Brief
Duke math majors earn median $297,000 four years after graduation
Federal earnings figures rank Duke’s math degree as the highest‑paid major in the United States.
By Felo News Desk · Published
According to new federal earnings data reported by the New York Post, graduates who earned a mathematics degree from Duke University in 2018 or 2019 have a median annual income of $297,029 four years after graduation, making it the highest‑paid major in the United States.
The data, drawn from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, placed Duke math graduates ahead of Carnegie Mellon University computer‑science alumni, who earned a median $268,121, and Carnegie Mellon’s electrical, electronics and communications engineering graduates, who earned $250,168. The University of Pennsylvania’s computer‑science majors ranked fourth with $241,380.
Faisal Alsaadi, a 2019 Duke math graduate now working at Saudi start‑ups, told the New York Times that most math majors double‑major, often in economics. Duke professor Ezra Miller said three current double‑major undergraduates recently won an international math competition by modeling soccer‑team performance.
Greg Herschlag, another Duke math professor, cautioned that salary alone does not measure graduate success, emphasizing societal impact over earnings.
Key facts
- Duke University mathematics graduates earned a median $297,029 four years after graduation. (nypost.com)
- Carnegie Mellon University computer‑science graduates earned a median $268,121. (nypost.com)
- Carnegie Mellon University electrical, electronics and communications engineering graduates earned a median $250,168. (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Math is highest-paid college major at Duke University—with grads earning an eye-popping salary”
