ROI Major

Mathematics at Montana Technological University

MT · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 27.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Mathematics degree from Montana Technological University earn a median salary of $59,848 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $57,491. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.7 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

$47,878

Typical Career

$59,848

Top Performers

$79,157

Estimated break-even: 10.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$399

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,987. Most students can comfortably afford about a $399 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Montana buys what costs $1.04 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction, Health Care & Social Assistance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 17.8%
Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction 14.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 13.1%

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

$57,491

Nominal: $59,848 in Montana (COL 104.1% of national avg) · 3.9% 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).

10.7 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 $24,348 $37,041 $49,855
5 Years After Graduation $47,878 $59,848 $79,157
10 Years After Graduation $47,574 $56,170 $77,901

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 $59,848 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MT, which has a cost-of-living index of 104.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $59,848 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0410) = $57,491 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 Montana Technological University can expect a median earning of $37,041 one year after graduation, which increases to $59,848 five years later. However, by the ten-year mark, the median earnings slightly decrease to $56,170. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns more closely with the national average at approximately $57,490.87, reflecting the cost of living in Montana, which has a COL index of 1.041 compared to the national average.

The top industries employing Mathematics graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (17.8%), Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction (14.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (13.1%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 10.7 years. This indicates a moderate return on investment for pursuing a Mathematics degree, as graduates may take over a decade to recoup their educational expenses through increased earnings.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Mathematics degree at Montana Technological 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.

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