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Programs & majors brief

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# Appalachian State University Majors & Programs

Updated September 30, 2026

[Overview](/school/appalachian-state-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/appalachian-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/appalachian-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/appalachian-state-university/admissions/)Majors[Similar schools](/school/appalachian-state-university/similar/)

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Appalachian State University?

At Appalachian State University, computing fields occupy the higher-earning end of the program picture four years after completion. Computer Science: $97,670 in median earnings, 67 degrees awarded, and an [Azimuth rank](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) of #130 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

Management Information Systems and Services recorded $87,041, with 88 degrees awarded and an Azimuth rank of #31 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. At a more moderate earnings level, Psychology posted $47,720 four years after completion across 309 degrees awarded; Azimuth ranks it #219 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

The contrast between computing and this large program shows how much the earnings picture differs by field.

### Major mix · each dot ≈ 1% of completions

Share of reported completions in the bachelor’s programs included here. Each dot represents approximately 1% of those completions. Counts are credentials, not unique students; excluded programs are not zero activity.

-   Business**876 · 20.2%**
-   Health professions**418 · 9.7%**
-   Education**404 · 9.3%**
-   Parks and recreation**381 · 8.8%**
-   Communication**353 · 8.2%**
-   Other**1,899 · 43.8%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

59 of 59 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Science 67 degrees awarded**
$97,670

**Management Information Systems and Services 88 degrees awarded**
$87,041

**Accounting and Related Services 73 degrees awarded**
$85,580

**Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 17 degrees awarded**
$83,033

**Physics 22 degrees awarded**
$82,399

**Insurance 40 degrees awarded**
$82,306

Each bar is a field’s median. Program size counts degrees awarded, not unique people or the earnings sample.

Compare all matching programs

Reported bachelor’s programs · earnings, program size and field ranks

| 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](#page-sources) · [How to evaluate program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)

## What are the largest programs at Appalachian State University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Psychology, General**
309

**Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**
274

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
250

**Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods**
229

**Marketing**
190

**Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication**
158

**Biology, General**
156

**Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas**
145

**Criminal Justice and Corrections**
145

**Design and Applied Arts**
128

Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. [Program data and definitions](#page-sources)

## How do Appalachian State University majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Insurance**#9**
2.  Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management**#10**
3.  Apparel and Textiles**#17**
4.  Radio, Television, and Digital Communication**#24**
5.  Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management**#24**
6.  Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services**#27**
7.  Health and Medical Administrative Services**#28**
8.  Construction Management**#28**
9.  Management Information Systems and Services**#31**
10.  Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services**#37**
11.  Physics**#38**
12.  Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft**#38**
13.  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.

[How Azimuth compares programs across colleges](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)

## Further analysis

Outcomes at Appalachian State University vary sharply by field, and [Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s 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](/methodology/).

Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), 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](/about/).