Programs & majors brief

Colby College Majors & Programs

Updated

Which majors earn the most at Colby College?

The strongest return at Colby College comes from programs that are also among its largest. Economics awards 89 degrees a year, and graduates earn a median of $103,491 four years after completion.

Azimuth ranks the program #44 nationally in its field. Political Science is close behind, with 76 degrees awarded and median earnings of $96,621.

Its national rank of #5 is the highest of any program at the college. Further down the earnings scale, Natural Resources Conservation and Research awards 52 degrees and posts a median of $55,719.

Azimuth ranks it #35 nationally. The spread between this program and the top earners illustrates the variation by field.

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 sciences188 · 26.2%
  • Biological sciences78 · 10.9%
  • Interdisciplinary studies58 · 8.1%
  • Psychology54 · 7.5%
  • Natural resources52 · 7.3%
  • Other287 · 40.0%

30 of 30 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first four matching programs
Economics 89 degrees awarded
$103,491
Political Science and Government 76 degrees awarded
$96,621
Area Studies 14 degrees awarded
$64,207
Natural Resources Conservation and Research 52 degrees awarded
$55,719

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
ProgramDegrees awarded4-yr earningsField rank
Economics89$103,491#44
Political Science and Government76$96,621#5
Area Studies small degree count14$64,207—
Natural Resources Conservation and Research52$55,719#35
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Computer Science45Too few graduates to report—
Education, General small degree count19Too few graduates to report—
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics25Too few graduates to report—
English Language and Literature, General small degree count14Too few graduates to report—
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies small degree count14Too few graduates to report—
Biology, General38Too few graduates to report—
Neurobiology and Neurosciences27Too few graduates to report—
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology small degree count8Too few graduates to report—
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology small degree count5Too few graduates to report—
Mathematics23Too few graduates to report—
Statistics small degree count17Too few graduates to report—
International/Globalization Studies42Too few graduates to report—
Science, Technology and Society small degree count10Too few graduates to report—
Classical and Ancient Studies small degree count6Too few graduates to report—
Philosophy small degree count9Too few graduates to report—
Religion/Religious Studies small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Physics24Too few graduates to report—
Chemistry small degree count16Too few graduates to report—
Psychology, General41Too few graduates to report—
Research and Experimental Psychology small degree count13Too few graduates to report—
Anthropology small degree count12Too few graduates to report—
Sociology small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Fine and Studio Arts small degree count19Too few graduates to report—
Music small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
History27Too few graduates to report—

Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings

What are the largest programs at Colby College?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded
Economics
89
Political Science and Government
76
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
52
Computer Science
45
International/Globalization Studies
42
Psychology, General
41
Biology, General
38
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
27
History
27
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
25

Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions

How do Colby College majors rank nationally?

National program rankings

  1. Political Science and Government#5
  2. Natural Resources Conservation and Research#35
  3. Economics#44

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

Further analysis

The earnings picture for graduates of Colby College differs markedly by program. 4 programs publish four-year earnings data, and 3 of them carry an Azimuth national rank.

Azimuth weighs debt and cohort size alongside four-year earnings among federally aided completers to set those ranks; reputation plays no part. Social Sciences accounts for 26.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Biological Sciences at 10.9% and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 8.1%.

Political Science ranks #5 nationally, with graduates earning $96,621. Economics is the largest program at 89 degrees awarded and ranks #44 nationally, with median earnings of $103,491.

Natural Resources Conservation and Research ranks #35 nationally, with median earnings of $55,719.

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.