ROI Major

Applied Mathematics at Georgia Institute of Technology

GA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 27.03

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Applied Mathematics degree from Georgia Institute of Technology earn a median salary of $98,659 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $109,015. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.3 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 bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$65,035

Typical Career

$98,659

Top Performers

$139,676

Estimated break-even: 4.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$658

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $8,222. Most students can comfortably afford about a $658 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.3x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Georgia buys what costs $0.91 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Manufacturing, Information.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 29.7%
Manufacturing 17.0%
Information 7.9%

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

$109,015

Nominal: $98,659 in Georgia (COL 90.5% of national avg) · 10.5% higher 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).

4.3 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 $40,765 $57,147 $84,777
5 Years After Graduation $65,035 $98,659 $139,676
10 Years After Graduation $96,257 $132,276 $199,462

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 $98,659 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in GA, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $98,659 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050) = $109,015 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Applied Mathematics from Georgia Institute of Technology experience a significant earnings trajectory over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $57,147, which increases to $98,659 after five years and reaches $132,276 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $109,015.47 nationally, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in earnings relative to their peers across the country, particularly given Georgia's lower cost of living index.

The top industries for Applied Mathematics graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (29.7%), Manufacturing (17.0%), and Information (7.9%). This diverse range of sectors suggests a strong demand for analytical skills in various fields. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 4.3 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable, making it a viable option for students seeking long-term career growth and financial stability.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Applied Mathematics degree at Georgia Institute of Technology 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