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Programs & majors brief

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# California State University-San Marcos Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at CSUSM?

[Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) three of California State University-San Marcos's bachelor's programs nationally. Communication Disorders Sciences and Services holds a national rank of #5 and a median of $71,068 four years after completion, with 71 degrees awarded.

Visual and Performing Arts follows at #6 nationally and earns $48,043 on 76 degrees awarded. Biotechnology ranks #6 nationally and shows median earnings of $76,622 with 32 degrees awarded.

By contrast, Business Administration and Management, the largest program at 532 degrees awarded, reports $70,900, while Sociology reaches $53,287 on 283 degrees awarded, illustrating the spread between higher- and moderate-earning fields.

### 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**717 · 20.1%**
-   Business**532 · 14.9%**
-   Health professions**389 · 10.9%**
-   Psychology**325 · 9.1%**
-   Biological sciences**263 · 7.4%**
-   Other**1,338 · 37.5%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

32 of 32 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 318 degrees awarded**
$120,196

**Computer Science 127 degrees awarded**
$97,827

**Economics 43 degrees awarded**
$83,339

**Biotechnology 32 degrees awarded**
$76,622

**Communication Disorders Sciences and Services 71 degrees awarded**
$71,068

**Business Administration, Management and Operations 532 degrees awarded**
$70,900

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 | 318 | $120,196 | #20 |
| Computer Science | 127 | $97,827 | #102 |
| Economics | 43 | $83,339 | #96 |
| Biotechnology | 32 | $76,622 | #6 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 71 | $71,068 | #5 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 532 | $70,900 | #103 |
| Biology, General | 196 | $70,789 | #40 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 35 | $65,479 | #54 |
| Social Sciences, General | 30 | $63,622 | #9 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 126 | $61,252 | #45 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 204 | $59,842 | #67 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 174 | $58,289 | #41 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 50 | $55,903 | #64 |
| Criminology | 273 | $55,418 | #14 |
| Psychology, General | 325 | $55,196 | #82 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 56 | $54,985 | #78 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 192 | $53,568 | #16 |
| Sociology | 283 | $53,287 | #62 |
| History | 69 | $52,985 | #93 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 118 | $51,445 | #71 |
| Political Science and Government | 65 | $50,857 | #243 |
| Anthropology | 23 | $49,848 | #50 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 76 | $48,043 | #6 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Computer Engineering | 32 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 23 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Mathematics | 22 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| International/Globalization Studies small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Chemistry small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Fire Protection | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Music small degree count | 5 | 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 CSUSM?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
532

**Psychology, General**
325

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
318

**Sociology**
283

**Criminology**
273

**Communication and Media Studies**
204

**Biology, General**
196

**Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services**
192

**Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**
174

**Computer Science**
127

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

## How do CSUSM majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Communication Disorders Sciences and Services**#5**
2.  Biotechnology**#6**
3.  Visual and Performing Arts, General**#6**
4.  Social Sciences, General**#9**
5.  Criminology**#14**
6.  Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services**#16**
7.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#20**
8.  Biology, General**#40**
9.  Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**#41**
10.  Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**#45**
11.  Anthropology**#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.

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

## Further analysis

Azimuth evaluates programs by four-year earnings among completers, debt and cohort size rather than reputation, and the results differ by field at California State University-San Marcos. 23 programs carry published earnings data, and 23 hold an Azimuth national rank.

Social Sciences accounts for 20.1% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Business at 14.9% and Health Professions at 10.9%. Communication Disorders Sciences and Services ranks #5 nationally, with median earnings of $71,068 four years after completion.

Visual and Performing Arts ranks #6, with median earnings of $48,043 four years after completion. Program earnings cover federally aided completers.

Nursing reports the highest four-year earnings, at $120,196, from 318 degrees awarded.

## 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/).