Mathematics at Furman University

With estimated first-year earnings around $49,000 and debt near $22,000, Furman's mathematics program appears to mirror typical outcomes across both national and South Carolina benchmarks. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45 suggests graduates could reasonably manage their loans—less than half a year's salary in debt is generally considered workable for STEM fields. However, the small graduate sample that necessitates these estimates raises an important question about scale: this program produces few math majors each year, which might mean limited on-campus recruiting opportunities or a smaller alumni network to tap for internships and jobs.

What matters more here is what kind of math education your child is getting. Furman's 1364 average SAT suggests academically strong peers, and the 11% Pell grant rate indicates a relatively affluent student body. For students interested in graduate school—which many math majors pursue—this selective liberal arts environment might be worth the investment. But if your child plans to work straight out of college, peer programs at USC-Columbia show slightly higher starting salaries with similar debt loads and offer the advantage of larger employer recruiting networks.

The bottom line: These estimates suggest financially manageable outcomes typical for math programs, but verify what post-graduation support looks like for what appears to be a small cohort of math students.