ROI Major

Mathematics at Bridgewater State University

MA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 27.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Mathematics degree from Bridgewater State University earn a median salary of $68,008 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $45,889. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.2 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$54,104

Typical Career

$68,008

Top Performers

$81,575

Estimated break-even: 7.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$453

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,667. Most students can comfortably afford about a $453 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.8x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Massachusetts buys what costs $1.48 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 21.5%
Health Care & Social Assistance 18.6%
Public Administration 8.9%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$45,889

Nominal: $68,008 in Massachusetts (COL 148.2% of national avg) · 32.5% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

7.2 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $30,106 $42,054 $55,026
5 Years After Graduation $54,104 $68,008 $81,575
10 Years After Graduation $74,301 $83,907 $99,708

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $68,008 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MA, which has a cost-of-living index of 148.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $68,008 × (1.0 ÷ 1.4820) = $45,889 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates with a Mathematics degree from Bridgewater State University experience a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $42,054, which increases to $68,008 after five years and reaches $83,907 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $45,889.34, indicating that while initial earnings may be lower in Massachusetts due to a higher cost of living (COL index of 1.482), the long-term financial benefits of a degree can still be substantial.

The top industries for Mathematics graduates include Educational Services (21.5%), Health Care & Social Assistance (18.6%), and Public Administration (8.9%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 7.2 years, suggesting that the investment in a college education yields a favorable return over time. Overall, pursuing a Mathematics degree at Bridgewater State University appears to provide a solid return on investment, particularly in sectors that value analytical and quantitative skills.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Mathematics degree at Bridgewater State University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

Explore More