A bachelor’s in mathematics comes in two common shapes. A BS in Mathematics loads the major with more upper-division mathematics and a science or computing requirement. A BA in Mathematics keeps a broader arts-and-sciences frame with fewer major credits, which leaves room for a second field or a teaching-licensure sequence. Both are real mathematics degrees. The difference that actually matters is which upper-division courses the program requires and how often it offers them online.
This page explains the degree titles and tracks you will encounter, what the proof sequence demands, why course rotation is the biggest scheduling risk in this major, and how to compare programs honestly.
Quick answers
Can I get a bachelor’s degree in mathematics online?
Yes. Around 972 of the 1,148 institutions reporting bachelor’s-or-higher completions in mathematics and statistics fields offer distance-education programs (IPEDS 2024). Applied mathematics, actuarial-track, and mathematics education degrees are the most commonly offered fully online. A fully proof-based BS is offered online less often, so read the catalog rather than the program page.
What is the difference between a BA and a BS in mathematics?
The BS typically requires more upper-division mathematics plus a laboratory science or computing sequence. The BA typically requires fewer major credits and more general electives or a foreign language, which makes room for a second major, a minor, or a teacher-preparation sequence. Employers rarely distinguish between them. Graduate programs look at which courses you took, especially real analysis and abstract algebra.
How many credits is a bachelor’s degree in mathematics?
Approximately 120 semester hours, typically four years full-time. The calculus sequence and linear algebra usually fill the first two years, and the proof-based major courses sit in the junior and senior years.
Do I need calculus before I apply?
Not usually to be admitted to the university, but you will need it to start the major. Many programs place you by a math placement exam or by transfer credit. If you are starting from precalculus, add a term or two to your plan and confirm the school offers the prerequisite courses online.
What is a proof course and why does everyone mention it?
It is the transition course – often called Discrete Mathematics, Foundations, or Introduction to Proof – where the major stops being computation and becomes argument. You learn logic, sets, induction, and how to write a proof someone else can verify. It is the most common point where students discover whether they want this major.
Is a bachelor’s enough, or will I need a graduate degree?
It depends on the job. Actuarial and analyst work hires at the bachelor’s level, gated by the actuarial exam sequence or by demonstrated computing skill rather than by a master’s. Research roles under the mathematician title and postsecondary teaching typically require a graduate degree. See the online master’s in mathematics for what the next level adds.
At a Glance
- Common degree titles: BS in Mathematics, BA in Mathematics, BS in Applied Mathematics, BS in Mathematics with an actuarial or education concentration
- Typical duration: 4 years full-time
- Credits: Approximately 120 semester hours
- Core skills: Calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, proof writing, probability, numerical methods, and programming
- Accreditation: No programmatic accreditor for mathematics; verify institutional accreditation
For a full map of this program area, start here: Mathematics Program Guide
Schools to compare
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most
recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS).
To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked
against schools at the same credential level:
BOCSCORE
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$102,772
Avg net price
$12,116/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 64
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$124,080
Avg net price
$13,807/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 100
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
11%
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$92,446
Avg net price
$13,481/yr
TuitionIn‑state$16,347
Out‑of‑state$50,547
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 127
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
98%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$110,066
Avg net price
$6,128/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 47
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
95%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$128,566
Avg net price
$16,075/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 30
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
7%
Graduation rate
95%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$82,735
Avg net price
$14,398/yr
TuitionIn‑state$67,832
Out‑of‑state$67,832
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 40
Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$88,665
Avg net price
$17,716/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 38
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 28
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
The main undergraduate pathways
Pure mathematics (usually a BS)
The proof-based route. After the calculus sequence you take the transition-to-proof course, then real analysis and abstract algebra, usually with topology, complex analysis, or number theory as electives. This is the track that prepares you for graduate study in mathematics and for the research roles that carry the mathematician title. It is also the track least often available fully online, because proof-heavy courses are harder to deliver and assess at a distance. If a program advertises “mathematics” but its upper division is modeling and statistics with no analysis or algebra requirement, it is an applied degree with a general name.
Applied mathematics
Substitutes modeling, numerical analysis, optimization, and differential equations for part of the pure sequence, usually with a required computing component. This is the most common online mathematics bachelor’s and the most directly employable at the bachelor’s level, because the jobs graduates take are computational. Pair it with programming coursework and it competes for the same roles as a data science or data analytics degree.
Actuarial concentration
A mathematics major with probability, mathematical statistics, financial mathematics, and interest theory sequenced to support the first professional actuarial exams. The degree prepares you; the exams qualify you. Passing one or two exams before graduation is what makes an entry-level application competitive. Actuaries earned a median annual wage of $130,000 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS), and the occupation is projected to grow 21.8 percent through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). For the credentialing walkthrough, see how to become an actuary.
Mathematics education
A mathematics major paired with a teacher-preparation sequence: methods courses, educational psychology, and a supervised student-teaching placement. This track leads to a state teaching license, which is the actual hiring requirement for secondary school teachers. Secondary school teachers earned a median annual wage of $72,040 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Licensure rules are set by each state, and the supervised placement has to happen in a physical classroom even in an online program. See the education program guide for how these sequences work.
Typical coursework in a bachelor’s program
| Course Topic |
What You Learn |
| Calculus I-III |
Limits, derivatives, integrals, sequences and series, and multivariable calculus |
| Linear Algebra |
Vector spaces, matrices, eigenvalues, and linear transformations |
| Differential Equations |
Ordinary differential equations, systems, and standard solution methods |
| Introduction to Proof |
Logic, sets, functions, induction, and how to write a verifiable argument |
| Real Analysis |
The rigorous foundation under calculus: limits, continuity, and convergence, proved |
| Abstract Algebra |
Groups, rings, and fields, and the structure common to many mathematical systems |
| Probability and Mathematical Statistics |
Distributions, expectation, estimation, and inference from a mathematical basis |
| Numerical Analysis |
Approximation, error, stability, and computational methods for problems without closed forms |
| Computing |
Python, R, or MATLAB applied to modeling, simulation, and data work |
| Capstone or seminar |
An extended problem, modeling project, or expository paper |
Skills you may build
- Writing an argument that a skeptical reader can check step by step
- Recognizing the structure shared by problems that look unrelated
- Translating a described situation into a model, and knowing what the model leaves out
- Reading a method’s assumptions and identifying where it breaks
- Working with data at the level of the underlying distribution, not just the summary
- Programming well enough to compute what you cannot solve in closed form
Prerequisites and course sequencing
Mathematics is the most sequential major on this site, and that has a scheduling consequence online. Before you enroll, confirm:
- Where a placement exam puts you, and whether prerequisite courses are offered online
- How often each upper-division course runs – every term, once a year, or alternating years
- Whether the proof course is a prerequisite for both analysis and algebra, which many programs make it
- Whether the capstone has prerequisites you can finish on your timeline
- Whether any course requires a synchronous session or an on-campus exam
The single most common cause of a delayed mathematics graduation is a required course offered once a year that you miss by one term. Ask for the two-year rotation in writing before you commit. If you are moving faster than a four-year plan, compare accelerated mathematics programs.
Transfer credits and degree planning
Transfer credit moves the needle more in mathematics than in most majors, because the calculus sequence and linear algebra are standardized and widely offered at community colleges. Rules vary by institution, so confirm:
- The maximum number of transfer credits accepted
- The minimum grade required for a course to transfer
- Whether calculus and linear algebra satisfy major prerequisites or only count as electives
- Whether upper-division proof courses can transfer at all, since many programs restrict them
- Residency requirements, meaning a minimum number of credits completed at the institution
See Affordable Online Mathematics Degrees for more on managing total program cost.
Accreditation and program quality checks
There is no programmatic accreditor for mathematics degrees. Verify that the institution holds accreditation from a recognized institutional accreditor through the U.S. Department of Education database.
Two exceptions sit at the edges of the field. A teacher-preparation track may be housed in an education unit holding CAEP accreditation, and your state licensure board sets the binding requirements. Actuarial preparation is recognized by the actuarial societies through course and exam credit, which is a professional designation rather than accreditation of the degree.
Bachelor’s vs a graduate degree in mathematics
A bachelor’s in mathematics is a complete quantitative credential and is enough for actuarial, analyst, and many data roles, provided you pair it with exams or programming. It is not enough for the occupation BLS calls mathematician, which had 2,400 jobs in 2024, a projected 0.7 percent decline, and about 100 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Research and postsecondary teaching typically require a graduate degree.
Compare degree options:
Data verified: September 5, 2026.
Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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