Programs & majors brief
George Mason University Majors & Programs
Which majors earn the most at GMU?
63 of 63 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeland Security | 122 | $143,972 | #1 |
| Computer Engineering | 32 | $117,942 | #50 |
| Systems Engineering | 25 | $114,815 | #6 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 757 | $110,754 | #22 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 62 | $103,074 | #80 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 371 | $97,049 | #16 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 75 | $96,467 | #86 |
| Physics | 22 | $96,138 | — |
| Civil Engineering | 93 | $93,856 | #25 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 42 | $93,533 | #58 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 182 | $91,132 | #49 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 222 | $89,878 | #111 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 120 | $88,080 | #66 |
| Economics | 79 | $87,548 | #80 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 166 | $85,224 | #50 |
| Chemistry | 40 | $77,681 | #22 |
| Mathematics | 57 | $77,519 | #76 |
| Geography and Cartography | 21 | $74,692 | #6 |
| Political Science and Government | 205 | $74,125 | #49 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | 44 | $72,271 | #3 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 329 | $69,511 | #4 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 166 | $69,399 | #26 |
| Marketing | 119 | $69,210 | #103 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 70 | $68,546 | #20 |
| Public Administration | 34 | $67,973 | #12 |
| Public Health | 174 | $65,358 | #28 |
| Sociology | 21 | $64,603 | #38 |
| Biology, General | 293 | $64,301 | #74 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | 96 | $64,046 | #10 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 95 | $63,672 | #44 |
| Security Science and Technology | 29 | $63,182 | #10 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 46 | $62,727 | #26 |
| Psychology, General | 405 | $62,563 | #25 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 21 | $62,383 | #14 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 33 | $61,565 | #14 |
| Sustainability Studies | 47 | $61,216 | #5 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 321 | $61,100 | #23 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 45 | $60,874 | #51 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 41 | $59,979 | #31 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 23 | $58,931 | #21 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 106 | $56,071 | #55 |
| Social Work | 65 | $55,715 | #62 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 113 | $54,703 | #2 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 11 | $53,441 | — |
| History | 74 | $51,168 | #121 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 42 | $50,086 | #27 |
| Graphic Communications | 53 | $47,440 | #6 |
| Music | 42 | $46,765 | #59 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 33 | $45,656 | #23 |
| Dance | 20 | $36,901 | #28 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 153 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Computer Science | 22 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Statistics small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 44 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Anthropology | 23 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Business/Commerce, General | 245 | Too few graduates to report | — |
Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings
What are the largest programs at GMU?
Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions
How do GMU majors rank nationally?
National program rankings
- Homeland Security#1
- Visual and Performing Arts, General#2
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution#3
- Criminal Justice and Corrections#4
- Sustainability Studies#5
- Graphic Communications#6
- Systems Engineering#6
- Geography and Cartography#6
- Security Science and Technology#10
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other#10
- Public Administration#12
- Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services#14
- Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies#14
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods#16
- Neurobiology and Neurosciences#20
- Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services#21
- Computer and Information Sciences, General#22
- Chemistry#22
- Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities#23
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft#23
- Civil Engineering#25
- Psychology, General#25
- International Relations and National Security Studies#26
- Hospitality Administration/Management#26
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts#27
- Dance#28
- Public Health#28
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas#31
- Sociology#38
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness#44
- Political Science and Government#49
- Accounting and Related Services#49
- Computer Engineering#50
- Business Administration, Management and Operations#50
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
The return a student sees from George Mason University depends heavily on the field they choose, and Azimuth's program rankings are built to make that variation clear. They evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation.
The university has 48 ranked programs and earnings data for 50 fields. The degree mix is led by Business, which accounts for 19.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Computer & Information Sciences at 12.4% and Health Professions at 8.2%.
The largest single program is Computer and Information Sciences, with 757 degrees awarded in a year, and Azimuth ranks it #22 nationally. Graduates from that program earn a median of $110,754 four years after completion.
The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Homeland Security, with 122 degrees awarded, where graduates earn $143,972. The best-ranked program nationally is Homeland Security, at #1 in its field.
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.