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Programs & majors brief

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# North Carolina State University at Raleigh Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at NC State?

North Carolina State University at Raleigh awards bachelor's degrees across 64 fields with published four-year earnings, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 54 of them nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. The highest-earning program, Computer Science, shows a median of $113,478 four years after completion, with 281 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #69 in the field.

Computer Engineering follows at $110,416 on 136 degrees awarded. Business Administration and Management, the largest with 841 degrees awarded, reaches $84,349 and ranks #35 nationally.

Biology awards 415 degrees and reports a median of $61,384, placing #98 in its field.

### 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.

-   Engineering**1,514 · 23.2%**
-   Business**1,123 · 17.2%**
-   Biological sciences**639 · 9.8%**
-   Agriculture**452 · 6.9%**
-   Social sciences**331 · 5.1%**
-   Other**2,454 · 37.7%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

70 of 70 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Science 281 degrees awarded**
$113,478

**Computer Engineering 136 degrees awarded**
$110,416

**Chemical Engineering 161 degrees awarded**
$104,705

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 184 degrees awarded**
$102,178

**Nuclear Engineering 16 degrees awarded**
$100,212

**Industrial Engineering 102 degrees awarded**
$100,172

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 | 281 | $113,478 | #69 |
| Computer Engineering | 136 | $110,416 | #47 |
| Chemical Engineering | 161 | $104,705 | #20 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 184 | $102,178 | #51 |
| Nuclear Engineering small degree count | 16 | $100,212 | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 102 | $100,172 | #18 |
| Engineering, General | 35 | $99,838 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 127 | $98,129 | #28 |
| Construction Engineering small degree count | 15 | $94,505 | — |
| Mathematics | 57 | $92,594 | #37 |
| Materials Engineering | 43 | $89,968 | #14 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 64 | $89,932 | #44 |
| Science Technologies/Technicians, Other small degree count | 18 | $89,826 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 249 | $87,112 | #164 |
| Forestry | 81 | $86,357 | #1 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 34 | $85,808 | #10 |
| Civil Engineering | 107 | $85,568 | #93 |
| Statistics | 64 | $85,090 | #26 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 37 | $84,848 | #13 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 841 | $84,349 | #35 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 179 | $83,689 | #74 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 103 | $82,096 | #19 |
| Chemistry | 37 | $76,978 | #23 |
| Architecture | 20 | $76,695 | #7 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 126 | $75,508 | #2 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 51 | $73,362 | #5 |
| Food Science and Technology small degree count | 15 | $72,782 | — |
| Textile Sciences and Engineering | 204 | $71,837 | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 66 | $71,136 | #27 |
| Environmental Design | 21 | $69,851 | #1 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 113 | $68,671 | #19 |
| Science, Technology and Society | 55 | $67,468 | #5 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians small degree count | 15 | $66,491 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 31 | $65,594 | #31 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 47 | $64,510 | #25 |
| Political Science and Government | 190 | $62,824 | #113 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 240 | $62,039 | #58 |
| Psychology, General | 305 | $62,032 | #34 |
| Biology, General | 415 | $61,384 | #98 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 65 | $61,382 | #43 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 39 | $61,023 | #36 |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 26 | $60,715 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 139 | $60,488 | #52 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | 22 | $60,122 | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 55 | $60,031 | #12 |
| Philosophy | 20 | $58,285 | #33 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 90 | $57,022 | #40 |
| Genetics | 32 | $55,319 | #8 |
| Criminology | 55 | $55,303 | #26 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 28 | $54,007 | #19 |
| Agriculture, General | 23 | $53,969 | #17 |
| Animal Sciences | 213 | $53,226 | #11 |
| Social Work | 67 | $53,209 | #86 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 47 | $52,233 | #8 |
| Sociology | 59 | $52,142 | #136 |
| Plant Sciences | 53 | $51,696 | #20 |
| Physics | 34 | $51,590 | #70 |
| History | 65 | $49,500 | #147 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 71 | $48,824 | #134 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 85 | $48,338 | #150 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 131 | $46,772 | #124 |
| Anthropology | 27 | $45,890 | #81 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 53 | $38,440 | #22 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | 25 | $35,867 | — |
| Agricultural Production Operations small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 27 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Education, General small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 27 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology small degree count | 14 | 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 NC State?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
841

**Biology, General**
415

**Psychology, General**
305

**Computer Science**
281

**Mechanical Engineering**
249

**Communication and Media Studies**
240

**Animal Sciences**
213

**Textile Sciences and Engineering**
204

**Political Science and Government**
190

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**
184

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

## How do NC State majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Forestry**#1**
2.  Environmental Design**#1**
3.  Nutrition Sciences**#2**
4.  Science, Technology and Society**#5**
5.  International/Globalization Studies**#5**
6.  Architecture**#7**
7.  Genetics**#8**
8.  Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management**#8**
9.  Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering**#10**
10.  Animal Sciences**#11**
11.  Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services**#12**
12.  Agricultural Engineering**#13**
13.  Materials Engineering**#14**
14.  Agriculture, General**#17**
15.  Industrial Engineering**#18**
16.  Agricultural Business and Management**#19**
17.  Fine and Studio Arts**#19**
18.  Business/Managerial Economics**#19**
19.  Plant Sciences**#20**
20.  Chemical Engineering**#20**
21.  Zoology/Animal Biology**#22**
22.  Chemistry**#23**
23.  Microbiological Sciences and Immunology**#25**
24.  Statistics**#26**
25.  Criminology**#26**
26.  Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology**#27**
27.  Biomedical/Medical Engineering**#28**
28.  Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**#31**
29.  Philosophy**#33**
30.  Psychology, General**#34**
31.  Business Administration, Management and Operations**#35**
32.  Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences**#36**
33.  Mathematics**#37**
34.  Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas**#40**
35.  Design and Applied Arts**#43**
36.  Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering**#44**
37.  Computer 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

Outcomes at North Carolina State University at Raleigh 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. The university publishes earnings data for 64 bachelor's programs, and 54 of those carry a national rank.

The degree mix is concentrated in Engineering, which accounts for 23.2% of degrees awarded, followed by Business at 17.2% and Biological Sciences at 9.8%. The largest program is Business Administration and Management, with 841 degrees awarded in a year and a median of $84,349 four years after completion.

Azimuth ranks it #35 nationally and #2 in North Carolina. The best-paid program is Computer Science, with median earnings of $113,478 four years after completion and a national rank of #69.

Forestry holds the strongest national rank at #1, with median earnings of $86,357.

## 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/).