Applied Mathematics at Eckerd College

Peer programs nationwide suggest first-year earnings around $61,000 for applied mathematics graduates—a solid figure that puts this degree in promising territory. With estimated debt of $25,400, that translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42, meaning graduates would owe roughly five months of their starting salary. That's manageable by most standards and suggests the degree should pay for itself reasonably quickly.

The challenge here is that both earnings and debt are estimates based on similar programs elsewhere, since Eckerd doesn't graduate enough applied math majors for the Department of Education to report actual outcomes. This means we're looking at what typically happens at comparable programs, not what's specifically happening to Eckerd graduates. The school's 79% admission rate and modest Pell grant participation (16%) suggest a different student profile than you might find at more selective institutions, which could influence actual outcomes.

For parents, the fundamentals look reasonable if the estimates hold—applied mathematics is generally a marketable degree, and the projected debt load isn't crushing. But you're making this decision with less certainty than you'd have at schools with reported data. If your child is set on Eckerd specifically, consider whether they could connect with recent alumni in the program to understand their actual employment outcomes, which would give you firmer ground than these national projections.