Business, Computers & Math
Degrees Offered:
- BA
- BAM
- MA
- PhD
- Minor*
* = Minors are not technically a degree, but can be pursued to supplement a bachelor's degree
From its inception, mathematics has played a vital role in the organization of society and in our understanding of the world. As society has grown more complex, mathematical knowledge has evolved, expanded and continued to function as a dynamic force in dealing with the problems of our times.
The Department of Mathematics offers a curriculum well-suited for students aiming toward a variety of mathematical careers in industry or secondary education or planning for graduate education.
I have fond memories of my time in the math department as an undergraduate and have since found my decision to get a math degree at CU to be one of my best life choices. It has given me a front row seat through my career to some of the most profound events of the last generation, including the dot com boom (and bust), when I was involved with several successful high-tech startups, and the credit crisis, where I was involved in many of the biggest battles to come out of the event, including the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy and AIG bailout litigation, among others."
— Collin Starkweather (BA 1996)
Those who specialize in mathematics are needed by almost all companies engaged in industrial and scientific research. In addition, organizations involved in computational work or statistical analysis make use of the talents of those trained in this field. Advanced work is necessary for students who plan to do research in pure mathematics. Career options for mathematics majors who have completed both theoretical and practical courses include jobs in business, industry, science and government.
Graduates trained in statistics are particularly in demand in statistical analysis, investment counseling, and actuarial work. The Mathematics Department is one of the sponsors of the Actuarial Studies and Quantitative Finance Program. For more information on this program and the certificate tracks available to students, see the Actuarial Studies and Quantitative Finance program website.
A nationwide need for well-trained secondary school mathematics teachers provides opportunities for students who have taken the appropriate program and earned state licensure. Please contact the School of Education for further information.
Career Services offers free services for all CU Boulder degree-seeking students, and alumni up to one year after graduation, to help students discover who they are, what they want to do, and how to get there. They are the bridge between academics and the world of work by discussing major and career exploration, internship or job searching, and graduate school preparation.
The 2018 median salary for mathematicians and statisticians was $88,190, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while the average expected salary for someone with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, according to the 2018-19 College Salary Report by PayScale Human Capital, is $73,000 per year.
This job is also one of the fastest growing professions at 33%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
At CU Boulder, Mathematics graduates earn less than the nationwide average of comparable majors as reported by PayScale. CU Boulder alumni in this discipline earn an estimated annual salary of $90,551 based on a pool of 476 alumni who graduated between 1989 and 2018. This amount, however, is slightly higher than the average for all CU Boulder graduates with a bachelor's degree, according to a survey by Esmi Alumni Insight of 25,000 alumni who graduated during that same stretch.