Mathematics at Tufts University

Tufts mathematics graduates earn $110,512 in their first year—double the national median and nearly double the Massachusetts median for this degree. This puts Tufts in the 95th percentile both nationally and within Massachusetts, essentially matching MIT's outcomes while carrying less than half the debt burden of some peer programs. The $17,750 median debt translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.16, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in under two months of work.

The caveat here is meaningful: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual circumstances heavily influence these numbers. A few graduates landing quantitative finance or tech roles in Boston could skew the entire picture upward. That said, Tufts' combination of strong industry connections in the Northeast, rigorous quantitative training, and the school's overall selectivity suggests these outcomes aren't accidental.

For families paying private school tuition, this is precisely the return you'd hope to see. The earnings justify the investment, the debt is manageable, and the program opens doors to high-paying quantitative careers. The small sample size means you'll want to look closely at where recent graduates actually land—talk to the department about job placements—but the underlying pattern is undeniably strong.