Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods graduates earn a median $86,176 four years after finishing — $37,816/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 1.8 years. Federal data pools 323 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 10,673 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ranks #34 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 84% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University | NY | $158,559 |
| 2 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | $153,279 |
| 3 | Wake Forest University | NC | $146,608 |
| 4 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | VA | $139,095 |
| 5 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | $126,906 |
| 6 | Boston College | MA | $126,475 |
| 7 | University of Notre Dame | IN | $124,557 |
| 8 | George Washington University | DC | $120,730 |
| 9 | Texas Christian University | TX | $114,822 |
| 10 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $111,649 |
| 11 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | $111,500 |
| 12 | Bentley University | MA | $111,433 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods pay grow after graduation?
From $58,140 one year out to $86,176 four years out — a $28,036 climb, or 48% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods each year?
About 10,673 bachelor's graduates a year across 323 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.