Programs & majors brief
California State University-Sacramento Majors & Programs
Which majors earn the most at Sac State?
51 of 51 programs shown
Each bar is a field’s median. Program size counts degrees awarded, not unique people or the earnings sample.
Compare all matching programs
| Program | Degrees awarded | 4-yr earnings | Field rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 196 | $129,960 | #8 |
| Computer Engineering | 60 | $104,394 | #65 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 94 | $103,512 | #40 |
| Civil Engineering | 145 | $93,973 | #19 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 178 | $93,878 | #62 |
| Computer Science | 300 | $92,519 | #104 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 30 | $82,062 | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 36 | $75,234 | #2 |
| Chemistry | 38 | $74,430 | #46 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 26 | $73,418 | #6 |
| Economics | 161 | $70,290 | #121 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 69 | $67,795 | #20 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 935 | $67,636 | #97 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 158 | $67,182 | #20 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 35 | $66,885 | #45 |
| Philosophy | 25 | $65,115 | #19 |
| Physics small degree count | 9 | $64,133 | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 134 | $63,013 | #27 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 568 | $62,583 | #11 |
| Biology, General | 294 | $61,775 | #90 |
| Interior Architecture | 49 | $61,410 | #5 |
| Gerontology | 38 | $60,868 | — |
| Political Science and Government | 143 | $60,278 | #132 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 448 | $59,404 | #56 |
| Mathematics | 73 | $59,162 | #152 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 301 | $59,142 | #48 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 74 | $59,041 | #6 |
| Social Work | 196 | $58,280 | #16 |
| Sociology | 273 | $56,886 | #46 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 166 | $56,637 | #53 |
| Social Sciences, General | 27 | $56,363 | #23 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 75 | $56,188 | #17 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | 42 | $55,830 | #4 |
| History | 115 | $55,797 | #58 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 57 | $53,871 | #72 |
| Psychology, General | 607 | $53,237 | #91 |
| Journalism | 43 | $53,145 | #67 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 31 | $52,028 | #85 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 153 | $50,680 | #97 |
| Anthropology | 60 | $48,367 | #44 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 27 | $47,676 | #16 |
| Music | 49 | $42,774 | #82 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 72 | $42,392 | #47 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 57 | $41,969 | #113 |
| Area Studies small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 436 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | 49 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Apparel and Textiles | 32 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 117 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other small degree count | 18 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Public Health | 156 | Too few graduates to report | — |
Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings
What are the largest programs at Sac State?
Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions
The largest program records at California State University-Sacramento, by reported degrees awarded, are: Business Administration, Management and Operations (935 awards); Psychology, General (607 awards); Criminal Justice and Corrections (568 awards); Communication and Media Studies (448 awards); Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (436 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 $67,636; Psychology, General at $53,237; Criminal Justice and Corrections at $62,583. Program size and earnings answer different questions; the largest program need not have the highest earnings.
How do Sac State majors rank nationally?
California State University-Sacramento’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-Sacramento 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-Sacramento.
National program rankings
- Geography and Cartography#2
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General#4
- Interior Architecture#5
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies#6
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences#6
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing#8
- Criminal Justice and Corrections#11
- Social Work#16
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft#16
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies#17
- Civil Engineering#19
- Philosophy#19
- Natural Resources Conservation and Research#20
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General#20
- Social Sciences, General#23
- Communication Disorders Sciences and Services#27
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering#40
- Anthropology#44
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology#45
- Chemistry#46
- Sociology#46
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts#47
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness#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-Sacramento 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-Sacramento programs; they are not necessarily ranked in the national top 50.
Further analysis
Outcomes at California State University-Sacramento vary sharply by field, and Azimuth's program rankings are built to show that. The rankings evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation.
Of the 44 programs with published earnings data, Azimuth ranks 41. The degree mix is broad, with Business accounting for 12.5% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Social Sciences at 9.3% and Health Professions at 8.6%.
Business Administration and Management is the largest single program at 935 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks it #97 nationally with median earnings of $67,636 four years after completion. Criminal Justice is another large program, at 568 degrees awarded, and earns a national rank of #11 with completers earning $62,583.
Kinesiology and Physical Education, with 301 degrees awarded, is ranked #48 nationally and its completers earn $59,142.
Data & methodology
Sources and reporting periods: methodology.
Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, 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.
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.