Mathematics: Bowdoin College vs University of Iowa

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
In-State
5.3x
$259,640 tuition
15.4x
$43,856 tuition
Out-of-State
5.3x
$259,640 tuition
5.1x
$131,708 tuition
$1,381,849 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit
$675,489 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Bowdoin College University of Iowa
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 5.3x 15.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.3x 5.1x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $259,640 $43,856
Year 1 Earnings $90,213 $60,612
10-Year Earnings $1,382K $675K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 57/100 64/100
Acceptance Rate 8.0% 84.7%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (65% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Mathematics graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Mathematics graduates.

Bowdoin College University of Iowa
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $259,640 $43,856
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $259,640 $131,708
10-Year Projected Earnings $1,382K $675K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 5.3x 15.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.3x 5.1x
5-Year Salary Growth +77% +23%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Mathematics (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Bowdoin College University of Iowa
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,501K $1,382K $1,020K $700K $675K $580K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 5.8x 5.3x 3.9x 16.0x 15.4x 13.2x
DegreeWorth Score 59 57 48 67 64 56

For the full AI analysis of Mathematics career paths, see the Bowdoin College or University of Iowa program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Mathematics graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$215,784
University of Iowa saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$29,601/yr
Bowdoin College grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
5.3x / 15.4x
Out-of-state: 5.3x / 5.1x

Career Paths

Mathematics graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Natural sciences managers $161,180 8,500 +3.7% 50%
Mathematicians $121,680 100 -0.7% 100%
Data scientists $112,590 23,400 +33.5% 64%
Statisticians $103,300 2,000 +8.5% 66%
Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary $79,350 4,400 +2.3% 54%
Mathematical science occupations, all other $71,490 300 +4.0% 87%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Mathematics: Bowdoin College or University of Iowa?
Bowdoin College scores 57/100 while University of Iowa scores 64/100. University of Iowa has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Mathematics?
Bowdoin College has an in-state earnings multiple of 5.3x vs University of Iowa's 15.4x. That means University of Iowa grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $215,784 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do Bowdoin College and University of Iowa compare on Mathematics earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $90,213 at Bowdoin College vs $60,612 at University of Iowa. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $1,381,849 vs $675,489 — a difference of $706,360.
How much does Mathematics cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $259,640 at Bowdoin College and $43,856 at University of Iowa. Both programs lead to the same Mathematics career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.