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Programs & majors brief

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# Illinois State University Majors & Programs

Updated September 30, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Illinois State?

Illinois State University awards bachelor's degrees across 57 fields with published four-year earnings, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 46 of them nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. The highest-earning ranked program, Finance, shows a median of $85,326 four years after completion, with 161 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #69.

Marketing follows at $77,956, ranking #42 nationally on 243 degrees awarded. Teacher Education, the largest program at 471 degrees awarded, reports median earnings of $49,240 and ranks #76 nationally.

Communication and Media Studies reaches $60,414 and ranks #75 nationally on 156 degrees awarded, showing a more moderate return alongside the higher-earning business 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.

-   Business**955 · 21.3%**
-   Education**759 · 16.9%**
-   Health professions**417 · 9.3%**
-   Communication**266 · 5.9%**
-   Visual and performing arts**228 · 5.1%**
-   Other**1,864 · 41.5%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

62 of 62 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Science 58 degrees awarded**
$111,099

**Computer and Information Sciences, General 26 degrees awarded**
$98,382

**Management Information Systems and Services 32 degrees awarded**
$95,120

**Insurance 38 degrees awarded**
$94,124

**Construction Management 54 degrees awarded**
$91,017

**Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications 7 degrees awarded**
$90,953

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 | 58 | $111,099 | #101 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 26 | $98,382 | #94 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 32 | $95,120 | #21 |
| Insurance | 38 | $94,124 | #8 |
| Construction Management | 54 | $91,017 | #18 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications small degree count | 7 | $90,953 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 161 | $85,326 | #69 |
| Public Health small degree count | 19 | $84,790 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 140 | $84,458 | #76 |
| Physics small degree count | 17 | $81,949 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 207 | $81,264 | #218 |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General | 33 | $80,530 | #6 |
| Marketing | 243 | $77,956 | #42 |
| Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians small degree count | 7 | $76,731 | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 23 | $76,121 | #22 |
| Mathematics | 47 | $75,318 | #78 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 23 | $73,220 | #39 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services small degree count | 15 | $71,707 | — |
| International Business | 43 | $71,058 | #35 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 97 | $70,671 | #52 |
| Geography and Cartography small degree count | 14 | $69,383 | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 78 | $67,752 | #29 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 147 | $66,660 | #177 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 25 | $65,669 | #17 |
| Biology, General | 109 | $63,725 | #115 |
| Agriculture, General | 122 | $63,600 | #4 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 92 | $62,510 | #33 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 146 | $62,506 | #22 |
| Apparel and Textiles | 23 | $62,339 | #14 |
| Chemistry small degree count | 14 | $62,220 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 66 | $62,112 | #53 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 30 | $61,628 | #53 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 156 | $60,414 | #75 |
| Legal Support Services | 26 | $59,943 | — |
| Political Science and Government | 91 | $59,571 | #172 |
| Graphic Communications | 20 | $55,723 | — |
| Journalism | 32 | $55,641 | #57 |
| Social Work | 57 | $55,089 | #75 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 81 | $55,032 | #2 |
| Music | 33 | $54,767 | #26 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | 41 | $54,604 | #21 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 141 | $54,452 | #43 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 20 | $53,272 | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 147 | $52,864 | #21 |
| History | 109 | $52,757 | #95 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 58 | $52,748 | #31 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 20 | $52,417 | #84 |
| Psychology, General | 149 | $51,941 | #172 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | 30 | $51,806 | #7 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 90 | $51,386 | #18 |
| Sociology | 57 | $51,000 | #156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 91 | $50,744 | #118 |
| Anthropology small degree count | 14 | $50,177 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 471 | $49,240 | #76 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 106 | $47,445 | #149 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 34 | $45,994 | #112 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 75 | $40,258 | #55 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 88 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 35 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy small degree count | 18 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Economics | 31 | 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 Illinois State?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods**
471

**Marketing**
243

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
207

**Finance and Financial Management Services**
161

**Communication and Media Studies**
156

**Psychology, General**
149

**Special Education and Teaching**
147

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
147

**Criminal Justice and Corrections**
146

**Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas**
141

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

## How do Illinois State majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management**#2**
2.  Agriculture, General**#4**
3.  Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General**#6**
4.  Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General**#7**
5.  Insurance**#8**
6.  Apparel and Textiles**#14**
7.  Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences**#17**
8.  Fine and Studio Arts**#18**
9.  Construction Management**#18**
10.  Special Education and Teaching**#21**
11.  Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services**#21**
12.  Management Information Systems and Services**#21**
13.  Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians**#22**
14.  Criminal Justice and Corrections**#22**
15.  Music**#26**
16.  Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication**#29**
17.  Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services**#31**
18.  Communication Disorders Sciences and Services**#33**
19.  International Business**#35**
20.  Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions**#39**
21.  Marketing**#42**
22.  Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas**#43**

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 Illinois State 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, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation. The university has 46 ranked programs and publishes earnings data for 57 fields.

The degree mix is led by Business, which accounts for 21.3% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Education at 16.9% and Health Professions at 9.3%. The largest single program is Teacher Education, with 471 degrees awarded in a year and a national rank of #76 within its field.

Computer Science reports the highest four-year earnings at $111,099, though it awards far fewer degrees at 58 a year. Several programs rank among the best nationally.

Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management sits at #2 with earnings of $55,032, and Agriculture ranks #4 with earnings of $63,600. Award counts here are degrees conferred in one academic year, and program earnings cover federally aided completers four years after completion.

## 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/).