Updated March 2026 · College Scorecard data
Is Applied Mathematics Worth It?
Applied Mathematics posts a strong national average ROI Score of 95/100 across 9 reporting schools — a Grade A profile that holds up across most cohorts in the College Scorecard data. Across the field, median debt is $21K against $78K in first-year earnings — a strong cushion — typical graduates carry less than half a year of starting salary in debt, leaving room to switch jobs or pursue graduate study without distress.
Applied Mathematics ROI at a Glance
posts a strong national average ROI Score of 95/100 across 9 reporting schools — a Grade A profile that holds up across most cohorts in the College Scorecard data. The graduation-weighted average across reporting institutions is the cleanest single number for the field, but it hides the spread — top programs like Bloomfield College run far ahead of the bottom of the table. School choice within Applied Mathematics matters because the major-level number is a starting point, not a prediction.
Earnings explode from $78K in year 1 to $126K by year 5 — 61% growth, a steep ramp typical of fields where graduate credentialing or partnership-track economics dominate the curve. The five-year earnings trajectory is one of the strongest signals of long-run career fit; a flat curve suggests the major leads to roles where seniority does not pay off without graduate credentials, while a steep curve indicates fast skill compounding inside the field.
Best in field: Bloomfield College leads the field with a 97/100 ROI Score (Grade A). Median debt at completion is $17K against $78K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.22x. Worst in field: Bethel University sits at the bottom of the field with a 91/100 ROI Score (Grade A). Median debt at completion is $30K against $78K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.39x.
Debt-to-Income at the Field Level
At a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28x, Applied Mathematics shows a strong cushion — typical graduates carry less than half a year of starting salary in debt, leaving room to switch jobs or pursue graduate study without distress. Federal financial-aid research uses the “8% rule” — monthly student loan payments under 8% of gross monthly income — which translates to debt below roughly 0.75x annual earnings on a standard 10-year plan. Programs running above 1.0x typically need income-driven repayment to stay current; above 1.5x, the math rarely works without forgiveness mechanics or an unusually steep career ramp. For borrower-rights and repayment guidance, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the most accessible federal source.
Debt vs Earnings by School
Applied Mathematics by School
| School | State | Median Debt | Year 1 Earnings | Year 5 Earnings | ROI Grade | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomfield College | Nj | $17K | $78K | $126K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Brandeis University | Ma | $17K | $78K | $126K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Bard College at Simon's Rock | Ma | $19K | $78K | $126K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Brown University | Ri | $19K | $78K | $126K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Bryant University | Ri | $22K | $78K | $126K | A | STRONG BUY |
| California Institute of Technology | Ca | $22K | $78K | $126K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Colorado School of Mines | Co | $22K | $78K | $126K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Brescia University | Ky | $25K | $78K | $126K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Bethel University | In | $30K | $78K | $126K | A | STRONG BUY |
How Applied Mathematics’s ROI Score Is Calculated
The Applied Mathematics ROI Score is a weighted composite of five financial-aid signals: debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium over a high-school diploma (25%), 10-year BLS job-growth outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. the national average (10%). Each school + major combination is scored individually, then aggregated up to the field level. The grade thresholds (A ≥ 80, B ≥ 65, C ≥ 50, D ≥ 35, F < 35) are calibrated so a typical break-even degree lands in the C range. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Applied Mathematics degree worth it?
Applied Mathematics posts a strong national average ROI Score of 95/100 across 9 reporting schools — a Grade A profile that holds up across most cohorts in the College Scorecard data. The dominant signal is debt-to-income: at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28x on average, the field shows a strong cushion — typical graduates carry less than half a year of starting salary in debt, leaving room to switch jobs or pursue graduate study without distress. Outcomes vary sharply by institution, so the school you choose within Applied Mathematics usually matters more than the major label itself.
What is the average debt for a Applied Mathematics degree?
Median debt at completion across the 9 U.S. schools reporting Applied Mathematics data to the College Scorecard is $21K, against a national all-major average of $26K. The range across schools is wide — $17K at the top of the table to $30K at the bottom.
How much do Applied Mathematics graduates earn?
Earnings explode from $78K in year 1 to $126K by year 5 — 61% growth, a steep ramp typical of fields where graduate credentialing or partnership-track economics dominate the curve. National average first-year earnings across all 30,224 school + major combinations on the site is $58K — for context, Applied Mathematics sits above that benchmark.
Which school has the best Applied Mathematics program by ROI?
Bloomfield College leads the field with a 97/100 ROI Score (Grade A). Median debt at completion is $17K against $78K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.22x. On the other end, Bethel University sits at the bottom of the field with a 91/100 ROI Score (Grade A). Median debt at completion is $30K against $78K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.39x.
Where does this Applied Mathematics data come from?
Every figure on this page comes from federal public datasets — the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov) for debt and earnings, IPEDS (nces.ed.gov/ipeds) for graduation rates, and BLS Employment Projections for the job-growth outlook component of the ROI Score. Borrower-rights guidance: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov). The dataset was last refreshed March 2026.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. All federal datasets are public domain.
Last updated 2026-03-15 · 9 schools reporting for this major.