Mathematics at Montclair State University

Montclair State's mathematics program lands squarely in the middle of the pack—right at the 60th percentile among New Jersey schools and just above the national median. For a program at an accessible state university (87% admission rate, 44% Pell grant recipients), first-year earnings of $50,810 represent solid footing, though they trail the top-tier Rutgers campuses and NJIT by roughly $4,000 to $15,000. The debt load of $22,125 is manageable, translating to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 that most families can work with.

The modest 5% earnings growth over four years suggests these graduates are finding stable employment rather than rapidly advancing careers—typical for math degree holders who may be teaching or working in support roles rather than quantitative finance or tech. What's notable is how closely Montclair's outcomes match the New Jersey median across the board, indicating this program delivers exactly what you'd expect from a regional state university.

For families choosing between New Jersey math programs, Montclair represents the middle ground: not the prestige and higher earnings of Rutgers or NJIT, but also not their selectivity or potentially heavier workload. If your child is looking at other mid-tier state schools in New Jersey, this program performs on par with the state median while keeping debt reasonable.