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Programs & majors brief

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# Carnegie Mellon University Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at CMU?

Earnings four years after completion diverge sharply across the largest programs at Carnegie Mellon University. Computer Science reports a median of $268,121 with 255 degrees awarded.

Electrical Engineering reaches $250,168 on 166 degrees awarded. More moderate medians appear in other large fields.

Business Administration and Management shows a median of $160,783 on 138 degrees awarded, and Systems Science and Theory reaches a median below that on 118 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Computer Science #1 nationally and #1 in Pennsylvania. The program shows a median of $268,121 on 255 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.

-   Engineering**453 · 23.4%**
-   Computer science**355 · 18.3%**
-   Mathematics**288 · 14.9%**
-   Interdisciplinary studies**145 · 7.5%**
-   Visual and performing arts**144 · 7.4%**
-   Other**551 · 28.5%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

39 of 39 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Science 255 degrees awarded**
$268,121

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 166 degrees awarded**
$250,168

**Computer and Information Sciences, General 100 degrees awarded**
$187,437

**Cognitive Science 17 degrees awarded**
$162,106

**Business Administration, Management and Operations 138 degrees awarded**
$160,783

**Statistics 189 degrees awarded**
$156,743

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

## What are the largest programs at CMU?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Computer Science**
255

**Statistics**
189

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**
166

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
138

**Systems Science and Theory**
118

**Mechanical Engineering**
113

**Computer and Information Sciences, General**
100

**Biomedical/Medical Engineering**
65

**Economics**
55

**Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft**
53

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

## How do CMU majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Computer Science**#1**
2.  Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**#1**
3.  Systems Science and Theory**#1**
4.  Design and Applied Arts**#1**
5.  Business Administration, Management and Operations**#1**
6.  Statistics**#2**
7.  Economics**#14**
8.  Fine and Studio Arts**#17**
9.  Chemical Engineering**#18**
10.  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.

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

## 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](/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/).