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Programs & majors brief

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# California State University-Northridge Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at CSUN?

Among California State University-Northridge programs with a reported four-year earnings value, the highest medians are: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($116,613); Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($105,747); Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($104,065); Computer Science ($101,348); Computer Engineering ($101,021). 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.

California State University-Northridge reports earnings data for 46 bachelor's programs, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 39 of them nationally. The university's highest-earning field is Nursing, where completers earn a median of $116,613 four years after completion, with 155 degrees awarded.

Computer Science is the largest of the top earners, awarding 251 degrees and showing a median of $101,348. Among the largest programs, Business Administration and Management leads on earnings at $65,760 with 805 degrees awarded.

Psychology, the biggest program by degrees awarded at 930, reports a median of $49,792, while Criminal Justice reaches $54,169 on 442 degrees awarded.

### 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**1,777 · 19.0%**
-   Communication**953 · 10.2%**
-   Psychology**930 · 9.9%**
-   Social sciences**812 · 8.7%**
-   Health professions**778 · 8.3%**
-   Other**4,109 · 43.9%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

51 of 51 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 155 degrees awarded**
$116,613

**Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions 51 degrees awarded**
$105,747

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 78 degrees awarded**
$104,065

**Computer Science 251 degrees awarded**
$101,348

**Computer Engineering 35 degrees awarded**
$101,021

**Mechanical Engineering 185 degrees awarded**
$99,216

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 | 155 | $116,613 | #29 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 51 | $105,747 | #4 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 78 | $104,065 | #42 |
| Computer Science | 251 | $101,348 | #89 |
| Computer Engineering | 35 | $101,021 | #86 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 185 | $99,216 | #37 |
| Civil Engineering | 75 | $97,123 | #17 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 271 | $92,329 | #36 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 124 | $91,131 | #87 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | 26 | $89,804 | — |
| Public Administration | 27 | $85,789 | #3 |
| Chemistry | 26 | $79,878 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 273 | $74,656 | #81 |
| Economics | 91 | $72,890 | #114 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs small degree count | 15 | $72,148 | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 35 | $69,323 | #11 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 805 | $65,760 | #123 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 104 | $65,188 | #19 |
| Marketing | 389 | $64,373 | #90 |
| Mathematics | 67 | $63,077 | #105 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 156 | $60,740 | #26 |
| Biology, General | 289 | $59,100 | #125 |
| Political Science and Government | 208 | $57,527 | #142 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 351 | $57,138 | #81 |
| Public Health | 312 | $55,989 | #51 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | 182 | $55,327 | #3 |
| Sociology | 417 | $54,500 | #56 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 442 | $54,169 | #59 |
| Journalism | 133 | $53,351 | #48 |
| Area Studies small degree count | 5 | $53,077 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 282 | $52,772 | #66 |
| Religion/Religious Studies small degree count | 13 | $51,235 | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 224 | $50,708 | #26 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 442 | $50,663 | #108 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 39 | $50,644 | #62 |
| Psychology, General | 930 | $49,792 | #116 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 469 | $49,359 | #20 |
| Philosophy small degree count | 16 | $48,566 | — |
| English Language and Literature, General | 178 | $47,660 | #128 |
| History | 118 | $45,821 | #158 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 27 | $43,345 | #118 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 53 | $43,240 | #33 |
| Anthropology | 46 | $43,192 | #79 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 306 | $42,904 | #58 |
| Music | 132 | $40,669 | #77 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 27 | $32,939 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 405 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Manufacturing Engineering small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 29 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics small degree count | 19 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 16 | 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 CSUN?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Psychology, General**
930

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
805

**Radio, Television, and Digital Communication**
469

**Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**
442

**Criminal Justice and Corrections**
442

**Sociology**
417

**Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods**
405

**Marketing**
389

**Communication and Media Studies**
351

**Public Health**
312

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-Northridge, by reported degrees awarded, are: Psychology, General (930 awards); Business Administration, Management and Operations (805 awards); Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (469 awards); Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness (442 awards); Criminal Justice and Corrections (442 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 Psychology, General at $49,792; Business Administration, Management and Operations at $65,760; Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at $49,359. Program size and earnings answer different questions; the largest program need not have the highest earnings.

## How do CSUN majors rank nationally?

California State University-Northridge’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-Northridge 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-Northridge.

### National program rankings

1.  Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General**#3**
2.  Public Administration**#3**
3.  Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions**#4**
4.  Geography and Cartography**#11**
5.  Civil Engineering**#17**
6.  Communication Disorders Sciences and Services**#19**
7.  Radio, Television, and Digital Communication**#20**
8.  Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies**#26**
9.  Health and Medical Administrative Services**#26**
10.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#29**
11.  Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft**#33**
12.  Accounting and Related Services**#36**
13.  Mechanical Engineering**#37**
14.  Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**#42**
15.  Journalism**#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.

The list includes California State University-Northridge 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-Northridge 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

Outcomes at California State University-Northridge vary sharply by field of study, and [Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s evaluate four-year earnings among completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation. The university has 46 programs with published earnings data, and 39 of those carries an Azimuth national rank.

The degree mix is broad: Business accounts for 19.0% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Communication & Journalism at 10.2% and Psychology at 9.9%. The largest single program, Psychology, awards 930 degrees a year and its graduates earn a median of $49,792 four years after completion.

The highest earnings belong to a much smaller program: Nursing graduates earn $116,613, from 155 degrees awarded annually. Computer Science, with 251 degrees a year, reports median earnings of $101,348.

One top-ranked program, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, sits #3 nationally and #1 in California within its field.

## 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.