### SUMMARY

 A degree in Mathematics is not only a valuable choice, but ordinarily an essential first step for pupils intending to pursue a career as a mathematics instructor, a business & data analyst, or a market research analyst. In fact, nationally, mathematics is of average popularity ranking as the 27th most popular degree. Last year, there were 21,856 mathematics graduates. In-state tuition for mathematics at private universities is, on average, 4.3 times more expensive than their public counterparts.

 With an impressive 1238 colleges having programs for mathematics chances are that any colleges you are looking at will have a degree program for you. If you're looking to surround yourself with other mathematics majors, consider looking at colleges in California which have more undergraduates admitted to mathematics than any other state. Zooming out, the best region to pursue mathematics is in the Mid East region with [University of Maryland-College Park](/colleges/university-of-maryland-college-park), [Binghamton University](/colleges/binghamton-university), and [Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus](/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection of the best conference to major in mathematics is the Big Ten Conference with [University of Maryland-College Park](/colleges/university-of-maryland-college-park), [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities), and [University of Wisconsin-Madison](/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-madison) representing the conference. That said, our belief is that the best school for mathematics is [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](/colleges/massachusetts-institute-of-technology). You might also want to check out our list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The best school is not necessarily the best school for you. There are a bunch of perspectives to think about when choosing ​university. Stuff like campus amenities, transportation services, and food could definitely refashion one's feelings on which school to attend. Here at authority.org, we've examined the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you want to know which mathematics college has the top campus, the answer is [Harvard University](/colleges/harvard-university). If, for example, you are primarily interested in which college has the best campus, then we have an entire page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through government databases, student reviews, professor reviews, and more in order to evaluate all U.S. majors in an unbiased and informative way. Here you can find our comprehensive list for the colleges with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbspand our pick for the college with the best student life for mathematics is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). Curious why? Continue scrolling to find out more about Authority's top selections. Many of our conclusions just might surprise you.

 If expense is a significant deciding factor in your decisions, you might consider avoiding [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago). [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago)&nbspappears to be our most expensive school for mathematics, at least regarding out of state enrollment. We do have an entire page for the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that might put the cost at [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago)&nbspinto perspective. You may also care to know that mathematics is the 25th most expensive major in the United States, with an average expense of $53,300. To zoom out a little, the most expensive state for mathematics on our list is District of Columbia with tuition and fees at the primary three institutions American University of $49,070, George Washington University at $54,453, and expenses at Georgetown University of $54,453. Even more broadly, the most costly region of the U.S. for mathematics is the New England region which is best demonstrated with [Amherst College](/colleges/amherst-college) with a cost of $57,640, [Tufts University](/colleges/tufts-university) with a cost of $57,324, and [Brown University](/colleges/brown-university) with a cost of $57,112.

 Our cheapest region for mathematics is the Southwest region which is represented by [Texas A & M International University](/colleges/texas-a-m-international-university) with a cost of $13,946, [The University of Texas of the Permian Basin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-of-the-permian-basin) with a cost of $5,767, and [West Texas A & M University](/colleges/west-texas-a-m-university) with a cost of $6,960. More optimistically, the most affordable school for mathematics is [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign). Our comprehensive list of the most affordable universities can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state learners can anticipate paying in the neighborhood of $10,000 for a degree in mathematics. That cost swells significantly to an average of $22,700 for an out-of-state public-school undergrad. Our choice for the university constituting the best value for mathematics: [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](/colleges/massachusetts-institute-of-technology). Here you can see our comprehensive list about the schools we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. Do know, this list is predicated on out-of-state tuition costs. A discussion of value changes when it comes to in-state tuition, but we do not know where you live (and are not trying to collect that kind of data).

 Earnings for mathematics students vary a lot, but two years after finishing the degree graduates will regularly make in the neighborhood of $47,900. There is a lot of variation in earnings potential; top earners can rake in up to $85,900. Even straight out of university, the minimum earning jobs within the mathematics field earn $25,900, which could be worse. The top earning graduates from mathematics studied at [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](/colleges/massachusetts-institute-of-technology)&nbspand if you are looking for schools with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The general diversity of mathematics stands high, ranking within the 92nd percentile of all programs. The university with the highest composite diversity for mathematics is [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](/colleges/massachusetts-institute-of-technology)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list for the colleges which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of Mathematics only sits within the 26th percentile compared to all other majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, ranking in the 86th percentile. White students make up the largest proportion at 40% of students studying mathematics. Additionally, 65% of undergraduates seeking a mathematics major are men.

 The median ranking of mathematics professors is 3.7 stars, a rating that is 7% lower than the average score for every major; which is a subpar score. If you are looking for the most popular mathematics professor in the nation, consider looking up Joel Oberstone from [University of San Francisco](/colleges/university-of-san-francisco). It might surprise you, but the best rated professors for mathematics according to students come from [George Mason University](/colleges/george-mason-university). As we consider data other than basic rankings it becomes clear that the college possessing the best professors for mathematics is [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](/colleges/massachusetts-institute-of-technology). One can find more detail on our evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), as well as some of the best professors nationwide.

 Finally, the most difficult school to get into for mathematics is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). While we think of this list more as a novelty, we do have a comprehensive list of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). Although, we hope you believe that looking at the higher education world with a perspective only built on superlatives might create problems. We hope you look at some of our more focused pages on different schools and explore some of our background pages on beneficial details to look out for as your college search develops.



 ### POPULARITY

 Mathematics is the 27th most popular degree in America, with 21,856 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #28 [Natural Resources and Conservation](/rankings/best-colleges-for-natural-resources-and-conservation), and narrowly lost to #26 [Social Work](/rankings/best-colleges-for-social-work).

 The degree is offered at a total of 1,238 colleges across the nation, and is the 8th most widely offered degree. Given that mathematics is offered at 95% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America, you can be sure this is a critical degree and the skillsets acquired are likely to last for a long time.

 It is also worth noting that roughly one in two colleges offering mathematics are public making it a pretty accessible field.

 The mid east produces the most mathematics graduates, largely led by [University of Maryland-College Park](/colleges/university-of-maryland-college-park), while it’s the Big Ten Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from [University of California-Irvine](/colleges/university-of-california-irvine) and [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more mathematics graduates than [University of South Alabama](/colleges/university-of-south-alabama), which graduated 294 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study mathematics). More students studied mathematics as a percentage of total students at [Amherst College](/colleges/amherst-college) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Mathematics is the 25th most expensive major in the United States, with a median cost of $53,315 for the top 50 programs (just ahead of #26, [Experimental Psychology](rankings/best-colleges-for-experimental-psychology), with a median cost of $53,145).

 New England has the most expensive colleges with great mathematics programs predominantly led by [Amherst College](/colleges/amherst-college) with an annual cost of $57,640. The most expensive state for mathematics is District of Columbia led by [American University](/colleges/american-university) and [George Washington University](/colleges/george-washington-university).

 Public schools with solid programs typically charge 76.7% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 47.03% less than the median private school. So, if you're trying to find a state school, make sure you're eligible for in-state tuition ASAP.

 The most expensive top 25 college for mathematics is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago), which is the 10th most expensive college in America. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Binghamton University](/colleges/binghamton-university). It costs just $24,660 per year, and it's ranked 35th for its mathematics program. If you’re looking for the least expensive option in the top 25, [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign)  is probably right for you, ranked #21 with an in-state cost of just $12,036. Another more affordable option would be #16, [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities) in Hennepin County, MN with a cost of $13,318 for in-state students and $31,616 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Starting college is an important investment for most. It's critical to be confident you are able to payback your investment. We hope the following income and job placement info help you make a well informed decision when selecting your focus.

 In year one after university, Mathematics majors earn $47,586 per annum on average (top 27%). Further into their work lives, they predominantly bring home somewhere between $25,946 and $85,903, but average approximately $47,913. Just so you know, that is 24% over the American average.

 The most common job for a Mathematics graduate is Engineer, which often earn about $59,000; next are Software Engineer and Analyst, which commonly earn close to $65,000 and $54,000 respectively.

 New England has the highest earning Mathematics graduates. MD has the highest earning Mathematics graduates of any state. New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference has the highest grossing Mathematics graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Mathematics: Median Professor Rating: 3.7 / 5, which is below average.

 Instructors oftentimes have an immense influence your college experience, no matter what you study. An effective teacher can help a student find their passion and set you up for future success. Contrarily, a bad professor can cause a lot of stress or even worse... flunk you!

 Professors of Mathematics have a median student rating of 3.7 / 5, which puts them in the bottom 13% in America based on student satisfaction. For context that's 7.5% below the national median professor rating for all subjects. Professors of Mathematics barely edged-out those from ["Systems Engineering"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-systems-engineering), whereas ["Agronomy and Crop Science"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-agronomy-and-crop-science)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Mathematics.

 Now for some statistics about Mathematics professors. Colleges located in large citys tend to have the best Mathematics professors. The Southern Conference has the highest rated Mathematics professors. The Southeast region has the highest rated Mathematics professors. Public universities tend to have higher rated Mathematics professors than private colleges. Finally, Texas has the highest rated Mathematics professors in the nation.

 Joel Oberstone, professor at [University of San Francisco](/colleges/university-of-san-francisco)&nbspin San Francisco, CA is the most popular Mathematics professor in the nation. Xueping Liang, instructor at [University of North Carolina at Greensboro](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro)&nbspin Greensboro, NC is the highest rated Mathematics professor in the US, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 See which universities have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College often is an immensely formative period in one's life; it is an opportunity for personal growth and expansion. Pupils attempt to learn their values and learn many of the underlying skills to be a successful member of society. But growth goes far beyond a classroom - the conversations which one has with her schoolmates, the funny story learned from a tenured instructor, the exposure to a different interpretation of the situation. As such, attending a diverse college greatly enriches what you gain from your time in college.

 Mathematics is a more popular subject for students of color than white students. 40% of the US' Mathematics majors are white students, followed by students of other races\*\*(37%), asian students (14%), and latino students (7%). The most racially diverse college\* in the top 100 is [Pomona College](/colleges/pomona-college)&nbspin Claremont, CA.

 Secondly, Mathematics significatly skews male, with 65% of students majoring in Mathematics identifying as men. [Reed College](/colleges/reed-college) in Portland, OR has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another significant type of diversity is income diversity. Sadly, Mathematics ranks in the bottom 26% of programs income diversity. 32% of its majors come from families that take home more than $110,000 a year, 16% are from middle income households, and 23% grew up in households with a sub $30,000 income. [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) has the most financially diverse student body in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall CA is the most diverse state for Mathematics. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 14%
* Black: 2%
* Latino: 7%
* White: 40%
* Other: 37%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 65%
* Female: 35%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 23%
* 30k - 48k: 15%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 15%
* Over 110k: 32%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 57%
* Out of State: 32%
* International: 10%


2023 Mathematics Salary

There are about 102,355 students enrolled in Mathematics in the USA.

SALARY