Mathematics major
Mathematics: courses, careers, and where to study
Mathematics develops formal proof, abstraction, and quantitative analysis, feeding into research, finance, computing, actuarial science, and graduate programs across STEM.
Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Mathematics earn a median $69,562 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $49,058 to $97,414 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). By credential and college
A Mathematics major covers calculus, linear algebra, abstract algebra, real and complex analysis, topology, differential equations, and an applied or pure track. Most BS programs require a senior research thesis. BS programs often allow specialization in Applied Math, Pure Math, Statistics, Actuarial Science, or Mathematical Computing.
Math graduates work in actuarial science (one of the highest-paid bachelor's pathways), finance, software engineering, data science, operations research, cryptography, and academia. Math pairs naturally with Computer Science, Economics, or Physics for double majors.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Mathematics maps to CIP 27.0101, Mathematics, General, within the MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS family. The official definition:
A general program that focuses on the analysis of quantities, magnitudes, forms, and their relationships, using symbolic logic and language. Includes instruction in algebra, calculus, functional analysis, geometry, number theory, logic, topology and other mathematical specializations.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Mathematics is awarded as
Of the 26,776 Mathematics credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2024-25:
- Certificate: 2%, 430 credentials.
- Associate: 20%, 5,242 credentials.
- Bachelor's: 65%, 17,381 credentials.
- Graduate: 14%, 3,723 credentials.
This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 47 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 2 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2024-25, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Calculus I–III, multivariable calculus
- Linear algebra
- Abstract algebra
- Real and complex analysis
- Probability and statistics
- Differential equations
- Topology or numerical analysis (track-dependent)
- Senior thesis
Typical careers
- Actuary
- Quantitative Analyst
- Data Scientist
- Software Engineer
- Cryptographer
- Mathematician (PhD, academia)
Typical salary range: $62,000–$110,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 mathematicians median $121,680)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
How much do Mathematics graduates earn?
Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Mathematics earn a median $69,562 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $49,058 to $97,414 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).
| Credential | National median | Middle half of programs |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | $69,562 | $49,058 to $97,414 |
| Associate's | $59,929 | $35,579 to $81,579 |
| Undergraduate certificate | $81,646 | $49,219 to $94,962 |
| Master's | $72,654 | $54,453 to $100,369 |
Compare Mathematics programs in your state
Highest-earning bachelor's Mathematics programs
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA): $174,951, median federal debt $9,751
- University of Chicago (IL): $172,826, median federal debt $12,000
- Vanderbilt University (TN): $141,171, median federal debt $9,644
- Johns Hopkins University (MD): $134,785, median federal debt $10,859
- Cornell University (NY): $134,455, median federal debt $13,500
- Amherst College (MA): $124,324, median federal debt $13,900
- Boston College (MA): $111,072, median federal debt $18,000
- Villanova University (PA): $109,851, median federal debt $25,000
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (MI): $109,146, median federal debt $20,675
- Northwestern University (IL): $107,072, median federal debt $12,418
Ordered by median earnings: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality. Federal program group: Mathematics. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars, for graduates who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled. Programs need at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort to be listed; multi-state systems whose figures pool campuses are not listed. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 10 June 2026. How much the college matters, by major. Graduate programs over the new federal loan caps.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Mathematics, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $64,580 | 66,200 | -1.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Data Scientists | $112,590 | 23,400 | +33.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $161,180 | 8,500 | +3.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,350 | 4,400 | +2.3% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Statisticians | $103,300 | 2,000 | +8.5% | Master's degree |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $71,490 | 300 | +4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Mathematicians | $121,680 | 100 | -0.7% | Master's degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 7 of these 7 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Mathematics does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Mathematics major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Mathematics program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Mathematics department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Mathematics program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Mathematics credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2024-25. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI · 420 credentials
- The University of Texas at Austin, TX · 371 credentials
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, MI · 277 credentials
- University of California-San Diego, CA · 262 credentials
- University of Maryland-College Park, MD · 262 credentials
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst, MA · 260 credentials
- University of Chicago, IL · 258 credentials
- Southern New Hampshire University, NH · 253 credentials
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL · 212 credentials
- New York University, NY · 208 credentials
- University of California-Los Angeles, CA · 207 credentials
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, MN · 201 credentials
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2024-25. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Mathematics credentials were awarded
43 states have a distinct enough set of Mathematics colleges to be worth its own page.
- California: 174 colleges
- New York: 87 colleges
- Pennsylvania: 77 colleges
- Texas: 76 colleges
- Massachusetts: 50 colleges
- Illinois: 46 colleges
- Ohio: 43 colleges
- North Carolina: 39 colleges
- Indiana: 33 colleges
- Georgia: 33 colleges
- Michigan: 32 colleges
- Tennessee: 32 colleges
- Virginia: 31 colleges
- New Jersey: 29 colleges
- Missouri: 26 colleges
- Wisconsin: 25 colleges
- Florida: 25 colleges
- Iowa: 25 colleges
- Minnesota: 24 colleges
- Alabama: 24 colleges
- Oklahoma: 22 colleges
- Kentucky: 22 colleges
- Colorado: 21 colleges
- Kansas: 21 colleges
- Mississippi: 21 colleges
- South Carolina: 19 colleges
- Maryland: 18 colleges
- Arkansas: 17 colleges
- Connecticut: 17 colleges
- Arizona: 17 colleges
- Louisiana: 17 colleges
- Washington: 15 colleges
- Nebraska: 15 colleges
- Oregon: 15 colleges
- New Mexico: 11 colleges
- Utah: 10 colleges
- New Hampshire: 9 colleges
- Montana: 8 colleges
- Idaho: 8 colleges
- District of Columbia: 7 colleges
- Maine: 7 colleges
- West Virginia: 7 colleges
- North Dakota: 6 colleges
Every Mathematics program with its own CampusPin page
61 programs in 22 states, A to Z by state and then by college. Each page gives what the program's graduates earned four years after finishing, what they borrowed in federal loans, the monthly payment, and how the program compares with others in its state and the nation. The figure beside each college is the median for its largest credential with at least 30 graduates (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23). The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking.
Mathematics programs in Arizona, 2 programs
- Arizona State University Campus Immersion Bachelor's, $79,013
- University of Arizona Bachelor's, $66,381
Mathematics programs in California, 10 programs
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Bachelor's, $63,059
- California State University-Sacramento Bachelor's, $59,162
- California State University-San Bernardino Bachelor's, $57,603
- University of California-Davis Bachelor's, $72,640
- University of California-Irvine Bachelor's, $77,472
- University of California-Riverside Bachelor's, $63,596
- University of California-San Diego Bachelor's, $79,015
- University of California-Santa Barbara Bachelor's, $85,391
- University of California-Santa Cruz Bachelor's, $59,214
- University of California, Los Angeles Bachelor's, $99,269
Mathematics programs in Colorado, 1 program
- Metropolitan State University of Denver Bachelor's, $65,179
Mathematics programs in Florida, 2 programs
- Florida State University Bachelor's, $68,131
- University of Florida Bachelor's, $93,022
Mathematics programs in Illinois, 3 programs
- Illinois State University Bachelor's, $75,318
- Northern Illinois University Bachelor's, $69,856
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Bachelor's, $78,891
Mathematics programs in Iowa, 1 program
- University of Iowa Bachelor's, $82,411
Mathematics programs in Maryland, 2 programs
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County Bachelor's, $88,967
- University of Maryland, College Park Bachelor's, $99,689
Mathematics programs in Massachusetts, 5 programs
- Boston College Bachelor's, $111,072
- Bridgewater State University Bachelor's, $54,709
- College of the Holy Cross Bachelor's, $96,927
- University of Massachusetts Amherst Bachelor's, $83,338
- University of Massachusetts Lowell Bachelor's, $72,826
Mathematics programs in Michigan, 3 programs
- Grand Valley State University Bachelor's, $51,753
- Michigan State University Bachelor's, $72,226
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Bachelor's, $109,146
Mathematics programs in Minnesota, 2 programs
- St Olaf College Bachelor's, $87,691
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities Bachelor's, $81,864
Mathematics programs in New Hampshire, 1 program
- Southern New Hampshire University Bachelor's, $68,414
Mathematics programs in New Jersey, 4 programs
- Kean University Bachelor's, $59,082
- Montclair State University Bachelor's, $68,371
- Rowan University Bachelor's, $63,146
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick Bachelor's, $81,845
Mathematics programs in New York, 3 programs
- Binghamton University Bachelor's, $82,492
- University at Albany Bachelor's, $71,211
- University at Buffalo Bachelor's, $60,882
Mathematics programs in North Carolina, 2 programs
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Bachelor's, $101,599
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte Bachelor's, $66,450
Mathematics programs in Ohio, 1 program
- Ohio State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $81,909
Mathematics programs in Oregon, 1 program
- Portland State University Bachelor's, $68,280
Mathematics programs in Pennsylvania, 2 programs
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $77,336
- Villanova University Bachelor's, $109,851
Mathematics programs in South Carolina, 1 program
- Clemson University Bachelor's, $82,450
Mathematics programs in Texas, 8 programs
- Texas A & M University-Commerce Bachelor's, $74,396
- Texas Tech University Bachelor's, $69,664
- The University of Texas at Arlington Bachelor's, $66,261
- The University of Texas at Austin Bachelor's, $88,434
- The University of Texas at San Antonio Bachelor's, $57,944
- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Bachelor's, $60,645
- University of Houston Bachelor's, $62,833
- University of North Texas Bachelor's, $62,465
Mathematics programs in Virginia, 3 programs
- James Madison University Bachelor's, $75,295
- Virginia Commonwealth University Bachelor's, $68,457
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Bachelor's, $67,763
Mathematics programs in Washington, 2 programs
- University of Puget Sound Bachelor's, $75,462
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus Bachelor's, $100,127
Mathematics programs in Wisconsin, 2 programs
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Bachelor's, $83,027
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Bachelor's, $101,438
Related majors
Physics
Physics studies the fundamental laws of matter, energy, and motion, a foundational major for engineering, computing, finance, and graduate research.
Computer Science
Computer Science combines the mathematical foundations of computation with practical software engineering, preparing graduates for careers in software, AI/ML, security, data, and research.
Statistics
Statistics covers the mathematics of collecting, modeling, and drawing conclusions from data, a quantitative major suited to students who like reasoning under uncertainty.
Economics
Economics studies how individuals, firms, and governments allocate resources, combining theory with empirical analysis and a strong mathematical foundation.
Still deciding between Mathematics and something else?
These guides put Mathematics side by side with the major it is most often confused with, using the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk to show where the two actually lead.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Mathematics degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Computing & Math careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Education & Library careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Mathematics degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Mathematics path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.