Mathematics at University of Southern Indiana

The earnings trajectory here tells an unusual story: similar mathematics programs in Indiana suggest first-year earnings around $58,764, but this program's actual reported outcome four years later is $47,134—a backward slide that's uncommon for STEM fields. While the estimated debt load of $22,000 creates a manageable 0.37 ratio against those initial earnings projections, that four-year figure raises real questions about either career progression or the types of positions graduates are securing.

Indiana's mathematics programs show considerable range, from Rose-Hulman's $86,000 outcomes to the state median of $58,764 where peer comparisons place this program. The four-year actual earnings fall below even Purdue's entry point and well under what Indiana University-Bloomington produces. For a widely accessible program (95% admission rate), those mid-career numbers suggest graduates may be landing in education or support roles rather than the higher-paying analytics, actuarial, or software positions that typically drive mathematics degree returns.

The debt burden won't sink anyone, but the earnings dip by year four—whether it reflects this specific program's outcomes or a data quirk—deserves investigation before committing. Ask the department directly about job placement: where do graduates actually work, and do those early earnings hold or improve? Without stronger evidence that this program leads to the career outcomes typical of mathematics degrees, you're banking on projections rather than proven results.