This data is from a 2018 report of salaries by different academic major. It is based on a survey of 1.2 million people that graduated with a Bachelors degree. The black dot indicates median starting salary. The border between green and blue indicates overall median salary. Math is up there near the top. The overall median salary is right in line with the US Bureau of Labor statistics data of $88K.
We don’t recommend choosing a career based on the dollars, but it is reassuring to know that the financial side fits with your choice.
Teaching
The average US salary for a high school teacher is 62K without a Master’s and 67K with a Master’s, for details, click here. The data for New Mexico is about $55K. In considering data for jobs, one should consider where the job is located. The average salary for an Engineer I in New Mexico is more, but about $63K, click here. Many tech jobs have very high salaries because they are concentrated in places like San Jose or Boston where the cost of living is enormous. High school teachers in New Mexico have a good life with good benefits and job security. Many positions are now filled with temporary instructors, and with a BSc in Math, and perhaps a Masters in Education, a new teacher could rapidly make a difference and move up the ladder. Helping thousands of kids have a better life might be worth a couple thousand a year in satisfaction as well.
