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Programs & majors brief

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# California State University-Fresno Majors & Programs

Updated September 28, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Fresno State?

Business Administration and Management is the largest program, with 655 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #135 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

Its graduates earn $64,133 four years after completion. Nursing is the best-paid program, with graduates earning $111,278 four years after completion from 177 degrees awarded.

Azimuth ranks it #42 nationally. Psychology awards 552 degrees with median earnings of $51,526, and Azimuth ranks it #104 nationally.

Criminology awards 399 degrees with median earnings of $48,647, and Azimuth ranks it #27 nationally. Across all fields, 13.0% of degrees are in STEM.

### 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**684 · 13.2%**
-   Business**655 · 12.6%**
-   Psychology**603 · 11.6%**
-   Liberal arts**529 · 10.2%**
-   Health professions**466 · 9.0%**
-   Other**2,243 · 43.3%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

53 of 53 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 177 degrees awarded**
$111,278

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 29 degrees awarded**
$108,038

**Computer Engineering 30 degrees awarded**
$103,896

**Construction Engineering Technology/Technician 36 degrees awarded**
$95,072

**Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians 7 degrees awarded**
$90,353

**Mechanical Engineering 79 degrees awarded**
$88,002

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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 177 | $111,278 | #42 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 29 | $108,038 | #73 |
| Computer Engineering | 30 | $103,896 | #94 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | 36 | $95,072 | #14 |
| Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians small degree count | 7 | $90,353 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 79 | $88,002 | #135 |
| Civil Engineering | 70 | $87,627 | #51 |
| Plant Sciences | 63 | $77,034 | #2 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 149 | $76,268 | — |
| Computer Science | 52 | $71,490 | #181 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 109 | $67,731 | #15 |
| Economics | 32 | $66,749 | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 63 | $64,225 | #16 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 655 | $64,133 | #135 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 71 | $62,475 | #15 |
| Political Science and Government | 59 | $62,298 | #124 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 529 | $58,436 | #22 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 44 | $56,336 | #10 |
| Social Work | 111 | $56,038 | #36 |
| Mathematics | 45 | $55,664 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 231 | $54,849 | #69 |
| Animal Sciences | 88 | $53,579 | #15 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 140 | $51,835 | #103 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 94 | $51,788 | #153 |
| History | 94 | $51,676 | #102 |
| Psychology, General | 552 | $51,526 | #104 |
| Biology, General | 157 | $50,728 | #278 |
| Sociology | 164 | $49,407 | #113 |
| Anthropology | 30 | $49,187 | #46 |
| Criminology | 399 | $48,647 | #27 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 90 | $47,223 | #142 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 25 | $45,819 | #185 |
| Chemistry small degree count | 14 | $45,522 | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 56 | $45,063 | #101 |
| Philosophy | 28 | $42,337 | #61 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General small degree count | 9 | $41,734 | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 65 | $39,878 | #138 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 52 | $38,397 | #117 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 34 | $34,320 | #110 |
| Architecture small degree count | 6 | Not reported | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning small degree count | 6 | Not reported | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 47 | Not reported | — |
| Journalism | 95 | Not reported | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 35 | Not reported | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services small degree count | 10 | Not reported | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 62 | Not reported | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 28 | Not reported | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 46 | Not reported | — |
| Physical Sciences, General small degree count | 13 | Not reported | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 7 | Not reported | — |
| Physics small degree count | 5 | Not reported | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 51 | Not reported | — |
| Music | 37 | Not reported | — |

[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 Fresno State?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
655

**Psychology, General**
552

**Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**
529

**Criminology**
399

**Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**
231

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
177

**Sociology**
164

**Biology, General**
157

**Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**
149

**Communication Disorders Sciences and Services**
140

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

## How do Fresno State majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Plant Sciences**#2**
2.  Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies**#10**
3.  Construction Engineering Technology/Technician**#14**
4.  Agricultural Business and Management**#15**
5.  Animal Sciences**#15**
6.  Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas**#15**
7.  Food Science and Technology**#16**
8.  Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**#22**
9.  Criminology**#27**
10.  Social Work**#36**
11.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#42**
12.  Anthropology**#46**

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 California State University-Fresno depend heavily on the field a student chooses. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 33 programs at the university and publishes four-year earnings for 39, evaluating median debt and cohort size rather than reputation.

The degree mix is broad. Social Sciences accounts for 13.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Business at 12.6% and Psychology at 11.6%.

The highest-ranked program nationally is Plant Sciences, which ranks #2 in its field and reports median earnings of $77,034 four years after completion. Nursing graduates, ranked #42 nationally in its field, earn the most at $111,278, from 177 degrees awarded.

Award counts reflect degrees conferred in one academic year, and program earnings cover federally aided completers.

## Data & methodology

A missing figure does not mean zero. 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/).