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Programs & majors brief

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# California State University-Long Beach Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at CSU Long Beach?

Among California State University-Long Beach programs with a reported four-year earnings value, the highest medians are: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($111,681); Biomedical/Medical Engineering ($106,540); Construction Engineering Technology/Technician ($103,125); Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($103,075); Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering ($101,797). These are earnings after completion for the covered cohort.

A program median describes the middle reported outcome in that group. It is not a starting-salary offer or a prediction for every graduate, and an earnings comparison does not by itself explain why fields differ.

Compare these results with the subjects you want to study and the program’s reported award count. Awards measure degree output, not the number of people in the earnings sample.

The best-paid program is Nursing, where graduates earn $111,681 four years after completion from 221 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #38 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

Electrical Engineering also posts high earnings at $103,075, with 125 degrees awarded and a national rank of #45. These fields sit well above the largest programs by degrees awarded.

Business Administration and Management is the largest program at 1,566 degrees a year. Its graduates earn $67,853 four years after completion, and Azimuth ranks it #83 nationally.

Psychology, the next largest, awards 528 degrees; its graduates earn $48,926 and Azimuth ranks it #163 nationally.

### 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**1,680 · 18.2%**
-   Visual and performing arts**940 · 10.2%**
-   Health professions**788 · 8.5%**
-   Engineering**748 · 8.1%**
-   Social sciences**706 · 7.6%**
-   Other**4,385 · 47.4%**

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

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 221 degrees awarded**
$111,681

**Biomedical/Medical Engineering 40 degrees awarded**
$106,540

**Construction Engineering Technology/Technician 53 degrees awarded**
$103,125

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 125 degrees awarded**
$103,075

**Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering 97 degrees awarded**
$101,797

**Computer Science 254 degrees awarded**
$101,428

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 | 221 | $111,681 | #38 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 40 | $106,540 | #15 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | 53 | $103,125 | #5 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 125 | $103,075 | #45 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 97 | $101,797 | #19 |
| Computer Science | 254 | $101,428 | #86 |
| Computer Engineering | 55 | $98,967 | #85 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 229 | $95,957 | #49 |
| Chemical Engineering | 80 | $92,523 | #82 |
| Civil Engineering | 122 | $89,457 | #38 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 66 | $79,820 | #5 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 42 | $75,137 | #4 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 29 | $73,988 | — |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 37 | $73,980 | #32 |
| Economics | 76 | $71,220 | #141 |
| Physics | 41 | $70,462 | #53 |
| Social Work | 72 | $68,448 | #2 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 1,566 | $67,853 | #83 |
| Chemistry | 39 | $67,818 | #55 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 114 | $66,435 | #16 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 146 | $64,633 | #17 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 41 | $63,040 | #32 |
| Mathematics | 136 | $61,754 | #120 |
| Biology, General | 284 | $61,492 | #91 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 279 | $60,019 | #27 |
| Political Science and Government | 199 | $59,787 | #122 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 233 | $58,513 | #39 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 339 | $58,137 | #71 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 77 | $57,927 | #31 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 263 | $57,643 | #55 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 48 | $55,588 | #8 |
| Journalism | 85 | $55,192 | #45 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 79 | $53,933 | #13 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 30 | $53,918 | #29 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 59 | $52,961 | #62 |
| History | 146 | $52,423 | #69 |
| Sociology | 306 | $51,982 | #80 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions small degree count | 9 | $51,580 | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 98 | $50,453 | #30 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | 403 | $50,361 | #5 |
| Area Studies | 43 | $50,071 | #29 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 263 | $49,804 | #89 |
| Philosophy | 35 | $49,062 | #47 |
| Psychology, General | 528 | $48,926 | #163 |
| Geography and Cartography | 49 | $48,715 | #72 |
| Music | 86 | $47,831 | #41 |
| Anthropology | 76 | $47,166 | #41 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 125 | $46,966 | #50 |
| Dance | 46 | $46,387 | #9 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 415 | $43,349 | #47 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 52 | $38,996 | #50 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 82 | $38,270 | #70 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 48 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Apparel and Textiles | 96 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 81 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 197 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 370 | 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 CSU Long Beach?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
1,566

**Psychology, General**
528

**Fine and Studio Arts**
415

**Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General**
403

**Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**
370

**Communication and Media Studies**
339

**Sociology**
306

**Biology, General**
284

**Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**
279

**English Language and Literature, General**
263

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

The largest program records at California State University-Long Beach, by reported degrees awarded, are: Business Administration, Management and Operations (1,566 awards); Psychology, General (528 awards); Fine and Studio Arts (415 awards); Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General (403 awards); Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (370 awards). These counts describe degree output in the source reporting period, not current enrollment or unique people.

Among those larger programs, reported median earnings four years after completion include Business Administration, Management and Operations at $67,853; Psychology, General at $48,926; Fine and Studio Arts at $43,349. Program size and earnings answer different questions; the largest program need not have the highest earnings.

## How do CSU Long Beach majors rank nationally?

California State University-Long Beach’s national program ranks compare each field with the same field at other institutions in Azimuth’s ranking data. For example, a Computer Science rank compares programs in Computer Science, while a Biology rank compares programs in Biology.

A lower rank number indicates a higher position within that field; comparing the numbers across different fields does not tell you which major will pay more or suit you better.

These are Azimuth program-value rankings. The source orders programs by its composite program-value measure, so this view answers a different question from the highest-earning majors section.

A field can report lower earnings than another California State University-Long Beach field while holding a stronger position against its own national competitors. Read its national position alongside the earnings and degree counts to understand both the comparison with other schools and the scale of the program at California State University-Long Beach.

### National program rankings

1.  Social Work**#2**
2.  Communication Disorders Sciences and Services**#4**
3.  Construction Engineering Technology/Technician**#5**
4.  Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General**#5**
5.  Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology**#5**
6.  Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology**#8**
7.  Dance**#9**
8.  Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies**#13**
9.  Biomedical/Medical Engineering**#15**
10.  Design and Applied Arts**#16**
11.  Health and Medical Administrative Services**#17**
12.  Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering**#19**
13.  Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**#27**
14.  Area Studies**#29**
15.  International/Globalization Studies**#29**
16.  Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies**#30**
17.  Hospitality Administration/Management**#31**
18.  Natural Resources Conservation and Research**#32**
19.  Business/Managerial Economics**#32**
20.  Civil Engineering**#38**
21.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#38**
22.  Criminal Justice and Corrections**#39**
23.  Anthropology**#41**
24.  Music**#41**
25.  Journalism**#45**
26.  Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**#45**
27.  Philosophy**#47**
28.  Fine and Studio Arts**#47**
29.  Mechanical Engineering**#49**
30.  Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services**#50**
31.  Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services**#50**

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.

The list includes California State University-Long Beach programs ranked in the national top 50 for their field. If fewer than ten qualify, it adds the largest remaining programs with a reported national rank, using degrees awarded to select them, until the list reaches ten or no ranked programs remain.

These additions broaden the comparison to larger California State University-Long Beach programs; they are not necessarily ranked in the national top 50.

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

## Further analysis

Earnings four years after completion differ widely by field at California State University-Long Beach. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) programs using four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size, not reputation.

52 programs publish earnings data, and 50 hold a national rank. The degree mix is led by Business at 18.2%, with Visual & Performing Arts at 10.2% and Health Professions at 8.5%.

Business Administration and Management, the largest program, accounts for 1,566 degrees awarded a year and ranks #83 nationally, with median earnings of $67,853 four years after completion. Nursing posts the highest earnings at $111,681 and ranks #38 in its field, with 221 degrees awarded. Social Work ranks #2 nationally with earnings of $68,448.

## 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/).

Four-year earnings are measured after completion for the covered federally aided cohort of people working and not enrolled. Measures taken six, eight or ten years after entry use a different starting point and should not be treated as one graduating class followed over time.

Program award counts describe credentials awarded, not current enrollment, unique graduates or earnings-sample size. Reporting periods differ across measures; the shared field definitions do not establish the exact vintage of every school-level value.