Mathematics at Haverford College

Haverford's highly selective mathematics program appears to underperform relative to its academic peers. While peer programs in Pennsylvania suggest first-year earnings around $48,800—roughly in line with the national median—this falls dramatically short of what other elite institutions produce. Swarthmore, a comparable liberal arts college, sees mathematics graduates earning $72,656, while Villanova reaches $75,481. Even mid-tier programs like Duquesne match or exceed Haverford's estimated outcomes. For a school with a 13% admission rate and 1498 average SAT, this represents a significant gap between institutional prestige and financial returns.

The estimated $26,000 in debt creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53, which is reasonable for a bachelor's degree. However, that calculation assumes earnings stay near the state median. If Haverford's actual outcomes mirror those of similar selective institutions, the picture improves considerably—but if they track closer to the state average used for these estimates, families should question whether the investment matches the school's premium positioning. The low 14% Pell grant rate suggests most students come from families who can absorb educational costs, which may explain why detailed earnings data isn't publicly reported.

Before committing, demand concrete placement outcomes from Haverford's mathematics department: where do recent graduates work, and what are their starting salaries? The gap between estimated and top-tier actual outcomes is too large to ignore without program-specific evidence.