Mathematics at Midway University

The national benchmark of $48,772 for first-year earnings in mathematics programs looks reasonable on paper, but it masks a stark reality in Kentucky, where the state median sits at just $31,734. With Midway's small graduate cohort forcing the use of national estimates, you're essentially betting that this program will outperform every comparable Kentucky school—including the University of Kentucky at $39,211—by nearly $10,000. That's a big assumption for a program with a 95% admission rate serving primarily first-generation and lower-income students.

The estimated $21,750 in debt translates to a manageable 0.45 debt-to-earnings ratio if those national earnings materialize. But if graduates land closer to typical Kentucky outcomes, that same debt becomes far more burdensome. Mathematics degrees typically open doors to teaching, data analysis, or actuarial work, but local job markets matter enormously for salary outcomes. Kentucky's education sector and regional employers may simply not offer the same compensation as tech hubs or financial centers that drive national averages upward.

Without actual graduate outcomes from Midway, you're flying blind on the most important question: where do these specific students end up working, and what do they actually earn? The debt level appears reasonable, but only if the earnings prediction proves accurate—and state-level data suggests it probably won't.