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Programs & majors brief

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# Northwestern State University of Louisiana Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Northwestern State University of Louisiana?

Nursing is the largest program at Northwestern State University of Louisiana, with 318 degrees awarded and median earnings of $86,608 four years after completion. That is the highest earnings figure among the university's programs.

A handful of smaller programs also pay well. Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians shows median earnings of $74,209 from 17 degrees awarded, and Health Sciences shows median earnings of $67,765 from 25 degrees awarded.

Psychology is a large program with moderate earnings. It awards 115 degrees a year and shows median earnings of $44,492; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #292 nationally in its field.

The spread between the highest- and moderate-earning fields is wide, and the largest programs are not always the best-paid.

### 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.

-   Health professions**445 · 31.9%**
-   Business**218 · 15.6%**
-   Liberal arts**117 · 8.4%**
-   Psychology**115 · 8.2%**
-   Biological sciences**77 · 5.5%**
-   Other**424 · 30.4%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

28 of 28 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 318 degrees awarded**
$86,608

**Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians 17 degrees awarded**
$74,209

**Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 25 degrees awarded**
$67,765

**Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions 86 degrees awarded**
$66,559

**Information Science/Studies 33 degrees awarded**
$63,928

**Accounting and Related Services 69 degrees awarded**
$60,861

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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 318 | $86,608 | #144 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians small degree count | 17 | $74,209 | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 25 | $67,765 | #30 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 86 | $66,559 | #46 |
| Information Science/Studies | 33 | $63,928 | #51 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 69 | $60,861 | #261 |
| Biology, General | 70 | $55,452 | #262 |
| History small degree count | 17 | $55,115 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 30 | $53,800 | #81 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 118 | $51,927 | #326 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 29 | $51,722 | #172 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas small degree count | 10 | $51,672 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 117 | $47,652 | #145 |
| Social Work | 40 | $47,296 | #177 |
| Psychology, General | 115 | $44,492 | #292 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 58 | $44,267 | #204 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 31 | $44,227 | #77 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions small degree count | 16 | $42,065 | — |
| Music small degree count | 18 | $39,223 | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 23 | $37,273 | #268 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 24 | $36,229 | #106 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians small degree count | 18 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 55 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| English Language and Literature, General small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 20 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Dance small degree count | 10 | 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 Northwestern State University of Louisiana?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
318

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
118

**Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**
117

**Psychology, General**
115

**Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions**
86

**Biology, General**
70

**Accounting and Related Services**
69

**Criminal Justice and Corrections**
58

**Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services**
55

**Social Work**
40

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

## How do Northwestern State University of Louisiana majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#30**
2.  Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions**#46**
3.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Included by program size**#144**
4.  Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Included by program size**#145**
5.  Social Work Included by program size**#177**
6.  Criminal Justice and Corrections Included by program size**#204**
7.  Accounting and Related Services Included by program size**#261**
8.  Biology, General Included by program size**#262**
9.  Psychology, General Included by program size**#292**
10.  Business Administration, Management and Operations Included by program size**#326**

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

[Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s score bachelor's fields on four-year earnings among completers, debt and cohort size rather than reputation. Earnings data are available for 21 bachelor's programs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana, and 16 hold an Azimuth national rank.

What a graduate earns depends on the program they complete. Health Professions accounts for 31.9% of degrees awarded, the largest share of any family.

Business follows at 15.6%, and Liberal Arts & General Studies makes up 8.4%. Health Sciences ranks #30 nationally, with median earnings of $67,765 four years after completion. Allied Health Professions ranks #46 with earnings of $66,559.

## 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/).