ROI Major

Mathematics at University of Michigan

MI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 27.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Mathematics degree from University of Michigan earn a median salary of $100,305 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $109,623. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.7 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

$66,428

Typical Career

$100,305

Top Performers

$142,267

Estimated break-even: 3.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$669

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $8,359. Most students can comfortably afford about a $669 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.3x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Michigan buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 24.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 14.2%
Educational Services 14.1%

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

$109,623

Nominal: $100,305 in Michigan (COL 91.5% of national avg) · 9.3% 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).

3.7 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 $44,424 $70,640 $92,990
5 Years After Graduation $66,428 $100,305 $142,267
10 Years After Graduation $84,448 $125,860 $193,070

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 $100,305 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MI, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $100,305 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9150) = $109,623 National Average equivalent.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Mathematics degree at University of Michigan 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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