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Programs & majors brief

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# Boston University Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at BU?

The return picture at Boston University depends heavily on field of study. The university awards bachelor's degrees across 36 fields with published four-year earnings, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 34 of them nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The highest-earning program, Computer Science, shows a median of $136,667 four years after completion, with 294 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #42. Computer Engineering follows at $135,394 on 122 degrees awarded.

Among the largest programs, earnings vary. Business Administration and Management, the most-awarded field at 678 degrees, reaches $108,412 and ranks #14 nationally.

Psychology, with 276 degrees awarded, earns a median of $63,838 and ranks #26 in its field. The spread between a high-earning technical field and a large social-science program shows how much the chosen major shapes the early-career return.

### 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.

-   Social sciences**789 · 15.9%**
-   Business**750 · 15.1%**
-   Communication**723 · 14.5%**
-   Biological sciences**551 · 11.1%**
-   Engineering**447 · 9.0%**
-   Other**1,716 · 34.5%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

56 of 56 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Science 294 degrees awarded**
$136,667

**Computer Engineering 122 degrees awarded**
$135,394

**Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 60 degrees awarded**
$110,622

**Business Administration, Management and Operations 678 degrees awarded**
$108,412

**Biomedical/Medical Engineering 126 degrees awarded**
$99,024

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 50 degrees awarded**
$98,953

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 | 294 | $136,667 | #42 |
| Computer Engineering | 122 | $135,394 | #19 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 60 | $110,622 | #4 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 678 | $108,412 | #14 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 126 | $99,024 | #30 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 50 | $98,953 | #134 |
| Economics | 305 | $96,723 | #54 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 149 | $95,757 | #79 |
| Mathematics | 135 | $84,784 | #41 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | 41 | $83,413 | #4 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 72 | $82,302 | #3 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 134 | $80,306 | #9 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 179 | $78,431 | #6 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 25 | $72,809 | #15 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 33 | $72,566 | #6 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 147 | $68,888 | #13 |
| Philosophy | 56 | $68,026 | #12 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 233 | $66,661 | #30 |
| Political Science and Government | 156 | $66,373 | #93 |
| Journalism | 110 | $65,617 | #15 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 151 | $64,112 | #47 |
| Psychology, General | 276 | $63,838 | #26 |
| Sociology | 38 | $63,791 | #48 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 109 | $62,342 | #19 |
| Biology, General | 118 | $61,610 | #154 |
| History | 47 | $59,986 | #67 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 26 | $59,858 | #41 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 62 | $58,564 | #56 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 26 | $57,967 | #9 |
| Special Education and Teaching small degree count | 11 | $57,294 | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 203 | $55,804 | #18 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 21 | $54,766 | #90 |
| Anthropology small degree count | 19 | $53,722 | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 35 | $49,538 | #42 |
| Music | 40 | $39,426 | #119 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 59 | $39,322 | #74 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 25 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Area Studies small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 276 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 32 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Applied Mathematics small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Mathematical Economics | 42 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 24 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Classical and Ancient Studies small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Chemistry | 33 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics | 22 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | 28 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Archeology small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 32 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions small degree count | 5 | 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 BU?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
678

**Economics**
305

**Computer Science**
294

**Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication**
276

**Psychology, General**
276

**International Relations and National Security Studies**
233

**Radio, Television, and Digital Communication**
203

**Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**
179

**Political Science and Government**
156

**Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology**
151

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

## How do BU majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Hospitality Administration/Management**#3**
2.  Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**#4**
3.  Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other**#4**
4.  Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#6**
5.  Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions**#6**
6.  Communication and Media Studies**#9**
7.  Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology**#9**
8.  Philosophy**#12**
9.  Neurobiology and Neurosciences**#13**
10.  Business Administration, Management and Operations**#14**
11.  Journalism**#15**
12.  Design and Applied Arts**#15**
13.  Radio, Television, and Digital Communication**#18**
14.  Computer Engineering**#19**
15.  Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences**#19**
16.  Psychology, General**#26**
17.  Biomedical/Medical Engineering**#30**
18.  International Relations and National Security Studies**#30**
19.  Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas**#41**
20.  Mathematics**#41**
21.  Computer Science**#42**
22.  Fine and Studio Arts**#42**
23.  Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology**#47**
24.  Sociology**#48**

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

[Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s for Boston University weigh four-year earnings among completers, debt, and cohort size instead of reputation, and results differ widely by field. Among the university's programs, 36 have published earnings data and 34 hold a national rank.

Social Sciences accounts for 15.9% of degrees awarded, followed by Business at 15.1% and Communication & Journalism at 14.5%. Hospitality Administration/Management ranks #3 nationally, with graduates earning $82,302 four years after completion.

Business Administration and Management is the largest program, ranking #14 with median earnings of $108,412 four years after completion. The highest earnings belong to Computer Science, at $136,667 four years after completion.

## 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/).