Programs & majors brief
Carnegie Mellon University Majors & Programs
Which majors earn the most at CMU?
39 of 39 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 255 | $268,121 | #1 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 166 | $250,168 | #1 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 100 | $187,437 | — |
| Cognitive Science small degree count | 17 | $162,106 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 138 | $160,783 | #1 |
| Statistics | 189 | $156,743 | #2 |
| Systems Science and Theory | 118 | $146,929 | #1 |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other | 33 | $145,741 | — |
| Economics | 55 | $144,886 | #14 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 31 | $138,588 | #1 |
| Materials Sciences | 33 | $119,715 | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 44 | $110,378 | #18 |
| Engineering, General small degree count | 19 | $110,208 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 65 | $109,648 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 113 | $105,623 | #20 |
| Civil Engineering | 34 | $105,199 | — |
| Psychology, General | 33 | $82,433 | — |
| Architecture small degree count | 9 | $73,439 | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 21 | $71,205 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 26 | $62,027 | #61 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 33 | $53,726 | #17 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 53 | $40,073 | #60 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 36 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 32 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biology, General small degree count | 18 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Mathematics | 42 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 24 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biopsychology small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics | 36 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Chemistry | 29 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Public Policy Analysis small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Music | 27 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| History small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings
What are the largest programs at CMU?
Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions
How do CMU majors rank nationally?
National program rankings
- Computer Science#1
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering#1
- Systems Science and Theory#1
- Design and Applied Arts#1
- Business Administration, Management and Operations#1
- Statistics#2
- Economics#14
- Fine and Studio Arts#17
- Chemical Engineering#18
- Mechanical Engineering#20
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.
Further analysis
At Carnegie Mellon University, the degree mix is concentrated in quantitative fields. Engineering accounts for 23.4% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Computer & Information Sciences at 18.3% and Mathematics & Statistics at 14.9%.
Published earnings data covers 22 bachelor's programs, and an Azimuth national rank applies to 12. Computer Science leads in volume, with 255 degrees awarded annually and median earnings of $268,121 four years after completion.
Electrical Engineering posts median earnings of $250,168. Computer Science holds an Azimuth national rank here, at #1 nationally and #1 in Pennsylvania, with earnings of $268,121.
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.