Mathematics at North Dakota State University-Main Campus

The national Mathematics bachelor's benchmark suggests first-year earnings around $49,000, and that's what comparable programs across the country produce for graduates in this field. With estimated debt of $21,500, you're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44—meaning the typical borrower would owe less than half their first-year salary. That's manageable territory for a STEM degree, though it's worth noting that none of the eight Math programs in North Dakota have sufficient graduate data to know how they specifically perform.

Mathematics degrees occupy an interesting middle ground in STEM. They're not the immediate high earners that computer science or engineering degrees often are, but they open doors to diverse career paths—actuarial work, data analysis, teaching, graduate study. The challenge is that many of the highest-paying opportunities require either additional credentials or strategic career positioning. At North Dakota State's 96% admission rate, accessibility is a strength, but you'll want to understand what career support and industry connections the program offers beyond the classroom.

The bottom line: if your child is genuinely drawn to mathematics and willing to be strategic about career planning, the estimated debt load appears reasonable enough to not close doors. Just recognize that you're making this decision without the clearer picture that actual graduate outcomes would provide—this school's program simply hasn't produced enough recent data to report.