Mathematics at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

The University of Cincinnati's math program sits squarely in the middle nationally, but there's a puzzling gap when you look closer at Ohio: graduates here earn less than the state median ($48,914 vs. $49,228), landing in just the 40th percentile among Ohio math programs. That's particularly notable when nearby Kent State and Ohio State math graduates are pulling $52,000-$54,000+ at the same career stage. For an R1 research university with Cincinnati's resources, this trailing position within the state raises questions about whether the program is maximizing its potential value.

The debt picture is manageable—$20,970 translates to a 0.43 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe less than half their first-year salary. That's solid. But when Kent State graduates are earning $5,500 more annually with comparable debt loads, the opportunity cost becomes real money over a career.

Here's the catch: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could swing significantly with a larger sample. If your student is drawn to Cincinnati specifically for its co-op program or urban research opportunities, those factors might outweigh the earnings lag. But if you're choosing between Ohio math programs purely on outcomes, the data suggests looking at the programs consistently outperforming this one by $3,000-$5,000 per year.