Mathematics at Rhodes College

Rhodes College's mathematics bachelor's appears positioned near the middle of Tennessee's math program landscape, though both earnings and debt figures here are estimates based on comparable programs statewide. At an estimated $51,247 first-year salary, this tracks exactly with the Tennessee median—substantially above the national benchmark of $48,772 but well below what top Tennessee programs like Vanderbilt ($103,812) or University of Memphis ($57,310) report for their math graduates.

The estimated $21,750 debt load sits slightly above Tennessee's typical $18,750 for math programs, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42—manageable by most standards, suggesting graduates could reasonably pay off loans within a few years. Rhodes' selective profile (1385 average SAT, 50% admission rate) suggests strong academic preparation, which often correlates with better outcomes, though without actual graduate data for this specific program, that connection remains speculative here.

The practical challenge is that you're making an investment decision with borrowed benchmarks rather than Rhodes-specific outcomes. If your student thrives in Rhodes' liberal arts environment and small classes, the estimated financial picture doesn't raise red flags. But if maximizing early career earnings matters most, the data suggests other Tennessee programs—particularly Memphis or Tennessee-Knoxville—may offer clearer value propositions. Request Rhodes' own placement rates and starting salaries for recent math graduates before committing.