by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 227 U.S. colleges awarded 4,370 degrees and certificates in General Applied Mathematics. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 72% of graduates. College Factual ranks 60 schools in its 2027 Best General Applied Mathematics Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $69,764 one year after completing, rising to $103,881 after four years.
A degree in General Applied Mathematics covers Applied Mathematics, General. A Program That Focuses On The Application Of Mathematics To The Solution Of Functional Problems In Fields Such As Engineering And The Applied Sciences. Includes Instruction In Natural Phenomena Modeling Continuum Mechanics, Reaction-Diffusion, Wave Propagation, Dynamic Systems, Numerical Analysis, Controlled Theory, Asymptotic Methods, Variation, Optimization Theory, Inverse Problems, And Applications To Specific Scientific And Industrial Topics. Examples: [Fundamental Analysis And Real Variables], [Mathematical Analysis], [Numerical Analysis/methods/computation].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, general applied mathematics is a widely-pursued major, with 4,370 degrees awarded annually. 227 colleges award general applied mathematics degrees, an average of 19 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 381.
By level, the 4,370 awards include 4 certificates, 3,154 bachelor’s degrees, 975 master’s degrees and 237 doctorates.
Women earned 37% of general applied mathematics degrees and certificates in the latest year (1,619 of 4,370). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (1,382) and Asian (804), and international students earned 1,372.
College Factual ranks 60 schools in its 2027 Best General Applied Mathematics Schools ranking, including 48 for bachelor’s degrees, 24 for master’s degrees and 7 for doctorates. It also ranks general applied mathematics schools within 24 states. In all, 227 colleges offer general applied mathematics programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value General Applied Mathematics Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common general applied mathematics credential is the bachelor’s degree: 3,154 of the 4,370 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to general applied mathematics call most for Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Mathematics, Computers and Electronics and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension and Oral Expression.
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How long a general applied mathematics degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 4 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 3,154 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 975 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 237 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to general applied mathematics, at 53.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 53.5% |
| Master’s degree | 24.6% |
| Doctoral degree | 6.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 3.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.8% |
| Some college courses | 2.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
13 occupations are related to General Applied Mathematics, with an average median salary of $105,969; the strongest outlook belongs to Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary, at 14.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Data Analyst, Research Scientist, Research Analyst and Clinical Data Coordinator.
The occupation related to general applied mathematics with the most projected jobs is Business Intelligence Analysts, at 585,851.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Business Intelligence Analysts | 585,851 | 1.3% |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Data Scientists | 507,848 | 8.1% |
| Bioinformatics Technicians | 434,408 | -2.4% |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | 358,631 | -0.2% |
| Statisticians | 307,132 | 6.6% |
| Clinical Data Managers | 300,656 | -0.9% |
| Actuaries | 216,689 | -3.6% |
General Applied Mathematics graduates earn a median $69,764 one year after completing their program, $103,881 after four years and $100,060 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $69,764 |
| 4 years | $103,881 |
| 5 years | $100,060 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to general applied mathematics is Water Resource Specialists, with a median salary of $179,716.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | $143,840 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Statisticians | $130,349 |
| Bioinformatics Technicians | $121,896 |
| Biostatisticians | $121,594 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Data Scientists | $106,295 |
General Applied Mathematics has 5 similar majors in the Mathematics & Statistics field, which together award 7,242 degrees a year; the largest are Financial Mathematics (5,730), Computational and Applied Mathematics (853) and Computational Mathematics (421). Browse all Mathematics & Statistics majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Financial Mathematics | 5,730 |
| Computational and Applied Mathematics | 853 |
| Computational Mathematics | 421 |
| Applied Mathematics, Other | 223 |
| Mathematical Biology | 15 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
