Mathematics at Belmont University

A $51,000 first-year salary—the estimated earnings based on Tennessee's four comparable bachelor's programs in mathematics—lands right at the state median but still comfortably above the national benchmark of $49,000. With estimated debt of $22,000 (typical for private universities nationally), the 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment: roughly $240 monthly on a standard plan against an annual salary that should handle that comfortably. This puts Belmont's program in reasonable territory financially, though the wide range of outcomes across Tennessee—from Vanderbilt's $104,000 to Tennessee-Knoxville's $39,000—shows how much variation exists even within the same field and state.

The challenge here is knowing where Belmont actually falls within that spectrum. The school's 96% admission rate and modest Pell enrollment (19%) suggest it serves a different population than Vanderbilt, but whether its mathematics graduates cluster toward Memphis's $57,000 or MTSU's $45,000 makes a significant difference in value. Mathematics degrees typically open doors to teaching, actuarial work, data analysis, or graduate study—paths with vastly different earning trajectories. Without program-specific data, you're essentially betting that Belmont's outcomes mirror the state average rather than lagging behind it. If you're considering this program, push the school for actual graduate outcomes and job placement rates before committing to private-university tuition.