Mathematics at Mount Marty University

A debt load of $21,750 against first-year earnings near $49,000 creates a manageable 0.45 ratio—meaning graduates would owe less than half their first year's salary. These figures come from national peer programs since Mount Marty's math cohorts are too small for the Department of Education to publish specific outcomes. What's encouraging is that similar math programs nationwide typically produce earnings right around this $49,000 mark, suggesting some consistency in the field regardless of where you study.

The estimated debt sits slightly above South Dakota's typical $18,000 for math degrees, though the earnings projection aligns reasonably well with what South Dakota State reports for its graduates ($46,520). For a small private university with a 48% admission rate, this puts Mount Marty in workable territory—you're not looking at the debt levels that can plague smaller private schools while the salary estimates match what larger state programs actually achieve.

The caveat matters here: without actual graduate outcomes from Mount Marty, you're making assumptions based on how other math programs perform. If your student thrives in smaller classroom settings and values the Mount Marty environment, the estimated numbers suggest the investment could work. But confirm what support exists for math students landing those first jobs—the difference between a $49,000 outcome and something lower matters significantly when you're carrying over $20,000 in loans.