DEEPCOLLEGES · OPS · v3.3 SCHOOLS·INDEXED 120 SOURCES IPEDS · CDS · SCORECARD LAST·SYNC 2026.04.29
MAJOR GUIDE · 2026

Best Colleges for Mathematics: Ranked by Graduate Salary, Not Prestige
— ranked by salary, not prestige.

We rank by what graduates actually earn — not by reputation surveys.

01

The ranking

sortable · by salary outcomes
Rank School Salary Accept ROI Verdict
① Caltech $110,514 3.1%
REACH
② MIT $110,514 4.7%
REACH
③ UC Berkeley $97,092 11.7%
REACH
04 Amherst College $96,100 9.8%
REACH
05 Barnard College $96,100 8.0%
REACH
06 Bowdoin College $96,100 8.0%
REACH
07 Brown University $96,100 5.2%
REACH
08 Colby College $96,100 6.8%
REACH
09 Columbia University $96,100 4.2%
REACH
10 Cornell University $96,100 8.2%
REACH
11 Dartmouth College $96,100 6.2%
REACH
12 Duke University $96,100 6.8%
REACH
13 Harvard University $96,100 3.5%
REACH
14 Johns Hopkins University $96,100 7.6%
REACH
15 New York University (NYU) $96,100 9.4%
REACH
16 Northeastern University $96,100 5.7%
REACH
17 Northwestern University $96,100 7.1%
REACH
18 Pomona College $96,100 6.8%
REACH
19 Princeton University $96,100 4.5%
REACH
20 Rice University $96,100 7.9%
REACH
21 Stanford University $96,100 3.9%
REACH
22 Swarthmore College $96,100 6.9%
REACH
23 UCLA $96,100 9.0%
REACH
24 University of Chicago $96,100 4.8%
REACH
25 University of Pennsylvania $96,100 5.9%
REACH
26 Vanderbilt University $96,100 6.3%
REACH
27 Williams College $96,100 10.0%
REACH
28 Yale University $96,100 4.5%
REACH
29 Georgia Tech $92,070 16.5%
MATCH
30 Boston University $89,900 10.8%
REACH

Mathematics Major FAQs

Which college has the highest Mathematics salary?
Caltech Mathematics graduates earn the highest median 4-year-out salary on this list, at $110,514. Salary by program is the most reliable signal for ROI on major choice.
What is the most competitive Mathematics program?
Caltech is the most selective school on this list with a 3.1% overall acceptance rate. Top programs in Mathematics often admit at significantly lower rates than the school-wide average.
Which colleges have an easier path to study Mathematics?
Among schools on this list, Georgia Tech is the most accessible at a 16.5% acceptance rate. Less selective schools can still produce strong Mathematics grads — what matters is fit, faculty, and your own work.
What GPA do I need for Mathematics programs?
GPA requirements vary widely. Reach schools (acceptance < 20%) typically expect 3.8+ unweighted GPAs with rigorous coursework. Match schools (20-50%) expect 3.3-3.7. Less selective schools may admit at 3.0+. Major-specific admission (engineering, CS, business) is often tougher than the school average.
Should I pick a school based on Mathematics ranking or overall prestige?
Major-specific salary outcomes beat overall school prestige for most career paths. A top program in Mathematics at a less famous school often outperforms a mid-tier program at a brand-name school. The salary table on this page ranks programs by what graduates actually earn, not by reputation surveys.
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Data source: IPEDS, College Scorecard.