Programs & majors brief
Appalachian State University Majors & Programs
Which majors earn the most at Appalachian State University?
59 of 59 programs shown
Each bar is a field’s median. Program size counts degrees awarded, not unique people or the earnings sample.
Compare all matching programs
| Program | Degrees awarded | 4-yr earnings | Field rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 67 | $97,670 | #130 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 88 | $87,041 | #31 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 73 | $85,580 | #90 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods small degree count | 17 | $83,033 | — |
| Physics | 22 | $82,399 | #38 |
| Insurance | 40 | $82,306 | #9 |
| Construction Management | 103 | $80,257 | #28 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 123 | $78,943 | #238 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 88 | $75,396 | #125 |
| International Business small degree count | 9 | $72,852 | — |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | 56 | $69,956 | — |
| Marketing | 190 | $69,439 | #82 |
| Economics | 37 | $67,285 | #172 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 65 | $66,227 | #28 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 250 | $64,932 | #187 |
| Mathematics | 45 | $62,271 | #145 |
| Apparel and Textiles | 26 | $58,516 | #17 |
| Chemistry | 49 | $58,329 | #124 |
| Geography and Cartography | 31 | $58,289 | #42 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 29 | $55,778 | #27 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 158 | $55,671 | #53 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 274 | $55,594 | #78 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 145 | $55,474 | #90 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 83 | $55,307 | #141 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 79 | $55,235 | #24 |
| Political Science and Government | 111 | $54,344 | #212 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 128 | $53,543 | #60 |
| Food Science and Technology small degree count | 17 | $53,369 | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 27 | $53,269 | #72 |
| Biology, General | 156 | $53,228 | #263 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 83 | $53,125 | #106 |
| Social Work | 112 | $51,012 | #105 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | 52 | $50,403 | #37 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 30 | $50,264 | #56 |
| Public Health | 80 | $49,039 | #90 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management small degree count | 18 | $48,546 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 145 | $48,255 | #98 |
| Journalism | 33 | $48,243 | #96 |
| Psychology, General | 309 | $47,720 | #219 |
| Sociology | 29 | $47,180 | #205 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 119 | $46,207 | #126 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 229 | $46,057 | #148 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 64 | $45,954 | #193 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 25 | $44,986 | #38 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | 21 | $44,297 | #10 |
| Anthropology | 45 | $42,107 | #91 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 107 | $41,052 | #24 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 51 | $41,002 | #142 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 48 | $40,461 | #82 |
| History | 37 | $40,371 | #261 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Graphic Communications small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities small degree count | 16 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| International/Globalization Studies small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Music small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Dance small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings
What are the largest programs at Appalachian State University?
Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions
How do Appalachian State University majors rank nationally?
National program rankings
- Insurance#9
- Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management#10
- Apparel and Textiles#17
- Radio, Television, and Digital Communication#24
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management#24
- Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services#27
- Health and Medical Administrative Services#28
- Construction Management#28
- Management Information Systems and Services#31
- Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services#37
- Physics#38
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft#38
- Geography and Cartography#42
Programs ranked in the national top 50, supplemented by the largest ranked programs when needed to show ten. Fewer appear when fewer ranks are reported. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ.
Further analysis
Outcomes at Appalachian State University vary sharply by field, and Azimuth's program rankings are designed to make those differences clear. The rankings weigh four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size, not reputation.
The university has 50 programs with published earnings data, and 45 carry an Azimuth national rank. Award counts here are degrees conferred in one academic year, not a count of students.
The degree mix centers on Business, which accounts for 20.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Health Professions at 9.7% and Education at 9.3%. The largest single program is Psychology, with 309 degrees awarded and median earnings of $47,720 four years after completion, which Azimuth ranks #219 nationally.
The highest-earning program is Computer Science, where graduates earn a median of $97,670 and Azimuth ranks it #130 within its field. Insurance holds the strongest national rank at #9, with 40 degrees awarded and median earnings of $82,306.
Data & methodology
Sources and reporting periods: methodology.
Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.
Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.
Figure notes link to sources and limitations. About College Azimuth.