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Best Value Mathematics Colleges

Ranked by best return on investment (earnings vs. cost). See our methodology.

Mathematics graduates from Hunter College earn $40,485 annually while paying just $2,446 in net costs, creating one of the strongest return-on-investment ratios in higher education. The City University of New York system dominates affordable mathematics education, claiming six of the top eight spots with net costs below $4,000. These programs feed directly into New York's massive financial sector, where quantitative analysts and data scientists command premium salaries at investment banks and hedge funds along Wall Street. At the opposite end, Swarthmore College graduates earn $125,015 but pay $18,686 in net costs. Rice University offers a middle ground with $97,071 earnings at $12,640 net cost, achieving a 95.70% graduation rate. The 72.10% graduation rate at Baruch College, combined with $61,064 average earnings, reflects the school's strong connections to finance and accounting firms that actively recruit mathematics majors for risk analysis and algorithmic trading positions.
50
Programs
$2,446 – $19,813
Net Price Range
$49,600
Avg. Program Earnings
60.9%
Avg. Graduation Rate

50 Mathematics Programs

Program rankings
# School Net Price Program Earnings In-State Tuition Graduation Rate Acceptance Rate
1 $2,978 $61,064 $7,464 72.1% 49.5%
2 $2,943 $49,631 $7,452 56.6% 54.5%
3 $2,446 $40,485 $7,382 61.0% 47.9%
4 $3,061 $44,170 $7,846 48.9% 47.9%
5 $3,486 $40,485 $7,340 54.7% 66.6%
6 $3,830 $37,208 $7,538 60.2% 69.5%
7 $3,482 $33,281 $7,410 49.3% 55.3%
8 $4,113 $35,276 $6,813 52.6% 86.9%
9 $5,458 $43,798 $3,148 26.8%
10 $12,640 $97,071 $58,128 95.7% 8.7%
11 $6,351 $44,925 $6,381 91.5% 23.4%
12 $6,500 $44,276 $9,859 49.3% 87.7%
13 $18,686 $125,015 $62,412 94.1% 6.9%
14 $7,168 $46,478 $10,896 48.3% 86.0%
15 $7,131 $45,696 $4,656 55.1% 95.6%
16 $6,480 $41,193 $6,980 54.8% 95.4%
17 $7,599 $47,260 $7,095 56.2% 91.2%
18 $5,918 $35,274 $7,675 54.7% 91.1%
19 $19,813 $117,572 $60,156 96.1% 4.0%
20 $8,916 $52,107 $12,252 61.4% 82.0%
21 $4,734 $26,353 $7,358 30.3% 59.1%
22 $8,155 $42,682 $6,360 61.8% 48.0%
23 $9,110 $44,170 $14,288 61.9% 77.7%
24 $9,082 $43,798 $8,179 45.4% 77.6%
25 $18,161 $86,867 $63,340 94.6% 7.3%
26 $8,001 $37,568 $4,879 64.3% 81.3%
27 $9,133 $42,682 $6,565 73.9% 63.9%
28 $10,988 $49,840 $10,986 46.2% 87.5%
29 $10,726 $48,139 $9,744 45.9% 99.9%
30 $14,832 $65,938 $17,228 93.2% 17.7%
31 $8,931 $39,009 $7,008 69.9% 40.0%
32 $10,904 $47,260 $14,944 56.6% 54.1%
33 $10,898 $46,869 $12,559 68.2% 88.1%
34 $8,683 $37,208 $5,498 25.2%
35 $12,168 $52,107 $13,426 43.4% 82.6%
36 $19,040 $80,309 $63,946 92.7% 6.7%
37 $11,268 $47,327 $10,026 45.9% 86.5%
38 $9,900 $41,565 $8,379 46.6% 92.1%
39 $11,056 $46,321 $7,746 50.9% 69.4%
40 $10,948 $45,207 $8,648 44.2% 93.6%
41 $9,287 $37,980 $8,032 32.7% 70.1%
42 $8,896 $36,134 $17,462 59.5% 97.9%
43 $8,257 $32,925 $8,179 33.4% 85.2%
44 $10,204 $40,647 $9,892 45.6% 96.6%
45 $4,483 $17,846 $49,326 62.0% 24.6%
46 $10,043 $39,369 $6,410 74.6% 43.9%
47 $15,590 $60,771 $11,505 88.6% 44.6%
48 $9,121 $35,060 $9,708 59.5% 84.0%
49 $14,013 $53,775 $13,747 92.7% 8.6%
50 $18,967 $72,022 $66,939 94.9% 5.4%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes CUNY schools such strong values for mathematics degrees?

The CUNY system offers mathematics programs with net costs ranging from $2,446 to $3,830, making them among the most affordable in the nation. Baruch College leads with $61,064 average earnings at just $2,978 net cost, while Hunter College provides the lowest net cost at $2,446. These schools benefit from their proximity to New York's financial district, where mathematics graduates find immediate employment opportunities. The acceptance rates range from 47.86% to 69.48%, providing reasonable admission chances for qualified students.

How do private college mathematics programs justify their higher costs?

Swarthmore College charges $18,686 in net costs but delivers $125,015 in average graduate earnings, the highest among all programs listed. Rice University demonstrates similar value with $97,071 earnings at $12,640 net cost and an strong 95.70% graduation rate. Both schools maintain highly selective admissions with acceptance rates below 9%, creating small cohorts that receive intensive faculty attention. The earnings premiums of $84,530 at Swarthmore and $56,586 at Rice often offset the additional educational investment within five years of graduation.

Where do mathematics graduates earn the most relative to program costs?

Hunter College offers the best earnings-to-cost ratio, with graduates earning $40,485 while paying only $2,446 in net costs. Baruch College follows closely with $61,064 earnings at $2,978 net cost, benefiting from strong Wall Street recruiting pipelines. Brooklyn College provides $49,631 earnings at $2,943 net cost, creating another excellent value proposition. Texas A&M International University delivers $44,170 earnings at $3,061 net cost, serving the growing technology sector in South Texas border regions.

Does graduation rate correlate with program cost in mathematics?

The data reveals mixed patterns between cost and graduation success in mathematics programs. Rice University achieves a 95.70% graduation rate at $12,640 net cost, while Swarthmore reaches 94.10% at $18,686. However, University of Florida demonstrates that public schools can also excel, maintaining a 91.50% graduation rate at just $6,351 net cost. CUNY schools show more variation, with Baruch at 72.10% and Hunter at 61.00%, reflecting the challenges many students face balancing work and studies in expensive metropolitan areas.

What regional factors affect mathematics graduate earnings?

Mathematics graduates in major metropolitan areas consistently earn more than those in smaller markets. New York-based CUNY programs benefit from proximity to financial firms, with Baruch graduates earning $61,064 compared to $33,281 at Lehman College in the Bronx. California State University-Los Angeles graduates earn $35,276, reflecting the competitive job market in a tech-heavy region. Texas border schools like Texas A&M International and UT Rio Grande Valley show strong earnings of $44,170 and $44,276 respectively, driven by energy sector demand and cross-border trade opportunities.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.