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Applied Mathematics

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 27.0301 - 27.0399.

Types of Degrees Applied Mathematics Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Applied Mathematics may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	3
Associate’s Degree	2
Bachelor’s Degree	4,560
Master’s Degree	6,088
Doctor’s Degree	349

What Applied Mathematics Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Applied Mathematics develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Applied Mathematics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Applied Mathematics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Applied Mathematics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Applied Mathematics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Applied Mathematics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Applied Mathematics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Structured query language SQL	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Applied Mathematics graduates include:

• Data Analyst
• Research Scientist
• Research Analyst
• Clinical Data Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Business Process Analyst
• Analytical Data Miner
• Information Specialist
• Strategic Business and Technology Intelligence Consultant
• Business Intelligence Consultant (BI Consultant)
• Business Technology Consultant
• Reports Analyst
• Business Intelligence Specialist (BI Specialist)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Applied Mathematics graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	54.9%
Master’s degree	23.1%
Doctoral degree	5.9%
Post-doctoral training	3.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.7%
Postsecondary certificate	2.3%
Some college courses	1.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.3%
First professional degree	0.5%
Post-master’s certificate	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Applied Mathematics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 64.8% of Applied Mathematics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	3,874	35.2%
Men	7,128	64.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Applied Mathematics graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	3,114	28.3%
Asian	1,337	12.2%
Hispanic or Latino	684	6.2%
Black or African American	237	2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	10	0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	6	0.1%
Two or More Races	279	2.5%
Race Unknown	282	2.6%
International Students	5,053	45.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Applied Mathematics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Applied Mathematics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$69,764
4 years	$85,594
5 years	$100,060

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $100,060 — roughly 43% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Applied Mathematics Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Applied Mathematics. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	2	0
Bachelor’s	5	2
Master’s	11	16

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Applied Mathematics Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Applied Mathematics graduates earn a median of $85,594 four years after completion — roughly 125% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Mathematics and Statistics	47,270
Mathematics	25,518
Statistics	9,603
Mathematics and Statistics, Other	575
Applied Statistics	572
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.