduates in statistics with 1,062 and 17th for bachelor’s degree graduates with 985.

NC State’s leading stature in the field comes as degrees in statistics and data science continue to gain popularity. Nationwide, 5,696 students received bachelor’s degrees in statistics in 2025, up from 2,305 in 2015, according to the ASA. Universities are also awarding many more doctoral degrees in the field, with 552 students receiving a Ph.D. in statistics in 2025, up from 395 in 2015.

The Department of Statistics at NC State, founded by renowned statistician Gertrude Cox in 1941, is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious. The department’s graduate program is ranked 18th nationally by U.S. News & World Report and 24th globally in ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. 

“We take great pride in all that our department has accomplished over its 85 years as we continue to produce impactful research and offer top-notch education and training for our students,” said Kimberly Sellers, department head and professor.

This post was originally published in College of Sciences News.