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Applied Mathematics & Statistics

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Applied Mathematics & Statistics is for those who love rigorous mathematics but want to wield it against messy, real-world problems rather than prove abstract theorems in a vacuum. The applied-math side leans on differential equations, linear algebra, numerical analysis, mathematical modeling, and optimization; the statistics side adds probability theory, regression analysis, Bayesian inference, and experimental design. You'll spend your time translating complex systems—fluid dynamics, financial markets, epidemics, elections—into elegant equations, and an inordinate amount of time writing R and Python scripts to fit models, chase p-values, and vehemently explain that correlation does not equal causation.

What you'll do after college

Graduates become quantitative analysts (quants), operations researchers, actuaries, biostatisticians, and data scientists. You might be modeling aerodynamic flow for an aerospace firm, optimizing supply-chain logistics, building algorithmic trading models for a hedge fund, proving a new pharmaceutical drug actually works, or forecasting an election. It's highly lucrative and demand is exceptionally stable—though you'll still have to explain to pure math majors that you haven't "sold out," and to everyone else that the numbers aren't lying.

Famous graduates

  • Jim Simons — Founder of Renaissance Technologies and pioneering quant; B.S. in Mathematics from MIT, Ph.D. in Mathematics from UC Berkeley
  • Katherine Johnson — NASA mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the first US crewed spaceflights; B.S. in Mathematics and French from West Virginia State University
  • Claude Shannon — Father of information theory; B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics from University of Michigan
  • George Dantzig — Inventor of the simplex algorithm for linear programming; B.A. in Mathematics and Physics from University of Maryland
  • Nate Silver — Founder of FiveThirtyEight and renowned statistician/psephologist; B.A. in Economics from University of Chicago
  • Edward Tufte — Pioneer of data visualization; B.S. and M.S. in Statistics from Stanford University
  • Florence Nightingale — Founder of modern nursing and pioneer in statistical graphics for public health; educated in mathematics by her father

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$83,001
1,366
100–73%
$95,388
3,177
73–42%
$100,898
3,158
42–11%
$156,640
1,406
11–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$80,867
992
400–1250
$94,500
2,293
1250–1410
$112,013
2,272
1410–1520
$167,287
989
1520–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$70,071p10 $111,176p90 Work College Military STEM Non-Research Female-only Business Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Liberal Arts 1–15 Public University 1–15 Private University 1–30 Berea College · $82,700 United States Military Academy · $93,223 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach · $89,465 Virginia Military Institute · $73,334 Florida Polytechnic University · $89,070 Kettering University · $95,471 Wentworth Institute of Technology · $111,649 Barnard College · $116,879 Smith College · $96,735 Mount Holyoke College · $96,336 Scripps College · $99,263 Simmons University · $82,448 Bryant University · $92,335 Denison University · $96,059 Carleton College · $115,148 Trinity University · $92,993 Pitzer College · $81,546 Hillsdale College · $95,217 Bucknell University · $95,744 Connecticut College · $99,049 St. Lawrence University · $82,543 Whitman College · $80,156 Florida Southern College · $81,731 Hampden-Sydney College · $79,527 Oakwood University · $60,613 Southwestern University · $90,513 Wabash College · $88,447 Lake Forest College · $78,877 Champlain College · $84,941 Carroll College · $90,190 Endicott College · $90,880 Chatham University · $85,295 Elizabethtown College · $78,615 Monmouth College · $71,103 Millsaps College · $86,635 North Central College · $72,731 Augustana College (IL) · $77,521 Huntingdon College · $83,282 Saint Mary's College of California · $77,917 Keuka College · $80,404 Whitworth University · $82,027 Wittenberg University · $70,855 Gustavus Adolphus College · $90,662 Taylor University · $81,578 Hamline University · $91,567 Luther College · $84,248 Manchester University · $72,896 Catawba College · $68,578 Saint Mary's College (IN) · $90,987 Mary Baldwin University · $69,216 Saint Michael's College · $72,232 Pacific Lutheran University · $74,098 Simpson College · $79,546 Franklin College · $77,662 Viterbo University · $75,651 CUNY Hunter College · $78,499 Colorado School of Mines · $86,979 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $87,799 William & Mary · $109,248 San Diego State University · $68,295 University of California, Santa Barbara · $99,473 University of South Florida · $72,016 University of Washington · $105,163 CUNY Bernard M Baruch College · $94,870 CUNY City College · $71,673 Coppin State University · $62,371 University of North Carolina Wilmington · $84,157 University of Central Florida · $72,871 University of Maryland, Baltimore County · $93,699 Cal State Long Beach · $69,091 University of California, Davis · $94,533 Auburn University · $87,434 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $88,402 Stony Brook University · $83,148 Ohio State University · $114,529 Texas A&M University - College Station · $100,217 CUNY Brooklyn College · $71,028 Northern Illinois University · $77,700 University of Connecticut · $83,908 Virginia Tech · $74,936 University of South Carolina · $104,793 Pennsylvania State University · $106,473 University of Pittsburgh · $88,499 University of New Mexico · $89,329 Truman State University · $89,681 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $84,129 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $82,437 Central Michigan University · $82,973 Eastern Michigan University · $74,949 Oklahoma State University · $97,420 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $76,354 James Madison University · $100,910 University of Michigan - Dearborn · $82,082 SUNY Oneonta · $83,302 Texas State University · $75,081 University at Buffalo · $84,038 University of Colorado Boulder · $87,899 George Mason University · $89,197 Indiana University - South Bend · $65,653 Marshall University · $49,359 Montclair State University · $67,760 Oakland University · $77,650 Oregon Institute of Technology · $85,254 Temple University · $88,133 University of Delaware · $80,632 University of Houston - Downtown · $74,388 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · $87,828 Wright State University · $75,610 Eastern Connecticut State University · $67,294 Farmingdale State College · $46,876 University of Pittsburgh - Bradford · $89,860 University of Vermont · $90,516 Miami University - Ohio · $91,864 SUNY College at Geneseo · $77,864 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse · $83,510 Cal State East Bay · $108,465 University of Idaho · $73,718 Washington State University · $70,330 University of Houston · $88,382 University of Illinois Chicago · $66,619 Indiana University · $95,991 University of Minnesota - Morris · $76,464 University of Missouri - Kansas City · $83,746 Rutgers University - Newark · $89,392 SUNY Polytechnic Institute · $89,036 University of Missouri · $77,385 University of North Florida · $73,118 Winona State University · $76,407 University of North Carolina at Charlotte · $72,883 Eastern Kentucky University · $69,261 University of New Hampshire · $84,365 Saginaw Valley State University · $72,580 Missouri University of Science and Technology · $68,735 Coastal Carolina University · $65,327 University of Iowa · $112,042 Metropolitan State University of Denver · $71,731 University of Minnesota - Duluth · $86,988 San Jose State University · $104,591 University of Central Oklahoma · $81,792 Bowling Green State University · $89,001 California State University, Monterey Bay · $70,825 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $79,504 Eastern Washington University · $84,401 Kent State University at Kent · $75,276 Shepherd University · $75,180 Sonoma State University · $69,048 University of Utah · $99,217 University of California, Santa Cruz · $98,910 Stephen F. Austin State University · $59,503 Western Michigan University · $73,900 Michigan State University · $94,683 Wayne State University · $73,809 Boise State University · $73,834 Indiana University - Indianapolis · $77,807 University of South Carolina - Aiken · $75,270 Arkansas Tech University · $68,569 Central Washington University · $75,673 Ferris State University · $67,910 Iowa State University · $75,479 SUNY Buffalo State University · $66,553 Saint Cloud State University · $70,742 Southern Oregon University · $68,794 University of Akron · $73,195 University of Cincinnati · $89,811 Wichita State University · $73,152 Metropolitan State University · $73,740 Michigan Technological University · $88,488 University of California, Riverside · $70,107 Arizona State University · $77,871 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee · $80,888 University of Kentucky · $77,553 SUNY at Fredonia · $68,029 University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg · $90,487 University of Texas at San Antonio · $84,733 University of Wisconsin - Stout · $98,561 North Dakota State University · $83,807 Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg · $91,682 Grand Valley State University · $78,062 San Francisco State University · $87,140 Utah State University · $86,276 University of Northern Iowa · $78,498 Western Washington University · $66,804 Pennsylvania Western University · $70,071 Idaho State University · $71,712 Kansas State University · $89,667 University of Wyoming · $73,729 University of California, Merced · $75,220 Montana State University · $86,031 Utah Valley University · $73,646 Weber State University · $91,792 University of Notre Dame · $134,324 Villanova University · $103,463 Southeastern University · $65,697 Stonehill College · $88,528 Fordham University · $107,185 Saint Louis University · $90,338 Southern Methodist University · $110,909 Loyola Marymount University · $96,076 Liberty University · $94,933 Azusa Pacific University · $72,971 Baylor University · $92,883 Brescia University · $68,336 Asbury University · $75,512 William Penn University · $86,320 Anderson University · $80,067 Evangel University · $79,504 Merrimack College · $79,964 University of Evansville · $78,313 American University · $99,624 St. John Fisher University · $81,070 Rockhurst University · $90,548 California Baptist University · $74,295 Brigham Young University · $108,212 Ohio Northern University · $94,389 Seton Hall University · $88,821 Concordia College at Moorhead · $76,003 Saint Vincent College · $76,341 Emmanuel College · $79,937 Ouachita Baptist University · $83,209 Seton Hill University · $74,703 University of Tulsa · $97,077 Loyola University Chicago · $91,505 Baldwin Wallace University · $77,580 Louisiana Christian University · $69,540 Marquette University · $100,504 McKendree University · $76,359 Trevecca Nazarene University · $83,317 Gonzaga University · $79,747 Canisius University · $74,364 University of Portland · $72,931 University of Saint Mary · $67,773 Siena College · $80,129 Loyola University Maryland · $92,955 Saint Xavier University · $68,090 St. John's University - New York · $85,236 Duquesne University · $81,059 Valparaiso University · $84,784 Seattle Pacific University · $79,316 Belmont University · $88,371 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $81,985 University of Lynchburg · $71,214 Grand View University · $70,881 University of Miami · $93,265 Syracuse University · $102,526 Clark University · $88,878 Stetson University · $85,260 University of Rochester · $100,518 Brandeis University · $95,760 George Washington University · $96,280 Stevens Institute of Technology · $138,372 Marist University · $100,436 Hofstra University · $93,879 Webster University · $79,991 Worcester Polytechnic Institute · $100,778 Elon University · $80,073 Florida Institute of Technology · $93,033 Illinois Institute of Technology · $89,385 Rochester Institute of Technology · $86,455 Lesley University · $69,520 Robert Morris University · $89,543 Roger Williams University · $83,834 University of New England · $80,097 University of New Haven · $89,213 University of Bridgeport · $66,712 Clarkson University · $76,724 Lindenwood University · $74,750 Adelphi University · $75,097 University of the Pacific · $93,419 New York Institute of Technology · $90,819 Butler University · $93,776 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology · $68,525 Stevenson University · $79,590 Williams College · $145,788 Amherst College · $138,976 Haverford College · $109,628 Colby College · $116,758 Hamilton College · $111,176 Colgate University · $101,277 University of California, Berkeley · $126,637 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor · $104,786 University of Virginia · $106,588 UCLA · $83,842 University of Florida · $92,045 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · $116,949 University of Georgia · $86,260 Purdue University · $97,040 North Carolina State University · $81,170 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $94,809 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $98,962 Florida State University · $83,390 University of California, San Diego · $75,941 MIT · $176,107 Caltech · $155,974 Yale University · $154,814 Harvard University · $182,338 University of Chicago · $146,200 Brown University · $131,995 Dartmouth · $163,841 University of Pennsylvania · $272,847 Duke University · $124,260 Columbia University · $134,366 Johns Hopkins University · $152,190 Rice University · $130,522 Carnegie Mellon University · $153,255 Northwestern University · $131,772 Cornell University · $130,323 Emory University · $89,075 Washington University in St Louis · $119,348 Tufts University · $135,149 University of Southern California · $83,559 New York University · $130,272 Wake Forest University · $114,144 Boston University · $97,422 Case Western Reserve University · $105,530 Lehigh University · $103,953 Work College: mean $82,700 Military: mean $85,341 STEM Non-Research: mean $98,730 Female-only: mean $98,332 Business: mean $92,335 Liberal Arts: mean $82,845 Public University: mean $81,375 Religious University: mean $84,754 Private University: mean $88,550 Liberal Arts 1–15: mean $120,601 Public University 1–15: mean $96,032 Private University 1–30: mean $138,302 All colleges: p10 $70,071 All colleges: p90 $111,176
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Applied Mathematics & Statistics 391 9,213 61% / 39% 21% $94,877 96%
Statistics 152 3,142 58% / 42% 20% $90,662 96%
Applied Mathematics 179 2,542 61% / 39% 23% $86,129 95%
Financial Mathematics 35 622 70% / 30% 14% $82,500 94%
Mathematics and Statistics 47 465 55% / 45% 35% $90,466 97%
Statistical Science 3 446 64% / 36% 26% $105,018 94%
Computational and Applied Mathematics 33 385 63% / 37% 15% $85,273 94%
Systems Science and Theory 10 211 56% / 44% 3% $80,203 94%
Logic, Information, & Computation 1 150 68% / 32% 22% $294,852 100%
Computational Mathematics 13 139 54% / 46% 17% $97,212 91%
Applied Mathematical Sciences 3 136 67% / 33% 6% $90,563 98%
Financial Mathematics and Statistics 1 108 57% / 43% 38% $98,551 88%
Mathematics of Computation 1 103 68% / 32% 31% $84,432 92%
Applied Statistics 9 92 60% / 40% 16% $94,738
Applied and Computational Mathematical Sciences 1 79 52% / 48% 66% $105,661 96%
Biostatistics 8 62 42% / 58% 16% $93,552 97%
Statistics & Data Science 1 62 60% / 40% 11% $154,877
Statistics and Data Science 2 60 65% / 35% 18% $133,248 94%
Quantitative Finance 1 54 76% / 24% 0% $138,372 100%
Mathematics-Statistics 2 41 63% / 37% 17% $131,464 92%
Biometry and Statistics 1 32 44% / 56% 9% $145,805 100%
Data Science & Statistics 1 29 66% / 34% 17% $91,864 100%
Mathematics with Computer Science (Course 18-C) 1 29 69% / 31% 7% $172,247 82%
Applied Mathematics and Statistics 2 23 83% / 17% 39% $117,341 94%
Applied Statistics and Actuarial Science 1 23 65% / 35% 4% $86,893
Financial Mathematics (Course 18) 1 20 35% / 65% 0% $181,704
Computational Finance and Risk Management 1 19 58% / 42% 47% $105,661 96%
Mathematical Statistics and Probability 3 18 67% / 33% 17% $93,546
Mathematical Biology 4 14 36% / 64% 7% $89,434 98%
Computational Finance 1 14 57% / 43% 57% $150,947
Applied and Computational Mathematics 1 13 62% / 38% 0% $155,974
Computational Mathematical Sciences 1 12 67% / 33% 8% $79,125 100%
Economics and Statistics 1 12 75% / 25% 17% $155,801 96%
Mathematical Analytics and Operations Research 1 10 50% / 50% 20% $86,868 97%
Engineering Mathematics and Statistics 1 9 56% / 44% 11% $121,419
Systems Science 2 8 0% / 100% 0% $88,892
Quantitative Biology 1 8 25% / 75% 25% $83,954
Statistics and Actuarial Science 1 8 62% / 38% 0% $78,498
Mathematics (Applied) 1 7 29% / 71% 0% $79,125 100%
Research Methods 2 5 80% / 20% 40% $73,163 100%
Statistics and Machine Learning 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $155,801 96%