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Programs & majors brief

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# California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

[Overview](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/)[Cost & aid](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/admissions/)Majors[Similar schools](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/similar/)

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Cal Poly SLO?

The largest programs at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo span a wide earnings range four years after completion. Computer Science graduates earn a median of $154,784, while Animal Sciences graduates earn $54,805.

Business Administration and Management awards the most degrees, 753 a year, with median earnings of $110,902. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #10 nationally within its field.

Computer Science is the highest-earning among the largest programs with published earnings, at $154,784 from 163 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks it #26 nationally. Animal Sciences, with 165 degrees a year, sits at the more moderate end, though Azimuth still ranks it #4 nationally in its 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.

-   Engineering**1,142 · 22.9%**
-   Business**876 · 17.6%**
-   Agriculture**535 · 10.7%**
-   Social sciences**251 · 5.0%**
-   Architecture**243 · 4.9%**
-   Other**1,937 · 38.9%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

61 of 61 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Science 163 degrees awarded**
$154,784

**Computer Engineering 158 degrees awarded**
$148,950

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 136 degrees awarded**
$125,240

**Construction Management 123 degrees awarded**
$118,331

**Industrial Engineering 72 degrees awarded**
$112,797

**Business Administration, Management and Operations 753 degrees awarded**
$110,902

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 | 163 | $154,784 | #26 |
| Computer Engineering | 158 | $148,950 | #10 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 136 | $125,240 | #10 |
| Construction Management | 123 | $118,331 | #1 |
| Industrial Engineering | 72 | $112,797 | #6 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 753 | $110,902 | #10 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 104 | $109,232 | #9 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 106 | $107,498 | #7 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 272 | $106,750 | #14 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 29 | $102,702 | #2 |
| Statistics | 41 | $101,353 | #19 |
| Civil Engineering | 130 | $101,072 | #7 |
| Materials Engineering | 48 | $100,599 | #3 |
| Economics | 53 | $98,927 | #57 |
| Philosophy | 35 | $98,592 | — |
| Physics | 51 | $96,805 | #8 |
| Architectural Engineering | 39 | $92,767 | #4 |
| Agricultural Engineering small degree count | 18 | $92,603 | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 52 | $89,195 | #5 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 120 | $88,396 | #3 |
| Agriculture, General | 28 | $84,412 | #1 |
| Mathematics | 62 | $83,187 | #51 |
| Plant Sciences | 49 | $82,487 | #1 |
| Political Science and Government | 95 | $81,843 | #35 |
| Agricultural Public Services | 32 | $80,965 | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 36 | $80,820 | #1 |
| Graphic Communications | 83 | $79,432 | #1 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 39 | $78,097 | #15 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | 40 | $78,080 | — |
| Forestry | 39 | $77,419 | #3 |
| Food Science and Technology | 101 | $75,466 | #2 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 77 | $75,223 | #18 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 95 | $75,181 | #1 |
| Journalism | 58 | $70,829 | #8 |
| Sociology | 64 | $69,883 | #13 |
| Biology, General | 160 | $69,854 | #51 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 23 | $69,227 | #16 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 127 | $68,965 | #2 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 74 | $68,930 | #4 |
| Landscape Architecture | 27 | $68,795 | #6 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 107 | $68,171 | #15 |
| History | 60 | $66,518 | #29 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 75 | $64,579 | #34 |
| Chemistry | 26 | $63,882 | #81 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 60 | $63,413 | #26 |
| Psychology, General | 156 | $60,466 | #47 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 54 | $59,721 | #6 |
| Social Sciences, Other | 39 | $57,360 | #7 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 57 | $55,543 | #47 |
| Animal Sciences | 165 | $54,805 | #4 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count | 10 | $36,697 | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 180 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 20 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Manufacturing Engineering | 23 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Engineering Science small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology small degree count | 16 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 26 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Marine Sciences small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Music small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Public Health | 60 | 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 Cal Poly SLO?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
753

**Mechanical Engineering**
272

**Architectural Sciences and Technology**
180

**Animal Sciences**
165

**Computer Science**
163

**Biology, General**
160

**Computer Engineering**
158

**Psychology, General**
156

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**
136

**Civil Engineering**
130

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

## How do Cal Poly SLO majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Agriculture, General**#1**
2.  Plant Sciences**#1**
3.  City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning**#1**
4.  Graphic Communications**#1**
5.  Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies**#1**
6.  Construction Management**#1**
7.  Food Science and Technology**#2**
8.  Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy**#2**
9.  Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering**#2**
10.  Agricultural Business and Management**#3**
11.  Forestry**#3**
12.  Materials Engineering**#3**
13.  Animal Sciences**#4**
14.  Architectural Engineering**#4**
15.  Nutrition Sciences**#4**
16.  Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians**#5**
17.  Landscape Architecture**#6**
18.  Industrial Engineering**#6**
19.  Fine and Studio Arts**#6**
20.  Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering**#7**
21.  Civil Engineering**#7**
22.  Social Sciences, Other**#7**
23.  Journalism**#8**
24.  Physics**#8**
25.  Biomedical/Medical Engineering**#9**
26.  Computer Engineering**#10**
27.  Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**#10**
28.  Business Administration, Management and Operations**#10**
29.  Sociology**#13**
30.  Mechanical Engineering**#14**
31.  Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**#15**
32.  Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology**#15**
33.  Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences**#16**
34.  Communication and Media Studies**#18**
35.  Statistics**#19**
36.  Computer Science**#26**
37.  English Language and Literature, General**#26**
38.  History**#29**
39.  Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**#34**
40.  Political Science and Government**#35**
41.  Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods**#47**
42.  Psychology, General**#47**

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

At California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, 46 of the 51 programs with published earnings data carry an Azimuth national rank. The degree mix is anchored in Engineering, which accounts for 22.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded.

Business follows at 17.6%, with Agriculture & Natural Resources third at 10.7%. Business Administration and Management is the largest single program at 753 degrees awarded, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #10 nationally, with completers earning $110,902 four years after completion.

Computer Science completers earn $154,784 four years after completion, and Azimuth ranks it #26 in its field. Azimuth ranks Construction Management #1 nationally, with median earnings of $118,331.

## 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/).