The best mathematics liberal arts colleges are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best math degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding math faculty.
A bachelor’s degree in mathematics is an excellent starting point for a career in engineering, public health, economics, and much more. As a mathematics major, you’ll learn statistical analysis, linear algebra, differential equations, and a host of other foundational math subjects. Your mathematics degree will incorporate both theoretical concepts and practical applications in the full array of math sciences, including calculus, geometry, algorithms, and more. The best schools for mathematics are those which are regionally accredited, which offer a full array of mathematics concentrations, and which give you the chance to work with the best and most influential professors and classmates.
Degree popularity: Mathematics bachelor’s degrees are the 41st most popular undergraduate degrees across all student demographics, ranking much higher for men at 27th versus 48th for women. For white and Hispanic men it ranks 28th, but for black people, the degree doesn’t enter the top 50 for neither men nor women. It’s most popular among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, for whom it ranks the 16th most sought after degree, according to the number of degree earners reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics
If you’re looking for schools that allow you to explore mathematics through various lenses and provide individualized mentorship for research, a liberal arts college might be the right fit for you. A liberal arts college, while some may not expect it, can be an excellent choice for math majors to obtain a bachelor’s degree.
If you’re interested in exploring the best liberal arts colleges for math degrees, you’re most likely also considering the benefits of earning an undergraduate degree at a liberal arts college.
Liberal arts colleges have their own merits in education, and often they offer better advantages than more prominent universities. For one, students will be exposed to some liberal arts core courses instead of only focusing on pure mathematics, which will give them an advantage in the workplace.
Liberal arts colleges, because of their smaller student population, have a lower student-to-teacher ratio. This allows students to have more one-on-one time with their teachers. Therefore, you should expect to receive more specialized help from your professors at schools like Harvey Mudd or Williams College compared to other major universities such as Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
You’ll get to know your teachers well and eventually have these professors write personalized letters of recommendation on your behalf to enroll in graduate degree or doctoral programs at research universities or grad schools.
Students pursuing college math programs at liberal arts schools are encouraged to enroll in at least one humanities course to add to their math program. Interested students can develop novel ways to integrate their hobbies or comprehend their math curricula.
While it’s true that taking math at a smaller school means your school’s math department has less access to cutting-edge resources and facilities, cross-registration can help you make up for that. Many liberal arts colleges, like Harvey Mudd College, Amherst College, and Pomona College, are part of more prominent consortiums that let students from one school take classes at another.
Therefore, using the 3-2 and cross-registration methods, you can still pursue your interest in mathematical sciences if you think liberal arts universities are the perfect fit.
Enrolling in a liberal arts college won’t hinder you from applying for a graduate degree. In reality, you’ll be able to spend a significant amount of time obtaining hands-on research experience because liberal arts universities have many more specialized possibilities available only to undergraduates.
Graduates of smaller universities are twice as likely to obtain a math doctorate than graduates of more prominent universities. Liberal arts colleges prioritize assisting undergraduates as they navigate the internship and job search landscape through career services.
Some of the faculty members at Harvey Mudd College and Williams College have won national teaching awards. This means that students in these liberal arts colleges are sure to receive high-quality undergraduate education in mathematics.
Earning a bachelor’s degree in math can open numerous professional doors. Majoring in mathematics prepares you for a variety of careers analyzing and interpreting numbers and data, whether real or hypothetical. With a mathematics major, you hone your skills of logic and analysis to organize numbers, find patterns, and predict outcomes. This could suit you to work as a financial planning consultant for private clients, a cost analyst for a major firm, or a statistician for an important public health campaign.
Today, top influencers in mathematics are bringing new light to areas like Digital signal processing, Stochastic analysis, Mathematical digital art, Catastrophe theory, and much more.
Back to TopMathematics is a great major because of its versatility. Math majors can work in virtually any sector. Whether your interest is in finance, immigration, or transportation, there’s a math career for you. Mathematics professionals get to dig deep into data and apply their findings to challenges in healthcare, military strategy, space exploration, supply chain management, and so much more. Some math majors work in completely theoretical areas, solving centuries-old problems. Others teach teenagers and adults practical mathematics and advanced ideas. If you’re fascinated by numbers, patterns and shapes, you will likely have many career paths from which to choose.
Back to TopOnce you’ve declared your major in mathematics, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of math- and STEM-related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized mathematics electives, there are several common courses that most math majors will be required to take, including:
Earning a degree in mathematics can qualify you for a number of well-paying jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of jobs for mathematics majors is expected to grow at a dramatic rate of 33% by 2029, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. And earnings are also significantly higher than the average for all occupations, with mathematicians and statisticians earning a median annual wage of $92,030 per year in 2019.
If you think a research university may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best research universities for a bachelor’s in mathematics.
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
94%
Student body
2K
Williams College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
10%
Graduation
94%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1530/34
Harvey Mudd College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
8%
Graduation
94%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1467/32
Swarthmore College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
7%
Graduation
93%
Student body
2K
Pomona College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
92%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1495/33
Amherst College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
19%
Graduation
91%
Student body
3K
Wesleyan University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
16%
Graduation
92%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1435/32
Wellesley College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$58K
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
94%
Student body
2K
Bowdoin College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$58K
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
93%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/32
Claremont McKenna College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
84%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1325/30
United States Military Academy’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
13%
Graduation
91%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1430/32
Middlebury College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
93%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1434/32
Barnard College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$63K
Acceptance
44%
Graduation
73%
Student body
1K
Reed College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
18%
Graduation
90%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1380/31
Davidson College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
14%
Graduation
86%
Student body
2K
Colorado College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
17%
Graduation
90%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1385/31
Colgate University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Acceptance
12%
Graduation
86%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1325/31
United States Air Force Academy’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
30%
Graduation
91%
Student body
3K
Smith College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$63K
Acceptance
20%
Graduation
93%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1440/33
Vassar College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
33%
Graduation
85%
Student body
22K
Median SAT/ACT
1315/29
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$63K
Acceptance
37%
Graduation
87%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1370/31
Kenyon College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
31%
Graduation
90%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1365/31
Macalester College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
18%
Graduation
90%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1440/33
Haverford College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$58K
Acceptance
18%
Graduation
88%
Student body
<1K
Pitzer College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
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