1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Bowdoin College](/school/bowdoin-college/) 4. / 5. Programs & majors brief Programs & majors brief Copy linkPrint brief # Bowdoin College Majors & Programs Updated October 1, 2026 [Overview](/school/bowdoin-college/)[Cost & aid](/school/bowdoin-college/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/bowdoin-college/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/bowdoin-college/admissions/)Majors[Similar schools](/school/bowdoin-college/similar/) **On this page**+ ## Which majors earn the most at Bowdoin College? Social Sciences accounts for 31.3% of bachelor's degrees awarded at Bowdoin College, and Biological Sciences accounts for 13.2%. Economics has 78 degrees awarded, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #27 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Its graduates earn $121,983 four years after completion. Political Science ranks #9 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, with 83 degrees awarded and median earnings of $89,253 four years after completion. Area Studies ranks #3 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, with 47 degrees awarded; its graduates earn $75,966 four years after completion. ### 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**189 · 31.3%** - Biological sciences**80 · 13.2%** - Physical sciences**49 · 8.1%** - Area studies**47 · 7.8%** - Mathematics**43 · 7.1%** - Other**196 · 32.5%** Find a field Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name 22 of 22 programs shown Four-year earnings · first four matching programs **Computer Science 42 degrees awarded** $137,611 **Economics 78 degrees awarded** $121,983 **Political Science and Government 83 degrees awarded** $89,253 **Area Studies 47 degrees awarded** $75,966 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 | 42 | $137,611 | — | | Economics | 78 | $121,983 | #27 | | Political Science and Government | 83 | $89,253 | #9 | | Area Studies | 47 | $75,966 | #3 | | Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Education, General | 20 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — | | English Language and Literature, General | 29 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Biology, General | 33 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 26 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Mathematics | 43 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Human Computer Interaction small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Physics small degree count | 19 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Chemistry small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Research and Experimental Psychology | 20 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Sociology small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Anthropology small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Fine and Studio Arts small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — | | History | 29 | 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 Bowdoin College? Ten largest programs by degrees awarded **Political Science and Government** 83 **Economics** 78 **Area Studies** 47 **Mathematics** 43 **Computer Science** 42 **Biology, General** 33 **English Language and Literature, General** 29 **History** 29 **Neurobiology and Neurosciences** 26 **Natural Resources Conservation and Research** 21 Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. [Program data and definitions](#page-sources) ## How do Bowdoin College majors rank nationally? ### National program rankings 1. Area Studies**#3** 2. Political Science and Government**#9** 3. Economics**#27** 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 Bowdoin College concentrates its bachelor's degrees in the social sciences. Social Sciences accounts for 31.3% of degrees awarded, followed by Biological Sciences at 13.2% and Physical Sciences at 8.1%. Earnings four years after completion vary by field, so Azimuth scores programs on four-year earnings among federally aided completers, debt, and cohort size, not reputation. Published four-year earnings are available for 4 programs, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 3 of them nationally. Area Studies ranks #3 nationally with median earnings of $75,966 four years after completion. Political Science, the largest program at 83 degrees awarded, ranks #9 and reports earnings of $89,253. Economics reports median earnings of $121,983 and ranks #27 nationally. ## 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/).