Mathematics and Computer Science
Students study an integrated curriculum of mathematics and computer science, including algorithms, discrete mathematics, software development, and mathematical modeling. Graduates typically pursue careers in software engineering, data science, quantitative finance, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence research. This powerful combination produces graduates with both theoretical depth and practical programming skills that are exceptionally valued in the tech industry.
What Mathematics and Computer Science graduates do
Your dual expertise in math and code opens doors to some of the economy's most dynamic fields. As a software developer, your day involves more than just coding; you'll collaborate with teams to design features, debug complex problems, and translate user needs into functional products. Alternatively, as a data scientist, you'll spend your time cleaning messy data, building predictive models to answer critical business questions, and presenting your findings to leadership. Many start as junior developers focused on specific coding tasks, but the career path quickly leads to senior roles architecting entire systems or management positions overseeing technology strategy and teams.
Fields like data science and software development are growing exceptionally fast. However, you must understand how AI is reshaping them. With very high AI exposure, the work is fundamentally changing. AI now handles much of the routine coding and initial data analysis once done by junior staff, making entry-level jobs more competitive. Your future value won't be in simply executing tasks, but in designing the complex systems AI works within, critically evaluating its output, and making the crucial judgment calls that algorithms cannot.
You may also want to evaluate Mathematics and Computer Science against Computational Science, Mathematics & Statistics, and Mathematics on salary and long-run job outlook.
Where Mathematics and Computer Science graduates work
Common career paths for Mathematics and Computer Science graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 242,300 combined openings per year across these roles.
| Role | Median Pay | Annual Openings | 10-yr Growth | AI Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Computer and information systems managers
|
$171,200
$134K–$216K
|
55,600 | +15.2% | High · 53% |
|
Natural sciences managers
|
$161,180
$114K–$215K
|
8,500 | +3.7% | High · 50% |
|
Software developers
|
$133,080
$103K–$169K
|
115,200 | +15.8% | Very High · 87% |
|
Mathematicians
|
$121,680
$86K–$153K
|
100 | -0.7% | Very High · 100% |
|
Data scientists
|
$112,590
$83K–$156K
|
23,400 | +33.5% | High · 64% |
|
Computer occupations, all other
|
$108,970
$76K–$148K
|
31,300 | +8.2% | High · 57% |
|
Computer science teachers, postsecondary
|
$96,690
$65K–$132K
|
3,500 | +5.3% | High · 51% |
|
Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
|
$79,350
$61K–$106K
|
4,400 | +2.3% | High · 54% |
|
Mathematical science occupations, all other
|
$71,490
$52K–$102K
|
300 | +4.0% | Very High · 87% |
Best schools for Mathematics and Computer Science
Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 9 of 9.
| # | School | DW Score | 1-yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA · Public
|
66 | $86,109 | 8.7x |
| 6 |
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofit
|
64 | $166,573 | 5.3x |
| 7 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofit
|
63 | $126,153 | 4.2x |
| 8 |
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofit
|
61 | $91,851 | 2.9x |
| 9 |
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA · Public
|
59 | $53,179 | 8.6x |
Highest Earnings Top 5
| Harvey Mudd College
CA |
$166,573 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MA |
$126,153 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
IL |
$109,843 |
| Santa Clara University
CA |
$91,851 |
| University of California-San Diego
CA |
$89,651 |
Best ROI Top 5
| University of Akron Main Campus
OH |
17.5x |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
IL |
16.2x |
| University of Illinois Chicago
IL |
14.9x |
| University of California-San Diego
CA |
13.7x |
| Temple University
PA |
8.7x |
Related majors
Similar fields of study often offered alongside Mathematics and Computer Science.
Frequently asked about Mathematics and Computer Science
How much do Mathematics and Computer Science graduates earn?
Across 9 schools, Mathematics and Computer Science graduates earn an average of $92,849 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $44,143 to $166,573 depending on the school.
What is the AI automation risk for Mathematics and Computer Science?
Our analysis classifies Mathematics and Computer Science as "Very High" for AI risk — approximately 62% of typical job tasks overlap with current AI capabilities. That puts most of the daily work in the automation-sensitive category.
What's the top-ranked school for Mathematics and Computer Science?
Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), University of Akron Main Campus ranks #1 for Mathematics and Computer Science with a score of 80/100 and graduate earnings of $68,137/yr.
What's the ROI on a Mathematics and Computer Science degree?
The average 10-year earnings multiple is 10.2x tuition. This is a strong return on investment. The spread between the best and worst programs is wide, so individual school selection has a major impact.