Mathematics
Offered at 1,795 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 13 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 226 | — | $62,888 | — |
| Bachelor's | 1,087 | $53,660 | $75,121 | $19,916 |
| Master's | 291 | $65,557 | $73,801 | — |
| Doctoral | 152 | — | $91,012 | — |
| Graduate certificate | 26 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walla Walla University | WA | $68,264 | $92,066 | — |
| 2 | Cabrillo College | CA | — | $81,591 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Canyons | CA | — | $83,037 | — |
| 2 | San Diego Miramar College | CA | — | $81,413 | — |
| 3 | San Diego Mesa College | CA | — | $71,633 | — |
| 4 | Austin Community College District | TX | — | $70,844 | $16,500 |
| 5 | Reedley College | CA | — | $64,728 | — |
| 6 | Santa Ana College | CA | — | $63,246 | — |
| 7 | San Jacinto Community College | TX | — | $62,531 | — |
| 8 | El Paso Community College | TX | — | $55,013 | — |
| 9 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland Campus | NJ | — | $45,264 | — |
| 10 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus | NJ | — | $45,264 | — |
| 11 | Community College of Allegheny County | PA | — | $43,476 | — |
| 12 | Mt San Jacinto Community College District | CA | — | $42,902 | — |
| 13 | Lemoore College | CA | $30,500 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | $141,075 | $201,041 | — |
| 2 | Amherst College | MA | $76,249 | $172,920 | $12,000 |
| 3 | University of Chicago | IL | — | $171,304 | $12,000 |
| 4 | Tufts University | MA | — | $160,936 | $17,500 |
| 5 | Dartmouth College | NH | $93,979 | $156,136 | $12,500 |
| 6 | Cornell University | NY | $114,798 | $155,471 | $11,235 |
| 7 | Williams College | MA | $87,131 | $151,064 | $10,258 |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $84,101 | $150,482 | — |
| 9 | Vanderbilt University | TN | $120,462 | $142,158 | $15,000 |
| 10 | Southern Methodist University | TX | $82,076 | $137,857 | $19,500 |
| 11 | Boston College | MA | $80,566 | $132,520 | $19,000 |
| 12 | Duke University | NC | $130,467 | — | $13,875 |
| 13 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $55,980 | $129,413 | $12,098 |
| 14 | Northwestern University | IL | $114,637 | $128,728 | $21,946 |
| 15 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | NY | $81,465 | $126,332 | $19,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stevens Institute of Technology | NJ | — | $163,959 | — |
| 2 | California State University-Long Beach | CA | $75,316 | $104,481 | — |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | TN | — | $94,065 | — |
| 4 | University of West Florida | FL | $69,133 | $89,768 | — |
| 5 | Emporia State University | KS | $77,057 | $74,337 | — |
| 6 | Montana State University | MT | $80,018 | $73,265 | — |
| 7 | Villanova University | PA | $72,956 | — | — |
| 8 | The University of Texas at El Paso | TX | — | $71,489 | — |
| 9 | University of Vermont | VT | — | $66,931 | — |
| 10 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | $65,946 | — | — |
| 11 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | TX | $65,557 | — | — |
| 12 | University of Northern Colorado | CO | $61,110 | — | — |
| 13 | University of Northern Iowa | IA | $57,573 | $60,705 | — |
| 14 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | PA | $54,018 | $57,041 | — |
| 15 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | PA | $56,308 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | NE | — | $92,388 | — |
| 2 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | TN | — | $91,012 | — |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $85,981 | — | — |
| 4 | University of California-Riverside | CA | — | $84,767 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do mathematics graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in mathematics reports median earnings of $53,660. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
