Mathematics at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

Peer mathematics programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $48,700 with about $21,500 in debt—a manageable 0.44 debt-to-earnings ratio that puts this field solidly in the affordable category. What's interesting is that this national benchmark actually exceeds what most Oklahoma mathematics programs deliver: the state median sits at $43,700, meaning comparable programs elsewhere in the state typically produce lower initial earnings. That gap—roughly $5,000—matters when you're trying to pay down loans.

The challenge with USAO's mathematics program is that we're working entirely from national estimates because the graduate pool is too small to report. We don't know if this small Oklahoma public university, with its 56% admission rate and strong Pell population (47%), produces outcomes closer to the national pattern or the Oklahoma pattern. Even Oklahoma State's reported figure of $46,900 falls short of the national median, suggesting regional factors may pull earnings down from those broader benchmarks.

For a mathematics degree, the estimated debt load isn't alarming—you'd be borrowing less than half of anticipated first-year income. But before committing, get concrete placement data from the school itself: where do their mathematics graduates actually land jobs, and at what salaries? The difference between national projections and Oklahoma reality could mean several thousand dollars in your child's paycheck.