MAJORS · 79 OF 115 SUBFIELDS BY ROI
Is a mathematics degree worth it?
Part of Mathematics and Statistics — see the whole category’s numbers.
On average, yes — the mean lifetime ROI is +$568,209. But the spread is the real story.
MEAN LIFETIME ROI · FREOPP 2021 · COHORT-WEIGHTED
+$568,209
across 450 bachelor’s programs · 20,779 graduates
MEDIAN GRADUATE
+$503K
MIDDLE 50% LAND BETWEEN
+$324K ⟷ +$746K
NEVER BREAK EVEN
3.3%
MEDIAN PROGRAM-ESTIMATED BREAK-EVEN AGE
31
Among programs that break even; weighted by graduate cohorts. These are program estimates, not tracked individual graduate outcomes.
ADJUSTED FOR REAL COMPLETION RATES
+$408K
IF YOU DROP OUT
−$119K
Questions
- Is a mathematics degree worth it?
- On average yes — across 450 U.S. bachelor’s programs (FREOPP 2021, cohort-weighted), the mean lifetime ROI for Mathematics is +$568,209 and the median is +$503,156. 3.3% of graduate cohort weight with reported break-even data is in programs flagged as never breaking even. The honest answer depends heavily on the specific program and school: the middle half of graduates land between +$323,769 and +$746,481.
- How long until a mathematics degree pays off?
- For Mathematics, Among programs that break even, the median program-estimated break-even age, weighted by graduate cohorts, is 31. 3.3% of graduate cohort weight with reported break-even data is in programs flagged as never breaking even. FREOPP 2021.
- Does the school matter for a mathematics major?
- Enormously. The middle 50% of Mathematics graduates span +$323,769 to +$746,481 — a +$423K spread within one major. The same field can be a strong trade at one school and a losing one at another, which is why the per-school number matters more than the field average.
↓ Download the data (CSV) · All 115 subfields with full statistics. Free to cite with attribution. · Methodology
Cite this:
LE TEEN (2026). “Mathematics: lifetime ROI statistics.” Data: FREOPP 2021. https://le-teen.com/majors/mathematics