Mathematics at Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 suggests manageable financial footing for this mathematics degree, though the figures come with significant uncertainty. The estimated $21,750 in debt aligns closely with national norms for math bachelor's programs, while the projected $52,160 first-year salary—derived from four Missouri programs—matches the state median exactly. That puts Central Methodist's estimated outcomes in the middle of Missouri's math landscape, well above programs like Missouri-St. Louis but nowhere near Washington University's stratosphere.

The challenge here is that we're working with very thin data. When the Department of Education suppresses numbers due to small sample sizes, it usually means fewer than 10 graduates in recent years. For a small liberal arts college, that's not unusual for a math major, but it does mean we're essentially predicting outcomes based on what happens at peer institutions rather than tracking this program's actual track record. The 88% admission rate and moderate test scores suggest Central Methodist serves a broad student population, which could mean outcomes vary more widely than these median estimates capture.

Given the unknowns, this looks like a reasonable bet if your child is drawn to Central Methodist's environment and the debt stays near projection. The estimated numbers suggest a workable financial outcome—not exceptional, but functional. However, you're essentially trusting that this small program performs like the state average, which is an assumption worth testing through direct conversations with faculty about placement rates and where recent graduates have actually landed.