Mathematics at George Washington University

A mathematics degree from George Washington University comes with estimated debt around $21,750—slightly above the national median—while comparable bachelor's programs nationally suggest first-year earnings near $48,800. That's a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45, meaning graduates would owe less than half their expected first-year salary. However, this picture looks considerably less attractive when you consider the DC market specifically.

Georgetown's mathematics graduates—the only DC program with reported data—earn $88,081 in their first year, nearly double what national peer programs suggest for GWU. This gap matters enormously in a high-cost city like Washington. Even accounting for differences in program focus or student selectivity, the disparity raises questions about whether GWU's mathematics program connects students to the capital's highest-paying opportunities in government analytics, finance, or tech sectors. The estimated debt burden becomes heavier when your graduate faces DC rent and living costs on a salary that appears closer to national norms than local market rates.

Before committing to this program, you need actual placement data from GWU's math department—where do their graduates work, and what do they earn? The national estimates may not reflect this school's outcomes, and in a city where location should be an advantage, you want to understand why the visible benchmark sits so much higher.