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Mathematics & Computer Science

Instructional content is defined in code 30.0801.

Types of Degrees Mathematics & Computer Science Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Mathematics & Computer Science may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	25
Bachelor’s Degree	1,167
Master’s Degree	403
Doctor’s Degree	9

What Mathematics & Computer Science Majors Need to Know

Programs in Mathematics & Computer Science develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Mathematics & Computer Science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

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

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Mathematics & Computer Science 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.
• Writing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Mathematics & Computer Science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Mathematics & Computer Science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.7 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.9 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Mathematics & Computer Science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Linux	Operating system software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
C	Development environment software	✓
UNIX	Operating system software	✓
C#	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Structured query language SQL	Data base user interface and query software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Mathematics & Computer Science graduates include:

• Systems Engineer
• Data Analyst
• Instructor
• Adjunct Instructor
• University Faculty Member
• Professor
• Lecturer
• College Faculty Member
• Assistant Professor
• Associate Professor
• College Professor
• Java Programming Professor
• Computer Applications Instructor
• Network Technology Instructor
• Information Technology Professor (IT Professor)

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	42.0%
Master’s degree	19.9%
Doctoral degree	10.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	8.7%
Postsecondary certificate	7.4%
Some college courses	3.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.8%
Post-doctoral training	1.1%
Post-master’s certificate	1.0%
Less than a high school diploma	0.5%
First professional degree	0.1%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Mathematics & Computer Science?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 69.7% of Mathematics & Computer Science degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	486	30.3%
Men	1,118	69.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	343	21.4%
Asian	414	25.8%
Hispanic or Latino	107	6.7%
Black or African American	30	1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	62	3.9%
Race Unknown	28	1.7%
International Students	619	38.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Mathematics & Computer Science Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Mathematics & Computer Science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$88,328
4 years	$77,832
5 years	$93,547

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $93,547 — roughly 6% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Mathematics & Computer Science Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Mathematics & Computer Science. 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
Bachelor’s	1	1
Master’s	2	1

^{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 Mathematics & Computer Science Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Mathematics & Computer Science graduates earn a median of $77,832 four years after completion — roughly 105% 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
Multi Interdisciplinary Studies	134,694
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other	30,141
Biological and Physical Sciences	28,033
Data Analytics	12,891
Data Science	7,716
International/Globalization Studies	5,740
Nutrition Sciences	5,456
Behavioral Sciences	5,391
Sustainability Studies	4,374
Cognitive Science	3,121
Natural Sciences	2,648
Computational Science	2,395

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.