Western Carolina University Mathematics: earnings, debt & careers

Mathematics graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median $59,885 four years after graduating ($34,802 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $27,000. That is $10,372 below the U.S. median for Mathematics graduates ($70,257 across 309 colleges), and ranks 8th of 9 North Carolina colleges.

Show numbers for my family

Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$59,885

U.S. median for this major: $70,257.

College Scorecard field of study; 23 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$34,802

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$27,000

About 45% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $21,589.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$13,315 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $19,992. College Scorecard.

Western Carolina University Mathematics: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Western Carolina University graduates$59,885
North Carolina median (9 colleges)$66,450 (−$6,565)
U.S. median (309 colleges)$70,257 (−$10,372)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Mathematics nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses Western Carolina University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$8,816$38,2611.5 years
$30–48k$10,012$43,4521.6 years
$48–75k$12,605$54,7062.1 years
$75–110k$17,060$74,0402.8 years
$110k+$17,992$78,0853.0 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (41% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Mathematics graduates 4 years after graduating ($59,885) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $26,369 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Mathematics at North Carolina colleges

Every North Carolina college we cover that reports Mathematics graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Duke University$297,029$13,000$29,61297%
2University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill$101,599$14,500$11,65591%
3North Carolina State University at Raleigh$92,594$21,256$17,30385%
4University of North Carolina Wilmington$66,941$21,946$20,10971%
5University of North Carolina at Charlotte$66,450$25,000$15,43569%
6Appalachian State University$62,271$17,500$16,83675%
7University of North Carolina at Greensboro$61,555$25,661$10,96556%
8Western Carolina University$59,885$27,000$13,31560%
9University of North Carolina Asheville$56,247$24,455$12,25054%

36 more North Carolina colleges offer Mathematics but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Mathematics graduates

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

North Carolina$57,650
U.S.$72,040

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Data Scientists

North Carolina$119,090
U.S.$120,230

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +34.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Natural Sciences Managers

North Carolina$173,870
U.S.$167,220

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at Western Carolina University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Western Carolina University

Related majors at Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University Mathematics questions

How much do Western Carolina University Mathematics graduates earn?

Mathematics graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median $59,885 four years after graduating and $34,802 one year after. The U.S. median for Mathematics graduates across 309 colleges is $70,257.

How much debt do Western Carolina University Mathematics graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Mathematics graduates of Western Carolina University is $27,000, about 45% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,589.

Is Western Carolina University a good school for Mathematics in North Carolina?

On pay, Mathematics graduates of Western Carolina University earn $59,885 four years out, $6,565 below the median for the same major across 9 North Carolina colleges ($66,450) and $10,372 below the U.S. median ($70,257). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Western Carolina University rank for Mathematics in North Carolina?

Of 9 North Carolina colleges reporting Mathematics graduate earnings, Western Carolina University ranks 8th. The highest is Duke University at $297,029.

What jobs do Mathematics graduates get?

A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $57,650 in North Carolina and $72,040 nationally. Others include data scientists and natural sciences managers.

Is Western Carolina University the right fit for your family?

Get a free report comparing Western Carolina University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.

Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting in

We never share your contact information.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Western Carolina University Mathematics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university/majors/mathematics (College Scorecard and BLS data).