Programs & majors brief

Kansas State University Majors & Programs

Updated

Which majors earn the most at Kansas State University?

The university's largest programs span a wide earnings range, from Animal Sciences at $50,941 to Mechanical Engineering at $88,533 four years after completion. Animal Sciences, the biggest by degrees awarded with 238, ranks #16 nationally in its field.

Mechanical Engineering awarded 182 degrees and ranks #141 nationally. The highest-earning program overall, Computer and Information Sciences, reaches a median of $107,194 and ranks #58 nationally with 105 degrees awarded.

Business Administration and Management sits in the middle of the largest programs, with median earnings of $69,735 and 178 degrees awarded, ranking #160 nationally. The contrast between the highest-earning field and the largest program shows how earnings vary by field at the university.

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.

  • Business792 · 20.2%
  • Agriculture477 · 12.1%
  • Engineering470 · 12.0%
  • Interdisciplinary studies307 · 7.8%
  • Education296 · 7.5%
  • Other1,585 · 40.4%

76 of 76 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs
Computer and Information Sciences, General 105 degrees awarded
$107,194
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 38 degrees awarded
$95,640
Industrial Engineering 50 degrees awarded
$93,098
Chemical Engineering 41 degrees awarded
$92,068
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician 69 degrees awarded
$91,809
Architectural Engineering 38 degrees awarded
$91,336

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
Computer and Information Sciences, General105$107,194#58
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering38$95,640#144
Industrial Engineering50$93,098#52
Chemical Engineering41$92,068#109
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician69$91,809#20
Architectural Engineering38$91,336#7
Agricultural and Food Products Processing31$91,040—
Mechanical Engineering182$88,533#141
Management Information Systems and Services42$85,396#41
Air Transportation56$85,147#12
Civil Engineering45$83,453#125
Agricultural Engineering29$81,376#18
Accounting and Related Services115$79,008#116
Agricultural Mechanization small degree count9$78,537—
Food Science and Technology34$78,367#6
Finance and Financial Management Services178$75,705#114
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General small degree count17$72,544—
Natural Resources Conservation and Research22$72,398#15
Economics32$71,747#157
Business/Commerce, General32$70,601#40
Marketing141$69,837#91
Business Administration, Management and Operations178$69,735#160
Natural Sciences67$68,243#3
Agricultural Business and Management85$66,387#23
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences128$65,677#11
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology small degree count15$65,122—
Political Science and Government32$63,811#168
Nutrition Sciences163$62,128#9
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services40$61,621#47
Design and Applied Arts36$61,150—
Gerontology51$60,172—
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services88$59,824#9
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations40$59,809#17
Plant Sciences43$58,603#15
Hospitality Administration/Management40$58,282#45
Biology, General65$57,718#213
Apparel and Textiles25$57,576#19
Journalism82$56,418#43
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions29$55,985—
Mathematics33$55,435#194
Natural Resources and Conservation, Other22$53,401—
International/Globalization Studies26$53,389—
Research and Experimental Psychology91$53,337#34
Communication and Media Studies34$52,603#181
Sociology55$51,237#158
Animal Sciences238$50,941#16
Social Sciences, General51$50,681#28
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management small degree count17$50,522—
Social Work31$50,480#144
English Language and Literature, General21$50,448#169
History24$50,016#171
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General small degree count10$49,593—
Zoology/Animal Biology27$48,908#8
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas45$48,801#112
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services114$47,528#55
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods224$46,562#144
Anthropology small degree count16$41,426—
Fine and Studio Arts56$39,991#160
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count11$39,598—
Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs20Too few graduates to report—
Agricultural Public Services small degree count17Too few graduates to report—
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count6Too few graduates to report—
Education, General27Too few graduates to report—
Computer Engineering30Too few graduates to report—
Biomedical/Medical Engineering small degree count17Too few graduates to report—
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services39Too few graduates to report—
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology24Too few graduates to report—
Statistics small degree count14Too few graduates to report—
Philosophy small degree count6Too few graduates to report—
Physics small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Chemistry small degree count5Too few graduates to report—
Geography and Cartography small degree count5Too few graduates to report—
Music small degree count13Too few graduates to report—
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions small degree count5Too few graduates to report—
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations26Too few graduates to report—

Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings

What are the largest programs at Kansas State University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded
Animal Sciences
238
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
224
Mechanical Engineering
182
Business Administration, Management and Operations
178
Finance and Financial Management Services
178
Nutrition Sciences
163
Marketing
141
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
128
Accounting and Related Services
115
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
114

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

How do Kansas State University majors rank nationally?

National program rankings

  1. Natural Sciences#3
  2. Food Science and Technology#6
  3. Architectural Engineering#7
  4. Zoology/Animal Biology#8
  5. Nutrition Sciences#9
  6. Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services#9
  7. Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences#11
  8. Air Transportation#12
  9. Plant Sciences#15
  10. Natural Resources Conservation and Research#15
  11. Animal Sciences#16
  12. Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations#17
  13. Agricultural Engineering#18
  14. Apparel and Textiles#19
  15. Construction Engineering Technology/Technician#20
  16. Agricultural Business and Management#23
  17. Social Sciences, General#28
  18. Research and Experimental Psychology#34
  19. Business/Commerce, General#40
  20. Management Information Systems and Services#41
  21. Journalism#43
  22. Hospitality Administration/Management#45
  23. Communication Disorders Sciences and Services#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

Further analysis

A degree from Kansas State University is not one outcome but many, and the spread between fields is wide. The university has 46 ranked programs and earnings data for 59 fields.

The three largest program families are Business, at 20.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, Agriculture & Natural Resources at 12.2%, and Engineering at 12.0%. The largest single program, Animal Sciences, awards 238 degrees a year and Azimuth ranks it #16 nationally.

The highest-earning program is Computer and Information Sciences, where completers earn $107,194 four years after completion. The best nationally ranked program is Natural Sciences, which Azimuth places #3 in its field, with completers earning $68,243.

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.