The Aporia · Math is highest-paid college major at Duke University

Math is highest-paid college major at Duke University—with grads earning an eye-popping salary

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O'Neill, N. (2026, October 9). Math is highest-paid college major at Duke University—with grads earning an eye-popping salary. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/09/us-news/highest-paid-college-major-is-math-at-duke-university/

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Quick Summary

Mathematics majors from Duke University earn the highest median salary of any college major in the United States at nearly $300,000 four years after graduation, according to federal data. This figure surpasses other high-earning fields like computer science and electrical engineering at top universities such as Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pennsylvania. The article highlights that Duke’s math majors often have interdisciplinary interests and motivations beyond financial gain, contributing to their success in various sectors.

Written by AI on 2026-10-09, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Mathematics graduates from Duke University are the highest earners in the United States, with a median income of nearly $300,000 four years after graduation. According to federal earnings figures from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard, computer science majors at Carnegie Mellon University earn second-highest, at $268,121, followed by electrical, electronics and communications engineering graduates from the same university earning $250,168. Duke's math majors often have diverse interests beyond just mathematics, potentially contributing to their high earnings. This highlights a shift in evaluating educational success not only based on personal financial gain but also on societal contribution and impact.

Written for “Math Majors Earnings” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

1 of 15 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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not political

takes no side on a contested political question

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66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Natalie O'Neill

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All 39 articles by Natalie O'Neill →

Narrative

Claims (15 extracted, 1 hedged)

The highest-earning degree in the United States is mathematics at Duke University — with graduates earning a staggering median income of nearly $300,000, new data shows. asserted

data → earn → 300,000

The number-crunchers raked in the biggest paychecks — $297,029 annually — four years after graduating from the esteemed university in either 2018 or 2019, according to new federal earnings figures. uncertain

crunchers → rake → figures

Grads who majored in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University were the second-highest earners with a median income of $268,121, the data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard website revealed. asserted

data → major → website

The third-highest-paid major was electrical, electronics and communications engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, with grads earning $250,168 just four years after graduation. asserted

grads → pay → graduation

Computer and science majors at the University of Pennsylvania placed fourth, earning $241,380. asserted

majors → place → 241,380

One reason for Duke math majors’ success is they often have interests beyond just numbers and formulas, teachers and students told the New York Times. asserted

teachers → have → Times

“I don’t know a single math major who was only doing math,” said Faisal Alsaadi, who graduated in 2019 and has worked at start-ups in Saudi Arabia. asserted

who → know → Arabia

He said he double-majored in math and economics. asserted

he → say → math

“I like it when I’m able to train young people to think mathematically and then they take it into every part of the world,” said Ezra Miller, a Duke professor. asserted

Miller → like → world

Miller said three current undergraduates with double majors recently won an international math competition by building models to maximize a soccer team’s performance. asserted

undergraduates → say → performance

While math majors often get good, high-earning jobs, that’s not always what motivates them, he added. asserted

he → get → them

Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. asserted

Report → start → news

“It does also attract people who are interested in beauty and truth,” Miller said. asserted

Miller → attract → beauty

However, Greg Herschlag, a Duke math professor, pointed out that paychecks aren’t the best way to measure grads’ success. asserted

paychecks → point → success

“I would rather universities and departments be judged not simply by how well their graduates do for themselves, but by how much value they create for others: how much they contribute to society, who benefits from that labor and whether that work is improving people’s lives,” he said. asserted

he → judge → lives

Math is highest-paid college major at Duke University—with grads earning an eye-popping salary

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Claims (15 extracted, 1 hedged)