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Programs & majors brief

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# George Washington University Majors & Programs

Updated September 30, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at GWU?

George Washington University's top-ranked programs show a clear spread in four-year earnings, with Public Health at the higher end of this group. Its completers had median earnings of $87,217 four years after completion, and the program awarded 116 degrees.

[Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #3 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. At more moderate earnings levels, Criminal Justice recorded $80,070 and awarded 86 degrees; Azimuth ranks it #2 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences had $81,548 across 26 degrees awarded and ranks #1 nationally by Azimuth. Journalism posted $81,927 with 69 degrees awarded, ranking #1 nationally by Azimuth.

The program results span higher and more moderate earnings even among fields with strong national rankings.

### 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 sciences**1,093 · 31.8%**
-   Business**539 · 15.7%**
-   Health professions**512 · 14.9%**
-   Psychology**197 · 5.7%**
-   Computer science**156 · 4.5%**
-   Other**939 · 27.3%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

64 of 64 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Science 71 degrees awarded**
$150,716

**Finance and Financial Management Services 119 degrees awarded**
$126,638

**Systems Engineering 22 degrees awarded**
$120,976

**Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 31 degrees awarded**
$120,730

**Accounting and Related Services 41 degrees awarded**
$116,795

**Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management 35 degrees awarded**
$112,554

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 | 71 | $150,716 | #36 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 119 | $126,638 | #13 |
| Systems Engineering | 22 | $120,976 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 31 | $120,730 | #10 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 41 | $116,795 | #11 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 35 | $112,554 | #5 |
| Business/Commerce, General small degree count | 13 | $107,023 | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 22 | $105,145 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 50 | $101,196 | #47 |
| Civil Engineering | 22 | $100,990 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 35 | $100,601 | #41 |
| Statistics small degree count | 18 | $100,578 | — |
| Economics | 145 | $99,406 | #51 |
| International Business | 79 | $99,018 | #7 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 36 | $97,126 | #6 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 311 | $96,741 | #74 |
| Marketing | 72 | $95,528 | #13 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 28 | $93,692 | #99 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services small degree count | 18 | $92,810 | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 13 | $88,114 | — |
| Public Health | 116 | $87,217 | #3 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 45 | $85,459 | #8 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 23 | $82,325 | — |
| Journalism | 69 | $81,927 | #1 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 26 | $81,548 | #1 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 86 | $80,070 | #2 |
| Political Science and Government | 310 | $79,692 | #32 |
| Psychology, General | 43 | $79,187 | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 30 | $79,112 | #17 |
| Sociology | 40 | $78,857 | — |
| Geography and Cartography small degree count | 19 | $78,390 | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 537 | $76,751 | #10 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 31 | $75,683 | #5 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 154 | $72,325 | #11 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 30 | $70,766 | #11 |
| History | 72 | $70,734 | #21 |
| Biology, General | 76 | $70,444 | #60 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 34 | $66,178 | #27 |
| Human Services, General | 20 | $65,190 | — |
| Anthropology | 35 | $65,172 | #8 |
| Philosophy | 20 | $64,898 | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 32 | $34,734 | — |
| Area Studies | 32 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count | 19 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 42 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Mathematics small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Classical and Ancient Studies small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Nutrition Sciences small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Chemistry small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Homeland Security small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Archeology small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 25 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Music small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 27 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 85 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Real Estate small degree count | 11 | 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 GWU?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**International Relations and National Security Studies**
537

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
311

**Political Science and Government**
310

**Research and Experimental Psychology**
154

**Economics**
145

**Finance and Financial Management Services**
119

**Public Health**
116

**Criminal Justice and Corrections**
86

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
85

**International Business**
79

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

## How do GWU majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Journalism**#1**
2.  Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences**#1**
3.  Criminal Justice and Corrections**#2**
4.  Public Health**#3**
5.  Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management**#5**
6.  Hospitality Administration/Management**#5**
7.  Human Resources Management and Services**#6**
8.  International Business**#7**
9.  Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication**#8**
10.  Anthropology**#8**
11.  International Relations and National Security Studies**#10**
12.  Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods**#10**
13.  English Language and Literature, General**#11**
14.  Research and Experimental Psychology**#11**
15.  Accounting and Related Services**#11**
16.  Finance and Financial Management Services**#13**
17.  Marketing**#13**
18.  Communication and Media Studies**#17**
19.  History**#21**
20.  Natural Resources Conservation and Research**#27**
21.  Political Science and Government**#32**
22.  Computer Science**#36**
23.  Biomedical/Medical Engineering**#41**
24.  Mechanical Engineering**#47**

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 George Washington University, 42 programs have published earnings data, and 28 carry an Azimuth national rank. Award counts reflect degrees conferred in one academic year, and program earnings cover federally aided completers.

The degree mix is anchored by Social Sciences, which accounts for 31.8% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Business at 15.7% and Health Professions at 14.9%. The largest single program is International Relations and National Security Studies, at 537 degrees awarded a year, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #10 nationally within its field.

Nursing graduates earn a median of $96,741 four years after completion. The best-paid program overall is a smaller one: Computer Science graduates earn $150,716, from 71 degrees awarded a year.

Accounting earns 1.53x the national median for its field, and Azimuth ranks it #11 nationally. Among the largest programs, Economics posts the highest four-year earnings at $99,406.

## 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/).