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Programs & majors brief

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# Duke University Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Duke University?

Duke University's highest-earning bachelor's program is Mathematics, where completers earn a median of $297,029 four years after completion, alongside 53 degrees awarded. Computer Science, the largest program by degrees awarded, follows at $195,809 with 370 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #9 in its field.

Among the other large programs, Economics reports a median of $161,149 on 209 degrees awarded. Biology reaches $83,192 with 160 degrees awarded and holds an Azimuth national rank of #6, illustrating the contrast between the university's highest- 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.

-   Computer science**370 · 16.2%**
-   Social sciences**356 · 15.6%**
-   Engineering**292 · 12.8%**
-   Biological sciences**279 · 12.2%**
-   Health professions**196 · 8.6%**
-   Other**785 · 34.5%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

35 of 35 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Mathematics 53 degrees awarded**
$297,029

**Computer Science 370 degrees awarded**
$195,809

**Computer Engineering 134 degrees awarded**
$174,522

**Economics 209 degrees awarded**
$161,149

**Statistics 48 degrees awarded**
$152,782

**Mechanical Engineering 79 degrees awarded**
$120,991

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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mathematics | 53 | $297,029 | #1 |
| Computer Science | 370 | $195,809 | #9 |
| Computer Engineering | 134 | $174,522 | #3 |
| Economics | 209 | $161,149 | #3 |
| Statistics | 48 | $152,782 | #3 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 79 | $120,991 | #3 |
| History | 41 | $112,377 | #3 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 67 | $105,921 | #13 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 181 | $103,071 | #3 |
| Public Health | 41 | $101,771 | #1 |
| Political Science and Government | 91 | $88,459 | #20 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services small degree count | 19 | $88,098 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 155 | $87,763 | #157 |
| Biology, General | 160 | $83,192 | #6 |
| Anthropology | 21 | $81,120 | — |
| International and Comparative Education | 32 | $79,640 | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 36 | $73,435 | #7 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 96 | $73,140 | #6 |
| Sociology | 35 | $61,425 | — |
| Area Studies | 36 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Civil Engineering small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| English Language and Literature, General | 29 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Literature small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 23 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | 20 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Cognitive Science small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Mathematics and Computer Science small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy | 24 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Chemistry | 35 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics | 22 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 151 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts small degree count | 9 | 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 Duke University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Computer Science**
370

**Economics**
209

**Public Policy Analysis**
181

**Biology, General**
160

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
155

**Research and Experimental Psychology**
151

**Computer Engineering**
134

**Neurobiology and Neurosciences**
96

**Political Science and Government**
91

**Mechanical Engineering**
79

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

## How do Duke University majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Mathematics**#1**
2.  Public Health**#1**
3.  Computer Engineering**#3**
4.  Mechanical Engineering**#3**
5.  Statistics**#3**
6.  Public Policy Analysis**#3**
7.  Economics**#3**
8.  History**#3**
9.  Biology, General**#6**
10.  Neurobiology and Neurosciences**#6**
11.  Natural Resources Conservation and Research**#7**
12.  Computer Science**#9**
13.  Biomedical/Medical Engineering**#13**
14.  Political Science and Government**#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

Outcomes at Duke University vary sharply by field, and [Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, debt, and cohort size rather than reputation. Of the 19 programs with published earnings data, 15 carry an Azimuth national rank.

The three largest program families are Computer & Information Sciences, at 16.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, Social Sciences at 15.6%, and Engineering at 12.8%. Computer Science is the largest single program, with 370 degrees awarded.

Azimuth ranks it #9 nationally and #1 in North Carolina, and its completers earn a median of $195,809 four years after completion. The highest earnings belong to a smaller program: Mathematics completers earn a median of $297,029 four years after completion, from 53 degrees awarded a year.

Mathematics holds the strongest national rank at #1, with 53 degrees awarded and earnings of $297,029. Across all fields, 43.1% of degrees awarded are in STEM.

## 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/).