by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Computational & Applied Mathematics involves the study of Computational And Applied Mathematics. A Program That Focuses On The Application Of A Broad Range Of Mathematical And Computational Methods To Modeling, Analysis, Algorithm Development, And Simulation For The Solution Of Complex Scientific And Engineering Problems. Includes Instruction In Numerical Analysis, Discrete Mathematics, Operations Research, Optimization, Differential Equations, Statistics, Scientific Computation, And Applications To Specific Scientific And Industrial Topics. Read on to learn the key facts every computational & applied mathematics student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering computational & applied mathematics programs.
Across the country, computational & applied mathematics is a widely-pursued major, with 824 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Computational & Applied Mathematics Schools ranking analyzes these 46 schools to determine the best overall colleges for computational & applied mathematics students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of computational & applied mathematics programs later in this article.
Studies in Computational & Applied Mathematics develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations computational & applied mathematics graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a computational & applied mathematics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a computational & applied mathematics major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several computational & applied mathematics degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 398 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 385 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 39 |
People currently working in careers related to computational & applied mathematics tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 53.5% |
| Master’s degree | 24.6% |
| Doctoral degree | 6.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 3.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.8% |
| Some college courses | 2.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in computational & applied mathematics careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying computational & applied mathematics opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to computational & applied mathematics.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to computational & applied mathematics.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Business Intelligence Analysts | 585,851 | 1.3% |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Data Scientists | 507,848 | 8.1% |
| Bioinformatics Technicians | 434,408 | -2.4% |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | 358,631 | -0.2% |
| Statisticians | 307,132 | 6.6% |
| Clinical Data Managers | 300,656 | -0.9% |
| Actuaries | 216,689 | -3.6% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of computational & applied mathematics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $69,764 |
| 4 years | $85,594 |
| 5 years | $100,060 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for computational & applied mathematics graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers computational & applied mathematics grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | $143,840 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Statisticians | $130,349 |
| Bioinformatics Technicians | $121,896 |
| Biostatisticians | $121,594 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Data Scientists | $106,295 |
With 46 different computational & applied mathematics programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased computational & applied mathematics school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in computational & applied mathematics, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Financial Mathematics | 5,335 |
| Applied Mathematics, General | 4,209 |
| Computational Mathematics | 397 |
| Applied Mathematics, Other | 221 |
| Mathematical Biology | 16 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
