Applied Mathematics at Syracuse University

Similar programs across New York suggest first-year earnings around $55,000 for Applied Mathematics bachelor's degrees—putting Syracuse roughly at the state median but $5,600 below the national average. With estimated debt at $25,000, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 falls within manageable territory, though it's worth noting that comparable programs nationally typically carry about $4,000 less debt. The gap between Syracuse's estimated outcomes and top performers in the state is substantial: Columbia grads earn $91,000, while RIT produces $75,000 in first-year earnings.

The challenge here is that we're working entirely with estimates derived from peer institutions—Syracuse's actual graduate outcomes are suppressed due to small sample sizes. This could mean anything: perhaps the program is newly established, or enrollment is deliberately limited, or graduates simply didn't respond to the earnings survey. What we can say is that comparable programs suggest reasonable outcomes relative to debt, but without actual track record data, you're essentially betting on Syracuse's broader reputation (42% admission rate, strong SAT scores) translating to math-specific career outcomes.

If your child has concrete alternatives with reported data—particularly state schools where similar math programs show actual earnings—those offer more certainty. Here, you're paying private school prices for outcomes that appear middling based on what neighboring programs typically deliver.