Applied Mathematics at Brigham Young University

Applied mathematics bachelor's programs nationwide typically produce first-year earnings around $61,000, and BYU's program likely falls in that range. With estimated debt of $25,400, graduates would face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42—manageable by most standards, though slightly above the national median debt for this major. The uncertainty here matters: we're extrapolating from a small pool of similar programs because BYU's graduate cohort in this specific major was too small for the Department of Education to report outcomes directly.

What works in your child's favor is the combination of BYU's selectivity (average SAT of 1376) and relatively contained borrowing patterns. The school's institutional culture tends toward lower debt loads compared to many private universities, which the estimate reflects. Applied mathematics also offers flexibility—graduates move into software development, data analysis, actuarial work, and graduate programs—so that $61,000 figure represents just one starting point among many career paths.

The critical question is whether your child will actually need to borrow that $25,000. At BYU, nearly 70% of students receive some financial aid, and church affiliation significantly reduces tuition for LDS students. Run the net price calculator with your family's specifics, because the actual cost could differ substantially from these national debt estimates, potentially making this a considerably stronger financial proposition than the numbers suggest.