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Programs & majors brief

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# California State University-Stanislaus Majors & Programs

Updated September 30, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Stan State?

Three programs at California State University-Stanislaus carry Azimuth national ranks, and the contrast between the university's highest-earning fields and its largest programs is sharp. Nursing leads with a median of $126,959 four years after completion, on 125 degrees awarded.

Health Sciences follows at $80,630 with 51 degrees awarded. Among the largest programs, Business Administration and Management reaches $63,677 and ranks #141 nationally in its field, while Psychology — the biggest by degrees awarded at 478 — shows a more moderate median of $50,348 and an Azimuth national rank of #113.

Criminal Justice ranks #112 nationally and #15 in California, with median earnings of $51,740 on 195 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.

-   Psychology**478 · 18.7%**
-   Business**409 · 16.0%**
-   Social sciences**295 · 11.6%**
-   Liberal arts**246 · 9.6%**
-   Health professions**203 · 8.0%**
-   Other**920 · 36.1%**

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 125 degrees awarded**
$126,959

**Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 51 degrees awarded**
$80,630

**Chemistry 17 degrees awarded**
$73,392

**Computer Science 75 degrees awarded**
$71,601

**Economics 12 degrees awarded**
$69,967

**Mathematics 26 degrees awarded**
$65,184

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 | 125 | $126,959 | #10 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 51 | $80,630 | #5 |
| Chemistry small degree count | 17 | $73,392 | — |
| Computer Science | 75 | $71,601 | #172 |
| Economics small degree count | 12 | $69,967 | — |
| Mathematics | 26 | $65,184 | #127 |
| Agriculture, General | 29 | $64,669 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 409 | $63,677 | #141 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 246 | $59,251 | #26 |
| Biology, General | 83 | $59,229 | #150 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 85 | $57,060 | #75 |
| Political Science and Government | 36 | $56,330 | #206 |
| Social Sciences, General | 68 | $55,109 | #19 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 80 | $54,501 | #60 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 61 | $54,007 | #147 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 195 | $51,740 | #112 |
| Psychology, General | 478 | $50,348 | #113 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 33 | $50,145 | — |
| History | 58 | $49,882 | #108 |
| Sociology | 157 | $46,340 | #142 |
| Anthropology small degree count | 15 | $46,321 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 84 | $44,020 | #178 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 29 | $41,072 | #145 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Cognitive Science small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Geography and Cartography small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Music small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Public Health | 27 | 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 Stan State?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Psychology, General**
478

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
409

**Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**
246

**Criminal Justice and Corrections**
195

**Sociology**
157

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
125

**Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**
85

**Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods**
84

**Biology, General**
83

**English Language and Literature, General**
80

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

## How do Stan State majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#5**
2.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#10**
3.  Social Sciences, General**#19**
4.  Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**#26**
5.  Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Included by program size**#75**
6.  Criminal Justice and Corrections Included by program size**#112**
7.  Psychology, General Included by program size**#113**
8.  Business Administration, Management and Operations Included by program size**#141**
9.  Sociology Included by program size**#142**
10.  Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Included by program size**#178**

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

Outcomes at California State University-Stanislaus depend heavily on what you study. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 18 programs at the university, evaluating them on the four-year earnings of federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation.

Earnings data are published for 23 programs, and the figures that follow cover completers four years after graduation. The degree mix is broad, with Psychology accounting for 18.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Business at 16.0% and Social Sciences at 11.6%.

The largest single program is Psychology, which confers 478 degrees a year and carries an Azimuth national rank of #113 within its field, with graduates earning a median of $50,348. Nursing is ranked #10 nationally and graduates earn $126,959, while Social Sciences holds a national rank of #19 with median earnings of $55,109.

Award counts here are degrees conferred in one academic year, not distinct students, and program earnings cover federally aided completers.

## 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/).