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Mathematics · Applied Mathematics Rank #17 of 44

Applied Mathematicsat Ohio State University-Main Campus

Graduates earn $82,523/yr in their first year — about 32.0% above the national Applied Mathematics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $792K; scenarios range from $660K to $825K depending on AI disruption.

Columbus, OH Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
64 SOLID
65
Optimistic
59
Pessimistic
Earnings
$82,523
1-year post-graduation
ROI
15.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$792K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
60% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Ohio State

Your strong earning potential from Ohio State's Applied Mathematics program reflects a powerful combination of factors. As a flagship public university, OSU offers a rigorous academic foundation paired with extensive recruiting pipelines into high-demand sectors. The program's success is significantly bolstered by its location in Columbus, a burgeoning hub for finance, insurance, and data analytics.

You'll find graduates excelling in quantitative roles at major financial institutions, insurance giants like Nationwide, and growing tech companies throughout Ohio. This strong regional labor market actively seeks individuals skilled in complex problem-solving, data modeling, and risk analysis—precisely what an applied math degree provides. To truly capitalize on this advantage, proactively seek internships early in your academic career. Gaining practical experience in these local industries will be invaluable for translating your theoretical knowledge into a robust professional network and securing top-tier positions post-graduation.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$660K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score59/100
Earnings Multiple12.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$792K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score64/100
Earnings Multiple15.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$825K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score65/100
Earnings Multiple16.0x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Ohio State's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Applied Mathematics graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
2
Actuaries
+21.8% 10-yr growth · 2,400 openings/yr
$125,770/yr
High
3
Mathematicians
-0.7% 10-yr growth · 100 openings/yr
$121,680/yr
Very High
4
Economists
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 900 openings/yr
$115,440/yr
High
5
Data scientists
+33.5% 10-yr growth · 23,400 openings/yr
$112,590/yr
High
6
Financial risk specialists
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$106,000/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Applied Mathematics

How Ohio State stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Harvard University
MA · Private nonprofit
70
DW Score
$114K
1-yr earn
6.5x
ROI
Brown University
RI · Private nonprofit
68
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
4.0x
ROI
Stevens Institute of Technology
NJ · Private nonprofit
55
DW Score
$98K
1-yr earn
3.0x
ROI
Northwestern University
IL · Private nonprofit
54
DW Score
$95K
1-yr earn
2.6x
ROI
Columbia University in the City of New York
NY · Private nonprofit
54
DW Score
$92K
1-yr earn
2.3x
ROI
Also at Ohio State

Other top programs at Ohio State

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Ohio State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Applied Mathematics at Ohio State

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Applied Mathematics at Ohio State University-Main Campus?

A score of 64/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Applied Mathematics field.

Will AI replace Applied Mathematics careers?

With 61% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $659,582 in decade earnings vs $825,244 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.