Applied Mathematics: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 47 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$218,454 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
5.4 yrsModeled economic break-even
+84%Modeled 10-year ROI
$92,803Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$92,803Median reported earnings · year 4
$97,443Average reported earnings · year 5
$21,393Median federal debt
90thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
47Reporting programs
45With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$74,740National median$92,80375th percentile$104,454
45 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Harvard University$170,6892Brown University$157,8223Stevens Institute of Technology$156,4194Northwestern University$148,7405Ohio State University-Main Campus$120,4956University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill$119,8397University of California, Berkeley$118,4148Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$117,9909University of California, Santa Barbara$109,36010Marist University$109,170Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Data ScientistsSOC 15-2051 · 6 crosswalk linksMathematical Science Occupations, All OtherSOC 15-2099 · 6 crosswalk linksMathematiciansSOC 15-2021 · 6 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 6 crosswalk linksMathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1022 · 5 crosswalk linksActuariesSOC 15-2011 · 2 crosswalk linksStatisticiansSOC 15-2041 · 2 crosswalk linksBiological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 · 1 crosswalk linksEconomistsSOC 19-3011 · 1 crosswalk linksFinancial Risk SpecialistsSOC 13-2054 · 1 crosswalk linksFinancial Specialists, All OtherSOC 13-2099 · 1 crosswalk linksFinancial and Investment AnalystsSOC 13-2051 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cambridge, MA | $170,689 | Not available | +390% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Brown UniversityBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $157,822 | $10,000 | +302% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Stevens Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Hoboken, NJ | $156,419 | $25,841 | +223% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Northwestern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Evanston, IL | $148,740 | Not available | +250% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Ohio State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Columbus, OH | $120,495 | $14,929 | +203% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Chapel HillBachelor's Degree | Chapel Hill, NC | $119,839 | $15,300 | +230% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $118,414 | $14,598 | +214% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Blacksburg, VA | $117,990 | $20,500 | +161% | Strong payoff |
| 9 | University of California, Santa BarbaraBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $109,360 | $17,000 | +163% | Strong payoff |
| 10 | Marist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Poughkeepsie, NY | $109,170 | $26,000 | +85% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $104,454 | $26,157 | +112% | Strong payoff |
| 12 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $104,454 | $26,157 | +166% | Strong payoff |
| 13 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $104,454 | $26,157 | +153% | Strong payoff |
| 14 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $104,454 | $26,157 | +141% | Strong payoff |
| 15 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $104,454 | $26,157 | +142% | Strong payoff |
| 16 | University of California, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $103,887 | $14,400 | +156% | Strong payoff |
| 17 | University at AlbanyBachelor's Degree | Albany, NY | $103,659 | $21,286 | +136% | Strong payoff |
| 18 | University of Southern CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $101,094 | $12,251 | +80% | Positive payoff |
| 19 | Colorado School of MinesBachelor's Degree | Golden, CO | $98,190 | $21,500 | +80% | Positive payoff |
| 20 | University of Pittsburgh-BradfordBachelor's Degree | Bradford, PA | $95,719 | $22,571 | +110% | Strong payoff |
| 21 | University of Pittsburgh-GreensburgBachelor's Degree | Greensburg, PA | $95,719 | $22,571 | +101% | Strong payoff |
| 22 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusBachelor's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $95,719 | $22,571 | +68% | Positive payoff |
| 23 | University of Wisconsin-StoutBachelor's Degree | Menomonie, WI | $92,803 | $21,000 | +91% | Positive payoff |
| 24 | Bryant UniversityBachelor's Degree | Smithfield, RI | $86,595 | $26,000 | +21% | Positive payoff |
| 25 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $85,792 | $16,750 | +54% | Positive payoff |
| 26 | University of California, San DiegoBachelor's Degree | La Jolla, CA | $85,233 | $15,516 | +75% | Positive payoff |
| 27 | Auburn UniversityBachelor's Degree | Auburn, AL | $83,741 | $19,000 | +40% | Positive payoff |
| 28 | Stony Brook UniversityBachelor's Degree | Stony Brook, NY | $82,200 | $19,000 | +46% | Positive payoff |
| 29 | University of California, MercedBachelor's Degree | Merced, CA | $82,156 | $16,497 | +63% | Positive payoff |
| 30 | University of PortlandBachelor's Degree | Portland, OR | $77,908 | $20,810 | +12% | Positive payoff |
| 31 | Robert Morris UniversityBachelor's Degree | Moon Township, PA | $76,610 | $25,000 | +16% | Positive payoff |
| 32 | Rochester Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Rochester, NY | $76,069 | $26,682 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Boise State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boise, ID | $75,336 | Not available | +14% | Positive payoff |
| 34 | Virginia Military InstituteBachelor's Degree | Lexington, VA | $74,740 | Not available | +20% | Positive payoff |
| 35 | American Public University SystemBachelor's Degree | Charles Town, WV | $73,845 | $30,599 | +32% | Positive payoff |
| 36 | Texas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Marcos, TX | $72,464 | $28,409 | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 37 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionBachelor's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $71,317 | $17,681 | +10% | Positive payoff |
| 38 | Washington State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Pullman, WA | $70,085 | $17,675 | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 39 | San Diego State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $69,606 | $24,563 | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 40 | Western Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bellingham, WA | $68,359 | Not available | -12% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | CUNY City CollegeBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $66,754 | Not available | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 42 | Missouri University of Science and TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Rolla, MO | $66,750 | $24,107 | -11% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | $65,508 | $14,750 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Coastal Carolina UniversityBachelor's Degree | Conway, SC | $59,208 | Not available | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Farmingdale State CollegeBachelor's Degree | Farmingdale, NY | $50,388 | $18,806 | -76% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | Not available | $21,976 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $17,303 |
| 47 | Kennesaw State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Kennesaw, GA | Not available | $28,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $15,048 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.