Best Mathematics Programs in the West (2026)
Updated
Regional list from Best Mathematics Programs in the United States
This page ranks 66 Mathematics programs in the West by the median earnings of Mathematics graduates four years after completing, highest first. University of Washington-Seattle Campus leads the list with median earnings of $100,127 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $100,127 to $25,194, with a median of $65,458. For 12 of the 66 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 51 of the 66 programs, or 77%, alongside 15 private nonprofit programs. California State University-Los Angeles posts the lowest average net price on the page, at $3,967.
University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $100,127 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks 1st on this list with median earnings of $100,127 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, and reports an average net price of $14,091. | |||||
| 2 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $99,269 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| Admitting 9% of applicants, University of California-Los Angeles posts median earnings of $99,269 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $90,635 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at University of Colorado Boulder left with a median of $19,500 in federal loans, while the school's Mathematics graduates earned a median of $90,635 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Occidental College · Los Angeles, CA | $88,080 | $38,263 | $20,705 | 44.2% |
| Occidental College, a private nonprofit college in Los Angeles, reports median earnings of $88,080 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $38,263. | |||||
| 5 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $85,391 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
| University of California-Santa Barbara ranks 66th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Mathematics graduates earned a median of $85,391 four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $83,187 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
| With an admission rate of 31%, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reports median earnings of $83,187 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | University of Oregon · Eugene, OR | $82,191 | $22,182 | $15,909 | 88.3% |
| University of Oregon reports an average net price of $22,182 and median earnings of $82,191 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $80,654 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| An average net price of $13,481 coincides with median earnings of $80,654 for Mathematics graduates of University of California-Berkeley four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | Seattle University · Seattle, WA | $80,592 | $34,662 | $22,896 | 76.9% |
| Seattle University reports median federal debt of $19,883 across all of its borrowers who completed, alongside median earnings of $80,592 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | $80,055 | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
| California State University-Fullerton reports an average net price of $6,555 and median earnings of $80,055 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $79,015 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
| University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Mathematics graduates earned a median of $79,015 four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $79,013 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
| Admitting 90% of applicants, Arizona State University Campus Immersion reports median earnings of $79,013 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | University of Portland · Portland, OR | $78,568 | $28,210 | $20,070 | 89.2% |
| University of Portland reports median earnings of $78,568 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $28,210. | |||||
| 14 | Pacific Lutheran University · Tacoma, WA | $78,056 | $19,589 | $13,609 | 78.0% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at Pacific Lutheran University left with a median of $22,578 in federal loans, and the school's Mathematics graduates earn a median of $78,056 four years after completing. | |||||
| 15 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $77,891 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
| California State University-Chico ranks 15th on this list and 91st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an admission rate of 93%. | |||||
| 16 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $77,472 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
| With 312 graduates in the earnings cohort, University of California-Irvine posts median earnings of $77,472 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 17 | University of Puget Sound · Tacoma, WA | $75,462 | $38,394 | $23,643 | 72.3% |
| University of Puget Sound has an average net price of $23,643 for families earning under $30,000, and its Mathematics graduates earn a median of $75,462 four years after completing. | |||||
| 18 | Whitworth University · Spokane, WA | $73,097 | $26,534 | $16,788 | 89.8% |
| Whitworth University admits 90% of applicants and reports median earnings of $73,097 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 19 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM | $72,979 | $15,489 | $11,938 | 95.2% |
| A public university in Albuquerque, University of New Mexico-Main Campus shows median federal debt of $18,450 across all of its borrowers who completed, alongside Mathematics earnings of $72,979. | |||||
| 20 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $72,640 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
| University of California-Davis ranks 18th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $72,640 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 21 | Oregon State University · Corvallis, OR | $72,318 | $19,604 | $12,107 | 77.3% |
| With an average net price of $19,604, Oregon State University reports median earnings of $72,318 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 22 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $71,323 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
| San Francisco State University ranks 22nd on this list, and its Mathematics graduates earn a median of $71,323 four years after completing, with 22 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 23 | University of Utah · Salt Lake City, UT | $71,059 | $16,200 | $13,123 | 86.0% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at University of Utah left with a median of $19,000 in federal loans, and the school admits 86% of applicants. | |||||
| 24 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas · Las Vegas, NV | $70,999 | $10,359 | $8,526 | 96.2% |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas posts median earnings of $70,999 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $8,526 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 25 | University of Nevada-Reno · Reno, NV | $70,681 | $15,927 | $12,674 | 73.7% |
| With 60 graduates in the earnings cohort, University of Nevada-Reno reports $70,681 in median earnings for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 26 | California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $70,677 | $3,967 | $2,877 | 91.3% |
| An average net price of $3,967 makes California State University-Los Angeles the lowest on the page, and it holds an Azimuth composite rank of 3rd among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 27 | California State University-Channel Islands · Camarillo, CA | $70,628 | $9,849 | $6,857 | 94.8% |
| California State University-Channel Islands admits 95% of applicants and reports median earnings of $70,628 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 28 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs, CO | $69,992 | $15,788 | $12,065 | 97.4% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left University of Colorado Colorado Springs with a median of $20,000 in federal loans, and the school's Mathematics graduates earned a median of $69,992 four years after completing. | |||||
| 29 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $69,377 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| A private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, University of Southern California posts a 10% admission rate and median earnings of $69,377 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 30 | California State University-Dominguez Hills · Carson, CA | $68,900 | $8,615 | $7,303 | 93.3% |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills ranks 46th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $8,615. | |||||
| 31 | Portland State University · Portland, OR | $68,280 | $9,552 | $7,655 | 90.9% |
| With a cohort of 73 graduates in the earnings cohort, Portland State University reports median earnings of $68,280 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 32 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | $66,381 | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
| University of Arizona shows an average net price of $16,674 and median federal debt of $19,620 across all of the school's borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 33 | Montana State University · Bozeman, MT | $65,731 | $22,499 | $17,797 | 82.1% |
| Montana State University ranks 33rd on this list and reports an average net price of $17,797 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 34 | California State University-Stanislaus · Turlock, CA | $65,184 | $6,067 | $3,938 | 98.1% |
| California State University-Stanislaus admits 98% of applicants and its Mathematics graduates earned a median of $65,184 four years after completing. | |||||
| 35 | Metropolitan State University of Denver · Denver, CO | $65,179 | $15,327 | $12,481 | 98.8% |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver ranks 193rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $21,500 in federal loans. | |||||
| 36 | Sonoma State University · Rohnert Park, CA | $64,913 | $12,885 | $8,310 | 93.4% |
| Sonoma State University reports median earnings of $64,913 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $12,885. | |||||
| 37 | California State University-Bakersfield · Bakersfield, CA | $64,470 | $5,652 | $3,536 | 93.9% |
| California State University-Bakersfield reports median earnings of $64,470 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, with 42 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 38 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $63,596 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
| An average net price of $8,852 for families earning under $30,000 accompanies University of California-Riverside's median earnings of $63,596 for Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 39 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $63,077 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
| California State University-Northridge ranks 7th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $63,077 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 40 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $63,059 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $16,000 in federal loans at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, where the Mathematics program posts median earnings of $63,059 four years after completing. | |||||
| 41 | California State University-Monterey Bay · Seaside, CA | $62,943 | $13,663 | $9,970 | 97.4% |
| California State University-Monterey Bay admits 97% of applicants and reports median earnings of $62,943 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, drawn from a cohort of 21. | |||||
| 42 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus · Denver, CO | $62,085 | $11,900 | $6,743 | 74.7% |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus reports median earnings of $62,085 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $11,900. | |||||
| 43 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $61,754 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
| With an admission rate of 46%, California State University-Long Beach reports median earnings of $61,754 for Mathematics graduates four years after completing and ranks 5th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 44 | Gonzaga University · Spokane, WA | $59,723 | $35,119 | $20,833 | 81.7% |
| A private nonprofit university in Spokane, Gonzaga University reports median earnings of $59,723 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, with 16 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 45 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $59,214 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% |
| University of California-Santa Cruz reports median earnings of $59,214 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $16,666 in federal loans. | |||||
| 46 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $59,162 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
| An average net price of $6,501 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with California State University-Sacramento's median earnings of $59,162 for Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 47 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $57,999 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
| San Diego State University ranks 36th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $57,999 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 48 | California State University-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA | $57,603 | $4,564 | $2,681 | 93.7% |
| California State University-San Bernardino reports median earnings of $57,603 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $4,564. | |||||
| 49 | University of Wyoming · Laramie, WY | $55,794 | $13,599 | $7,977 | 96.9% |
| University of Wyoming reports median earnings of $55,794 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $13,599. | |||||
| 50 | California State University-Fresno · Fresno, CA | $55,664 | $7,000 | $5,105 | 95.3% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $14,505 in federal loans at California State University-Fresno, which ranks 26th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 51 | Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA | $54,234 | $21,193 | $12,915 | 93.3% |
| Western Washington University admits 93% of applicants and reports median earnings of $54,234 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 52 | Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ | $54,149 | $14,158 | $9,709 | 89.6% |
| Northern Arizona University ranks 52nd on this list, with an average net price of $9,709 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 53 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $52,107 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
| A private nonprofit university in Provo, Brigham Young University reports median earnings of $52,107 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 54 | University of Northern Colorado · Greeley, CO | $51,939 | $17,760 | $12,695 | 85.9% |
| University of Northern Colorado shows a median of $20,470 in federal loans across all of its borrowers who completed, and its Mathematics graduates earn a median of $51,939 four years after completing. | |||||
| 55 | Boise State University · Boise, ID | $48,582 | $21,610 | $18,165 | 87.2% |
| With an admission rate of 87%, Boise State University reports median earnings of $48,582 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 56 | Linfield University · Mcminnville, OR | $42,682 | $26,536 | $20,059 | 85.2% |
| Linfield University ranks 546th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Mathematics graduates earn a median of $42,682 four years after completing. | |||||
| 57 | Willamette University · Salem, OR | $42,682 | $25,121 | $16,182 | 77.1% |
| Willamette University reports an average net price of $16,182 for families earning under $30,000, and its Mathematics graduates earn a median of $42,682 four years after completing. | |||||
| 58 | Pacific University · Forest Grove, OR | $39,369 | $35,273 | $23,318 | 89.6% |
| Pacific University admits 90% of applicants and reports an average net price of $35,273. | |||||
| 59 | Western Colorado University · Gunnison, CO | $38,871 | $16,425 | $11,490 | 99.7% |
| Western Colorado University ranks 59th on this list, with median earnings of $38,871 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 60 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $38,681 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins reports median earnings of $38,681 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $13,259 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 61 | The University of Montana · Missoula, MT | $35,701 | $16,784 | $13,960 | 95.9% |
| The University of Montana reports median earnings of $35,701 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing, with 14 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 62 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $35,060 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
| Chapman University, a private nonprofit university in Orange, has an average net price of $46,555 and a 65% admission rate. | |||||
| 63 | University of Hawaii at Manoa · Honolulu, HI | $31,133 | $15,664 | $10,675 | 86.6% |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa ranks 258th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows an average net price of $10,675 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 64 | University of Redlands · Redlands, CA | $28,236 | $30,031 | $28,287 | 82.7% |
| An average net price of $28,287 for families earning under $30,000 accompanies a median of $28,236 for Mathematics graduates four years after completing at University of Redlands. | |||||
| 65 | University of Idaho · Moscow, ID | $26,739 | $14,831 | $11,270 | 75.5% |
| University of Idaho ranks 65th on this list, with median earnings of $26,739 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $14,831. | |||||
| 66 | Lewis & Clark College · Portland, OR | $25,194 | $36,013 | $15,962 | 78.5% |
| Lewis & Clark College reports an average net price of $36,013 and a median of $25,194 for its Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Mathematics graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the West appear. The figure is the median for federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 12 of the 66 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between University of Washington-Seattle Campus and University of California-Los Angeles is $858, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $74,933.
Job market context in the West
Graduates of Mathematics programs in the West enter a labor market that links to occupations such as Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education and Data Scientists. The median annual wage across those occupations is $100,618, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $78,429. State projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 11.0% higher, with 22,220 projected openings a year, or about 488 openings a year for every hundred graduates, meaning more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses the median earnings of Mathematics graduates four years after completing; the market figures describe the broader occupations, and the two are not the same measure.
Related rankings
- Best Mathematics Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in the West
- Best Mathematics Programs in the Midwest
- Best Mathematics Programs in the Northeast
- Mathematics Colleges in the West for Social Mobility
- Mathematics Colleges in the West