Applied Mathematics
Use advanced math to solve complex real-world problems
What You'll Study
Applied Math is about using mathematical methods by engineers, scientists, and businesses. You don't just prove theorems; you build models to simulate aircraft flow, encrypt credit cards, or predict stock markets.
- Differential Equations
- Numerical Analysis
- Linear Algebra
- Mathematical Modeling
- Complex Analysis
- Optimization
- Scientific Computing
Example Classes
How to Know If You'll Like It
You'll probably enjoy this if...
- ✓You are the "Math Whiz" of your class
- ✓You like solving very hard, abstract problems
- ✓You want to work in finance, crypto, or engineering simulation
- ✓You enjoy coding algorithms
- ✓You have high patience and focus
- ✓You want high earning potential (quant finance)
You might not enjoy this if...
- ✕You struggle with Calculus
- ✕You want to build physical things (Engineering)
- ✕You dislike programming (Applied Math relies on it)
- ✕You want a job where you don't have to think hard daily
Self-Check Quiz
Answer these questions honestly to see if this major might be a good fit for you.
Did you enjoy Calculus BC?
Career Outcomes
Featured In-Demand Careers
Data Scientist
Analyze complex data sets to derive insights that drive business decisions. Combine statistics, programming, and domain expertise.
Software Engineer
Design, develop, and maintain software applications and systems. Work with cutting-edge technologies to solve complex problems.
Actuary
Use mathematics, statistics, and financial theory to measure, manage, and mitigate financial risk and uncertainty.
Financial Analyst
Analyze financial data, prepare reports, and provide insights to guide business and investment decisions.
Other Common Career Paths
- •Quantitative Analyst
- •Cryptographer
- •Operations Research Analyst
- •Systems Engineer
Industries
Software & SaaS
Join the world's fastest-growing industry.
AI & Data
Power the intelligent systems transforming every other industry.
Cloud & Infrastructure
Build and maintain the digital backbone of the internet.
Semiconductors & Electronics
Design the hardware chips that power the modern world.
FinTech & Financial Services
Manage money and revolutionize payments in the digital economy.
Try It First
Test if you like this field before committing to a major:
Watch Numberphile videos on YouTube about encryption or chaos theory.
Learn MATLAB or Python (NumPy) to solve a math problem you can't solve by hand.
Create a mathematical model for a real-world scenario (e.g., predicting spread of a virus).
Related Majors
Frequently Asked Questions
A lot! Finance, Tech, Defense, Logistics. Math is the universal language.
For algorithmic trading or crypto, maybe. For general dev, CS is better. Many double major.
For academia/research yes. For industry, a Masters is often the sweet spot.
Yes, very. It requires high abstract reasoning.
Yes. Math is deterministic/modeling. Stats is probabilistic/data.
Ready to Explore This Major?
Get personalized guidance on whether Applied Mathematics is right for you and how to build a competitive profile.