ROI Major

Mathematics at University of Arizona (The)

AZ · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 27.01

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Mathematics degree from University of Arizona (The) earn a median salary of $76,312 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in AZ, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $71,654. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.6 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

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

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$53,174

Typical Career

$76,312

Top Performers

$108,071

Estimated break-even: 5.6 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$509

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,359. Most students can comfortably afford about a $509 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Arizona buys what costs $1.07 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 15.6%
Educational Services 15.5%
Health Care & Social Assistance 15.4%

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

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$71,654

Nominal: $76,312 in Arizona (COL 106.5% of national avg) · 6.1% 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).

5.6 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 $37,070 $52,783 $74,359
5 Years After Graduation $53,174 $76,312 $108,071
10 Years After Graduation $66,303 $106,304 $157,170

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 $76,312 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in AZ, which has a cost-of-living index of 106.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $76,312 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0650) = $71,654 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 the University of Arizona experience a notable earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $52,783, which increases to $76,312 five years post-graduation and reaches $106,304 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median earnings five years after graduation equate to approximately $71,654.46 nationally, indicating that while the cost of living in Arizona is slightly higher than the national average, the salary growth over time remains significant.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (15.6%), Educational Services (15.5%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (15.4%). The estimated break-even point for choosing a university path over a high-school-only route is approximately 5.6 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for students pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of strong earnings potential and diverse career opportunities indicates a solid ROI for Mathematics graduates from the University of Arizona.

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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.