Best programs to become a mathematician in Massachusetts
51 Massachusetts schools offer programs that train mathematicians, graduating 2,261 people a year. Mathematicians in Massachusetts earn a median of $104,190 across about 40 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for mathematicians. The fields of study that lead most directly to this job in Massachusetts are Mathematics; Applied Mathematics; and Mathematics and Computer Science (IPEDS completions).
Conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques to science, management, and other fields.
11 programs in Massachusetts that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Massachusetts (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Massachusetts page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathematics, Generalmain feeder CIP 27.0101In Massachusetts → | 1,069 | 47.3% | 46 | $48,772 | $21,544 |
| 2 | Financial Mathematicsmain feeder CIP 27.0305In Massachusetts → | 740 | 32.7% | 11 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 3 | Applied Mathematics, Generalmain feeder CIP 27.0301In Massachusetts → | 252 | 11.1% | 11 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 4 | Mathematics and Computer Sciencemain feeder CIP 30.0801In Massachusetts → | 66 | 2.9% | 4 | $89,651 | $23,175 |
| 5 | CIP 30.4901In Massachusetts → | 58 | 2.6% | 1 | — | — |
| 6 | Computational Mathematicsmain feeder CIP 27.0303In Massachusetts → | 25 | 1.1% | 2 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 7 | Mathematics, Othermain feeder CIP 27.0199In Massachusetts → | 19 | 0.8% | 5 | $48,772 | $21,544 |
| 8 | CIP 26.1199In Massachusetts → | 15 | 0.7% | 1 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 9 | CIP 27.0503In Massachusetts → | 9 | 0.4% | 1 | $59,718 | $20,150 |
| 10 | Mathematics and Statistics, Othermain feeder CIP 27.9999In Massachusetts → | 5 | 0.2% | 1 | $59,063 | $21,500 |
| 11 | Applied Mathematics, Othermain feeder CIP 27.0399In Massachusetts → | 3 | 0.1% | 2 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
Top 25 schools in Massachusetts
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 12 of the 51 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northeastern University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 303 | Financial Mathematics | — | 91% | $18,925 | 5% |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 285 | Financial Mathematics | — | 96% | $11,666 | 5% |
| 3 | Boston University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 271 | Financial Mathematics | — | 89% | $21,956 | 11% |
| 4 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MA Public · 4 feeder programs | 257 | Mathematics, General | $42,682 | 83% | — | 60% |
| 5 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 245 | Applied Mathematics, General | $114,279 | 98% | $15,013 | 4% |
| 6 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 101 | Financial Mathematics | — | 91% | $21,126 | 16% |
| 7 | Brandeis University Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 98 | Financial Mathematics | — | 86% | $25,074 | 40% |
| 8 | Babson College Wellesley, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 88 | Financial Mathematics | — | 93% | $30,326 | 17% |
| 9 | University of Massachusetts - Lowell Lowell, MA Public · 3 feeder programs | 77 | Mathematics, General | $49,571 | 65% | — | 83% |
| 10 | Clark University Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 53 | Financial Mathematics | — | 77% | $23,332 | 40% |
| 11 | College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 47 | Mathematics, General | $61,761 | 87% | $24,533 | 18% |
| 12 | Tufts University Medford, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 47 | Mathematics, General | $110,512 | 94% | $23,570 | 11% |
| 13 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 46 | Mathematics, General | — | 90% | $32,926 | 60% |
| 14 | Amherst College Amherst, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 38 | Mathematics, General | $78,500 | 94% | $16,081 | 9% |
| 15 | Williams College Williamstown, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 36 | Mathematics, General | $55,193 | 94% | $10,747 | 8% |
| 16 | Bentley University Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 33 | Financial Mathematics | — | 87% | $31,677 | 45% |
| 17 | Smith College Northampton, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 31 | Mathematics, General | — | 89% | $17,183 | 21% |
| 18 | Wellesley College Wellesley, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 29 | Mathematics and Computer Science | — | 92% | $19,292 | 14% |
| 19 | University of Massachusetts - Boston Boston, MA Public · 1 feeder program | 19 | Mathematics, General | — | 49% | — | 84% |
| 20 | Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA Public · 1 feeder program | 17 | Mathematics, General | $48,457 | 53% | — | 88% |
| 21 | Westfield State University Westfield, MA Public · 1 feeder program | 14 | Mathematics, General | $47,922 | 54% | — | 81% |
| 22 | Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 13 | Mathematics, General | — | 84% | $26,083 | 36% |
| 23 | Framingham State University Framingham, MA Public · 1 feeder program | 10 | Mathematics, General | — | 48% | — | 84% |
| 24 | Assumption University Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 8 | Mathematics, General | $41,695 | 75% | $24,206 | 83% |
| 25 | Gordon College Wenham, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 8 | Mathematics, General | — | 69% | $23,077 | 69% |
All 51 schools in Massachusetts
Every school in Massachusetts with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern University | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 303 | 3 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge | Private not-for-profit | 285 | 3 |
| Boston University | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 271 | 4 |
| University of Massachusetts - Amherst | Amherst | Public | 257 | 4 |
| Harvard University | Cambridge | Private not-for-profit | 245 | 2 |
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill | Private not-for-profit | 101 | 2 |
| Brandeis University | Waltham | Private not-for-profit | 98 | 3 |
| Babson College | Wellesley | Private not-for-profit | 88 | 1 |
| University of Massachusetts - Lowell | Lowell | Public | 77 | 3 |
| Clark University | Worcester | Private not-for-profit | 53 | 4 |
| College of the Holy Cross | Worcester | Private not-for-profit | 47 | 1 |
| Tufts University | Medford | Private not-for-profit | 47 | 2 |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Worcester | Private not-for-profit | 46 | 5 |
| Amherst College | Amherst | Private not-for-profit | 38 | 1 |
| Williams College | Williamstown | Private not-for-profit | 36 | 1 |
Fields of study in Massachusetts that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
What mathematicians earn in Massachusetts
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $126,710. Massachusetts pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Massachusetts
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Mathematicians page.
How to become a mathematician
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Massachusetts
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 20 majors mapped to Mathematicians17 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 26.1199Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other
- 27.0101Mathematics, General
- 27.0102Algebra and Number Theory(no graduates reported)
- 27.0103Analysis and Functional Analysis
- 27.0104Geometry/Geometric Analysis(no graduates reported)
- 27.0105Topology and Foundations
- 27.0199Mathematics, Other
- 27.0301Applied Mathematics, General
- 27.0303Computational Mathematics
- 27.0304Computational and Applied Mathematics
- 27.0305Financial Mathematics
- 27.0306Mathematical Biology
- 27.0399Applied Mathematics, Other
- 27.0502Mathematical Statistics and Probability
- 27.0503Mathematics and Statistics
- 27.9999Mathematics and Statistics, Other
- 30.0801Mathematics and Computer Science
- 30.4901Mathematical Economics
- 30.5001Mathematics and Atmospheric/Oceanic Science(no graduates reported)
- 38.0102Logic
Common questions
Answers for people weighing mathematicians programs in Massachusetts.
What degree do you need to become a mathematician?+
BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for mathematicians. The fields of study that lead most directly to this job in Massachusetts are Mathematics; Applied Mathematics; and Mathematics and Computer Science (IPEDS completions).
Which college majors lead to becoming a mathematician?+
The fields of study that lead most directly to this job in Massachusetts are Mathematics; Applied Mathematics; and Mathematics and Computer Science (IPEDS completions). In all, 11 feeder programs graduate about 2,261 people a year in Massachusetts (IPEDS completions).
How much do mathematicians earn in Massachusetts?+
The median is $104,190 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 17.8% below the U.S. median of $126,710. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for mathematicians growing?+
BLS projects a -0.7% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 100 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Massachusetts?+
51 institutions in Massachusetts reported graduates from at least one of the 11 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do mathematicians work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Cryptographer, Mathematician, Research Scientist, Computational Scientist among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 15-2021.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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