In terms of actually being scientific and being able to look up research articles and understand the data, statistics is more important than calculus. Though that importance doesnt carry over into a broader context, because, in my personal opinion, being scientific is somewhat less important than other, prerequisite models for evaluating statements, like logic, critical thinking, and just run of the mill abstract models.

Assuming that it is more marginally beneficial to develop models of the world, which form of math is more important? I'd have to go with multivariate calculus, because it lays the foundation for being able to think of the world as a multivariate system, rather than just a two variable contextless view.

I'd even go as far as to say that calculus is more important than statistics for scientific thinking, because it allows one to be able to utilize multivariate models to envision alternate paradigms, and be able to discern flawed research. You know because ceteris parabis is not tautologically true, and some variables change drastically in alternate contexts.