Mathematics: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 291 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Mathematics pays
Career outlook for Mathematics graduates
The job market for the occupations Mathematics graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | 1,094,500 | -1.6% | $64,580 | Bachelor's degree |
| Data scientists | 245,900 | +33.5% | $112,590 | Bachelor's degree |
| Natural sciences managers | 104,300 | +3.7% | $161,180 | Bachelor's degree |
| Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary | 58,900 | +2.3% | $79,350 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Statisticians | 32,200 | +8.5% | $103,300 | Master's degree |
| Mathematical science occupations, all other | 5,000 | +4.0% | $71,490 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Mathematics vs similar majors
How Mathematics stacks up against the closest fields in Mathematics & Statistics on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Mathematics Mathematics & Statistics · this major | Statistics | Applied Mathematics | Mathematics and Statistics, Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 80 A | 92 A | 92 A | 86 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $73,888 | $105,595 | $99,566 | $81,819 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $51,083 | $71,553 | $63,193 | $58,273 |
| ROI vs cost | +264% | +658% | +587% | +363% |
| Typical debt | $20,154 | $21,823 | $20,253 | $20,464 |
| Colleges offering it | 291 | 42 | 39 | 6 |
Mathematics earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Mathematics
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | Associate's | $110,111 | — | +10,634% | Strong return |
| 2 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Associate's | $80,498 | — | +5,848% | Strong return |
| 3 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY | Associate's | $76,687 | — | +5,006% | Strong return |
| 4 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | Associate's | $226,193 | $9,751 | +4,039% | Strong return |
| 5 | College of the Canyons Santa Clarita, CA | Certificate | $59,937 | — | +3,935% | Strong return |
| 6 | Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME | Associate's | $159,954 | — | +3,892% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | Associate's | $146,679 | $12,000 | +2,882% | Strong return |
| 8 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | Associate's | $140,068 | $9,644 | +2,600% | Strong return |
| 9 | San Diego Mesa College San Diego, CA | Certificate | $59,965 | — | +2,474% | Strong return |
| 10 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Associate's | $74,200 | $8,298 | +2,458% | Strong return |
| 11 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Associate's | $138,612 | $10,859 | +2,152% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Associate's | $86,226 | $16,111 | +2,075% | Strong return |
| 13 | Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA | Associate's | $143,223 | — | +2,022% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | Associate's | $101,719 | $15,127 | +1,868% | Strong return |
| 15 | San Jacinto Community College Pasadena, TX | Certificate | $68,248 | — | +1,815% | Strong return |
| 16 | California State University-Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA | Associate's | $66,465 | — | +1,799% | Strong return |
| 17 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | Associate's | $162,763 | $13,500 | +1,790% | Strong return |
| 18 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Associate's | $107,395 | $20,675 | +1,746% | Strong return |
| 19 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | Associate's | $133,210 | $17,468 | +1,682% | Strong return |
| 20 | Blinn College District Brenham, TX | Certificate | $63,849 | — | +1,638% | Strong return |
| 21 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus Bothell, WA | Associate's | $96,036 | $15,000 | +1,595% | Strong return |
| 22 | Brigham Young University-Idaho Rexburg, ID | Associate's | $71,698 | — | +1,524% | Strong return |
| 23 | Amherst College Amherst, MA | Associate's | $125,945 | $13,900 | +1,463% | Strong return |
| 24 | William & Mary Williamsburg, VA | Associate's | $114,526 | $20,000 | +1,429% | Strong return |
| 25 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Associate's | $96,036 | $15,000 | +1,417% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.