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Programs & majors brief

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# California State University-Sacramento Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Sac State?

Among California State University-Sacramento programs with a reported four-year earnings value, the highest medians are: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($129,960); Computer Engineering ($104,394); Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($103,512); Civil Engineering ($93,973); Mechanical Engineering ($93,878). 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-Sacramento awards bachelor's degrees across 44 fields with published four-year earnings, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 41 of them nationally. The highest-earning program is Nursing, where completers earn a median of $129,960 four years after completion, alongside 196 degrees awarded.

Computer Engineering follows at $104,394 with 60 degrees awarded, and Electrical Engineering reaches $103,512 on 94 degrees awarded. Business Administration and Management reports median earnings of $67,636 and an Azimuth national rank of #97 on 935 degrees awarded.

Criminal Justice reaches $62,583 and ranks #11 nationally with 568 degrees awarded. Psychology, a moderate-earning field, shows $53,237 and ranks #91 nationally on 607 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**935 · 12.5%**
-   Social sciences**700 · 9.4%**
-   Health professions**644 · 8.6%**
-   Psychology**607 · 8.1%**
-   Homeland security**568 · 7.6%**
-   Other**4,032 · 53.9%**

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 196 degrees awarded**
$129,960

**Computer Engineering 60 degrees awarded**
$104,394

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 94 degrees awarded**
$103,512

**Civil Engineering 145 degrees awarded**
$93,973

**Mechanical Engineering 178 degrees awarded**
$93,878

**Computer Science 300 degrees awarded**
$92,519

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 | 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](#page-sources) · [How to evaluate program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)

## What are the largest programs at Sac State?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
935

**Psychology, General**
607

**Criminal Justice and Corrections**
568

**Communication and Media Studies**
448

**Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods**
436

**Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**
301

**Computer Science**
300

**Biology, General**
294

**Sociology**
273

**Social Work**
196

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-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

1.  Geography and Cartography**#2**
2.  Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General**#4**
3.  Interior Architecture**#5**
4.  Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies**#6**
5.  Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences**#6**
6.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#8**
7.  Criminal Justice and Corrections**#11**
8.  Social Work**#16**
9.  Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft**#16**
10.  Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies**#17**
11.  Civil Engineering**#19**
12.  Philosophy**#19**
13.  Natural Resources Conservation and Research**#20**
14.  Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#20**
15.  Social Sciences, General**#23**
16.  Communication Disorders Sciences and Services**#27**
17.  Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**#40**
18.  Anthropology**#44**
19.  Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology**#45**
20.  Chemistry**#46**
21.  Sociology**#46**
22.  Film/Video and Photographic Arts**#47**
23.  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.

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

## Further analysis

Outcomes at California State University-Sacramento vary sharply by field, and [Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s 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](/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.