Mathematics at Tulane University of Louisiana

Tulane's mathematics graduates earn $55,916 in their first year—substantially outpacing both the Louisiana median ($44,136) and the national average ($48,772). Among Louisiana math programs, this lands in the 80th percentile, meaning these graduates outearn peers from LSU and ULL by roughly $11,000-$13,000 annually. That gap compounds quickly over a career, potentially adding hundreds of thousands in lifetime earnings.

The debt picture strengthens the case: at just under $15,000, graduates carry about 30% less than the national median while earning 15% more. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27 means students could theoretically pay off their loans in about three months of gross income—an unusually favorable position that gives graduates flexibility to pursue graduate school, lower-paying research positions, or other paths without financial strain.

The caveat matters here: with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, a few high earners (perhaps heading to quantitative finance or tech) could be skewing the numbers upward. Still, even accounting for that uncertainty, the combination of Tulane's elite admission standards, strong Louisiana market position, and manageable debt makes this a low-risk bet. Your child would graduate with options rather than obligations.